It was going to be another season of auditioning new talent anyway. A year after replacing all of the four major starters on special teams, the Gamecocks head into 2026 needing another long snapper (Cole Rasmussen left) and kicker (ditto William Joyce).
Mason Love is the incumbent punter (and most likely holder) while Max Kelley handled kickoffs. Both can place-kick, but USC brought in Upton Bellenfant from Texas Tech to compete.
Gunnar Yocum and Kyler Farrow return at long snapper, each having never played in a game. The Gamecocks imported Emmet Rhoades, who started at Western Carolina last year and is at his fourth college in four seasons, to help.
The running back, y’all
The Gamecocks’ rushing attack was 14th in the SEC last year, and nobody really broke away from the pack as an RB1. Rahsul Faison and Oscar Adaway are gone now, but Matt Fuller and Jawarn Howell are back.
USC went shopping at the power-broker portal to add new backs. The three newcomers are from Texas, Ohio State and Penn State.
When’s the difference?
Practices are closed to the public. Scrimmages, too. There will be no spring game.
So when’s the first time we’ll really see what Kendal Briles’ offense looks like?
Sept. 5 against Kent State.
He spoke in very general terms when he was introduced about what he wanted to do, saying that his offenses in the past had been very high-flying but not being specific as he didn’t know what players he would have. Briles does have a quarterback to build around, but which version will he have?
Hose
LaNorris Sellers is back. Is it the Sellers who dazzled the country in the final six games of the 2024 regular season?
Or the Sellers who stumbled through an inconsistent year in 2025?
Many feel that Sellers’ non-production last year was due to Mike Shula’s play-it-safe offense, a system designed to take care of the ball and do just enough to win. Football, especially quarterback, has always felt natural to Sellers, and it didn’t feel natural anymore.