The Final Cockdown: #67 Ronald Patrick

*The football position, not the popular brand of deodorant

Ronald Patrick
Senior Offensive Guard
6'2", 315 lbs.
Cocoa, FL

Recruitment:
3 stars, 51st overall offensive guard in the 2010 class
Other offers: East Carolina, Florida State, Middle Tennessee State, New Mexico, Western Kentucky

College Career:
In a move that the coaching staff has since publicly lamented, Patrick's redshirt was pulled off late in the 2010 season when injuries along the offensive line forced him into game action against Arkansas - a game that, as you may recall, South Carolina might as well not have shown up for. If the Gamecocks had been able to redshirt in 2010, they'd return each of their five starting linemen in 2014. Oh well.

In 2011, Patrick saw action in 9 of 13 games in relief of Terrence Campbell, who functioned as a utility lineman of sorts, moving out to tackle when Kyle Nunn went down with a season-ending back injury. In 2012, Ronald Patrick was one of two returning players - the other being Bruce Ellington - to start in each of South Carolina's 13 games.

2013 Outlook:
Considering that Patrick only had one BCS offer outside of South Carolina, the coaching staff has to be quite pleased that they've turned Patrick into a multi-year starter on a near-SEC championship level team. Patrick enters 2013 with the sixth most starts (13) of any player on the roster, which, arguably, highlights the inexperience of this squad as much as it highlights the experience of Patrick, who will be the lone senior on this year's offensive line.

While there was certainly some dissatisfaction with his level of play in 2012, Patrick appears to have a firm grasp on the starting role at right guard entering fall practice. Redshirt sophomore Will Sport and true freshman D.J. Park are currently listed behind Patrick on the depth chart, but neither would seem to pose an immediate threat to Patrick's playing time. Redshirt freshman and former Under Armour All-American Brock Stadnik is slotted in behind A.J. Cann at left guard, and should be considered the the most likely candidate to challenge Patrick (more on Stadnik, #65, in a few days), but it would still be a big surprise to see anyone unseat him as the starting right guard.

Trivia:
Ronald Patrick was born 5 years after me but has more than twice my body mass. (OK, fine. We didn't really have any compelling trivia on Patrick. If you have something more interesting, send an email to gabamailbag@gmail.com.)

Social media scouting report:
Patrick has opinions about summer blockbusters...

Man of Steel A+

— Ronald Patrick (@RPatrick67) June 15, 2013

And local industry...

How in the world is there not an Apple Store in Columbia,SC...I mean this is the state capital right?!?!

— Ronald Patrick (@RPatrick67) May 19, 2013

And wants you to know when he is operating at optimal mental capacity...

I do my best thinking at night.

— Ronald Patrick (@RPatrick67) February 28, 2013

Possible Todd Ellis play-by-play call:
"Mike Davis scampers into the endzone after being sprung by the pulling guard Ronald Patrick on a strongside power play. St. Patrick chased those Georgia Bulldog defenders like snakes into the sea. BOOM! Touchdown Carolina!"