South Carolina Gamecocks football 2014 roster preview: Clayton Stadnick

Clayton Stadnick
RS sophomore
6'3'' / 279 lbs
Greensboro, N.C.

Recruitment:
Consensus three-star recruit, 31st OC nationally

Other major offers:
N.C. State, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

College Career:
Stadnick committed along with his twin brother Brock in 2012. He redshirted his true freshman season. Although his brother was considered the more promising recruit out of high school, Clayton has been the first to make an impact for Carolina. When starting center Cody Waldrop was injured early last season, Clayton was forced to make his first start in Athens against UGA. Although many expected a poor performance due to criticism Clayton had drawn from Shawn Elliott, Stadnick acquitted himself very well. After Georgia, he started six more games while Waldrop recovered. He won SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors after shining against Vanderbilt. Waldrop retook the starting job late in the season.

2014 Outlook:
Stadnick remains behind Waldrop at center on the depth chart. However, there's been some talk of moving Waldrop over to right guard , which would give Stadnick another go as the starting center.

Trivia:
The Stadnick brothers' father, John, played one year in the NFL for the San Diego Chargers and four years in the USFL.

Beat writer's terrible double-meaning lede:
"The name 'Clayton' is derived from the Old English for 'clay settlement.' The meaning seems appropriate, because after finding it hard to get by Clayton Stadnick all afternoon, Florida's defensive line probably began to think of the Gamecocks center as an immovable clay structure."