Garnet And Black Attack: All Posts by Sydney Hunte

Recap: Hilinski shines in first career start as Gamecocks rout Charleston Southern 72-10

2019-09-07T15:18:23-04:00

Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

The true freshman threw for two touchdowns and ran for another in his first career start as the Gamecocks had no trouble with its FCS opponent.

South Carolina rode a nearly mistake-free performance by Ryan Hilinski in his first career start as it dominated Charleston Southern 72-10 in a home-opening win at Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday.

Hilinski, forced into take the reins after Jake Bentley sustained a mid-foot sprain on the final play of the Gamecocks’ loss to North Carolina last week, was tasked with a first career start against an FCS defense and a team forced to relocate to Charlotte for game week preparations ahead of projected effects of Hurricane Dorian.

While the Gamecocks weren’t predicted to struggle with the Buccaneers at all today, the true freshman from California made sure of that.

Hilinski completed his first 12 passes and led touchdown-scoring drives on 7 of Carolina’s first 10 possessions, with the other three ending on a field goal, fumble and an interception. All told, he finished 24-30 for 282 yards with 2 passing touchdowns and another on the ground before giving way to Dakereon Joyner late in the third. Hilinski’s prettiest throw came in the second quarter, when he dropped an absolute dime onto the hands of Bryan Edwards to stretch the lead to 35-3.

RYAN HILINSKI WITH THE 60 pic.twitter.com/dcfsRbAyoP
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) September 7, 2019

By then, the game was well decided as the Gamecocks scored their most points in a half (44) in program history and ended with their highest point total in a game under Will Muschamp, easily beating the 49-point outputs against Coastal Carolina and Chattanooga last year and its most since a 70-point game against then-FCS Coastal in 2013. South Carolina also rolled up 493 yards on the ground and 775 yards of total offense - both program records - while holding Charleston Southern to just 267 yards.

While all eyes were on Bentley, another true freshman stood out for the Gamecocks. Kevin Harris finished with 6 carries for 147 yards and three touchdowns, including a 45-yarder and later a 75-yarder to set the game’s final margin.

Good luck tackling Kevin Harris pic.twitter.com/49mkOwvfya
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) September 7, 2019

South Carolina faces its stiffest test of the season next week as it hosts No. 2 Alabama at Williams-Brice Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on CBS.

Game Thread Roll Call

A quiet day in the Game Thread today! But Bulldog Cocky takes the Game Thread MVP award for Week 2.

#	Commenter	# Comments
1	Bulldog Cocky	41
2	RoosterC	14
3	Chickenlover2019	8
4	ilycrpw	6
5	Matterhadder	3
6	One Big Jerk	2
7	Raider Zacc	2
8	cflannagan	1

Report: Bentley suffers mid-foot sprain; out 4-8 weeks at minimum

2019-09-03T12:48:07-04:00

Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

The Ryan Hilinski era will begin much sooner than anticipated.

Will Muschamp wasn’t ready to make a switch at quarterback for South Carolina, even after an overall disappointing performance by Jake Bentley in a loss to North Carolina.

He may not have a choice as the Gamecocks host Charleston Southern this Saturday.

Breaking: Ryan Hilinski has been informed from the USC coaching staff that he will start this week at QB for the Gamecocks and moving forward, per source. One source told me Bentley is expected to be out at least 6 weeks with a broken foot but it could be longer. @wachfox
— Mike Uva (@Mike_Uva) September 2, 2019

During his weekly press conference, Muschamp revealed that Bentley had suffered a “mid-foot sprain” during the game against the Tar Heels, and could be out 4-8 weeks at minimum, or for the season if surgery is needed.

Muschamp said Bentley's injury is mid-foot sprain also known as a lisfranc injury, out 4-8 weeks without surgery, if he needs surgery he's out for the season. #Gamecocks
— SportsTalk (@sportstalksc) September 3, 2019

Muschamp said he believes the injury to Bentley occurred on last play of the game. Bentley told the trainer he had some soreness, an MRI was taken Sunday night and that's when the extent of the injury was determined. #Gamecocks
— SportsTalk (@sportstalksc) September 3, 2019

Mike Uva from WACH Fox was first to report the news on Monday:

Breaking: Ryan Hilinski has been informed from the USC coaching staff that he will start this week at QB for the Gamecocks and moving forward, per source. One source told me Bentley is expected to be out at least 6 weeks with a broken foot but it could be longer. @wachfox
— Mike Uva (@Mike_Uva) September 2, 2019

In all honesty, it wouldn’t have been fair to bench Bentley anyway even with an FCS opponent coming in for the home opener. But if Hilinski can navigate the Gamecocks through a difficult stretch following Saturday’s game against the Buccaneers, it might be fair to say that this past weekend in Charlotte was the last we’ve seen of Bentley as the Gamecocks’ starting quarterback.

But that’s putting the cart well before the horse. For now, Hilinski is the guy, and the eyes of Gamecock nation will be focused squarely on him.

South Carolina vs. North Carolina recap, final score: Gamecocks let it slip against Tar Heels 24-20 in Charlotte

2019-08-31T19:07:55-04:00

Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

What a frustrating ending.

South Carolina suffered a stinging loss to open the 2019 campaign, falling 24-20 to the North Carolina Tar Heels at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.

Both teams were able to move the ball well in their respective opening drives, but stalled out in the red zone and settled for field goals before Tavien Feaster’s 34-yard scoring run made it a 10-3 ballgame with just over 3 to play in the first.

.@GamecockFB's Tavien Feaster out here showing off his WHEELS! ‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/0Zw4erAISL
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) August 31, 2019

After Parker White’s 39-yarder made it 13-3 with 7:24 to go before the break, UNC tacked on a short one of their own with 1:50 left to draw within 13-6 despite getting the better of the Gamecocks’ running defense earlier in the drive.

Despite South Carolina’s defense allowing another red zone drive to North Carolina to start the second half, it held the Heels to another short field goal to make it 13-9 with just short of 7 minutes played in the third. A nice kickoff return by Shi Smith on the Gamecocks’ possession set up an eventual touchdown drive thanks to two key catches by Kyle Markway, one on 3rd and long and a 22-yarder on a coverage breakdown by the Tar Heels to put the Gamecocks up 20-9.

But South Carolina’s lack of aggressive play-calling on offense and soft defense allowed North Carolina to get back into the game.

First, Dyami Brown ended a 98-yard drive with an incredible one-handed, tumbling catch in the end zone, followed by a 2-point conversion to cut it to 20-17 with 14:27 left in regulation. With 4th and short near midfield on this next possession, the Gamecocks decided to punt, and again, the conservative playcalling hurt them on the scoreboard. UNC took the lead for good after several pretty grabs by its receiving corps, including a 17-yard catch by Beau Coralles to make it 24-20 with 8:16 remaining. Later, with 2:48 to go, Bentley tried to shoot a long pass downfield, but was picked off by Myles Wolfork. Despite getting the ball back with the clock running down, another interception by Bentley, again to Wolfork, was the backbreaker and allowed the Tar Heels to run the clock down.

South Carolina hopes to shake the loss off as they take on Charleston Southern at Williams-Brice Stadium. Kickoff next Saturday is set for noon.

Game Thread Roll Call

Now some good news: the game thread roll call is back! FlamingGamingChicken takes home the Game Thread MVP award for Week 1.

#	Commenter	# Comments
1	FlamingGamingChicken	134
2	Bulldog Cocky	57
3	earlmikell	43
4	forsomereason	28
5	billyraybubba	14
6	Hampton Jordan	14
7	Curtgoodwin	9
8	Damngamecocks	8
9	Cockytoafault	8
10	RayB92	6
11	RoosterC	6
12	Raider Zacc	6
13	Cocky 1	5
14	wilham9	4
15	Phillyfootballfan	4
16	sams-bigbob	3
17	ktowngamecock	2
18	cluckandpeck	2
19	ilycrpw	1
20	William Fraser	1

Tavien Feaster to enroll at South Carolina

2019-07-29T13:48:20-04:00

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Spurs Up!

Tavien Feaster will be a South Carolina Gamecock after all.

As first reported WACH FOX’s Mike Uva, the former Clemson running back is set to enroll at Carolina following his graduation from the Upstate school, confirming the news on his Instagram page on Monday afternoon.

Breaking: Tavien Feaster will enroll at USC following his graduation at Clemson. @wachfox has been told that there is no date set at this time for Feaster’s first day with the Gamecocks but he’s expected to join the team following the the end of Clemson’s summer schedule (Aug 5).
— Mike Uva (@Mike_Uva) July 29, 2019

View this post on Instagram

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29:11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

A post shared by Tavien Feaster (@xxviii_reasons) on Jul 29, 2019 at 9:31am PDT

Feaster joins a crowded backfield for the Gamecocks, but should set off an interesting battle come fall camp with Mon Denson, Rico Dowdle and A.J. Turner already in the running backs room. And for his part, Feaster - who ran for over 1300 yards and registered 15 touchdowns with Clemson - certainly brings talent to the table. How will things ultimately shake out as the Gamecocks look for a reliable RB1 to contribute consistently? That remains to be seen. (Frankly, I thought he’d go to Virginia Tech, but I’ve been wrong before.)

More on this story, along with more on the decision from Feaster and reaction from Gamecocks fans, as the days progress. South Carolina players will report on Thursday for fall camp, which begins on Friday at 9 a.m.

It’s South Carolina or Virginia Tech for Tavien Feaster

2019-07-11T10:19:44-04:00

Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images

SEC or ACC?

When we last checked in with former Clemson running back Tavien Feaster, he was still mulling his options and deciding where he’d spend his final year of eligibility. In an interview with Phil Kornblut on Wednesday, the Spartanburg High grad revealed that the Gamecocks and Virginia Tech are the two schools he’s considering.

But while South Carolina is one of his final two schools (probably not a huge surprise since it’s close to home), it doesn’t sound like Will Muschamp and company are making a heavy push for him:

As for USC, he said he hasn’t heard much from the Gamecocks since the recruiting dead period started.

“I went to a 7-on-7 at South Carolina to watch my high school play and I talked to the coaches while I was up there a little bit. They said I can come in and help them,” Feaster said. “Both schools have pros and cons. I couldn’t make a decision right now between the two. When I sat down and put it all on paper and in perspective, those two stood out.”

From Feaster’s comments to Kornblut, I’d have to say that Virginia Tech would probably be a heavy favorite right now. And it isn’t the end of the world if he does end up there: South Carolina’s RB room is full at the moment with names like AJ Turner, Rico Dowdle, and Mon Denson, and if Feaster came in, it would be a little difficult to find a full role for him. Can you blame him for wanting to go to a place where he has a shot at being a featured back and not just a roleplayer? The interest from both him and the Hokies seems very mutual and frankly seems a better fit than Carolina.

Recruiting can take its turns, so we’ll see what Feaster’s final decision is soon. But it may not be too hard to imagine him in a Hokies uniform come fall.

South Carolina vs. Alabama on Sept. 14 to be shown on CBS

2019-05-29T12:20:40-04:00

Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

The Gamecocks will get a national TV audience as Nick Saban and Co. come to Willy B.

The SEC on CBS is set to kick off another season on September 14, and the network has announced that its team of Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson and Jamie Erdahl will be heading to Columbia as South Carolina hosts defending champion Alabama for a 3:30 kickoff.

With the two being in separate divisions, it’s the first time since the Gamecocks and Crimson Tide have faced off against each other since October 9, 2025 - and that game turned out pretty well for Carolina. The Gamecocks hosted a CBS game last year against Georgia - a 41-17 loss - while appearing on the network in back-to-back weeks in 2017.

Alabama’s involvement is obviously a huge reason for it landing the SEC on CBS’s season premiere, but the fact that the two teams haven’t played each other since the Tide fell at Williams-Brice adds a bit more narrative. And the Gamecocks are in rare company: Alabama has only 12 losses since then.

So there will be a lot on the line for both sides. South Carolina will look to send an early message to the entire country, and Alabama will try to avoid a rare loss to an SEC opponent and sustain early damage to its hopes of a third title in five seasons. Are you planning to be at the game? Let us know in the comments.

Gamecocks get huge commitment from Top 10 RB MarShawn Lloyd

2019-05-27T13:33:57-04:00

Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

Big-time get for the Gamecocks!

It’s South Carolina for 2020 running back MarShawn Lloyd.

The rising senior from powerful DeMatha Catholic in Maryland - rated as the No. 6 running back in the country and the No. 28 player in his class by 247Sports’ composite rankings - announced in a video posted on Monday afternoon that he would play for the Gamecocks.

https://t.co/culkiAFFOQ
— MarShawn Lloyd (@LloydMarshawn) May 27, 2019

Lloyd’s pledge is easily the highest-profile of the 2020 class for the Gamecocks thus far. Before today, Luke Doty, ranked No. 94, was the top recruit of the class. But getting Lloyd in the fold is a big boost for a team that will see three of its running backs suit up for the final time in 2019. In fact, he’s Carolina’s sixth-highest commitment, with only Gamecocks legends JaDeveon Clowney and Marcus Lattimore, incoming freshman Zacch Pickens, and Demetris Summers and Ricardo Hurley in front of him.

We’ll break down what this means moving forward for the Gamecocks in a later post, but this is a big, big get for the program.

Gamecocks basketball lands Tenn. Tech grad transfer Micaiah Henry

2019-05-17T18:55:14-04:00

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The 6’9” big man is immediately eligible and will fill a void in the frontcourt.

Frank Martin and the South Carolina Gamecocks bagged a big man off the graduate transfer wire on Friday afternoon as Tennessee Tech’s Micaiah Henry committed to the program. Shun Williams from On the Radar Hoops was the first to report the news.

Tennessee Tech graduate transfer Micaiah Henry has committed to South Carolina
— Shun Williams (@OntheRadarHoops) May 17, 2019

Henry enjoyed a good season with Tennessee Tech in 2018-19, averaging 9.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. After playing in 64 games and starting just 6 through his frst two seasons with the Golden Eagles, he played in 31 and started 30 last year, averaging 25.1 minutes a game.

Part of the reason Henry chose South Carolina over Virginia Tech - one of the other schools pursuing him - was an opportunity to enhance the finance degree he’d already graduated with.

“The reputation of the Darla Moore School of Business … I had actually heard about the school from family friends and people I’m associated with here in Tennessee,” he told The State last Thursday following a visit. “I just know the level of the degree would be great.”

And the chance to step onto the court at his chosen school and make an immediate impact was surely a big draw as well.

South Carolina football announces 2024 non-conference game against Akron

2019-05-15T10:29:33-04:00

Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

The Gamecocks now have 2 open dates remaining in 2024.

South Carolina faced off against a first-time opponent in 2018 as it welcomed Akron as a replacement game for its cancelled contest against Marshall. Now, the two teams are set to play each other once more - a few years from now, that is.

The Zips announced that it would visit Williams-Brice Stadium on September 21, 2014. Considering the MAC program received over $1 million to play the Gamecocks last year, it’s a move that works for both sides.

“This past year we had the opportunity to play in Columbia and experience one of the classic venues in the SEC,” Akron athletic director Larry Williams said in a release issued by the program. ”Athletic Director Ray Tanner and his entire staff really demonstrated that Southern hospitality. So impressed were we that we seized the chance to provide that same experience to a new cohort of Zip student-athletes, some of whom will likely be from a reasonable proximity to Columbia.”

South Carolina defeated Akron 28-3 on December 1. Jake Bentley went 14-of-27 for 199 yards and 3 touchdowns, but threw 2 interceptions. Mon Denson and Rico Dowdle enjoyed strong games out of the backfield as they combined for 30 carries and 196 yards.

With Akron’s addition to the 2024 slate, the Gamecocks have two more open dates to fill that year. Leading up to then, South Carolina has one available date in 2020 and 2021 and two slots available in 2023, while its 2022 schedule is complete.

Future Non-Conference Opponents

2019: vs. North Carolina (in Charlotte), Charleston Southern, Appalachian State, Clemson

2020: East Carolina, at Clemson

2021: at East Carolina, Troy, Clemson

2022: Georgia State, Charlotte, Wofford, at Clemson

2023: North Carolina, Clemson

2024: Akron, at Clemson

Gamecocks offer former Clemson RB Tavien Feaster

2019-05-10T16:28:55-04:00

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

This would be a big get for the Gamecocks.

Clemson running back Tavien Feaster’s decision to enter the transfer portal wasn’t all that surprising. We’ve now learned that South Carolina is looking to make a play for him.

The State’s Matt Connolly and Ben Breiner spoke to Feaster on Friday afternoon, who confirmed reports that the Gamecocks have indeed offered him. He would be eligible to play immediately in 2019 as a graduate transfer.

Feaster was a 5-star recruit out of Spartanburg (S.C.) and was part of Clemson’s 2016 recruiting class. He’d have a lot to offer the Gamecocks: he ran for 1330 yards and 15 touchdowns on 222 carries - a 6.0 yard per carry average - during his three-year career with the Tigers. Most of that production came as a sophomore, when he recorded 669 yards and 7 touchdowns on 107 attempts, but with the emergence of Travis Etienne last year, Feaster’s production (and carries) decreased.

It goes without saying that Feaster would be a key addition to a running back corps that includes Rico Dowdle, Mon Denson and AJ Turner. If South Carolina can keep him in-state despite plenty of interest from some key programs, they’ll be that much better.

A source close to Clemson grad transfer RB Tavien Feaster tells me the following programs have been in touch since he entered the transfer portal

Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma, Virginia Tech, Mississippi State and East Carolina.

Feaster will start setting up official visits soon. pic.twitter.com/Gy4PLKqb2c
— Woody Wommack (@RivalsWoody) May 8, 2019

How do you think Feaster would feature in the Gamecocks’ offense? Let us know in the comments.