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Four-star cornerback signees Chris Lammons and Wesley Green have been ruled academically eligible to enroll at South Carolina, according to comments made by Steve Spurrier at a coaches' charity function. Both were expected to immediately compete for playing time when they signed in February. Their uncertain academic status raised serious questions about the Gamecocks' ability to stop the pass in 2014.
While this is great news for South Carolina's defensive backfield, let's not forget that Lammons and Green now have just under 29 days to get on campus, acclimate themselves to college life, and learn the defense -- a defense that, by the way, is undergoing its first scheme overhaul since Ellis Johnson arrived in 2008. Al Harris, Jr. and D.J. Smith probably have a more forgiving path to early playing time since they've been on campus all summer working out with their teammates. Still, even if Lammons and Green have to learn on the job, their presence significantly improves a cornerback two-deep previously occupied by a former walk-on, a former running back, and two underclassmen who have missed significant time to injury.
Fullback Joe Blue and safety Darin Smalls, however, appear to be among the non-qualifiers. Fellow 2014 signees Dexter Wideman, Jhaustin Thomas, Dante Sawyer, and Kalan Ritchie also failed to qualify.
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So let's hear it. Which two players do you think will get the start at cornerback on Aug. 28?