The Key to 2023: Run Defense

Defensive coordinator Clayton White's defense must step up against the run for South Carolina's football team to progress once again this upcoming season.

Shane Beamer and South Carolina's football program have done nothing but linearly progress since the former Gamecock assistant arrived in December of 2020. 

From increasing their win total in each of his first two years to ending multiple losing streaks and seeing star players decide to run it back for another go-around, the expectations in Columbia continue to be raised this offseason.

Even though there are some positive ingredients and legitimate concerns to raise with the 2023 South Carolina Gamecocks, one facet of the team must heighten its production to reach its potential: the run defense.

In 2021, current defensive coordinator Clayton White inherited a roster with some solid pieces. That group included future NFL draft pick Kingsley Enagbare and current draft hopefuls in Cam Smith, Zacch Pickens, and Darius Rush. 

Besides the top-heavy talent and some solid veteran defenders, there wasn't enough depth at each position, so the Gamecocks finished with the third-worst mark in the SEC in rush defense.

This past season, the Gamecocks returned six starters, had key transfers step in at certain spots, and saw backups with gobs of potential fill out the rest of the unit, one which, for the most part, was going through their second season in White's system. 

While sporadic injuries in the secondary and linebacker core didn't help, the Gamecocks regressed in rush defense, giving up 23 more rushing yards per game on average compared to the previous year, which led to them finishing with the 2nd worst mark in the conference.

Through draft declarations and transfer portal defections, the Gamecocks are losing nine players who started a game in 2022. Still, with the defense heading into its third year under White and the superb recruiting from the previous two cycles, South Carolina should be able to offset those losses to a certain extent. 

Suppose the South Carolina Gamecocks want to continue to improve. In that case, it must start with seeing better results in stopping the run, which is even more imperative because four of South Carolina's 2023 opponents produced a top-50 rushing attack this past season.

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