The South Carolina Gamecocks had a rollercoaster season in 2013 with superb wins coming against Missouri and Clemson but close defeats to Georgia and Tennessee meant their season and SEC winning aspirations were never realistic.

Mr South Carolina Connor Shaw threw 24 touchdowns to just one interception and claimed a thrilling victory over Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl to give himself the send-off he deserved.

Most eyes on South Carolina were to catch a glimps of star defensive end Jadeveon Clowney,  but with him now a professional,  the side will need to make nosie elsewhere.

Top Newcomers

Bryson Allen-Williams, linebacker: Allen-Williams is a physical specimen who will be the crown jewel of this defense down the road.  He is good enough to contribute straight away and should see increased playing time as the season goes on.

Wesley Green, cornerback: The Gamecock defensive backfield has been overhauled since the last time they took the field meaning a freshman cornerback is likely to see a starting job come his way in 2014.  Green was highly recruited out of high school and turned down offers from Alabama,  Ohio State,  USC and Virginia Tech amongst others.  It is a tall order to play an outside cornerback position in your first year at college but that is what somebody will have to do in South Carolina.

Top Returning Players

Mike Davis, running back: Davis exploded as a sophomore as he racked up 1,183 yards on the ground and 352 through the air en route to an 11 touchdown season.  The former four star recruit showed the potential everybody knew he had when South Carolina signed him,  and they will need even more in 2014 as the team move forward without Shaw.

Skai Moore, linebacker: A four-star recruit in the 2013 class,  Moore exceeded expectations when he led the team in tackles with 56 and interceptions with four.  With Clowney now in the NFL via the first-round pick,  the Gamecocks need a new defensive leader and there is no reason why Moore cannot develop more and be that man.

Positional Breakdown

Quarterback: Shaw was synonymous with South Carolina but eventually everybody has to graduate.  Dylan Thompson has plenty of experience and his strong arm is mightily impressive.

Running Back: Davis is a stud and his support cast have potential.  This is the strongest position on the team.

Wide Receiver: There is plenty of depth at receiver with Shaq Roland most likely to fill the void left by Bruce Ellington thanks to his size and speed.  Pharoh Cooper is a movable piece while Damiere Byrd is rapid.

Tight End: Rory Anderson and Jerell Adams hardly set the world alight with 25 catches between them a season ago but they are sturdy blockers who can do more in the passing game if required.

Offensive Tackle: Corey Robinson is a rock on the blind side and Thompson needs him at his very best as he builds his career while Brandon Shell is an anchor on the right side.

Guard: A.J. Cann is another rock along a line that will create plenty of holes for Davis while right guard Mike Matulis emerged strongly last season.

Center: Third-year sophomore Cody Waldrop is first in line to get the starting gig but he will be pushed all the way by Clayton Stadnik.

Defensive End: Darius English and Cedrick Cooper have a lot to live up to if they are to follow in the footsteps of Clowney,  but both are great athletes who need to become stronger if they are to protect the edge.

Defensive Tackle: There is a lot of depth at defensive tackle meaning a group including J.T. Surratt,  Abu Lamin,  Deon Green and Kelsey Griffin can rotate and put up good numbers between them.

Linebackers: Moore is a magnet to the ball and he makes this unit so much stronger.  Kaiwan Lewis is getting better the more experience he gains while T.J. Holloman is also a smart piece.

Cornerback: The corner position is a mess at the minute and a true freshman is likely to be given the task of holding down the fort. 

Safety: Brison Williams will lead the defensive back unit but may be asked to move to safety while Chaz Elder grew tremendously in 2013 and will certainly occupy the other safety spot.

Special Teams: Elliott Fry and Tyler Hull are a solid kicker-punter combination and should get better with age.

Biggest Strengths

Running back Davis is the stud player on this South Carolina side and the offense will revolve around him and his running compatriots.  We know he is elite and will comfortably break the 1,000-yard barrier barring any misfortunes.  Behind him a pair of juniors named Shon Carson and Brandon Wilds should see added touches this year after they impressed in the limited action they have seen thus far.  Carson,  in particular,  looked comfortable during his 61 carries last season as he rumbled for 256 yards.

Biggest Weaknesses

With the secondary seeing so much change it is by far the weakest position on the team with a lot of inexperience set to take the field.  Williams is a fantastic safety but may have to rotate into a cornerback slot thanks to a bit of depth behind him before moving back to his favored role.  As mentioned above,  a freshman is certain to see plenty of action at corner and the rest of the defense must work tirelessly to ensure they are not picked on by opposing quarterbacks.

Schedule