SEC Round-Up: South Carolina's on-going & growing injury frustrations

Injuries have been such a problem for South Carolina that even coach Shane Beamer has been a victim.

Following a 41-39 loss to Florida two weeks ago, Beamer broke a bone in his foot kicking an undisclosed inanimate object out of frustration.

“It was after the game, and certainly that was a gut-wrenching emotional loss, and I was frustrated and kicked something I shouldn’t have kicked,” Beamer said in a press conference the next week. “I thought I was OK, but the adrenalin of the game wore off.

“I don’t think I’m going to have to have surgery, but there is a broken bone in my foot, and it hurts like you know what. But I’ve got to show toughness and fight through it. It’s been one of those years.”

Beamer did indeed fight through the pain and was on the sideline the following week. Alas, the Gamecocks typically haven’t been that fortunate.

According to reports out of Columbia, five offensive linemen are questionable for the game on Saturday against Texas A&M. That list includes starting right tackle Vershon Lee, starting right guard Trovon Baugh and starting left tackle Tree Babalade.

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Prior to sustaining an injury vs. Florida, Lee had started all of the Gamecocks’ first six games of the season.

Lee, slowed by an injured knee, did not play last week in the Gamecocks’ 34-12 loss to Missouri, which recorded five sacks and seven tackles for loss.

This is after three other offensive linemen were lost to year-ending injuries earlier in the season.

“I have never in all my years of coaching been around a year where you had that many injuries at one position,” Beamer said.

Not that anyone cares. There is no compassion or empathy in the dog-eat-dog world of SEC football. Got injuries? Good. It makes winning easier.

Yet, it has gotten even worse for South Carolina.

Star receiver Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. is expected to be sidelined for the fifth consecutive game with a foot injury he sustained in a loss to Georgia.

Further, senior receiver Ahmarean Brown is doubtful with a sore hamstring, and receiver Xavier Legette is questionable with what is called an upper-body injury.

Legette is one of the few bright spots for the South Carolina offense. He’s third in the SEC in receiving with 38 catches for 736 yards.

That rash of injuries has taken a toll. In the midst of a three-game losing streak, South Carolina has fallen to 2-5. Texas A&M, Kentucky and Clemson remain on the schedule. The Gamecocks are in serious danger of failing to qualify for a bowl game.

They are ranked 123rd in the nation in sacks allowed. They’re 123rd in rushing offense. They’re 130th in passing defense. They’re 114th in points allowed.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way.

South Carolina finished 8-5 last season. The Gamecocks beat Kentucky, Texas A&M, Tennessee and Clemson.

Quarterback Spencer Rattler was back after passing for 3,012 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2022. South Carolina looked to build on that success. There was even talk they could challenge Georgia in the SEC East.

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Among the Gamecocks’ healthy contingent, Spencer Rattler has thrown for 1,941 yards and 11 touchdowns this year.

And they did. For a half. In the third game of the season, South Carolina led Georgia 14-3 at halftime.

Georgia scored three unanswered touchdowns in the second half.

The Gamecocks’ frustration and injuries have been growing ever since.

Around the SEC

This week’s games: South Carolina at Texas A&M; No. 1 Georgia vs. Florida (at Jacksonville); Mississippi State at Auburn; No. 21 Tennessee at Kentucky; Vanderbilt at No. 12 Ole Miss

Who’s hot: Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins is finally starting to show the form of last year when he was the SEC’s best running back. Judkins has rushed for 366 yards and three touchdowns in the last three games. Prior to that three-game stretch, Judkins managed just 201 rushing yards in four games.

Who’s not: South Carolina’s offensive line has been an abject disaster this season. The Gamecocks have allowed 30 sacks. That’s bad enough. But the running game is averaging just 93.7 yards. Vanderbilt is the only SEC team with a more futile running game. Last week, South Carolina managed just 69 rushing yards and allowed five sacks. That was to Missouri, which is ranked just seventh in the SEC in total defense.

Keep an eye on: Georgia tight end Oscar Delp moves into the starting lineup to replace injured star Brock Bowers. Delp has caught 13 passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns. Bowers had almost that (nine for 157 yards and a touchdown) against Auburn. Bowers, who may be the best player in the country, was the proverbial “security blanket” for quarterback Carson Beck. He also drew coverage away from other Bulldogs receivers. Delp cannot be expected to do everything Bowers does, but the Bulldogs could be in trouble if the decline is dramatic.

The pressure is on: The Texas A&M offense has scored 33 points and gained 583 yards in the last two games. True, those games were against two of the SEC’s best defenses — Alabama and Tennessee. The Aggies face South Carolina, which is last in the SEC in total defense and 13th in points allowed. South Carolina has allowed at least 30 points in each of its last four games. If the Aggies cannot manage 30 points against South Carolina, the offense might be a lost cause.

Best matchup: It's absolutely vital for Kentucky’s offensive line to create running room for SEC-leading rusher Ray Davis against Tennessee’s defensive front. The Wildcats don’t figure to get much production from their passing game, which has accounted for just 317 yards in the last three games combined. Meanwhile, Tennessee has a solid run defense. The Volunteers allow an average of just 109.8 rushing yards to rank 25th in the nation. Tennessee has allowed more than 135 rushing yards just twice all season. The Vols lost both games.