Antwane Wells Jr. embracing every moment with Gamecocks
New South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Antwane Wells Jr. is keeping the main thing the main thing, so to speak.
In an era of college football where there are more opportunities for college football players than ever to better themselves — and this writer is all for all of those chances for players — there are also more potential distractions than ever before.
And Antwane Wells Jr. doesn’t want to get distracted.
The Richmond, Va. native, who joined the South Carolina football program in January after transferring in from James Madison, sees the opportunity he has ahead of him in Columbia and doesn’t want to take any chances on missing it.
“It’s been great,” Wells said in an exclusive Garnet Trust interview. “Everybody’s been embracing me and just bringing me in as a brother. Coach (Justin) Stepp has been showing me ways to do everything and some of the guys have just been reaching out to me, making sure I’m good. We’re killin it in the weight room and going out there on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“I just love the environment, I love the atmosphere. It’s just like a whole different type of ball up here and I love it. I’m taking every moment and step by step just embracing every moment because you don’t really get too many chances like this, so I’m just embracing it and loving it. The workouts are just great. It’s just good vibes. This is a football town and this is all I ask for. I’m building brotherhoods. I’m just having fun. This is a great experience.”
Wells was brought to Columbia to help bolster the Gamecocks’ passing game after taking the record book at FCS JMU and setting it on fire last season.
As a redshirt freshman this past season, Wells caught 83 passes for 1,250 yards and 15 touchdowns, all JMU school records.
A Highland Springs graduate, Wells ranks third all-time at JMU in career receiving touchdowns (21), ninth in career receiving yards (1,853) and ninth in career receptions (116) in a little over a season and a half played.
Entering the transfer portal was a difficult decision that he says caused at least one sleepless night but it was a decision he felt had to be made.
“I look at life as challenges,” Wells told the media on Wednesday. “I don’t never want to get settled. I don’t want to never get comfortable with just dominating at one level. I always want to be able to enhance my game and learn as many things as possible. I feel like, at JMU, they taught me a lot of things and they helped me with a lot of things but I feel like my time there was done because just playing there kind of got easy. I don’t want to take the easy route, I always want to take the harder route.”
Wells found the harder route at South Carolina but it’s a grind he’s embraced since arriving in January.
He steps into a situation where the Gamecocks have a need for another wide receiver to emerge alongside returning leading receiver Josh Vann and do-it-all tight end Jaheim Bell who emerged last season.
While the work and of course the workouts have been hard, Wells is not complaining, instead cherishing every step of the journey while appreciating his opportunity.
“Coming from the FCS level to play SEC (ball), I just have a chip on my shoulder,” Wells said. “I feel like I have to go into the weight room and give it everything I’ve got. I don’t want to be underweight. I want to make sure I’m strong enough to take those hits. I want to be fast. I feel like the weight room is a big part of football. It helps you with injuries. I just want to make sure I’m taking in everything they have to offer here for us. I don’t want to half step in the weight room. I just want to make sure I’m taking in everything they offer to us because I know it’s good.”
