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Dowell Loggains speaks on role of true freshmen moving forward

Griffin Goodwynby: Griffin Goodwyn10/13/23griffin_goodwyn
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Dowell Loggains (Chris Gillespie/GamecockCentral)

Before Week 1, Shane Beamer delivered a strong message about the role South Carolina’s freshman would play this season.

“We’re going to have to rely on more freshmen earlier than any time than I can remember. And that’s an exciting thing. These guys are really talented,” Beamer said. “This year, more than any other I can remember, we’re saying ‘We know true freshmen are going to have to figure in right now in game one.”

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Since Beamer made that statement, a number of true freshmen have carved out important roles for the team.

Jalon Kilgore made his debut after one of South Carolina’s impact true freshmen from last season, Nick Emmanwori, got injured. Kilgore is now the team leader in tackles and registered 15 tackles and one interception in his last game action against Tennessee.

Tree Babalade and Trovon Baugh have each started at least one game along the offensive line. LaNorris Sellers has even gotten the opportunity to showcase his dual-threat abilities late in the game against Furman. The two touchdowns he threw in that game were also both to true freshmen – Nyckoles Harbor and Tyshawn Russell.

Loggains said giving true freshmen greater roles can prove beneficial both to them and the team in the long run.

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“The challenge becomes what’s they’re capable of versus what can they handle … You have to have courage and guts to be bold and say, ‘Hey, we’re going to start a true freshman at left tackle in Athens or Knoxville in an unbelievable, awesome atmosphere.’ They’ll be better for it,” Loggains said. “There will be bumps along the way. It will be difficult. But long term, it’s what’s best for the team because it’s based on potential.”

Loggains added, though, that the team is not playing freshmen for the sake of playing freshmen. He said the players whose numbers are called on Saturdays are the ones who are most prepared to play.

“Those personnel things get decided through week is ‘Who’s getting better? Who’s getting trending in the right direction?’ If a guy’s ready to play, we’re going to put him in and play him. And if a guy’s not, then we’re going to continue work him in ‘till the point where it’s time to let him loose.”

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Loggains said he will continue to use this approach to select players on game days as the season goes along. He added that at the end of the day, the way each freshman carries himself and performs during practice will be the ultimate measure of how much playing time they earn.

“We’re starting two freshmen on the offensive line. We’re not scared to play people here if they’re ready and it’s their time. So we’re going to continue to evaluate things, and it’s the old saying, ‘Every day is an interview.’ As a player, you better feel that when you come in,” Loggains said.

“We love each one of them, and we care about them. And we want them to do well in school and do well with life after football. But we’re trying to win football games right now, so every day is an interview. So how you practice determines how much you get to play.”

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