Mazeo Bennett is 'the best he's ever looked' going into fall camp
Mike Furrey wouldn’t say that South Carolina didn’t have a true lead wide receiver last season. It was more so he just didn’t know who it would be.
“We did a lot of stuff by committee last year,” said Furrey, who’s entering his second season as the wide receivers coach. “… It was kind of like just everybody was just trying to do their job. And I think when you look collectively as a group, that’s kind of what you want, right?”
After Xavier Legette’s breakout season in 2023, where he had 71 catches for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns, the Gamecocks didn’t have the same production from any one player in 2024. Their leading pass catcher was sixth-year tight end Josh Simon, who had 519 yards and seven touchdowns.
The rest of the receptions were much more split amongst the receivers compared to what Legette did on his own a season earlier. But one receiver who did stand out, though, was Mazeo Bennett, as he quickly emerged in his freshman year.
“When you look at Mazeo as a player,” Furrey said, “very, very smart, very passionate about his job — emotional about his job — he rides up and down. He was like that in high school.
“And so a lot of that, when you talk about the maturity, and you talk about him just going through those things and then realizing how to handle situations and what to let bother him and what not to let bother him, and to stay focused and locked in on stuff.”
Stay on top of all things Gamecocks for just $1 for 7 days—lock in this special offer today!
Bennett played in all 13 games and made four starts last season. Behind Simon, he was the next leading pass catcher with 30 receptions, the most of the receivers. He finished with 337 yards and three touchdowns.
Bennett’s college career started strong, as he had four games with at least three catches and 40 yards and three games with a touchdown by mid-October. However, he only had one game with more than 20 receiving yards in the final seven games.
Top 10
- 1New
SEC Football
Predicting 1st loss for each team
- 2
ESPN acquires RedZone
$1 Billion agreement
- 3Hot
College Football Playoff
Ranking Top 32 teams for 2025
- 4Trending
Tim Brando
Ranks Top 15 CFB teams for 2025
- 5
Most improved teams
Top 12 for 2025
Get the Daily On3 Newsletter in your inbox every morning
By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.
As he heads into his sophomore season, Bennett will be in much better physical shape, according to Furrey. He said, “This is the best he’s ever looked coming out of the summer.”
“We both thought he was a little heavy once he started (his freshman year),” Furrey added. “He gained so much when he got here, because, you know, the weight program. And he looks so good. But I just don’t think he felt comfortable being with that body.”
Bennett, who weighed 170 pounds as a senior at Greenville High School, bulked up to 188 pounds going into his freshman season. South Carolina now lists him at 5-foot-10, 185 pounds for this year.
“I know he’s worked his tail off all spring and summer to trim up and to get in the best shape he’s ever been in,” Furrey said.
On top of Bennett having a “heck of a summer” improving his physique, he’s also become a leader in the receiver room. With seven freshmen joining the group, Bennett is already one of the older, more experienced receivers, even as a second-year player.
“He set the tone every time we went out there in the spring. He’s a motivational guy. I’m really proud of him,” Furrey said. “… When you look at all the young guys, they all know him, right? They all played against him. And so there’s instant camaraderie amongst Mazeo and all those young guys, and the respect for each other. They push each other, and I think that’s helped Mazeo as well.”
