Nyck Harbor open to returning kickoffs: 'I'll be ready for it'

South Carolina is in a rare position where it will be replacing all four primary special-teams starters ahead of this season.

Over the next month, competitions will take place to determine who the new starters will be as the team opens fall camp on Friday. While it will be a few weeks before any official depth chart is released, it seems South Carolina has an idea of who its potential kickoff returner could be.

“I would put (Nyck Harbor) as our top kickoff returner right now,” special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis said. “I think he’s done a good job throughout the winter, the spring and the summer. So we’re very focused on it. We’re very excited about him.”

Harbor, going into his junior season, hasn’t had much experience as a kickoff returner. He only returned one kick last year, which went for 45 yards.

Most of his special teams work was limited as he saw more snaps at wide receiver. But towards the end of the season, he started to line up as a return man alongside Juju McDowell, South Carolina’s primary kickoff returner in 2024.

With McDowell not returning this year, his spot is now open for Harbor to potentially take over. And it’s something he’s certainly interested in.

“If (DeCamillis) puts me back there, I’m going to be back there,” Harbor said. “… We’ve been working constantly, working on reps of just catching the ball, just learning what he wants me to do with it. So if he wants me to go, I’ll be ready for it.”

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Harbor is coming off his best season, as he caught 26 passes for 376 yards and three touchdowns. He notably skipped outdoor and indoor track to focus solely on football, which allowed him to participate in spring practice for the first time and have a full summer to prepare for the season.

Of course, Harbor’s main priority will be to develop as a receiver and build off last season’s successes. But he doesn’t have any issue with being both a pass-catcher and returner if that’s something he can do.

“You get one crease, you’re gone. I trust my teammates. If I’m back there, they give me a crease, you know, I’m gonna take it full speed ahead,” he said. “I’m not the type of, you know, juke everybody out. You just gotta take your one-cut ability or two-cut ability and make it work.”

Harbor, who stands at 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, is considered to be one of — if not — the fastest players in college football. He ran the 100-meter sprint at the 2024 SEC Outdoor Championships in just 10.11 seconds. He’s been clocked at 22.3 miles per hour during a top-speed sprint in practice.

Speed, combined with his vision, strength and size, are tools he feels give him the best chance to earn this role and be an impactful contributor in the return game.

“You can see everything a little bit better than a lot of people. Juju taught me a lot when I was back there with him,” Harbor said. “Just how to read stuff, how to read people, how to read your blocks, how to use your teammates to your advantage. So I’m just gonna go out there, use them boys. Imma help them just go. That’s all we gotta do.”

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