Shane Beamer talks tight end injuries, updates Austin Stogner's arrival
Shane Beamer mentioned Tuesday South Carolina doesn’t have any long-term injuries right now. But it doesn’t mean bang-ups haven’t thrown a wrench into things.
Beamer said the Gamecocks are “kind of a MASH unit” right now. They’re dealing with injuries and waiting for a few other pieces to get on campus over the summer.
“Austin’s not here, Jaheim (Bell) isn’t practicing right now. (Trae) Kenion practiced today but he’s had a little bit of an ankle that’s bothering him. He’s not full speed. It’s been tough to get reps,” Beamer said.
“Wyatt Campbell’s an offensive tackle. And Wyatt’s playing a little bit of tight end for us right now for us to be able to get through practice. Jesse Sanders is out there. Chad Terrell’s a wide receiver that’s a bigger body that we’ve put out there to do some tight end and H-back stuff.”
Bell, the presumed starter for South Carolina, is sidelined at the moment with a hamstring injury. Kenion, another expected contributor, is out with an ankle injury.
It leaves the Gamecocks relatively thin at the position in terms of scholarship players with Chad Terrell, a receiver currently moonlighting at the position, the lone scholarship guy healthy at the moment.
South Carolina will enroll a couple tight ends or H-backs who could help this summer. Austin Stogner, a transfer from Oklahoma, headlines that group.
Stogner, though, is still finishing up online classes and won’t be full-time in Columbia until either May or June.
“As soon as he finishes his four classes he has to take to graduate from Oklahoma he’ll be here. He’s able to come occasionally but it’s not on a consistent basis. He was out there a couple times like any high school recruit,” Beamer said. “He’s been able to watch us practice a couple times. He’s back home right now finishing up online classes. As soon as that’s done, he’ll be here for good.”
Stogner has taken a few unofficial visits to watch South Carolina practice and visit with Beamer and his new position coach, Jody Wright.
The Gamecocks are also able to have a few virtual meetings. They can introduce him to the offense and make the learning curve a little shorter has he gets to campus.
“We want to keep getting him as acclimated and up to speed as we can. He’s like any other high school prospect that’s signed. Technically they’re still a recruit but you can do, on a limited basis, Xs and Os and Zoom types of things. It’s not a required, consistent, everyday type of thing either. It’s all within the rules,” Beamer said. “We’re not requiring him to get on a Zoom call for six hours a day from Dallas, Texas to learn about the offense and watch practice.”
Until then the Gamecocks will be thin at the position as the back half of spring practice continues.
South Carolina needs to get healthy, most importantly Kenion with Bell out for a little bit.
“It’s very critical for Kenion,” Beamer said, “and we need him to get 100 percent healthy so he can take advantage of the opportunity he could be getting right now.”
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