South Carolina defense looks to keep up pressure on quarterbacks in 2025

The South Carolina defense ranked highly in sacks during the 2024 season, third in the SEC and sixth nationally.

Matching that level of production in 2025 will be difficult. On top of the Gamecocks losing EDGE rusher Kyle Kennard to the NFL and starting over in the defensive tackle room, injuries have plagued South Carolina’s EDGE rusher room in fall camp.

As of Aug. 23, the Gamecocks sit without Missouri transfer Jaylen Brown, Campbell transfer George Wilson and true freshman Kobby Sakyi-Prah.

Defensive coordinator Clayton White acknowledged that the injuries and losing depth will hurt down the line, but he remains confident in his group.

“Definitely unfortunate things have happened in the edge room, where there’s been some very freak injuries, nothing combative. It was just a lot of stuff that happened,” White said. “But as far as trying to make sure our guys, you know, we still have Dylan Stewart, we still have Bryan Thomas, we still have guys that are really good players.”

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Head coach Shane Beamer also sees urgency from the rest of the edge rusher group in response to the injuries.

However, South Carolina also has other areas of its defense that can force pressure on the quarterback. It doesn’t start and end with the EDGE room, White said.

“Trying to replace that stuff from last year, it’s a brand new year,” White said. “So we’re trying to make sure that everyone’s involved. It’s not just the edge room that gets sacks. It’s obviously the d-tackles, linebackers, the DBs.”

Getting those sacks starts with stopping the run, Beamer said.

“First and foremost, that’s the number one thing that we want to do, which is stopping the run,” Beamer said. “And then once you do that, that allows your pass rush to take over and force teams to throw the ball.”

The team knew going into 2024 that they needed to generate more pressure and create more negative plays, Beamer said. During the 2023 season, South Carolina ranked outside the top 50 nationally in sacks. Among their peers in the SEC, the Gamecocks finished tied for last with Vanderbilt.

In 2024, the Gamecocks almost doubled their sack total from 2023, jumping from 21 to 41.

“When you’re a defensive back, you love that up front, guys that are able to put pressure on the quarterback, and they can get rid of the ball quick, so they don’t have to cover all day,” Beamer said. “So it all ties together, and it’ll be critical next Sunday in Atlanta against (Kyron) Drones.”

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