Countdown to kickoff prediction series: South Carolina will play better at center, will avoid pre-snap penalties

In May, when the calendar revealed that it was 100 days until South Carolina kicked off the season, I posted a story on GamecockCentral entitled “100 predictions for the 2026 Gamecocks.” Now, that countdown is down to just 60 days.

The prediction paired with day 60 read, “The center position will be much less maligned than last year. The Gamecocks will not commit nearly as many snap infractions, either.”

Let’s break down that prognostication.

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The man in the middle

The center position is not one that many fans pay much attention to when they watch football. Sure, they watch the initial snap (especially in the shotgun) because that’s where the ball is. But the man in the middle of the offensive line fades into obscurity for many after the ball leaves his hand.

Unfortunately for South Carolina, the center position was heavily watched in 2025.

Boaz Stanley, Nolan Hay, and RJ Newsom handled the majority of the snaps at the position. Hay was fine and had flashes of good play. However, he missed enough time that he was able to retain a redshirt. Hay will be back for his final year of college eligibility this fall. He is competing with transfer portal addition Carter Miller as the two most likely candidates to start.

Stanley was the team’s primary starter at center in 2025, and Newsom logged a pair of starts at the position. Both Stanley and Newsom struggled mightily. Neither player blocked well, and Stanley had five documented snap infractions and multiple false starts. Simply put, the center position was a disaster for most of the year. On an offensive line that really struggled, center might have been the weakest point.

South Carolina has to be better at the position this fall. And, as ridiculous as it feels to say it, the Gamecocks cannot afford to give away pre-snap yardage because of mistakes from the only player touching the football.

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Improvements needed

With improvement at center and the entire offensive line in mind, South Carolina signed nine transfer portal offensive linemen this offseason. The most prominent, as it relates to center fits, was former UCF, Louisiana Monroe, and James Madison lineman Carter Miller.

Miller and Nolan Hay are the current top contenders to own the middle of the line in 2026. Both players could play guard if needed, but having one of them win and hold onto the starting center job would be a big deal for the South Carolina offense.

A program source told GamecockCentral this offseason that optimism is high in that regard. The source said twice that South Carolina “will be a heckuva lot better at center this season.” Either Miller or Hay would, in theory, represent a significant upgrade. They also won’t commit as many pre-snap penalties, surely.

Continuity is important on the offensive line, and that is probably truest at the center position. Consistent snaps with the quarterback are essential, and that relationship improves with reps. Centers also hold the responsibility of helping the offensive line and QB with certain pre-snap calls. Again, more snaps help a player gain comfortability with those duties.

South Carolina fans should expect to be able to forget about the center spot this fall. If that is the case, it will be a good thing.

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