The headlines coming out of South Carolina’s spring game were all about true freshman quarterback Brandon McIlwain and his effort to earn the starting spot come September.

On the other side of the ball, the defense held its own, but couldn’t force the young quarterback into any turnovers.

That McIlwain was off limits to contact certainly was a factor. So too was the fact the team’s best defensive player, linebacker Skai Moore, was watching from the sidelines.

Moore, who is recovering from a neck strain, had four interceptions and three forced fumbles to go with his team-leading 111 tackles in 2015. He considered leaving for the NFL, but decided to return for his senior season.

Part of the reason, we learned in the SEC Network’s coverage of the spring game, was a phone call with new coach Will Muschamp. The details of the call weren’t discussed, but it’s not hard to imagine the coach selling the talented and versatile Moore on his potential in a new scheme.

What’s new, at least in the spring, is that most defensive formations have featured two traditional linebackers, an extra safety and a hybrid “Buck” position — acting as a defensive end or linebacker, depending on the play call.

It’s a formation that seems likely to fit Moore’s skill set. He’s excellent in pass coverage, sees the field well and knows how to finish plays. His neck injury isn’t serious, but Muschamp held him out of spring drills as a precaution and to get a look at some other guys.

One of those players was Jonathan Walton.

Walton, also a rising senior, began the 2015 season in the starting lineup, but was sent to the bench when T.J. Holloman took over the starting middle linebacker spot, pushing Moore to Walton’s spot on the outside near the midway point of the season.

He didn’t play in the spring game, because he was celebrating the birth of his son, Isaiah. But he’s seen time at both linebacking spots this spring, and seems to be adjusting well to the new playbook.

“Any time you try something new, it’s going to be complicated,” Walton told The State newspaper. “But once you put the time and investment into it and get the reps, it kind of comes.”

Bryson Allen-Williams spent the spring as the starter on the weak side — the most likely spot for Moore in the fall lineup. He made the most of his opportunities in spring workouts, both at linebacker and as the “Buck” on occasion.

Allen-Williams is one of many players who could see time in that spot, as Muschamp has made it clear that he plans to use a heavy rotation policy on the defensive front.

“Once a big guy runs out of gas, he’s done,” he told The Charleston Post and Courier. “The most exerting thing you do in football is pass rushing. If you play a team that’s throwing it a lot and you’re rushing the passer a lot, then you don’t have a pass rush. … We have a good combination of guys inside that will give us some quality depth.”

Another senior, Larenz Bryant, spent the spring working on the outside. He’s excited about having a fresh start under a new regime, and a chance to live up to his billing as a four-star recruit out of Charlotte.

“I just thank God for my opportunity to play,” Bryant told The State newspaper. “In my last year, I’m going hard as I can, fast as I can, physical as I can. And I’m just trying to let it all out. Hopefully, I get my opportunity.”

Another four-star recruit, Sherrod Pittman, looks ready to seize his first chance. He redshirted last fall while recovering from a broken leg, but led the team with seven stops in the spring game.

“Sherrod Pittman stepped up a lot,” Holloman told The State newspaper. “He had a great spring. He comes out there every day with a lot of excitement, a lot of energy, loves to hit. If we can get the whole collective group to come out there with that same energy every day, we should be a great team.”

That’s the ultimate goal for the defense, and fans will see if the positive work this spring translates into success this fall.