Spring game: April 9, kickoff TBA

Since Will Muschamp was hired to replace interim coach Shawn Elliott in early December, he’s been busy turning a dire recruiting class into a serviceable one and putting a new staff together.

Spring practice will be the first chance for Gamecocks fans to see it unfold on the field. While spring is always important for players — with a new staff to impress and open competition throughout the roster — this year’s workouts are even more critical.

Even with 14 players who started last season’s finale returning, a 3-9 finish and a new coaching staff are a recipe for change.

“It’s not about whose fault it was or who’s responsible. None of that’s important,” Muschamp told 107.5 The Game last week. “It’s about how we’re going to dig out of it. Let’s roll our sleeves up and do it together. I’m a 3-9 head coach right now. That’s fine. We’re not going to be in the near future. You can’t close your eyes and pretend it’s not there. It is there.

“I liken it a lot to a guy who has a heart attack because he smokes and drinks too much. So he has heart surgery. On the way home from the hospital, he asks his wife to pull over so he can get a pack of cigarettes. If you continue to do the same things, you’re going to get the same results. You’ve got to learn to change in life, and that’s what we’re going through at this time.”

You can hear the entire interview here.

THREE BIG QUESTIONS

1. WHO’S THE QUARTERBACK?

Last season, the quarterback carousel spun in Columbia all year long. Connor Mitch, Lorenzo Nunez and Perry Orth all had a turn, and all three are back in line in 2016.

Newcomer Brandon McIlwain is also on campus. He’s a four-star recruit with the arm strength and mobility co-offensive coordinator Kurt Roper tends to favor in his quarterbacks, and since he’s going to make attending spring workouts a priority over playing for the school’s baseball team, he has to be considered a contender for the starting job.

Toss in Michael Scarnecchia, another holdover from last year, and you have a five-way competition.

Mitch is the wildcard. He won the starting job last summer and threw 29 passes in the first two games before hurting his shoulder in Week 2 against Kentucky. He didn’t play another down after that, so he’ll be hoping to make a good impression this spring.

The same is true for Nunez and Orth. Nunez appeared in eight games and his mobility allowed him to finish second with 375 rushing yards. He wasn’t quite as successful throwing the ball (32 of 52 for 376 yards, 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions) and battled his own shoulder ailments along the way.

Orth, the former walk-on, was the most steady option in 2015. He wasn’t spectacular, completing 54.8 percent of his passes for 1,929 yards, 12 touchdowns and 9 interceptions, but he was always available.

2. WHERE ARE THE PLAYMAKERS?

While coaches figure out who the quarterback will be, they also will be wondering about the guys catching the passes.

Pharoh Cooper was the runaway leader in catches (66), yards (973) and touchdowns (8) last season but left early for the NFL Draft. The team’s second-leading receiver, tight end Jerell Adams, also is gone.

That leaves a crop of newcomers and a few holdovers to help make up 94 catches and nearly 1,400 yards worth of production.

Deebo Samuel (12 catches, 161 yards) had an injury-marred freshman season. He saved his best for last, catching five passes for 104 yards and a score against Clemson. Matrick Belton, Hayden Hurst and D.J. Neal also return.

There are five receivers in this year’s recruiting class, headlined by four-star prospect Bryan Edwards. Edwards is an early-enrollee and expected to be ready for spring practice after recovering from knee surgery. He should get a long look from the coaches.

Three-star recruits Kiel Pollard and Randrecous Davis have big-play potential and will arrive this summer.

3. HOW QUICKLY CAN THE DEFENSE IMPROVE?

South Carolina has a building block in Skai Moore, but its defense was awful by any statistical measure last season. It ranked 110th nationally against the run, 99th in sacks. It finished last in the SEC in points allowed per game (27.5).

The defensive-minded Muschamp addressed that in recruiting. With eight recruits playing defensive end or defensive tackle, it’s not hard to figure out where the new staff saw the biggest need for an infusion of talent.

Only two, DE Keir Thomas and DT Kobe Smith, have enrolled this spring, so the returnees will be looking to make a good impression on their new coaches.

Darius English led the Gamecocks with 4.5 sacks last season. He’s back, along with Marquavius Lewis (3.0 sacks), Dante Sawyer and Boosie Whitlow. All four saw significant playing time in 2015 but need to take a step forward to keep the newcomers at bay come summertime.

NEWCOMERS TO WATCH

  • QB Brandon McIlwain: His home was one of the first stops for Muschamp, Roper and defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson in early December. They quickly got him to re-affirm his pledge to come to South Carolina, and Muschamp’s emphatic statement that he’s “football first” this spring shows how highly the staff thinks of him.
  • RB C.J. Freeman: Freeman ran for almost 2,200 yards and and 24 touchdowns as a senior at Greensboro (N.C.) Northern Guilford, and he’s in for spring to compete for the job left vacated by Brandon Wilds. With so few experienced running backs, he’ll get a long look in the spring.
  • DE Keir Thomas: He committed to the Gamecocks on Christmas Eve, and he’ll be on hand for the spring. Formerly committed to Florida State, Scout.com describes Thomas as “a disruptive force in the trenches that plays with a high motor for all four quarters.”

OFFENSIVE STARTERS TO REPLACE

  • RB Brandon Wilds
  • WR Pharoh Cooper
  • TE Jerell Adams
  • LT Brandon Shell
  • LG Mike Matulis
  • RG Will Sport

Wilds was hurt often during his career, but he did rush for 567 yards and three scores last fall. David Williams was his understudy, and will enter spring as the starter. But he’ll be pushed hard by newcomers.

Cooper and Adams depart, taking much of the receiving production from 2015 with them. Kyle Markway should get a look at tight end, while newcomers should figure heavily in the receiver rotation next fall.

Three spots are open on the offensive line as only center Alan Knott and right tackle Blake Camper return. Mason Zandi, who also started some in 2015, could move to left tackle while Christian Pellage, D.J. Park and Donell Stanley will fight for playing time.

DEFENSIVE STARTERS TO REPLACE

  • DT Gerald Dixon Jr.
  • SPUR T.J. Gurley
  • FS Isaiah Johnson

Newcomers Stephon Taylor and Kobe Smith are ready-made replacements for Dixon on what will likely be a rebuilt defensive line next fall.

Gurley played as a nickel back/safety hybrid, and its unclear if this position will have a place in the new defensive scheme. In the past, Muschamp and Robinson have played 3-4 and 4-3 sets, and the hybrid-like players in that scheme are usually defensive ends and linebackers.

Johnson had a strong season as a graduate transfer from Kansas and his backup, Chris Moody, figures to get the first chance to replace him in the starting lineup.

TOP RETURNERS BY CATEGORY

Top returning passer: Perry Orth (1,929 yards in 2015)
Top returning rusher: QB Lorenzo Nunez (375 yards)
Top returning receiver: Deebo Samuel (161 yards)
Top returning tackler: Skai Moore (111)
Top returning pass rusher: Darius English (4.5 sacks)
Top returning pass defender: Skai Moore (4 INTs)

POSITION OF CONCERN: RUNNING BACK

The spring competition will be between David Williams, CJ Freeman, redshirt freshmen Mon Denson and A.J. Turner, and transfer Rod Talley.

In the summer, freshman Rico Dowdle will be added to the mix.

Denson and Turner were three-star recruits in last year’s class while Talley is a transfer from Gardner-Webb. The new staff is high on Freeman and Dowdle, who were also three-star recruits.

The competition is open, though on experience alone, Williams probably enters as the favorite to emerge as the eventual starter. But he’ll need to show a bit more (299 yards on 3.5 yards-per-carry in 2015) to hold back the other challengers.