Will Muschamp has built plenty of equity in his first two seasons in Columbia, and easily exceeded expectations in each campaign. Last season, Muschamp even pulled out a 9-4 record, including a bowl win over Michigan, despite losing playmaker Deebo Samuel before the end of the first month of the season.

Now the Gamecocks have more talent, and are even viewed by some as a dark horse contender to win the SEC East this season. Samuel is back, along with linebacker D.J. Wonnum among a host of potential star players.

The key will be to develop momentum to build off of the 9-win season, which was just the sixth time the Gamecocks won that many games or more.

1. How will Bryan McClendon add a different wrinkle to the offense?

Kurt Roper’s two seasons at the helm of the offense produced numbers at or near the bottom of the league, (12th or 13th in the league in total offense) and Muschamp promoted wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon following the bowl win over Michigan.

McClendon, a former Georgia assistant who was interim coach there following the Mark Richt departure, was credited by Muschamp as having the rapport with players and staff that spilled over to the entire organization.

Before the injury to Samuel, McClendon led a unit that didn’t have a senior, yet delivered production from the likes of sophomore Bryan Edwards and freshmen OrTre Smith and Shi Smith.

2. Can they develop a running game?

McClendon will try to do something Roper couldn’t: Develop a rushing offense that’s out of the SEC cellar. South Carolina was ranked 12th and 13th in rushing the past two seasons, and much of that is attributed to the injuries at running back.

There’s plenty of experience in A.J. Turner, Rico Dowdle, Ty’Son Williams and Mon Denson, but most of them have shown flashes and flameouts. They’ve had big performances in the regular season, or even in the spring game, but then suffered a prolonged injury, or didn’t receive a carry for several weeks.

3. How do they show improvement against their closest rivals?

Except for Auburn, and possibly Michigan, few teams around the country are facing such a dramatic run of success as South Carolina’s most hated rivals, Clemson and Georgia. The Bulldogs will visit Columbia on Sept. 8, and that is a popular upset pick this summer, but short of an upset in either game, how would fans view progress against the Tigers and Bulldogs? South Carolina has lost the past three against Georgia, all by double digits. It has lost four consecutive to Clemson, three by double digits.

Muschamp and Co. need to beat one of them soon, or fans will become increasingly restless.

There is also the age-old debate of hypothetically going 10-2, but the losses coming against Clemson and Georgia, is that still a successful season in some fans’ minds?

4. Can they take advantage of a favorable schedule?

The Gamecocks don’t open the season against the likes of an SEC or an ACC opponent for the first time in recent memory, and are paired with Ole Miss and Texas A&M from the West, two teams with coaches in the first year or permanent position.

Even without an upset against Georgia or Clemson, that still offers a path to 10 wins. Road games against Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Ole Miss and Florida aren’t exactly the toughest in the SEC. Because of that, it wouldn’t be far-fetched for the Gamecocks to be favored in 10 games.

5. Can Jake Bentley become an elite SEC quarterback?

Bentley was fourth in the SEC in passing yards per game last season, but is often listed below other top SEC quarterbacks on preseason lists, typically behind Jarrett Stidham, Drew Lock, Tua Tagovailoa and Nick Fitzgerald. Yet Bentley has more SEC experience than most of them. Regardless, Bentley is the most experienced and established starter for the Gamecocks in several years.

Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

He has struggled somewhat with overthrowing receivers, and while he’s expected to turn a corner into the next level of South Carolina and SEC greats, he has struggled to make that step. With McClendon and new quarterbacks coach Dan Werner, Bentley will try to improve on the kind of stats that saw him last season tie for fourth in the SEC with 18 TD passes but throw the second-most interceptions (12).

He needs seven wins to become the sixth quarterback in school history to win 20 games. That list includes Connor Shaw (27), Todd Ellis (24), Garry Harper (20), Stephen Garcia (20) and Steve Taneyhill (20).

6. How concerning are the questions in the secondary?

Giving up several big plays in the spring game is one thing, but Gamecocks fans hope that’s not a sign of more trouble ahead. The secondary is one of the most unproven units on the team, and coaches no doubt would have preferred to keep Jamyest Williams at cornerback instead of moving him to safety.

Steven Montac is the only proven safety in the backfield. News only got worse in late June when Javon Charleston was charged with assault, second-degree battery and first-degree burglary, and subsequently suspended.

7. Will the defensive line produce a difference maker?

The Gamecocks haven’t had a player with a double-digit sacks since Jadeveon Clowney in 2012 (12), but they could have a key player there in Javon Kinlaw, at least to disrupt backfields.

The 6-6, 300-pound JUCO transfer showed potential against Michigan, with a forced fumble and recovered fumble, which led to the win. Kinlaw also blocked a field goal attempt against Missouri, and overall had 20 tackles including two for loss.

8. How will they replace Skai Moore?

Speaking of key players on defense, there’s a challenge of replacing an all-time great in linebacker Skai Moore, who led the team in tackles four seasons despite suffering a neck injury in the middle of his career. Perhaps most notably, Moore tied the program’s all-time record with 14 interceptions.

T.J. Brunson, a junior, is considered the next in line at linebacker. Brunson last season was second on the team with 88 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks and tied for the SEC lead — was fourth nationally — with 3 fumble recoveries.

9. How will they replace Hayden Hurst?

The Gamecocks’ second-leading pass catcher the past two seasons, Hurst was a reliable target at tight end, and the Baltimore Ravens made him the 25th overall pick in the NFL Draft.

The expected replacement is K.C. Crosby, but he has struggled with injuries, and his best season was 2016 with 23 catches for 217 yards and 4 touchdowns. Two of his other three seasons were shortened by injury, including last year when he broke a leg against Arkansas. Outside of 2016, he totaled 2 catches for 11 yards without a touchdown.

10. Will early enrollee QB Dakereon Joyner see the field?

The newcomer showed some potential in the spring game with his scrambling ability, and found OrTre Smith with a 25-yard pass.

But overall, he was 1-for-5 for with an interception, was sacked 3 times, and showed he has talent but is still very raw. That gave way to an offseason conversation from the likes of ESPN analyst Tom Luginbill, who suggested Joyner should move to another position, and even compared him to former Florida star Percy Harvin.

At the very least, South Carolina coaches have admitted that there could be a special package developed for Joyner as he adjusts to the college level, and they remain committed, at least in the short-term for giving him a go at QB.