In today’s age of rampant college football transfers, it’s refreshing to see a player like Dakereon Joyner accept a new role in order to best help his team.

That’s something that’s been put on display yet again as Joyner has been moved to receiver for the good of South Carolina’s offense. Keep in mind, this move comes after Joyner was listed as one of the top 10 dual-threat quarterbacks in the nation when he signed to play for the Gamecocks coming out of high school.

Here’s what Joyner’s updated bio says on the South Carolina football team website:

“Versatile performer who is expected to focus full-time on the wide receiver position this spring after working at both quarterback and wide receiver last fall… talented with the ball in his hands.”

However, playing receiver is nothing new to Joyner, as Will Muschamp noted during his Tuesday press conference to open spring practice in Columbia. According to Muschamp, Joyner would have likely stayed at receiver all last season had Jake Bentley not been lost for the season due to injury following the first game of the season in 2019.

“That decision, really, was made in August in a situation when we named Ryan (Hilinski) the backup to Jake,” Muschamp said on Tuesday. “I told Dakereon I felt his best opportunity to help our football team was there and he was 100 percent bought in then. Then we had the injury to Jake, and Ryan’s now the starter and we needed Dakereon to spend all his time at quarterback.

“That’s not a position where you can spend part-time. He went in, the unselfish player that he is, dedicated himself there at that time but knowing when the offseason hit he would be a receiver.”

You could make the argument Joyner stunted his growth at the receiver position last fall by flip-flopping back to quarterback but if that’s what the Gamecocks needed, that’s what he was going to do. In fact, Joyner was the quarterback on the field when South Carolina took down Georgia in Athens.

Now Joyner will get a full offseason of work at the receiver position to work on his craft in hopes of eventually making the leap to the NFL.

With Joyner kicking out to receiver, Muschamp noted that former quarterback-turned-receiver Jay Ulrich would be moving back to the quarterback position for the Gamecocks this spring.