For the first time in the Will Muschamp era, South Carolina enters spring practice feeling good not only about its starting quarterback but the depth behind him.

Jake Bentley was the talk of the spring in Columbia this time last year, but the depth behind him was very questionable in 2017. Now with four scholarship signal callers on the SC spring roster, including promising early enrollee Dakereon Joyner, the Gamecocks have the ability to develop QBs without rushing them on the field.

During his Wednesday afternoon media availability, South Carolina’s new offensive coordinator Bryan McClendon was asked to share his thoughts on the progression he saw from Bentley last season. Despite the team’s struggle to point up points at times in SEC play, Bentley did his best to lead his team to a 9-4 record last season.

“Everyone has room for improvement. But did he progress from one year to the next? Absolutely. And we are going to ask him to progress a lot more from last year to this season,” McClendon said. “Hopefully he stays around and has a good enough season where we have a choice, but hopefully he stays around and progresses going into the next year. I think you could ask the same of all the players that’s here. We are proud of how he has progressed and we have to keep him moving in that direction going into this season, as well.”

The Gamecocks’ new OC was then asked what were the early plans for freshman Dakereon Joyner. Rated as the nation’s No. 8 dual-threat QB in the 2018 recruiting cycle, Joyner comes to Columbia with a ton of hype. Are there any plans to get him on the field in any specialized package?

“This is one practice, we’ve only had one practice with the guy and so… I mean… Obviously you want to see a lot on what he can and can’t handle,” McClendon answered. “Right now, he’s taking in a lot. Right now, this is his first college practice. There’s a lot left to see on what he can and can’t do.”

While he admits it’s too early to give an indication of what the freshman can bring to the South Carolina offense, McClendon was asked a followup on Joyner. Specifically, what does McClendon hope he absorbs from Bentley this spring?

“The one thing that Jake does that, not just to Dakereon but to everybody can do, but how much he puts into the game. He takes it extremely serious,” he continued. “He knows he’s a student-athlete, obviously he does a good job with his grades, academics and acting right and other stuff but being a student of the game. Knowing exactly why you want to do something, or exactly what your thinking when you calling a play. If he messes up, he can come off and explain exactly what he did.

“Being able to communicate that because he knows enough of what’s going on. Not just going out there and just winging it. That’s a bad feeling if your quarterback is out there doing that.”