South Carolina Faces Big Shoes to Fill with Departure of Star Defensive Players, But Freshmen Are Ready
South Carolina is set to lose seven key defensive starters in 2025, and among them, Kyle Kennard will be one of the toughest to replace. Remarkably, Kennard was only a Gamecock for less than a year, transferring from Georgia Tech in January and declaring for the NFL Draft by December. Despite his short time at South Carolina, Kennard had an incredible season, finishing with 11.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss, narrowly missing out on school records set by Jadeveon Clowney. Kennard was named a unanimous All-American and won the Bronco Nagurski Award as the nation’s top defensive player.
His dominance alongside freshman Dylan Stewart, who had 6.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss, helped establish South Carolina’s defense as one of the most exciting in the SEC. With their performances, the Gamecocks have become a prime destination for future pass rushers, especially with assistant coach Sterling Lucas developing the next wave of talent.
This includes true freshmen Jaquavious Dodd and Anthony Addison, who are the highest-ranked edge recruits in South Carolina’s 2025 class. Dodd, a 6-foot-5, four-star prospect from Taylors, SC, has an impressive 82-inch wingspan, and Addison, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound three-star from Sumter, SC, is also ready to make an impact. Both players have been watching Kennard and Stewart closely, eager to build on their success.
Dodd, who started his high school career as a tight end, was encouraged by Lucas to switch to the edge position during a camp before his junior season, and it’s proven to be the right move. His focus now is bulking up to compete at the collegiate level. “They’re gonna get me big,” Dodd said, “and from there, I’m gonna be able to play with the big boys.”
With these promising freshmen, South Carolina’s edge position looks set to stay strong for years to come.
Addison’s Journey to South Carolina Fueled by Strong Connection with Coach Lucas
Anthony Addison’s decision to commit to South Carolina was influenced by an early connection with defensive line coach Sterling Lucas. Addison, a three-star recruit from Sumter High, first crossed paths with Lucas when he was a freshman. As Lucas was recruiting Sumter, he saw something special in Addison and recognized his potential at the edge position.
Addison appreciates Lucas’ coaching style, which strikes a balance between being supportive and demanding. “Some people need a passive coach and some people need a coach that’s gonna be on you,” Addison explained. “But I feel like Coach Lucas is right there in the middle. He’s not passive, but he’s not on you too much, either. He’s a relationship guy.”
Throughout Addison’s senior season, the two formed a bond that went beyond typical recruit-coach conversations. Instead of discussing family or future plans, their talks focused on strategy and game planning. Addison would share detailed insights about Sumter’s upcoming opponents, such as the size and strengths of offensive linemen, and discuss the pass-rush moves he planned to use.
“I’ll just get going on the phone, telling him: ‘Well, this offensive tackle, he’s 6-5, so I think this week I’m gonna use this move,’” Addison said. “Then the next week, we’ll have an offensive lineman who’s like 6-3, 270, so instead of using the ghost (move), I’ll probably come through with a swipe.”
Now, both Addison and fellow freshman Jaquavious Dodd are set to begin their workouts at South Carolina, eager to finally be coached by the man who played a crucial role in bringing them to the Gamecocks.
