Experience and speed among the reasons for optimism with USC secondary

South Carolina defensive back RJ Roderick comes into his fifth year donning the No. 1 on his jersey, a mark of the example he hopes to set.

“It’s a lot of pressure that comes with one,” Roderick said. “So just bringing about leadership and having that in my head all day like, ‘I gotta be that guy.’ “

This mindset isn’t exclusive to Roderick. It reflects the mentality of South Carolina’s seasoned defensive backfield going into 2022 — they want to use their combined experience to thrive on the field.

The Gamecocks return many key pieces in their secondary, including Cam Smith, Darius Rush, Marcellas Dial, David Spaulding and Roderick, among others. Last season, the team finished with 15 interceptions — tied for second in the SEC — and allowed just 16 passing touchdowns.

The takeaways, they’ll tell you, can be attributed to the speed with which they’re asked to play by defensive backs coach Torrian Gray.

“Football is a mental game,” Spaulding said. “If you can have it down mentally, then you could play fast on the field. Coming with that, it’s a lot of study and film.”

South Carolina’s secondary brings back an experienced unit that made strides last year — a position group those outside the program thought was a question mark with veterans Jaycee Horn and Israel Mukuamu leaving early for the NFL.

Rush, for instance, stepped into his first year as a starter and became a reliable asset for the team. Smith enters this season being regarded as a potential first-round NFL Draft pick. Rush, Smith and all the defensive backs trust their preparation and natural gifts to carry them on gamedays.

“Having two confident corners in the SEC is great,” Smith said at USC’s preseason media day. “Confident, long, fast corners — anybody’s going to take that on any team.”

With that confidence, the secondary is known to talk trash to the offense in practice. Roderick spoke about quarterback Spencer Rattler’s talent and ball placement, but also mentioned the “competitive edge” that the secondary holds.

“When we talk trash to the offense, it’s boosting them up,” Roderick said. “It’s like, ‘Hey, I’m not gonna let him talk to me like this all day.’ ”

Expect the Gamecocks to show a variety of packages this season. Coordinator Clayton White designs the defensive scheme around the players’ strengths.

It’s fun to play in White’s system, players said, citing the energy that he brings to the table.

“He comes in and he’s just like, ‘What do you guys like?’ ” Roderick said.

With the tailor-made defense comes room for expansion.

The defensive backs have been cross-training at different positions in preparation for the season. Everyone is learning how to play the safety and nickel positions in addition to the outside.

“If you know what your brother’s got beside you, that makes it easy for you to know your assignment,” Spaulding said. “So if everybody knows different positions, everything’s gonna be more smooth and faster.”

“Flying around” in the secondary is how the core approaches the game. It makes it easier on the defenders up front, particularly when everyone on the field communicates.

Junior linebacker Mohamed Kaba mentioned that the secondary plays on “one accord” with the rest of the defense, and their athleticism helps them make plays.

“They have blazing speed,” Kaba said. “For me personally, I don’t worry too much about them in the back. They’re going to handle all those routes and everything and we’re gonna make sure we’ve got everything up front.”

The team’s success in the secondary came with returning players, but the goal for Roderick, Spaulding and their teammates is to bring those expectations to the less-experienced players.

Spaulding described the start of this season as a “smooth transition” with the veterans coming back, giving them the chance to uphold the values from last season.

“We all know what the coaches expect and the standard and what they’re looking for,” Spaulding said. “Every day, we’re getting better.”