For most of the offseason, all signs have pointed to South Carolina incoming transfer offensive tackle Jacarrius Peak and star EDGE Dylan Stewart likely not playing in the Gamecocks’ opener against Kent State.
On Tuesday, during his first game week press conference of the season, head coach Shane Beamer confirmed it for sure.
“Peak and Stewart will not play this week; they are getting closer,” Beamer said. “Wanted to see what they would do in practice, and they were able to do a little bit more, but aren’t quite there yet. But getting closer and closer. It was good to see Peak at practice today with shoulder pads on and being able to do some things. Everyone else should be good to go this weekend.”
Earlier in the day, Beamer told ESPN’s Pete Thamel that Peak would do “more (in practice) this morning than he’d done all year” and that Stewart “will be cleared for contact soon and then he’ll be ready to roll.”
MORE: Full rundown of everything Shane Beamer said Tuesday on The Insiders Forum
Beamer did not provide an update Tuesday specifically on starting tight end Brady Hunt, who has been dealing with a bruise suffered in a scrimmage a couple of weeks ago, other than saying that everyone other than Peak and Stewart is good to go.
Last Thursday, Beamer said that Hunt would have been questionable if Carolina had a game that week, but he had “no doubt that he’ll be ready to rock and roll next Saturday against Kent State.”
Beamer previously announced that wide receivers Jayden Sellers, Jayden Gibson, and Jackson Repp are out for the season and that offensive tackle Josiah Thompson is also likely out for the year. Linebacker Josh Smith is also currently out.
Entering his junior season with the Gamecocks, Stewart has recorded 56 career tackles, including 22.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and 6 forced fumbles. The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder played in 11 games last season and finished with 33 tackles and 4.5 sacks. However, he played through a back injury that limited his production for most of the second half of the year.
Peak, a redshirt senior transfer from NC State, spent the last four seasons with the Wolfpack, where he played in 38 games and made 32 starts. After redshirting as a freshman in 2022, he became a consistent starter on the offensive line over the next three seasons, playing more than 2,200 snaps.
Peak comes to South Carolina as an offensive tackle after making 14 starts at left tackle and 18 at right tackle. He was ranked as the No. 1 offensive tackle and No. 3 overall player in this offseason’s transfer portal cycle, per On3’s rankings.
Shortly after transferring, the 6-foot-4, 305-pound lineman injured his knee playing basketball during a team event in February. As a result, he missed all of spring practice with the Gamecocks.
The Gamecocks are set to host Kent State this Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:47 p.m. with SEC Network carrying the action.