GSPD Players to Watch, Week 0

The 2024 football season is finally here.    After months of watching teams develop through their offseason conditioning and practices and the last three weeks of preseason camps, it's time to see what it all means. Needless to say, players around South Carolina are chomping at the bit.   Along the Grand Strand and Pee Dee, many of those players have something to prove. We'll be anxiously watching to see how they can produce in their respective Week 0 games.   Sloan McIntyre LB, North Myrtle Beach   Any team getting ready to face Goose Creek this year better be ready for all-everything tailback [player_tooltip player_id='473027' first='Meliq' last='McGowan'] and all his potential for production. McGowan is a dangerous runner with a capability to catch the ball out of the backfield. McIntyre will be charged with slowing him down and getting the Gators' offense off the field. Goose Creek is going to throw it around a good bit, too, but McGowan is priority No. 1.    [player_tooltip player_id='1422623' first='DQ' last='Green'] LB, Lamar   While the Silvers Foxes are bringing back a ton of talent, what they've been working on replacing was a largely talented starting linebacking corps that graduated 274 total tackles from last fall's stat pack. Green will anchor a trio of sophomore (he'll be joined by [player_tooltip player_id='1664583' first='Jaquez' last='Dargan'] and Jecori Brown). Green did have 26 tackles in five varsity games, so he's not as inexperienced as his name might suggest. Against Darlington, Green will need to be all over the field.    [player_tooltip player_id='1395094' first='Jaylen' last='Augustus'] QB and [player_tooltip player_id='1592270' first='Troy' last='Hailey'] RB, Darlington   Augustus and Hailey used their sophomore campaigns last fall to help ignite a spark into the Falcons' offense. Augustus threw for 1,522 yards and eight touchdowns while rushing for another three scores. Hailey also reached the end zone three times via the ground while piling up 783 yards. There will likely be seams for them to operate against Lamar, but they'll need to get through them in a hurry against a defense known to fly around.     [player_tooltip player_id='1360053' first='JaRae' last='Mitchell'] QB, Manning   Despite significant turnover on the Crestwood roster, the Knights are still expected to be a strong team. They have their system in place and just enough pieces to keep there from begin a total drop-off from the departures. Mitchell, though, is a big reason the Monarchs can hang with a team from two classifications above them. He doesn't throw a ton, but he's pretty accurate when he does. And he can keep the chains moving with his legs, as he averaged better than six yards per carry as a junior.    [player_tooltip player_id='1036769' first='Maleek' last='Dukes'] LB, Kingstree   Last year, when Dukes was a freshman, he wasn't expected to be one of the Blazers' best players. Instead, he was more of a complementary linebacker. And even though he's only a sophomore, this fall could spring board him to some big things down the line. In order for that to happen, he'll have to become more of an every down force. He does that by coming off the edge and blowing up opposing quarterbacks and tailbacks behind the line of scrimmage. He had 15 tackles for loss as a freshman, so we know that's absolutely his new normal.   [player_tooltip player_id='1166986' first='Messiah' last='Jackson'] QB, South Florence   Yes, the Bruins rode Syree Livington and [player_tooltip player_id='272722' first='Zion' last='Gilbert'] and their running abilities straight to a second straight state championship game appearance last year. But that isn't what this team is at heart. Coach Drew Marlowe will want much more out of the passing game and that's where Jackson comes in. He'll have top target [player_tooltip player_id='464881' first='Jayden' last='Sellers'] at full strength. Opening against long-time rival West Florence will also show Jackson's nerves for the long haul.    [player_tooltip player_id='1025773' first='Romello' last='Patterson'] LB, West Florence   On the flip side of that, the talented junior linebacker will have every chance to help making the Bruins one dimensional on Friday. Patterson is excellent in pursuit (he had six tackles for loss, four sacks and a blocked punt last year) and can make some of those huge plays that West Florence will need to compete at the Class 5A level. If Patterson has a huge game, chances are the return to the state's largest class could start off on the track.    [player_tooltip player_id='464882' first='Jamarcus' last='Williams'] RB, Hannah-Pamplico   Williams was lost for the majority of the 2023 season with a partial ACL tear. He and his family opted for early surgery, and he recovered in time to play with the Raiders' baseball team in the spring. Now, we get to see what he can do on the gridiron again. Williams is a big, upright runner who can punish opposing defenders while putting up big numbers. Against Heathwood Hall, he should be able to get his senior season started off the right way.   [player_tooltip player_id='1254177' first='Gibson' last='Goodroe'] QB, Myrtle Beach   Goodroe missed some preseason action with an ankle injury. And while it's possible he could be held out the Seahawks' season opener against Lake City as further precaution, all signs point to him being back. That means Myrtle Beach can get its pass-heavy offensive scheme working sooner rather than later. Goodroe and top receiver [player_tooltip player_id='272701' first='John' last='Simmons'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1664545' first='JJ' last='Brown'] should be able to start better than this team did a year ago in a lopsided season-opening loss to Camden.   [player_tooltip player_id='1013114' first='Antwain' last='Jones'] LB, Lake City   After more than a year of dealing with the devastating bus crash that injured him, three teammates and coach Ronnie Baker, Jones is going to make his long-awaited return to the game field. He had a strong sophomore season and was looking like an all-state type of player heading his junior year when the crash sidelined him with multiple injuries. Now, Jones is back, and while Myrtle Beach obviously wants to win Friday, even the biggest Seahawk fans should applaud the return.    [player_tooltip player_id='1157756' first='Zarion' last='Williams'] DL, Wilson    A season ago at Blythewood, Williams was part of a dynamic defensive line that put up some gaudy numbers, especially behind the line of scrimmage. And while he won't have the same players lining up next to him, it would be foolish to think a guy who put up 27 tackles for loss and 20 sacks as a junior can't do some damage in new digs. Up first for him in a Wilson jersey will be a trip to Conway, where the Tigers will try to get first-year starting quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1399640' first='Noah' last='Legg'] cranking. Williams could throw a huge kink in that plan.    JKwon Brantley RB, Conway   We saw something out of Brantley during last week's CNB Kickoff Classic that makes us think he can be much more than the junior season version of him, when he rushed for 149 yards in nine games. He's good at securing the ball (he didn't fumble with 40 carries last year), but he also averaged fewer than four yards per carry. Beginning with Friday's game against Wilson, he might be the piece of this offense that diverts enough attention from the passing game to help the Tigers score more than 17 points per game.    Damarea Thurmond and [player_tooltip player_id='464883' first='Javon' last='Johnson'] DL, Loris   There aren't many around Horry County who believe Green Sea Floyds will hang with Loris. After all, the Lions have not allowed a point against the Trojans in the last two years, and Greg Mance's team looks to be his best yet since taking over the program in 2020. But what he and his staff need to see is that Thurmond (pictured) and Johnson can dominate and create a swagger that will carry Loris into the next three games on the schedule - Conway, South Columbus and North Myrtle Beach.   [player_tooltip player_id='1734403' first='Luke' last='McCracken'] QB, Aynor    By now we know what the quarterback position means at Aynor. And that it rarely involves throwing the ball. No, the Blue Jackets' next signal caller will be awfully similar to his predecessors. This will be the fourth consecutive season Aynor has started the season with a different quarterback. Yet, each of the three prior to McCracken finished the season with at least 600 rushing yards.

The 2024 football season is finally here.