2026 Preview: Sumter Gamecocks

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br><em>In honor of the five-site Prep RedZone Media Days series this June and July, we're giving everyone a 50% offer code on all subscriptions through July 31. Get access to more than 100 team previews and everything else we have in store for readers as we gear up for the 2026 football season.&nbsp;</em><a href="https://prepredzone.com/subscribe"><em>Simply head to our subscription page</em></a><em>&nbsp;and use the code "przscmediaday2026" at checkout to take advantage of the savings.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Drew Marlowe is back home.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The former South Florence coach who won two state championships with the Bruins in 2022 and 2024 returns to the Midlands to lead his alma mater, a place where he once suited up and was an assistant coach.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There is excitement galore from the players and the coaches about what the possibilities could be heading into 2026 after a 9-2 campaign in 2025 that concluded with a loss to James Island in the second round of the playoffs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“The new offenses and defenses that's coming, especially with the new defensive coordinator that we've got, it's (a) more explosive defense that we've got going on this year,” senior linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1664563' first='Nayshaun' last='Brown']</strong> said at the Prep Redzone Media Day at Westwood last week. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Gamecocks return five starters on offense beginning on the offensive line with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1819522' first='Cooper' last='Zeigler'] </strong>at center. <strong>Demarc'as Norris </strong>is expected to start at left guard<strong> </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1818347' first='Brian' last='Johnson'] </strong>at right guard – both are seniors. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1822928' first='Javon' last='Canty'] </strong>will start at left tackle and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1825050' first='I'sean' last='Macer'] </strong>is expected to get the start at right tackle. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1819521' first='Lucas' last='Brownlow'] </strong>is expected to start at halfback while <strong>Lathan Bledsoe</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1818335' first='Jaden' last='Johnson'] </strong>will start at receiver.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Former Sumter quarterback and now wide receivers coach Zykiem Johnson is excited about what his group brings to the table.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I've seen a tremendous leap of growth this summer for my guys. All of them are embracing the role that they have on the team, whether it's blocking, catching or just being a great teammate, Jackson said. We got truly better over the summer and I'm excited to see them.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The defense returns three starters including linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1664563' first='Nayshaun' last='Brown']</strong>. The defensive line will be mainly juniors with <strong>Aaden Addison </strong>starting at defensive end, <strong>Dreshawn Slater </strong>at nose tackle and <strong>Jay'vion Tindal </strong>at defensive tackle. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1818349' first='Damarion' last='Holmes'] </strong>will start at sam linebacker while <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1818345' first='Jordan' last='Lewis'] </strong>is expected to start at will linebacker. The back end of the defense will be senior led with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1817551' first='Anthriest' last='Hill'] </strong>starting at free safety along with <strong>Larome Bradley </strong>and<strong> Sa'maul Montgomery </strong>holding down the corner spots.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>STARS SET TO SHINE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1603974' first='Franklin' last='Richardson'] </strong>QB, 2027 (pictured) – Richardson is one of the top quarterbacks in the state returning for his final year in a Sumter uniform. Most of his production came on the ground in 2025 as he led the team in rushing with 1175 yards and 28 touchdowns, averaging 117.5 yards per game. He tossed four touchdowns through the air – and improving the passing game has been a focal point in the offseason. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Richardson on improving the passing game: “I feel like Sumter has been known as a non-passing school and it's been said that I can't pass but we're working on our passing game and we're going to change that real soon.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cleveland Pinckney</strong> RB, 2027 – Pinckney got plenty of carries for the Gamecocks last year, rushing the ball 86 times for 789 yards and five touchdowns in 2025. He is a bruiser at the position and runs with power that is tough to bring down and he doesn't dance in space and try to make you miss – he comes right at you. He can also catch the ball out of the backfield and has nice hands to run right underneath it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1664563' first='Nayshaun' last='Brown']</strong> LB, 2027 – Brown was the team's fourth leading tackler in 2025 with 46 total tackles, including seven for a loss.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1644552' first='Ari' last='Rendell'] </strong>DL/TE, 2028 – Rendell took advantage of his opportunities as a sophomore last year, registering 21 tackles including five of them for a loss. He affects the game with his ability to stop the run. And even if he can't get home for a sack against the pass, he can get his hands up and affect the throw. He made a play against a screen chasing it down from behind before it could get going in the film we watched. He's expected to contribute at tight end in 2026.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>FILM REVIEW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1817005' first='Reggie' last='Shannon'] </strong>RB, 2028 – Shannon was the team's second leading rusher, as he ran the ball 97 times for 829 yards and 12 touchdowns. He is the speedster with the ball in his hands. If he finds an open alley, it's likely going to be a touchdown. He has good vision to wait for blocks to develop and then explodes with a burst, while maintaining ball security and keeping it high and tight.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src=u0022https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/23573394/691a96ee762a2df8434ff133u0022 width=u0022640u0022 height=u0022360u0022 frameborder=u00220u0022 allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003ern","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a652871ba3fc"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>BIGGEST LOSS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tymarius Thompson Durant </strong>DB – The leader on the back end of the Gamecocks defense led the team in tackles with 77 total tackles, 4.5 of them for a loss with five pass breakups and two forced fumbles.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1819520' first='Rashaun' last='Dickey'] </strong>LB, 2027 – Dickey was active from his linebacker spot, and will be counted on as one of the leaders defensively at linebacker with the losses due to graduation. He had 34 total tackles with 3.5 of them for a loss.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1824810' first='Zhyier' last='Butler']</strong> DB, 2027 – Butler is expected to get the start at defensive back in 2026. While his time was limited with only three games of action last year, he had 16 total tackles. We expect his production to jump heading into 2026.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1817006"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a652871ba897"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The two-sport athlete who also stars on the basketball court is expected to get into the rotation at wide receiver in 2025. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">We'll be interested to see how the Gamecocks choose to use him with his height and maybe if he'll be a guy that can win those 50-50 balls.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->