Montario Hardesty gives state of Gamecocks’ tailback room: ‘We are right on pace’

South Carolina’s depth at running back this spring might be a concern for some — but not for Montario Hardesty.

The Gamecocks running backs coach and former Tennessee standout says he hasn’t been worried about having just three scholarship players — JuJu McDowell, Mario Anderson and Dakereon Joyner — at the position during spring.

“I played in the SEC at running back. There were springs when we had three running backs on scholarship like we have, and had one freshman or two coming in,” Hardesty said Thursday. “We may be just one off. The spring, that is usually how it is, and it really hasn’t affected us at all. Some guys get a few more reps than they were getting in the fall. I think we are right on pace from where we need to be at the running back numbers.”

Of the three scholarship backs, McDowell is the only one who played the position for USC last year and is the team’s leading returning rusher. He’s been getting the first-team reps in the portions of practice open to the media this spring.

Joyner played receiver and wildcat quarterback for USC last season. Anderson was earning Division II All-American honors at nearby Newberry College before transferring in January. USC coach Shane Beamer decided this spring to give Joyner a shot at running back, a position he hasn’t played since his freshman year at Fort Dorchester High School.

Hardesty said he always thought Joyner had the characteristics and running style to play at the position from watching him in practice last year.

Hardesty, who tries to come up with NFL comparisons for his backs and makes highlight clips to show them, compares Joyner to New Orleans Saints’ Alvin Kamara for the ability to catch passes out of the backfield.

“Every time he got in the game, he ran physically and ran downhill. He made explosive plays and made things happen,” Hardesty said of Joyner. “He has picked it up and he is a natural runner. He has very good footwork. He is really good at blitz pickup, which I should have known from being on our punt team.”

As for Anderson, who Hardesty and USC coaches call “Rio,” he says he reminds him of Los Angeles Raiders Pro Bowl back Josh Jacobs. The biggest thing for Anderson has been picking up the speed and physical nature of playing in the Southeastern Conference after being at a Division II school.

“Rio is putting together a really good spring. The biggest thing is his contact balance,” Hardesty said. “He is going to bring that thump that we have. He has impressed me, and he belongs at this level. He doesn’t stand out like he doesn’t belong. … He has hopped in and competed.”

Beamer has said the team could add another running back out of the transfer portal when the second portal window opens in May. The Gamecocks also will have Dontavius Braswell arriving in June. Braswell signed in December but wasn’t one of USC’s early enrollees.

Braswell, a Georgia Class 2A track champion in the 200 meters last year, rushed for 974 yards as a senior despite missing some time because of injury.

“He has growth potential and he played defense too, so we know he can play on special teams,” Hardesty said of Braswell. “He is a natural runner, fast, and makes the first guy miss. We will see when he gets here in June.”

South Carolina’s spring game is April 15.