Had the Netflix hit "Last Chance U" chronicled the 2014 football season at East Mississippi Community College instead of last year, Dante Sawyer would be a more recognized player.
South Carolina's junior defensive lineman was a consensus four-star, Atlanta-area recruit who failed to qualify academically for Division I eligibility two years ago, so he took a detour to EMCC. Sawyer totaled 10.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in his one year with the Lions and was a roommate of Ronald Ollie, the personable star of "Last Chance U" who was at EMCC for two seasons and is now at Nicholls State.
"It was a life-changing experience," Sawyer told reporters after a practice late last week. "It humbled me to the point where I recognized that I didn't do enough in high school and that it was time to pick it up. It humbled me and made me see a different view of everything."
Sawyer still has group chats with Ollie and fellow "Last Chance U" defensive lineman Marcel Andry, who is also at Nicholls State. He was less talkative when asked about how last year's debut with the Gamecocks went.
"I'm not even going to bring that up," Sawyer said. "I'm more focused on what we're going to do this year."
Looking back on 2015 doesn't make any of South Carolina's players feel warm and fuzzy.
Hoping to rebound from a 7-6 record in 2014 that followed a three-year run of 33-6 under coach Steve Spurrier, the Gamecocks instead continued to plummet, finishing 3-9 overall and 1-7 in Southeastern Conference play. They had the worst overall and league records in the SEC, with the lowest moment being a 23-22 home loss to The Citadel.
Spurrier abruptly resigned six games into the season, and offensive line coach Shawn Elliott tried to pick up the pieces before being retained by new Gamecocks head coach Will Muschamp. The Gamecocks open the Muschamp era Thursday night at Vanderbilt (8 EDT on ESPN) as three-point underdogs.
With just nine of 22 starters back from last year's debacle, expectations have been tepid at best, but that's just fine with the excitable Muschamp.
"You never know how some of these guys are going to respond when they run out of the tunnel," Muschamp said Monday in a news conference. "You don't know how a young man is going to respond when they haven't been in that situation. You have an idea, and you try and simulate game day as much as you can.
"That is what is exciting and fun about it."
Muschamp has been given a second SEC opportunity after going 28-21 at Florida from 2011 to 2014. He has not wanted to employ the "rebuilding" term to describe this season, shooting down the notion again Monday when a reporter framed it as an "experimental" year.
The Gamecocks entered Tuesday night as one of four SEC teams yet to announce a starting quarterback, with senior Perry Orth and true freshman Brandon McIlwain vying for the role. Muschamp plans to play both on Thursday.
"I think they'll make the decision the day before the game or the day of," Orth told reporters. "Whatever the decision the coaches make, we'll be supportive of that. We just need to go out and have fun. You can't worry about being on the road. Once the game starts, you're just playing football."
Orth remembers talented Vanderbilt linebacker Zach Cunningham from last year's game in Columbia, which the Gamecocks won 19-10 before closing with five straight losses. Sawyer is excited about playing inside and outside on the defensive front, while Gamecocks senior linebacker T.J. Holloman has been honing in on Commodores junior tailback Ralph Webb, whom he calls "their best player for sure."
Muschamp believes South Carolina's sense of urgency hasn't always been what it needs to be this month, but at least the Gamecocks aren't dwelling on last year. They see too many opportunities for better days down the road.
"At the end of the day, it's why you coach," Muschamp said. "You play the game, and that's why you practice. I'm excited for our players, first of all, and also the support staff. I'm looking forward to game time."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.