With 14 days until South Carolina’s season opener against Old Dominion, head coach Shane Beamer is feeling much better about the injury status of his football team than he did at the same point last season.

EDGE Bryan Thomas Jr., TE Reid Mikeska, TE Nick Elksnis, OL Jakai Moore, and EDGE Elijah Davis were all held out of Saturday’s scrimmage but several key players who missed last week’s scrimmage were all able to participate in this Saturday’s scrimmage.

“All of those guys should be fine; expect them back this week for sure,” Beamer said of the players who were held out. “Nothing long-term. During the scrimmage, had a couple of hamstring issues that some guys weren’t able to finish in the secondary. Nothing long-term.”

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Running backs Rocket Sanders and Juju McDowell, linebacker Bam Martin-Scott, and wide receiver Vandrevius Jacobs — all projected contributors who missed last week’s scrimmage — were back in action at Williams-Brice this week.

“So from that standpoint, knock on wood, but really in so much better health than we were last year,” Beamer continued. “Looking back at last year on this day last year, we had I think it was 11 players that did not participate in this scrimmage that started the preseason healthy. And this year, most all of those guys — Reid hasn’t really healthy since we started, so other than Bryan, Jakai, Nick, and Elijah — I mean that’s four guys and they’re all going to be back — so we’re in good shape from a health standpoint, which is especially gratifying after a physical preseason camp that we’ve had.”

Sanders, the Gamecocks’ All-SEC transfer from Arkansas, made his scrimmage debut this Saturday after the staff chose to limit him to just the 7-on-7 portion of last week’s scrimmage.

Sanders used the spring to rehab a shoulder injury that required surgery but is now 100 percent with two weeks until Game 1.

“Today, we wanted him to get tackled,” Beamer said. “That happened some in practice this week — he got tackled a couple of times and then it happened today and I thought he looked great. He’s a pro, ran the ball hard. People don’t talk enough about him in pass protection but he’s really good in pass protection and that’s so critical at the running back position. He runs good routes, he can catch. He’s just a really good overall running back. We got him some carries in there today and I thought he showed that he was Rocket Sanders.”

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The Gamecocks are, however, still taking it easy with redshirt freshman Markee Anderson who missed all of last season with an injury and then was banged up in the spring too.

“He’s coming along,” Beamer said. “Nothing really related to anything in the past, just kind of banged up and aggravated. He didn’t do a whole lot today. He was out there and did a little bit but hasn’t done a whole lot this week.

“Trying to get him as close to 100 percent before we go into this week and hopefully we can really have a good week Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday because he’s a guy that we need out there. Like I said, if he had been healthy last year, I feel confident in saying he probably would have been a starter for us at one of the guard spots and certainly would have played. He’s a really talented guy if we can just get him where he’s 100 percent healthy and get him rolling.”

With class starting this week on campus at South Carolina, the Gamecocks will work through a mock game week as a trial run for the lead-up to the first game during the week after.

South Carolina Gamecocks defensive back Jalon Kilgore is in store for a sophomore surge season.

The South Carolina Gamecocks have their fair share of questions on the roster, as do a lot of programs during the preseason leading into a brand new year. However, when taking a look around at the Gamecocks’ secondary, they have some playmakers lurking around, and one of them is in store for a sophomore surge in year two.

Jalon Kilgore stepped in a major role for South Carolina in year one as a freshman. He was named a member of the first-team All-American after playing in all 12 games and starting in 11 of them. He finished the season with 76 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one interception. He rotated at both safety and nickel while also serving as the team’s leading punt returner. A true jack-of-all-trades player for the Gamecocks and year two could is shaping up to be a special one for him.

The Gamecocks will need a big year of Kilgore. Last season they finished 101st in passing defense, but they also return quite a few key contributors. Nick Emmanwori is a junior safety that is returning and is one of the top defenders in the conference. If Kilgore and Emmanwori play above the high standard they have set in previous seasons, then the Gamecocks could be in great shape to have a much improved passing defense during the 2024 season.

No matter what program it is, stepping onto the field as a true freshman and keeping yourself in the rotation is a hard thing to do. No matter how many stars you have coming out of high school or what your ranking was, playing as a true freshman is not very common. Kilgore defied those odds though, and now will be a player the Gamecocks lean on in year two.

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South Carolina has long been an attractive destination for retirees.

South Carolina ranked as the fastest-growing state in 2023, thanks to a mix of new retirees, people moving for jobs and others, previous U.S. Census data shows.

The state’s population grew by 1.7% to a total of 5,373,555. South Carolina was followed closely behind by Florida and Texas, both at 1.6% population growth. The state ranked third fastest-growing in 2022 with a 1.7% increase in population, a gain of 89,368 people.

Besides the abundance of natural beauty and history, South Carolina offers financial incentives for retirees, such as the Homestead Exemption benefit. Through it, retirees 65 years old and older are eligible for a tax exemption of $50,000 of the value of their home after living in the state for a full year.

There’s also no state tax on Social Security benefits in South Carolina. And residents 65 years old and older can deduct up to $10,000 of retirement income from state taxes.

But if you’re thinking about retiring in South Carolina, which places are the best?

Travel+Leisure recently spoke with local experts to determine the top eight best places to retire in the state. Take a look at the best ranked spots below.

#1 Greenville

Greenville taking the top spot is easy to understand for those familiar with South Carolina. The city has been booming for years now and has routinely been featured on seemingly endless “best of” lists.

“The city’s walkable downtown is anchored by Falls Park on the Reedy,” Travel+Leisure writes. “This centerpiece park features a waterfall, gardens, public art, and Liberty Bridge, a pedestrian-friendly suspension bridge.”

There are 37 parks spread out around Greenville, offering residents walking and biking trails, disc golf, tennis and more. The city also has two major healthcare systems with multiple locations.

And for retirees who enjoy traveling, the Greenville-Spartanburg Airport has 100 daily nonstop flights to 23 destinations across the U.S.

#2 Columbia

Columbia is the state’s capital and a college town because of the University of South Carolina. But it also has plenty to offer retirees, Travel+Leisure writes.

“Thanks to the area’s mild climate, there are activities available all year round for retirees who want to stay active,” the publication writes. “Three rivers meet in Columbia — the Broad, the Saluda, and the Congaree — making it a hot spot for water activities like kayaking, canoeing, and tubing.”

The city has major healthcare systems, including Prisma Health, Lexington Medical Center and the Medical University of South Carolina.

Congaree National Park, just 20 miles outside the city, offers plenty of hiking, bird watching, kayaking and other relaxing outdoor activities.

The Soda City also has plenty of live entertainment and numerous theaters, such as Trustus Theatre, Columbia Marionette Theater and Town Theatre.

#3 Camden

Camden is one of the oldest inland towns in South Carolina and can be found just 35 miles outside of Columbia. There retirees can find a wealth of history and outdoor activities.

“Goodale State Park is a great spot for kayaking and canoeing (there’s even a 3-mile paddling trail that winds through cypress trees and aquatic plants),” Travel+Leisure writes. “History buffs will enjoy the tours and reenactments at the Historic Camden Revolutionary War site, while art and theater lovers will flock to the performances, exhibits, and concerts at the Arts Center of Kershaw County.”

5 other best places to retire in SC

#4 Anderson

#5 Charleston

#6 Beaufort

#7 Fort Mill

#8 Spartanburg