Gamecocks senior running back Dakereon Joyner spoke to the media, Tuesday, and revealed some of what he had to say to his teammates about finding joy and finishing the season strong.
“I told the guys this morning, despite our record, find some joy. Because we got four games left together. I told this team, man, listen, we got four guaranteed games left. We’ve got three more Tuesday practices after today. Time is coming to an end. Find some joy, man. Take advantage of every moment, enjoy every single moment. Enjoy being with each other.”
Joyner is listed as a running back, but that only tells part of the story. He scored from the “Wildcat” formation at Texas A&M, a nod to his ability to take snaps from behind center and step in at quarterback as he did in victories over Georgia in 2019 and UNC in 2021. Joyner played receiver in 2022 and is also returning kicks this season. He bulked up in the offseason to play running back and added one more club to his bag, emerging as a goal-line threat, scoring five touchdowns from inside the 4-yard line.
With a record of 2-6, South Carolina will need to run off a four-game winning streak to get bowl-eligible for a third straight season under Shane Beamer. The Gamecocks will have the advantage of playing their final four games at home. Joyner said, “We love being in front of our crowd. We’ve got some of the best fans in the country. Gotta defend Williams-Brice.”
But USC’s still playing short-handed, having been hit by the injury bug this season. It’s something Joyner has seen before in his time in Columbia, “Next man up mentality …. Some guys are playing guard that used to play tackle and vice versa. We’ve got to work with who we’ve got, continue to be positive and keep rolling.”
