COLUMBIA — He began as a true freshman who had only been playing organized football since the eighth grade. He finished as one of the most indispensable members of South Carolina’s offensive line.
Indeed, it was quite a transformation for Zack Bailey, the one-time Summerville High School star who needed only a few weeks to establish himself in the SEC. And the ceiling appears limitless for a 6-6, 326-pound offensive lineman who’s as gifted athletically as anyone else on the USC roster, and just might be the Gamecocks’ best pure football player.
We saw a glimpse of that last season, when Bailey appeared in all 12 games, starting five of them, three at a position at which he had never played before.