MOUNT PLEASANT — Shane Beamer had not laid eyes on Kam Pringle in a few days, and he was impressed all over again.
"I haven't seen him in about a week and half," Beamer said. "And wow ... you are reminded that he really doesn't look like a freshman."
At 6-foot-7 and 335 pounds, Pringle was the biggest man in the room at South Carolina's "Welcome Home" Tour stop on Wednesday night at Harborside East, and looks like he could help any football team on the planet.
The offensive tackle from Woodland High School in Dorchester County is also one of the Lowcountry's few Gamecocks this season, stepping in the shoes of Dakereon Joyner (Fort Dorchester HS) and Mario Anderson (Stratford HS), among other USC players of recent vintage from the Charleston area.
"I'm proud to be from Charleston and representing a good area with good people," he said. "It's an honor to try to carry on that legacy."
Pringle, a Post and Courier All-Lowcountry pick at Woodland, was one of the top prospects in the state when he signed with USC. He entered school early, but was limited in spring practice by a left leg injury that required surgery.
"I just had some injuries, a little injury from high school," he said. "So I had surgery on my first day on campus. So it's just coming back from that, and I feel like I'm getting to where I need to be now."
Beamer was pleased with how much Pringle was able to get done in the spring, despite the injury.
"He was able to get out there and do some stuff in practice," Beamer said. "We weren't really sure how much he was going to be able to do, but he was pretty active. Not 100 percent for all 15 days, but he was able to get in some really good work during the spring.
"Obviously, offensive line to me is the hardest position to play as a freshman. We saw that last season when we had two true freshmen starting, and they didn't even get to Columbia until June. So it will be beneficial for Kam because he's been here since January."
Pringle wears his 335 pounds well, and has made progress in reshaping and strengthening his body.
"He'd be the first to tell you he needed to get rid of some baby fat, whatever you call it," Beamer said. "He's done a great job buying into what we're doing from a nutritional standpoint and attacking the weight room ... We fully expect him to get in there and compete and have the opportunity to earn a significant role this season."
KC to Mount P
Beamer flew to Charleston for Wednesday night's tour stop from Kansas City, where he had been with Chiefs staffers for "professional development," he said.
"Just picking their brain on some stuff that they are doing," Beamer said. "It was great to watch them work out a little bit on the field, see some of the players I've coached at Georgia and Oklahoma."
Portal news
USC defensive lineman Drew Tuazama, a transfer from UAB, entered the transfer portal again on Wednesday.
"Again, a situation where a good player just wanted the opportunity to play a little bit more," Beamer said.
