How South Carolina WR Mazeo Bennett plans to bounce back after 2025 struggles
Toward the end of last season, it felt inevitable that Mazeo Bennett Jr. was bound for the transfer portal. Not because of anything said, or even Bennett himself.
But, well, the status quo in college football is to enter the portal at the first sign of adversity. Not playing? Transfer. Got passed on the depth chart? Transfer. Stats took a dip? Transfer.
Bennett checked every box.
As a true freshman in 2024, he was arguably South Carolina’s top receiver, catching 30 passes for 337 yards and a trio of touchdowns as the Gamecocks went 9-4. Heading into 2025, it felt inevitable that he was going to become QB LaNorris Sellers’ top target, perhaps taking a leap and becoming a 1,000-yard receiver.
Somehow, he didn’t even crack 100 yards.
Despite being fully healthy the entire year, Bennett hardly played. He was an afterthought among the Gamecocks’ receivers, catching just 10 passes for 62 yards.
Naturally, it was hard to foresee Bennett returning to South Carolina because, well, surely something was amiss behind the scenes.
“It’s easy to say, ‘I’m going to pick up my ball and go somewhere else, because y’all don’t believe in me,’” South Carolina coach Shane Beamer said of Bennett. But that wasn’t the case at all. It was, ‘This is where I want to be, and let’s get back to work.’”
When questioned Wednesday why he returned to South Carolina, Bennett spoke of his faith, saying the adversity from 2025 brought him closer to God. He also emphasized his love for USC, noting there was no chance he was leaving Columbia with a bad taste in his mouth.
As for any explanation as to why his playing time dropped significantly, Bennett deferred to his coaches.
Their responses didn’t exactly shed light on an answer.
Beamer said, “For whatever reason, he wasn’t getting the opportunity as much as he wanted to probably, on Saturdays (last year).”
Added wide receivers coach Mike Furrey: “We’ve learned a lot from that situation, and we’ve had great conversations since last year.”
Perhaps the three are insinuating that former offensive coordinator Mike Shula played a part in Bennett’s lack of playing time. Or, perhaps, it was simply a case of Bennett not being consistent enough.
What the issues, they seem to have disappeared this spring. Both Beamer and Furrey raved about the junior wide receiver, with Furrey going so far as to say he’s “having one of the best springs” of any wideout.
“I feel like going through what I went through last year, you realize that it can switch for you just like that,” Bennett said “And to never take the game for granted, because you never know when it can be taken from you.”
Bennett speaks like a man who has been freed from something, perhaps the burden of expectations. He said he’s just trying to be himself, not thinking so much while playing. We’ll find out this fall what that translates to, but Bennett’s goals for 2026 are simple.
“Just making sure I’m open,” he said. “If I get open, I can’t control where the ball goes when it comes out. But I can do my job, and I can get open for the quarterback. And if you see me, I’m gonna catch it every time.”
This story was originally published April 3, 2026 at 7:00 AM with the headline "How South Carolina WR Mazeo Bennett plans to bounce back after 2025 struggles."
