After two ACL tears, senior receiver finds himself ‘fighting for my reps’
There was a point when Chad Terrell questioned if he’d ever play football at South Carolina again.
He’s dealt with two ACL tears (one in each knee) during his time with the Gamecocks, injuring his left in 2018 spring camp and his right in spring 2020.
The redshirt senior wide receiver missed all of last season, and while he never gave up hope, he grew increasingly tired having to go through rehab while his teammates practiced.
“I knew that I would be able to do it,” Terrell told reporters Monday. “It was just everything I was gonna have to go through to get there.”
The ACL tears have limited Terrell’s ability to put up major stats. He’s totaled just seven receptions for 76 yards across 23 games in his career, which includes parts of three seasons.
Terrell said he now feels physically 100%, though he went into the indoor facility on Tuesday morning after warmups, usually an indicator of being held out of contact drills.
He’s also surrounded by other talent, and that can limit his opportunities. Josh Vann and Jalen Brooks ran with the first-team offense during the first practice’s media viewing period Friday. Dakereon Joyner took first-team reps Tuesday, alongside Vann and Brooks.
Tight ends, headlined by Nick Muse, could also play a larger receiving role in the offense.
“I’m kind of fighting for my reps,” Terrell said. “It’s really undetermined right now. There’s just a whole lot going on.”
But less than one week into the start of fall camp, Terrell said he’s enjoying the competition in the receiving room. He feels like progress is being made, and they’re improving as a unit.
He signed with the Gamecocks in 2017 after a senior season at North Paulding High School in Dallas, Georgia that was among the best in the state — 64 receptions for 1,236 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Terrell has been impressed with South Carolina’s new coaching staff, who had already made it to campus by the time he had returned to football.
“When they got here, it was kind of my first time really getting to touch the field again, actually getting to run around a whole lot,” Terrell said. “They were very positive and helpful with that.”
When his recovery was difficult, Terrell leaned on his grandmother. He said his grandmother, the rest of his family and the trainers who helped him recover were able to get his mind back in shape on the days he wasn’t sure if he’d get through.
“I just started doing everything I could, and I started seeing a little bit of light,” Terrell said. “It just got better and better.”
Though his specific role is uncertain in size or prominence, Terrell is finally healthy and ready to at least compete for some catches in his last season with the Gamecocks.
This story was originally published August 10, 2021 at 3:15 PM with the headline "After two ACL tears, senior receiver finds himself ‘fighting for my reps’."
