Jalon Kilgore will continue his college classes next week at the University of South Carolina but for the past few weeks, he’s been busy participating in the Gamecocks’ fall football preseason camp.
Kilgore, a former Putnam County football star, gave his pledge to South Carolina in June 2022. He then enrolled in classes in January before taking part in the Gamecocks’ camp this past spring. Now, he heads into 2023 hoping to make an impact during his freshman season.
Gamecocks’ defensive backs coach Torrian Gray has been working with Kilgore since he arrived on campus. Kilgore spoke recently with GamecockCentral. com of the On3 Network about Gray’s contribution to his progress with the team.
“I feel like it’s been pretty good. I’ve been playing it for a minute. I feel like Coach Gray is doing a great job developing me,” Kilgore said. “We’re doing Zooms, having a lot of meetings and he’s showing me different techniques I can use to help me play. I feel like I’m very ready for the position.”
The former four-star prospect committed to South Carolina over Michigan, Oklahoma, Clemson and Tennessee Tech. He chose the Gamecocks mainly because of his tight relationship with Gray.
South Carolina also was special because it was the first school to offer Kilgore. Gray and head coach Shame Beamer were his lead recruiters.
“Coach Beamer told me had a plan for me,” Kilgore told The Eatonton Messenger at his commitment ceremony. “I was seeing that plan throughout the whole season. I was even seeing that plan throughout the recruitment process. Even talking with Coach D-Mo (Derrick Moore) and Coach Gray, they are proud of me. I also prayed about [the decision] with my parents.”
Kilgore was an underrated prospect, but his recruitment ramped up after his breakout junior year for Putnam County.
Kilgore helped lead the War Eagles to a region title and Elite Eight berth in the Class AA state playoffs as a junior. He played both defensive back and wide receiver for Putnam County in 2021, when he racked up a team-high 88 tackles, eight pass breakups, and forced four fumbles. He also shined on the offensive side of the ball, totaling 921 receiving yards and 11 scores.
Kilgore was voted as the Region 4-AA Athlete of the Year for his accomplishments on the field as a junior. He also excelled on the basketball team and was a member of the track-and-field squad.
Kilgore’s athleticism helped his transition from high school to the next level a little bit easier. Still, he said, it was a “little rough” during the first few practices of South Carolina’s spring camp.
“But I’m still learning new positions, learning how to use my body in different ways,” Kilgore said, via GamecockCentral. “In the end, I feel like I had a pretty successful spring.”
Kilgore has adjusted to the speed of the college level a little better since spring camp in March; however, he’s not guaranteed a role as he’s competing with several others for a spot on the depth chart.
“I would say the speed of the game, learning the plays faster and having to put that into the game. I feel like now it’ll slow down going to the fall,” Kilgore said of his transition, via GamecockCentral. “I’ve been on the playing field. I’ve seen how it looks. I feel like it’ll be easier.”
Kilgore’s put in the work over the spring and summer, but now that effort has to continue this fall. He’s been up for the grind and has been training and learning a lot under Gray’s direction.
Whenever he finally hits the SEC playing field, Kilgore will be going up against some of the best competition in the nation. He feels as if Gray has helped put him in a position to succeed.
“I feel like [coach Gray], he’s very passionate about what he does. He loves the game and loves it bad,” Kilgore said, via GamecockCentral. “I feel like the way he teaches and coaches it, it’s not something he’s doing ‘cause he’s getting paid for it. He genuinely loves seeing kids do better and building the best secondary in college football.”