South Carolina football: three players that will benefit from NCAA eligibility waiver

Which South Carolina football players will benefit from the NCAA’s eligibility waiver?

Earlier this month, the NCAA announced that it will be applying a blanket waiver which will provide relief for all student-athletes participating in fall sports, regardless of activity. This obviously includes college football.

The ruling could be significant for incoming freshman and transfers who may have been on the track to redshirt, or for players in the midst of position changes. Rather than being constrained to the typical four-game redshirt rule, players will now have an opportunity to gain valuable experience of playing in a full season, without suffering the loss of a season of eligibility.

Which players on the South Carolina football team could benefit most from this blanket waiver? Below are three Gamecocks who can take full advantage of the newly added exemption.

LUKE DOTY

Luke Doty joined a suddenly crowded Carolina quarterback room, and he’s already impressing the coaching staff with his athleticism and moxie. In fact, coaches have been so blown away that they tried the rookie out at wide receiver over a few fall practices in an attempt to get the Myrtle Beach native on the field as much as possible.

He’s now gone back to quarterback full time, but don’t expect him to sit quietly in a reserve role behind Ryan Hilinski and Collin Hill. Will Muschamp is on record saying that the offense will install different packages specifically designed for Doty. With the new rule, Doty will have the opportunity to compete and gain valuable experience as a signal caller in the SEC without having to sacrifice his first season of eligibility.

DAK JOYNER

Joyner is in the wide receiver rotation after spending the majority of last year with the South Carolina quarterbacks. Coach Muschamp has already noted that if the season started today, Joyner would be in the two-deep rotation, but having an extra season to prepare as a wideout could be extremely beneficial.

Joyner wasn’t a likely redshirt candidate, but as mentioned before, he’s adopting a new position. Being able to gain game experience in his new role will only be beneficial as he looks to master the arts of pass catching and route running at the SEC level. With the newly added rule, he’ll have a season to learn. Joyner can get in a full year of work without losing a year of eligibility, meaning he could be a weapon at wideout for the next three seasons.

RASHAD AMOS

Amos seemed likely to redshirt, as the Gamecock running back room had become very crowded following a few 2020 additions. But with the recent news that MarShawn Lloyd will miss the upcoming season, Amos may be called upon more often than originally anticipated.

Amos is one of four Gamecock rushers looking to earn playing time in the Carolina backfield. He’ll now have an opportunity to gain experience without losing a season, which is beneficial in his case as he’s the youngest player in the running back room. The waiver will give Amos a chance to get his feet wet in the SEC without the typical constraints of the four-game rule. Both Amos and Lloyd will be able to return to Columbia as freshmen in 2021, which bodes well for South Carolina’s running back situation.