South Carolina Gamecocks News: Football, football, football, baseball, more
By Kevin Miller
Here is the latest South Carolina Gamecocks News from the last week, with lots of news breaking regarding the football program.
Defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey left the program for the same job at LSU. Lindsey had served as the DL coach for the Gamecocks since 2021.
Head coach Shane Beamer wasted no time in finding Lindsey’s replacement as he hired former Gamecock great Travian Robertson to fill the newly-vacant spot. Robertson was an All-SEC defensive tackle during his South Carolina playing days, spent three seasons in the NFL, and is considered a rising star in the coaching industry.
The 2023 NFL Draft has come and gone, and the Gamecocks were well represented as all five Gamecocks who were invited to the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine were selected.
Cornerback Cam Smith was picked in the second round by the Miami Dolphins.
Defensive tackle Zacch Pickens was taken in the third round by the Chicago Bears.
Corner Darius Rush went in the fifth to the Indianapolis Colts.
Offensive lineman Jovaughn Gwyn was drafted in the seventh round by the Atlanta Falcons.
Wide receiver Jalen Brooks got picked up by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh.
Several more Gamecocks received undrafted free agent contracts after the draft ended.
Wide receiver Josh Vann ended up with a contract from the Carolina Panthers.
Tight end/fullback/h-back Nate Adkins landed a deal with the Denver Broncos.
Offensive lineman Eric Douglas signed an agreement to play with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Linebacker Sherrod Greene reached a contract agreement with the New York Jets.
4-star Charlotte receiver Micah Gilbert will be committing soon.
The explosive playmaker from Charlotte Christian School will be committing on Tuesday, May 2nd. The Gamecocks are finalists for Gilbert along with Notre Dame, North Carolina, Duke, Virginia Tech, Michigan, and Pittsburgh. Notre Dame is considered the favorite.
Fellow 4-star Charlotte receiver Channing Goodwin announced his top-7.
No commitment date has been set, but South Carolina made his top-7 along with North Carolina, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Michigan, and NC State.
The transfer portal also struck the South Carolina football program.
Former 4-star quarterback Braden Davis, walk-on offensive linemen Jackson Hall and Colin Henrich, and freshman defensive lineman Demetrius Watson all entered their names into the transfer portal. They joined suspended defensive back Anthony Rose as transfer portal defections during the spring period.
The transfer portal is now closed to underclassmen. This means that no more underclassmen can enter the transfer portal without a special waiver from the NCAA. Any player already in the portal can still transfer, and grad transfers can enter the portal or transfer at any time they choose.
South Carolina basketball had its fair share of roster and recruiting-related news, starting with the transfer portal.
Wofford transfer portal defection BJ Mack committed to Lamont Paris and the Gamecocks over Alabama, LSU, Iowa, and Arkansas. The big forward provides girth inside (6’8″, 250 pounds) and shooting touch from outside (32%, 45%, 34% from 3-point range the last three seasons, respectively).
Two international prospects became the first commitments of the South Carolina basketball 2024 recruiting class.
Morris Ugusuk and Okku Federiko committed within minutes of each other. The teammates from Finland are both part of the 2024 recruiting class and have high upsides. Ugusuk is a long, defensive-minded combo guard who also can handle the basketball and score at the rim. Federiko is a 6’9″ forward (with a 7’4″ wingspan) who can play small forward, power forward, or center; he is a good athlete with solid offensive skills and defensive potential. Ugusuk is a three-star prospect, and Federiko is rated as a 4-star.
The South Carolina baseball team lost a series to Auburn.
After sweeping the Florida Gators last weekend, the Gamecocks had a setback at home with a series loss to the Auburn Tigers. Auburn took the first two games of the series before Carolina rebounded to win the series finale and avoid the sweep. They are still ranked third in the D1Baseball poll but are no longer at the top of the SEC standings.
At 35-8, the baseball team is tied for the best record in the conference (LSU) and is in third in the SEC standings behind Vanderbilt (16-5) in the East and LSU (15-5) in the West with a 14-6 SEC record. The Gamecocks are second in the country and first in the SEC in home runs and tenth in the country and third in the SEC in runs scored.
Injuries are still a factor for Carolina. Gavin Casas returned to the lineup, but Talmadge LeCroy missed most of the weekend, Carson Hornung was still DH-only with his foot injury, Will McGillis and Noah Hall remained out, and Braylen Wimmer pulled his hamstring. The recovery timeline for these players could mean that LeCroy, Wimmer, and McGillis are all ready in time for the SEC Tournament, but Hall’s timeline is still largely unknown. Ricky Williams, Roman Kimball, Connor Fuhrman, and Jacob Compton are all still expected to miss the whole year.
South Carolina softball made history.
The Gamecocks lost their series against a ranked Auburn team (2 games to 1), but in the Carolina win, Dottie Gobourne threw the first no-hitter for the program since 2017. The Gamecocks are now 33-17 and 8-13 in the SEC.