South Carolina Gamecocks News: Football recruiting, baseball struggles, basketball commitments, more
By Kevin Miller
Here is the latest South Carolina Gamecocks News, starting with the football team continuing to make recruiting news.
Two 4-star wide receiver prospects from Charlotte made their commitments this week. Both were interested in South Carolina, but the Gamecocks seemed to lighten their pursuits of both players as they focused on other receiver targets like Jonathan Paylor and Parker Livingstone.
Micah Gilbert picked Notre Dame, and Channing Goodwin committed to Michigan.
The Gamecocks were named finalists for multiple blue chip prospects.
4-star Georgia athlete Jadan Baugh listed Carolina as a finalist along with Louisville, Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, and Georgia Tech.
Jalyn Crawford, another 4-star, is a defensive back from Parkview, Georgia who put the Gamecocks in his top-11 last week.
Kaj Sanders, a 4-star safety from New Jersey, named a top-10, and the Gamecocks made the list.
4-star South Carolina quarterback commitment Dante Reno won an offseason award.
Reno took part in the Under Armour Next Camp in New Jersey last week and brought home the MVP from the camp’s 7-on-7 game.
Shortly after losing defensive tackles coach Jimmy Lindsey, the Gamecocks hired his replacement.
Gamecock great and former NFL defensive tackle Travian Robertson is back in Columbia. Robertson is considered a rising star in the coaching industry and has fans excited for what he can bring to the program he loves.
An interesting update has come in on the suspended freshmen on the football team.
With Anthony Rose already in the transfer portal, fellow suspended freshman Monteque Rhames seems to be considering enrolling at a junior college with no end in sight for his suspension. No update has been provided on the third suspended player Cameron Upshaw.
A projected starter for the football team had his injury officially addressed by Coach Beamer.
Jaylen Nichols, the assumed starter at left tackle for the 2023 season, had his injury from the Garnet and Black Spring Game described as “significant.” Beamer also said that Nichols would certainly miss the start of the season and they would see what things looked like toward the end of the year. Nichols could theoretically return in 2024 with a medical redshirt but is a 5th-year senior already.
A former All-SEC Gamecock signed a new NFL deal.
Punter Joseph Charlton signed with the Cleveland Browns. Charlton will be starting his second stint in Cleveland and will compete with incumbent starter Corey Bojorquez.
The South Carolina women’s basketball team picked up a huge commitment and missed out on another.
National Junior College Player of the Year Sakima Walker committed to the Gamecocks out of the transfer portal. The 6’5″ forward provides scoring, both inside and outside, and post play to help fill the void left by Aliyah Boston, Victaria Saxton, and Laeticia Amihere.
Top transfer portal target Aneesah Morrow committed to LSU. Morrow’s commitment likely makes the Tigers the favorite to win the SEC next season, the first time in a long time that Carolina wouldn’t have those honors.
A former men’s basketball player has announced his new home via the transfer portal.
Daniel Hankins-Sanford, a former commitment to Frank Martin prior to Martin’s dismissal in Columbia, will finally play for him at UMass. Last week, Hankins-Sanford committed to the Minutemen.
The College Football Playoff Committee had news.
The Committee announced an official schedule for the first two years of the new 12-team Playoff that will begin at the end of the 2024 season.
The Gamecock Baseball team continues to scuffle.
The YardCocks were swept on the road by the Kentucky Wildcats. Injuries continue to hurt the Gamecocks, but the pitching and defense did not perform well enough to win, and the Gamecocks will need to pick up their play if they still have hopes of being a regional host when postseason play begins.
South Carolina Softball faced a tough test on the road.
The Lady Gamecocks lost two out of three on the road against #4 Tennessee. Their record sits at 34-19, and they are 9-15 in the SEC.