South Carolina Gamecocks News: Recruiting, Gamecocks in the pros, and more
By Kevin Miller
Here is the latest South Carolina Gamecocks News from the last week, starting with a football recruiting update.
Elite 4-star running back Daniel Hill was set to make his commitment this past Wednesday, but the Meridian, Mississippi native elected to delay his pledge. Hill is deciding between South Carolina and Alabama and had been considered a Gamecock lean before postponing his commitment.
The Gamecocks added transfer portal defensive end Drew Tuazama last week, and Shane Beamer says that he could play as soon as the North Carolina game next weekend.
Carolina also added a walk-on from the high school ranks this week. Ben Lippen School tight end Will Helmadollar officially joined the team.
Shane Beamer gave several injury updates for the season opener.
Wide receivers Juice Wells and Nyckoles Harbor were both described as “questionable” and “should play” last week.
Tight end Trey Knox, running back Juju McDowell, linebackers Stone Blanton and Pup Howard, and several others have been cleared after missing some time during fall camp.
Defensive ends Tyreek Johnson and Jatius Geer are banged up and will be game-time decisions. Johnson appears more likely to play than Geer, but both are undecided as of now.
A Gamecock walk-on was put on scholarship this week.
Hard-working special teams contributor and reserve defensive back King-Demenian Ford earned a scholarship this week. He blocked two punts in 2022 and looks to be a big factor again in 2023 for Pete Lembo’s special teams units.
A Gamecock transfer was chosen as one of the top transfers in college football.
Offensive lineman Nick Gargiulo came to South Carolina from Yale where he was the team’s captain. Last week, he was honored as one of the top-100 transfers in all of college football by The Athletic.
A Gamecock made the AP preseason All-American team.
Punter Kai Kroeger was a 2nd-team selection. Kroeger has been chosen as a preseason All-American by multiple outlets.
A Gamecock freshman made a couple of preseason Freshman All-American squads.
4-star linebacker Grayson “Pup” Howard was chosen as a preseason Freshman All-American by both 247Sports and On3.
Spencer Rattler made another preseason award list.
After being named to both the Maxwell Award and Manning Award preseason watch lists earlier this August, quarterback Spencer Rattler was also on the preseason list for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
The SEC Coaches All-SEC team was released last week.
Juice Wells (1st team), Kai Kroeger (1st team), Mitch Jeter (1st team for kickoffs), Dakereon Joyner (3rd team as an all-purpose offensive player), Trey Knox (3rd team), Tonka Hemingway (3rd team at defensive tackle), and Marcellas Dial (3rd team) all were selected.
The Senior Bowl is intrigued by a plethora of garnet and black talent.
16 Gamecocks were placed on the preseason watch list for the 2024 Senior Bowl. Because of redshirts, injuries, and the “Covid redshirt,” the players span over a wide range of classes (from 2017 to 2020), but all 16 players are, at minimum, in their fourth year of college ball.
South Carolina football legends Dan Reeves and Sterling Sharpe were not selected as finalists for induction into the 2024 class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Both Reeves and Sharpe were semifinalists for the second straight year, but neither Reeves (coach) nor Sharpe (player) took the next step forward toward enshrinement.
The CourtCocks made the top-6 for a highly-coveted 4-star prospect.
4-star guard Elijah Crawford named a top-6 of South Carolina, Georgia, LSU, Mississippi State, Stanford, and UCF. Crawford also announced that he has scheduled an official visit to Columbia. He also has visits in line to see Stanford and UCF.
Lamont Paris’ program updated the roster on GamecocksOnline.com.
The official heights, weights, positions, and jersey numbers can be found here.
Dawn Staley’s South Carolina basketball team added another big-time out-of-conference matchup to the schedule.
In the 2023-2024 Jimmy V Classic, the Gamecocks will face off with the Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium on December 3rd and 1:00 on ABC.
Aja Wilson reached another WNBA record.
Alaina Coates got another WNBA contract.
After working through three 7-day contracts with the Las Vegas Aces (where she was reunited with Gamecock teammate Aja Wilson), Alaina Coates secured a new deal that keeps her in Vegas for the rest of the season.
Mark Kingston’s team added a commitment over the weekend.
TL Hanna right-handed pitcher Seth Manning committed to the Gamecocks. Manning is a class of 2025 prospect.
Former Gamecock leader Adrian Morales got a new coaching gig.
The 2010 and 2011 National Champion third baseman was previously the head coach at Miami Dade Community College (where he won the last three conference Coach of the Year awards), but over the weekend, he took a new gig at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale where he will work in the same position as head coach.