South Carolina Football: 8 Gamecocks with eligibility who might not return in 2024
By Kevin Miller
South Carolina Football players who might not return in 2024:
Defensive Back KaJuan Banks
KaJuan Banks has not played much in 2023, but from the outside looking in, it doesn’t make much sense why Banks hasn’t been on the field. He played pretty well in limited action early in the season, but the playing time stopped despite the team’s struggles in the secondary.
Particularly perplexing about the KaJuan Banks situation is that the defensive back began the year as the backup nickel and filled in for early-season starter Keenan Nelson twice (once due to struggles and once due to injury).
He performed pretty well in those games, but then defensive coordinator Clayton White and defensive backs coach Torrian Gray began playing three safeties at a time, trying DQ Smith, Nick Emmanwori, and Jalon Kilgore at nickel. They all struggled being out of position, but Banks still didn’t play.
Clearly, there is something else going on that only those inside the program know. Earlier this season, Banks had several strange social media posts that seemed to indicate that he was frustrated with his lack of playing time.
A transfer would shock almost no one who has watched this situation play out, as Banks has the talent to play big-time college football but, for whatever reason, is not being given the opportunity to do so. Many other players in this type of situation find a new home where they think they will receive more chances to showcase their skills, and Banks could be on a similar trajectory.