South Carolina Football: Which players are walking for Senior Night against Clemson?
By Kevin Miller
South Carolina football is 5-6 and needs a win over the rival Clemson Tigers in order to secure traditional bowl eligibility. The game is at home for the Gamecocks, and Williams-Brice Stadium will be rocking for the 7:30 kickoff. Fans who can’t make it to Willy B can watch the game on the SECNetwork or the ESPN app.
Regardless of whether or not USC plays in a bowl game after the season, the Palmetto Bowl will be the final home game of the season for Shane Beamer’s South Carolina football team.
Because it is the last home game of the year, that means that this one is not just the in-state rivalry but also Senior Night.
With the “Covid redshirt,” figuring out which players are playing their last game is harder than ever, but there is a long list of Gamecocks who officially are out of college eligibility and several others who could come back to Columbia next season but will also walk as part of Senior Night in case they elect to leave the program after the season.
According to the official university-released game notes, 21 Gamecocks will participate in the Senior Night ceremony before kickoff.
Players walking and out of eligibility
- WR Xavier Legette
- WR Ahmarean Brown
- WR Eddie Lewis
- RB DK Joyner
- RB DJ Twitty
- TE Trey Knox
- OL Nick Gargiulo
- DL Jordan Strachan
- DL Tyreek Johnson
- DB DeAngelo Gibbs
- DB Isaiah Norris
Players walking but could return
- QB Spencer Rattler
- WR Ben Rollins
- RB Mario Anderson
- TE Jesse Sanders (has medically retired)
- DL Tonka Hemingway
- DL Terrell Dawkins
- DB David Spaulding
- DB Marcellas Dial (with waiver)
- DB BJ Gibson
- K/P Alex Herrera
Several other South Carolina football players are academic seniors (4th year of college or later) who are not planning to walk with the seniors for Senior Night.
On Offense:
- QB/WR Luke Doty
- RB Bradley Dunn
- WR Juice Wells
- WR Payton Mangrum
- TE Josh Simon
- OL Jaylen Nichols
- OL Vershon Lee
- OL Trai Jones
- OL Jakai Moore
- OL Tyshawn Wannamaker
- OL Ni Mansell
- OL Jaxon Hughes
On Defense:
- DL Boogie Huntley
- DL Drew Tuazama
- LB Debo Williams
- LB Bam Martin-Scott
- LB Mo Kaba
- CB O’Donnell Fortune
- DB Landon Grier
- DB King-Demenian Ford
On Special Teams:
- P Kai Kroeger
- K Mitch Jeter
- LS Hunter Rogers
- LS Cole Rasmussen
Related Story. South Carolina Football: Top-5 Gamecock moments of Carolina-Clemson rivalry. light