Former South Carolina football transfer joining fifth team in six years

Last season, with a desperate need for help on the defensive line, South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer and his Gamecock coaching staff took an August commitment from transfer portal defensive end Drew Tuazama (UAB Blazers).

The 2023 season was one to forget for Tuazama as he couldn't catch on with USC. He wasn't quite the athlete that the team needed at defensive end, and he wasn't big enough and strong enough to push his way into the rotation of a more crowded defensive tackle position group.

After Carolina added two EDGE (Kyle Kennard, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets; Gilber Edmond, Florida State Seminoles) and three defensive tackle transfers
(DeAndre Jules, Pittsburgh Panthers; Monkell Goodwine, Alabama Crimson Tide; Jerome Simmons Highland Community College Scotties) this offseason, it came as no surprise that Drew Tuazama entered the transfer portal.

On Saturday, news broke that Tuazama had found a new home, his fifth school in six years of college football. According to a report from 247Sports' Matt Zenitz, the UCLA Bruins landed his commitment, joining the South Carolina Gamecocks, UAB Blazers, East Mississippi Community College Lions, and Syracuse Orange on Tuazama's resume.

Tuazama's transfer shouldn't have much of an impact as he was unlikely to play a role on the 2024 version of the South Carolina football team. With the return of athletic veteran defensive tackles Tonka Hemingway and TJ Sanders and the transfer portal addition of Monkell Goodwine, the Gamecocks have three players of a similar body type to Tuazama at defensive tackle. Listed at 290 pounds now, he also likely outgrew any chance of playing defensive end again.

During his time with the Gamecocks, Tuazama played in five games and posted just one tackle. He did not see the field during the back half of the 2023 season and spent some time away from the team. He went through part of the offseason with Carolina before announcing his intention to transfer after spring practice.