South Carolina football fans have been monitoring the Gamecock track and field squad a little more closely this season than most. While Carolina is no stranger to having football players run track, Harbor's status as a 5-star and his unique physical makeup (6'5" and nearly 240 pounds with track sprint speed) has fostered a special type of interest.
The rising sophomore receiver had a really nice freshman season in track. After not qualifying for the postseason in the winter indoor track season, the outdoor spring campaign was much better as he qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 100-meter and the 200-meter. He finished the year as a 2nd team All-American in both events and qualified for the Olympic trials in the 200.
However, with the trials beginning on Friday and running through the rest of June, Harbor's summer of running appears to be over.
On Monday, David Cloninger of the Post and Courier reported that Nyck Harbor has decided to skip the 2024 Olympic trials despite qualifying for the trials in the 200-meter sprint. Having not yet posted a 200-meter time that would earn an Olympic berth, Harbor has decided that it would be in his best interest to rest his body and skip the trials.
According to Cloninger's report, Harbor had conversations with South Carolina track and field coach Tim Hall (and, presumably, South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer), and the decision was clear. Harbor will take a short rest while only working on track techniques and football conditioning so that he can be ready physically for the start of fall camp the first week of August.
Last season, Harbor played in every game, caught 12 passes for 195 yards and 1 touchdown, and showcased some flashes of his tremendous ability. The extra time should benefit Harbor as he looks to take a step forward in a more crowded receiver room that added five transfers and two freshmen to the room this offseason.