South Carolina Football: Gamecock record-holder finds new home via transfer portal

South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer has already secured 6 commitments through the transfer portal this cycle. Defensive tackles Jerome Simmons and Deandre Jules, wide receivers Jared Brown and Jayden McGowan, and running backs Rocket Sanders and Oscar Adaway are set to join the Gamecocks and could be instant impact contributors.

However, of the 17 players that entered the transfer portal from the South Carolina football program, only one former Gamecock has announced that he has found a new home through the portal. D'Andre Martin, a rising redshirt sophomore defensive tackle, committed to the Charlotte 49ers program last week.

A second Gamecock portal entry announced his future plans on Thursday.

Placekicker Mitch Jeter, who owns the Gamecocks' all-time record for field goal accuracy (22 of 24 for a 92% success rate) surprisingly put his name in the transfer portal, and it didn't take long for him to find his new team. On Thursday, Jeter committed to his new school.

Despite rumors about #98 joining the Alabama Crimson Tide or him return to his home state of North Carolina to play for one of the "Big 4" (North Carolina, Duke, Wake Forest, and NC State), Mitch Jeter is set to join the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football program.

With one year left of eligibility, Jeter presumably will be the starter in South Bend, Indiana for the 2024 season before taking a run at a professional contract in the NFL. Kickers typically are not selected in the NFL Draft, but one as accurate as Jeter could be taken late in the draft process.

Jeter's specialist-mates, punter Kai Kroeger, long snapper Hunter Rogers, and kicker/punter Alex Herrera, are all set to return to Columbia, and 5-star freshman kicker/punter Mason Love is part of the 2024 recruiting class. Special teams coordinator Pete Lembo will have a tough job at replacing Jeter, but fans should expect the veteran Herrera, the freshman Love, and walk-on Peyton Argent to battle for the job.