South Carolina Gamecocks News from the last week in Columbia

The latest South Carolina Gamecocks news from the last week, starting with an update from South Carolina football recruiting.

The Gamecocks had several major targets pare their favorite schools lists.

#1 national offensive tackle David Sanders released his top-6, and the Gamecocks made the cut.

#1 national defensive tackle Elijah Griffin put out his top-12, and Carolina is one of his favorites.

4-star safety JaDon Blair released a top-10, and USC is on his list.

The NFL Combine welcomed 5 South Carolina Gamecocks, and the players' performances likely helped their NFL Draft stocks.

Wide receiver Xavier Legette wowed the scouts in attendance. Weighing in at 221 pounds, he ran a 4.39 in the 40-yard dash and put up a 40" vertical. Other players who put up those testing numbers average 203 pounds. His overall physical testing (measurements, athletic testing, etc.) ranks in the top-50 all-time at the NFL Draft.

Quarterback Spencer Rattler didn't show off elite athleticism (he wasn't expected to do so), but he had a strong showing throwing the football. As the top-3 QBs in the draft are set and didn't participate, Rattler likely helped himself. Quarterbacks 4-8 are pretty interchangeable in the draft, and while JJ McCarthy probably solidified himself as #4, Rattler has as good of a chance as any to be the 5th man taken as the position. Rattler also impressed in front of the microphone.

Cornerback Marcellas Dial posted better athletic testing numbers than anticipated. Dial ran a 4.46 in the 40-yard dash and had a vertical leap of 40.5". He is not a guaranteed player to be drafted, but his showing in Indianapolis has moved him into the "likely drafted" camp.

Tight end Trey Knox was a limited participant in NFL Combine drills as he is still dealing with the final stages of recovery after a hamstring tear from last season. Knox impressed at the podium, and he has a chance to be drafted late in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Offensive lineman Nick Gargiulo will finish testing on Monday. The big fella is a bit of a long shot to be selected in the draft, but so was Jalen Brooks, and even after a tough combine last year, the Carolina receiver was picked up in the 7th round by the Dallas Cowboys. Gargiulo showed some slightly better-than-expected testing numbers on Sunday, and his versatility (started games at center, guard, and tackle in his career) could intrigue a team enough to take a late-round flyer on Gargiulo.

After wide receivers coach James Coley surprisingly (but maybe unsurprisingly) left the program two weeks ago to take the same job at Georgia, Shane Beamer made the new hire last week.

Former NFL wide receiver, NFL assistant coach, college assistant coach, and college head coach Mike Furrey is the new wide receivers coach for South Carolina football.

A former Gamecock has gotten a new coaching job.

Travelle Wharton, arguably the best offensive lineman in South Carolina Gamecocks history, is the new assistant offensive line coach with the Baltimore Ravens.

Some changes to the rules likely are coming for college football.

Recruiting calendar changes are coming, something coaches everywhere are celebrating.

A 2-minute warning is coming for college football at the end of both halves, just like the NFL.

Sideline use of tablets and screens will be allowed, and coach-to-player-helmet communication will be, as well.

Lamont Paris' South Carolina basketball squad continues to roll and will be playing in a game for 1st place next week.

The Gamecocks knocked off Texas A&M on the road and then came from behind at home against Florida.

USC is one game back of the Tennessee Volunteers for 1st place and is tied with the Alabama Crimson Tide for 2nd. The Gamecocks and Volunteers will play on Wednesday night for 1st place. Both teams will have one game remaining after, but Tennessee will clinch at least a share of the title with a win. USC will be tied with UT with a win.

A big-time high school prospect put the Gamecocks on his list of top programs.

4-star forward EJ Walker put South Carolina basketball in his top-12.

A former Gamecock forward will be a 2024 SEC Legend.

Forward Joe Rhett is the South Carolina Gamecocks' representative in the class of 2024 SEC Legends.

Dawn Staley's Gamecocks finished off the first-ever back-to-back undefeated regular seasons in SEC history.

The Gamecocks beat Arkansas on Thursday night and then beat the Tennessee Volunteers on Senior Day.

Despite some strange lineups due to minor discipline issues, the Gamecocks finished 29-0 in the regular season. They will be the #1 seed in the SEC Tournament that begins this week and will be the #1-overall seed in the NCAA Tournament no matter what happens in Greenville.

Another incoming freshman was injured.

5-star guard Maddy McDaniel was knocked out of her senior season playoff run due to a knee injury. The issue is with her meniscus, and those types of injuries have varying recovery timelines.

Wing Bree Hall won an off-court award.

Hall was placed on the SEC's All-Community Service Team for her efforts in the Columbia community.

Mark Kingston's South Carolina baseball squad had a solid mid-week but floundered in the weekend rivalry series against the Clemson Tigers.

The Gamecocks beat Gardner-Webb on Tuesday 7-1.

Game 1 at Founders Park against Clemson was postponed due to rain. The plan is to make up the game during the mid-week later this season if things work out for both team's schedules.

Game 2 saw a poor offensive performance from Carolina. Even so, Ethan Petry tied the game with a 9th inning home run. USC lost in extra innings.

Game 3 was almost an exact mirror of Game 2. Petry hit another 9th innings bomb to cut the Gamecock deficit to just 1, but they couldn't plate another run.

With two 4-5 losses to Clemson, the offense wasn't good enough, and the pitching was fine (not great but good enough to win). Things have to change offensively if the Gamecocks are to host another Regional in 2024.

South Carolina softball had a perfect week.

The Gamecocks won all five games they played against College of Charleston, Kennesaw State, UCF, Bethune-Cookman, and Princeton. Sophomore pitcher Jori Heard threw a perfect game in the win over Bethune-Cookman. The Gamecocks are now 18-2 and will rise in the rankings.