The South Carolina Gamecocks desperately need to get in the win column inside the SEC. For Week 6, the Gamecocks unfortunately have to go on the road against the No. 16 Florida Gators. As expected, South Carolina opened as 14-point road underdogs against Jon Sumrall's team.
As the college football calendar turns to Week 6, another big question surrounding the Gamecock program is the status of star EDGE rusher Dylan Stewart. Stewart was suspended indefinitely by Coach Beamer last week, after he was seen throwing a punch towards Alabama's Josh Ford during Week 4's 49-18 loss to the Tide. Stewart was also separately suspended one game by the SEC for the incident.
Latest on Dylan Stewart's status with the team
As for Stewart's status this week, Coach Beamer says there is no change, as of now, and he remains suspended from the team. Beamer addressed the situation on his Sunday evening media teleconference.
“Yeah, no update," Beamer said via Gamecock Central. "I’ve met with Dylan pretty much every day last week. Visited with Dylan today. We’ll keep those conversations between us, but no update right now.”
Stewart was not with the team during South Carolina's 35-34 overtime loss to Kentucky, as expected. The defense actually did well getting after Wildcat quarterback Kenny Minchey, sacking him three times thanks to the efforts of Kelby Collins, Caleb Herring and Noah Clark. South Carolina could use another performance like that going up against opposing Florida quarterback Aaron Philo, who was sacked three times in the loss to the Tigers.
In his conversations about the situation with Stewart, Beamer stressed how one player, no matter how talented, is above the standard that's expected of South Carolina football.
“He wasn’t in the team meeting this morning," Beamer last week of Stewart via Gamecock Central. "And when I talked a little bit more about it … it’s just trying to explain what my thinking is, and that there’s a standard of how we do things on and off the field in this program, and there is a accountability level that is demanded, regardless of who you are and how good a player you are. The accountability can’t be a pick and choose, and the standard of how we do things it can’t be a pick and choose."
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He was also seen having a heated discussion with Beamer at one point during the game, and was seen ignoring coaches telling him to get off of the field to sub out.
The EDGE rusher was limited in his two games back before the suspension. He was off the field during South Carolina's fourth quarter against Mississippi State, and registered just one solo stop. He missed the Gamecocks first two games against Kent State and Towson, still rehabbing from a back injury he had been recovering from all offseason.
We'll see if there is any more clarity regarding Stewart's status as the game week against Florida progresses.
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