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South Carolina Football: USC's RB room flip among biggest transfer portal “wins” according to national analyst

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South Carolina Football: USC's RB room flip among biggest transfer portal “wins” according to national analyst


South Carolina football fans witnessed the Gamecocks’ worst-ever rushing attack in 2023. The Gamecocks averaged under 90 yards per game on the ground for just the second time in the history of the program, and that was with two separate 70-yard runs on the season helping out the cause.

Fans were nervous that things could be even worse in 2024 as the two leading rushers from last year’s team were gone (Mario Anderson to the transfer portal and DK Joyner to graduation). However, Gamecock head coach Shane Beamer had a plan to fix things.

In what 247Sports national writer Brad Crawford called one of his biggest “wins” of the transfer portal recruiting cycle, South Carolina football has completely flipped its running back room from having virtually no returning production to an extremely deep room.

Coming in at #3 in Crawford’s rankings (behind only Colorado’s offensive line overhaul and Ole Miss’ efforts on defense), USC added former Arkansas running back Rocket Sanders, former North Texas back Oscar Adaway, and South Carolina State freshman defection Jawarn Howell.

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Sanders led the SEC in rushing in 2022 with over 1400 yards (over 1700 total offensive yards), Adaway has over 2000 yards and 15 touchdowns in his career, and Howell was the top running back in FCS as a freshman this past year.

The Gamecocks will have a good problem on their hands next fall when trying to figure out how to distribute carries. Sanders is the presumed starter if fully healthy, but Adaway will play. Though he is a younger player, Howell might be too good to keep off the field, as well.

4-star class of 2023 back Djay Braswell, 4-star class of 2024 ball-carrier Matthew Fuller, and experienced scatback Juju McDowell are also in the running back room, and the Gamecocks are a finalist for 2024 4-star Daniel Hill who is announcing his decision at the Under Armour All-American Game in January.

What was the team’s biggest weakness just three weeks ago might be the team’s biggest strength heading into the 2024 spring. If the offensive line gets healthy and can get some push, the rushing attack led by the transfers and likely starting quarterback LaNorris Sellers could be among the SEC’s most dangerous.

South Carolina Football: 5 biggest post-Signing Day questions for the Gamecocks. South Carolina Football: 5 biggest post-Signing Day questions for the Gamecocks. dark. Next

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South-Carolina

Shane Beamer updates injuries going into Clemson game

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Shane Beamer updates injuries going into Clemson game


For the first time really all year, South Carolina football is facing some injury questions. Wide reciever Jared Brown, tight ends Joshua Simon and Michael Smith all missed the Wofford game last week, forcing the Gamecocks to change up their approach offensively and play with one or no tight ends all day.

On Tuesday afternoon at his weekly press conference, Shane Beamer updated the injury sitution going into Saturday’s game at Clemson.

Regarding Brown, Beamer said “he’ll be fine” and confirmed the Coastal Carolina transfer will play in his first rivalry game this weekend. Wide reciever Vandrevius Jacobs on the other hand is out this weekend with a hamstring injury he suffered against Wofford.

Beamer did not have a further update on either of the tight ends, simply saying “we’ll see” with regards to Simon and Smith.

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Keys to Success for Clemson Tigers Against South Carolina Gamecocks

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Keys to Success for Clemson Tigers Against South Carolina Gamecocks


The Clemson Tigers are getting ready for what will be a crucial game in Week 14 against the South Carolina Gamecocks. 

This rivalry matchup is not going to disappoint, as both teams are coming into the game as Top-25 schools. For the Tigers, there is a lot on the line in this matchup. 

Due to Clemson not holding the tie-breaker against the Miami Hurricanes in the ACC and the SMU Mustangs already clinching a spot, the Tigers are going to have to hope for a Hurricanes’ loss to the Syracuse Orange if they are going to make the title game. 

However, due to recent upsets in the SEC, another path might have emerged for Clemson to make the College Football Playoffs. If they can beat a Top-25 team in the Gamecocks on Saturday, it could be the type of statement win that propels them into an at-large bid. 

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While making the CFP still might be realistic, they first and foremost have to handle South Carolina, which will be no easy task. 

The Gamecocks have also had a great season, and they could present some matchup problems for Clemson. 

On offense, South Carolina is a run first team. Stopping the run has been an issue at times for the Tigers, as they just recently got torched on the ground against The Citadel Bulldogs. If Clemson is unable to stop or at least slow down the rushing attack for the Gamecocks, it will allow them to control the pace of the game. That obviously wouldn’t be ideal for the Tigers. 

Furthermore, on the defensive side of things, the Tigers’ offense is going to have their work cut out for them against a very strong Gamecocks defense. Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik has had a very strong season and this could end up being a defining game of his college career. 

Going back to the win against the Pittsburgh Panthers, the Tigers’ offense really struggled on the ground trying to run the football. If that’s the case once again in Week 14, it will fall on the shoulders of Klubnik to get the job done. 

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This matchup could very well go down as one of the games of the week and potentially the year, with both teams being fairly even talent-wise on paper. For Clemson, this is a must-win game to keep their playoff hopes alive, as a win this late in the season against a Top-25 team would be a nice last thing to put on their resume. 

Overall, the Tigers are going to need to have a balanced attack and prepare to stop the run if they are going to come away with the win against their rival.



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South Carolina community left without police after entire P.D. resigns

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South Carolina community left without police after entire P.D. resigns


The entire police department of a small South Carolina town resigned en masse, leaving the area without its own dedicated police force.

Chief Bob Hale of the McColl Police Department announced his resignation on November 21 in a social media post, citing a “hostile work environment perpetuated by a specific Councilman.”

“For months, I have endured unwarranted and malicious behavior aimed at undermining my integrity and leadership,” Hale wrote. “These actions have not only affected me personally but have also created a toxic atmosphere that has hindered the department’s ability to function effectively.”

The chief also said his department’s resources had been severely cut. The four officers under his command quickly resigned as well.

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“At the end of the day, I have a family. And when my job is constantly getting threatened and certain things are getting said I’m not going to stay somewhere and tolerate that,” former McColl investigator Courtney Bulusan told WRAL.

“I’m not going to stay where I’m tolerated,” Bulusan said. “I’m going to go where I’m celebrated.”

As the town seeks new officers, the Marlboro County Sheriff’s Office will fill in for the department police force, according to South Carolina Public Radio.

The town has gone through six chiefs in the past four years. Hale’s tenure in the position lasted little over a year.

“I feel unsafe. Very unsafe,” resident Lisa Bowen told local outlet WPDE. “Because anytime anybody could do anything.”

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“They jump ship back and forth all the time,” Mayor George Garner told the Post and Courier newspaper. “This is nothing new.”

The paper reported that the councilman in question denied he had harassed any of the officers and told the paper the allegations were “hearsay.”

Such mass resignations, while uncommon, are not unprecedented.

The entire police force of Geary, Oklahoma, resigned earlier this month, Fox News reports.



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