Shaq Roland out of football for now

Former Lexington High School star and South Carolina wide receiver Shaq Roland will not play at Prairie View A&M and might not play football anywhere this fall.

Roland, who left the Gamecocks football team prior to the Independence Bowl in December, had planned to play his final collegiate season with the Panthers and spent six months in school in Prairie View, Texas, but he left in June, his mother said.

“Things didn’t go so well there,” said Petina Etheredge. She said the coach has already agreed that he will sign the waiver to release Roland.

“He (Roland) had the option that he can return, but I don’t think that’s going to happen,” she said.

Roland might not be able to play anywhere this fall because he has now transferred twice in the last eight months, his mother said.

“I am really not sure at this point,” she said.

Roland and his family have had discussions with Winston Salem State and West Georgia, and he may enroll at one of those schools this fall, Etheredge said.

Roland, who was South Carolina’s Mr. Football in 2011, played in 10 games for the Gamecocks in 2014 but left the team Dec. 23. He was named a PARADE All-American after leading Lexington High to an 11-1 record while gaining more than 2,000 yards and scoring 24 touchdowns as a senior. He was considered a five-star recruiting prospect by Scout.com and was widely considered the state’s top high school football player.

Roland, who served a three-game suspension in 2013 and another one-game suspension in 2014, finished three season with the Gamecocks with 56 catches for 891 yards and 10 touchdowns. He had 26 catches for 356 yards last season.

This story was originally published August 5, 2015 at 2:59 PM with the headline "Shaq Roland out of football for now."