South Carolina could be option for Auburn transfers

South Carolina has landed one transfer from the Auburn football team and eventually could end up with two more.

The father of Stephen Davis Jr., a former star safety and running back at Dutch Fork, told The State his son will enroll at USC for the second semester of summer school.

USC head coach Will Muschamp and defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson recruited Davis when they were at Auburn and also sought him after moving to USC. The pair also recruited two other players who have left Auburn in defensive back Marlon Character and defensive lineman Antwuan Jackson, both Georgia natives. Both also considered USC while in high school. Character actually committed to the Gamecocks at one point, and Jackson is the half-brother of USC linebacker Bryson Allen-Williams.

Character has not commented publicly about his transfer or his future plans, but USC could be an option for him. Jackson on Wednesday spoke in detail for the first time regarding his current situation. That includes a June 8 appeal at Auburn, which has blocked him from a clean transfer to any other SEC school, Clemson, Ohio State, Mercer and Georgia Southern.

Clemson, Mercer and Georgia Southern are on the Tigers’ schedule this season. Ohio State and USC are not. Because of the block, Jackson is not able to talk with Muschamp or Robinson. He’s hoping he can win his appeal so he can give the Gamecocks consideration.

“It would be very big because T-Rob and all of them recruited me to Auburn,” Jackson said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they gave me a call (if he’s released). They (Auburn) don’t want me in the SEC at all, not even the SEC East.”

Jackson said given the chance to go to USC this time around, it would be something he would strong consider again.

“They would be at the top mostly,” Jackson said of the Gamecocks. “I remember talking to T-Rob and them a lot when they were recruiting me for Auburn.”

Jackson said he doesn’t know what he’ll do if his appeal is denied. Going to junior college for a season is on the table as well as schools in other Power 5 Conferences like the Big 10, Big 12 or ACC.

“My question was: Why are they blocking Ohio State for no reason?” Jackson said. “They just put Ohio State on there for no reason. My question to them is why are they blocking me from a Big Ten school when they don’t have anything to do with Big Ten schools? Why didn’t they block me from Michigan or Indiana or any other Big Ten school? Why would they do that immediately?”

This story was originally published June 1, 2017 at 8:47 AM with the headline "South Carolina could be option for Auburn transfers."