South Carolina’s third-leading rusher puts name in NCAA transfer portal

South Carolina was projected to go into 2019 with a loaded running back group, but it could be a little lighter.

Gamecocks tailback Ty’Son Williams put his name into the NCAA transfer portal, The State has confirmed. Williams was South Carolina’s third-leading rusher in 2018.

Entering the portal doesn’t guarantee a player will transfer, but in the early stages of its existence, that’s usually what has happened.

The portal, which the NCAA unveiled in October, is part of an overhaul in the transfer process, eliminating the need for student-athletes to request permission from their current school to transfer and acting as a database for coaches to search for players.

Williams went to North Carolina out of high school, but the Sumter product transferred back before the 2017 season. He ran for 471 yards as a sophomore and 328 as a junior, battling a hand injury the latter half of the season.

Williams made five starts in two seasons in Columbia. The staff often spoke highly of his abilities in practice, but said he had trouble translating it to the field in games. He was often South Carolina’s No. 2 back, but never could take the lead in a group that included Rico Dowdle, A.J. Turner and Mon Denson.

In 20 career games, he topped 73 yards four times and 10 carries eight times. He had one of his most productive games against Ole Miss, posting more than 100 receiving yards, but also broke a bone in his hand that day, which sidelined him for the rest of the regular season.

Williams was a top-275, four-star recruit out of high school. He left North Carolina after one season, coming to Columbia as a de facto walk-on to get around the Tar Heels blocking his move.

Williams is the fifth Gamecock to enter the transfer portal:

▪ Safety Javon Charleston, who could not play for USC next year because of his five-year clock.

▪ Safety Nick Harvey, who joined the team as a graduate transfer last season.

▪ Defensive end Shameik Blackshear, who has already committed to TCU.

▪ Walk-on defensive back Jaylan Foster, who came to USC from Gardner-Webb.

This story was originally published January 22, 2019 at 11:07 AM.