If players start leaving Big Ten, Pac-12 teams, could South Carolina benefit?
The speculation started almost instantly. If the Big Ten and Pac-12 won’t play fall football in 2020 because of COVID-19, will any of those players, not to mention some from the MAC or Montana West, start looking elsewhere?
And in Columbia, could South Carolina possibly benefit?
The answer there is complicated, as is the whole situation. Especially if a player has plans to be in the NFL draft in 2021, with a spring season conflicting with a range of per-draft events.
It’s not clear how the NCAA would handle a waiver request with a reason of “former team not playing football in fall,” but given the free-handed nature with which those are given, it’s entirely possible many could be handed out, especially with the start of most seasons delayed.
When the news dropped, social media filled with jokes and comments about players such as Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields making the jump ahead of his draft prep. At least one potential NFL player, South Dakota State All-American receiver Cade Johnson, already put his name in the portal.
If South Carolina wanted to add a player, it would have to manage both its scholarship numbers and what’s known as “initial counters,” which are limited to 25 per recruiting cycle. The Gamecocks are in a state of flux on both fronts.
Officially per its media guide, South Carolina sits at 81 scholarships. But that doesn’t include fullback Adam Prentice, kicker Mitch Jeter and punter Kai Kroeger. All three are listed as walk-ons, but all three are expected to go on scholarship in the fall.
That lost spot is theoretically taken by wide receiver transfer Jalen Brooks, a big body who starred at Wingate and joined the class a few weeks ago.
If all those players go on scholarship right away, the roster is full and USC has all four counting against its 2021 total of 25.
But what if the staff can convince one or two of them to pay their own way for a year?
This would have two advantages. First, it would leave the roster with extra open spots in case some player wanted to come aboard. The second advantage is that if a player pays his own way for one academic year, he doesn’t take up an initial counter, allowing more recruiting flexibility down the road.
Taking on an extra player would be a slight risk resource-wise as a new addition would almost assuredly be on scholarship and likely have NFL aspirations. So if there was no season, a looming possibility, and he moved on, he’d likely cost an initial counter and not have any impact.
Still, another proven receiver, tight end or maybe defensive back would be helpful for the Gamecocks. The aforementioned Johnson is going to make some program pretty happy. Towering senior receiver Warren Jackson starred for Gamecocks offensive coordinator Mike Bobo at Colorado State, and the Rams won’t be playing in the fall.
It would take some doing behind the scenes and luck with the NCAA and with a season actually happening, but there is a possible path for a staff that desperately needs to win now to perhaps pull in an impact catch should that stream of transfers start rushing.
This story was originally published August 13, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
