Another experienced Gamecock DB in transfer portal
South Carolina football could be down yet another defensive back.
Sophomore cornerback John Dixon has entered the transfer portal, a team spokesman confirmed to The State. The Big Spur first reported the news.
Dixon is the second Gamecock secondary member to enter the portal Wednesday — his classmate Jammie Robinson was reported to enter the portal this morning. Dixon was second on the team in pass breakups this season with five. He also added 34 tackles.
In addition to Dixon and Robinson, the Gamecocks have also lost redshirt freshman Shilo Sanders, who transferred to Jackson State, and juniors Israel Mukuamu and Jaycee Horn, who both entered the NFL draft. In addition, junior RJ Roderick opted out of the remainder of the 2020 season after coach Will Muschamp was fired. He has not publicly declared whether he will return, transfer or go pro.
These departures leave new head coach Shane Beamer with a desperately thin defensive back corps — Horn, Mukuamu, Sanders, Robinson and Dixon were all regular rotation members this past year and accounted for 15 of the team’s 23 pass breakups and five of its eight interceptions.
Without them, the Gamecocks would return eight scholarship defensive backs if Roderick and senior Jaylan Foster come back, headlined by redshirt freshman Cam Smith. That group’s depth was already tested this past season by injuries and opt-outs, and South Carolina finished the year giving up 256.1 passing yards per game on a 66.6% completion rate.
Beamer signed just one defensive back in the 2021 class in the early signing period — junior college product Marcellas Dial. Beamer has also targeted one of Dial’s JUCO teammates, cornerback Isaiah Norris, who is set to announce his commitment on Christmas.
South Carolina roster tracker
Not coming back, or likely not coming back
Declared for the NFL Draft
Israel Mukuamu — junior cornerback
Jaycee Horn — junior cornerback
Ernest Jones — junior linebacker
Shi Smith — senior wide receiver
Sadarius Hutcherson — senior offensive lineman
Seniors or juniors who walked on Senior Day
Will Register — tight end
Chandler Farrell — tight end/defensive lineman
Adam Prentice — fullback
Parker White — kicker
Keir Thomas — defensive lineman
Transfers out
Makius Scott — freshman defensive lineman (going to Georgia Tech)
Shilo Sanders — redshirt freshman defensive back (going to Jackson State)
Transfer portal
Jammie Robinson — sophomore defensive back
John Dixon — sophomore defensive back
Could be coming back (12)
Opt-outs (4)
Randrecous Davis — junior wide receiver
OrTre Smith — junior wide receiver
Mark Fox — redshirt freshman offensive lineman
R.J. Roderick — junior defensive back
Seniors who didn’t walk on Senior Day (8)
Collin Hill — quarterback
Jaylan Foster — defensive back
Spencer Eason-Riddle — linebacker
Jabari Ellis — defensive lineman
Aaron Sterling — defensive lineman
Damani Staley — linebacker
Sherrod Greene — linebacker
Nick Muse — tight end (Note: Muse participated in Senior Day activities, but when asked if he planned to return, he said he wasn’t sure and added that if position coach Bobby Bentley returned, he would too.)
Set to come back (60)
QUARTERBACK (2)
Luke Doty, freshman
Ryan Hilinski, sophomore
RUNNING BACK (5)
Kevin Harris, sophomore
Deshaun Fenwick, redshirt sophomore
Rashad Amos, freshman
MarShawn Lloyd, freshman
ZaQuandre White, redshirt junior
WIDE RECEIVER (8)
Josh Vann, junior
Dakereon Joyner, redshirt sophomore
Xavier Legette, sophomore
Jalen Brooks, junior
Rico Powers, freshman
Ger-Cari Caldwell, freshman
Chad Terrell, redshirt junior
Mike Wyman, freshman
Trey Adkins, redshirt sophomore (walk-on)
Ben Rollins, freshman (walk-on)
TIGHT END (5)
Traevon Kenion, redshirt freshman
Jaheim Bell, freshman
Eric Shaw, freshman
Keveon Mullins, redshirt freshman
KeShawn Toney, redshirt freshman
OFFENSIVE LINE (14)
Jordan Rhodes, redshirt junior
Eric Douglas, redshirt junior
Dylan Wonnum, junior
Jazston Turnetine, junior
Jaylen Nichols, sophomore
Jovaughn Gwyn, redshirt sophomore
Jakai Moore, redshirt freshman
Tyshawn Wannamaker, freshman
Hank Manos, redshirt sophomore
Trai Jones, freshman
Vincent Murphy, redshirt freshman
Vershon Lee, freshman
Wyatt Campbell, redshirt sophomore
Will Rogers, redshirt freshman
DEFENSIVE LINE (13)
Jordan Burch, freshman
Brad Johnson, redshirt junior
Rodricus Fitten, redshirt freshman
Gilber Edmond, freshman
Zacch Pickens, sophomore
Kingsley Enagbare, junior
Rick Sandidge, junior
Tonka Hemingway, freshman
Tyreek Johnson, redshirt sophomore
Joseph Anderson, redshirt freshman
M.J. Webb, redshirt junior
Alex Huntley, freshman
Devontae Davis, redshirt junior
LINEBACKER (3)
Mohamed Kaba, freshman
Jahmar Brown, sophomore
Rosendo Louis Jr., redshirt sophomore
Noah Vincent (walk-on), redshirt sophomore
Darryle Ware (walk-on), freshman
DEFENSIVE BACKS (6)
Jaylin Dickerson, redshirt junior
Cam Smith, redshirt freshman
Joey Hunter, freshman
Dominick Hill, freshman
O’Donnell Fortune, freshman
Darius Rush, redshirt sophomore
SPECIALISTS (2)
Kai Kroeger, freshman, punter
Mitch Jeter, freshman, kicker
Commitments (9)
Colton Gauthier — quarterback
Caleb McDowell — running back
O’Mega Blake — wide receiver
Sam Reynolds — wide receiver
JonDarius Morgan — offensive lineman
Jordan Davis — offensive lineman
T.J. Sanders — defensive lineman
Nicholas Barrett — defensive lineman
Marcellas Dial — defensive back
This story was originally published December 23, 2020 at 3:38 PM.
