How are Gamecock transfers doing at their new college football homes?
Jake Bentley is finding a groove at his third football home.
Bentley’s off to a good start at South Alabama, a Sun Belt program in Mobile, Alabama. In his first two starts, Bentley has thrown for 526 yards, two touchdowns and one interception on 46-of-68 passing. Bentley’s Jaguars are off to a 2-0 start in 2021, defeating Southern Miss and Bowling Green.
He’s in his sixth year of college football after spending four seasons on the roster at South Carolina. After passing for over 7,500 yards and 55 touchdowns with the Gamecocks, Bentley suffered a season-ending foot injury in USC’s 2019 season opener against North Carolina. He then elected to transfer to Utah in the PAC-12 conference for 2020.
Bentley wasn’t originally named the starter at Utah but came in after the Utes’ starter, Cameron Rising, was injured in their 2020 season opener. He completed 62% of his passes at Utah but was benched after the last game, which brought him back to the transfer portal in search of another football home.
South Alabama is proving to be a great fit for Bentley. He said he has already grown comfortable with the Jaguars’ program and had high praises for the coaching staff after his first start in 2021.
“This is the best I have ever been prepared for a team,” Bentley told reporters following South Alabama’s season-opening victory over Southern Miss. “That’s just so much of Coach (Major) Applewhite and how he has helped me through the preparation process.”
Bentley will face an SEC team later this season. South Alabama travels to Knoxville, Tennessee to play the Tennessee Volunteers on Nov. 20.
Here’s how other South Carolina transfers have fared at their new programs through Week 2 of the college football season.
Gamecock transfers 2021 stats
Joseph Anderson, DE (Purdue): 1 tackle in 1 game
Korey Banks, WR (NC A&T): 7 catches for 81 yards in 2 games
Derek Boykins, LB (Charlotte): No stats
Stephan Davis Jr, LB (NC A&T): 2 tackles in 2 games
John Dixon, DB (Penn State): 4 tackles in 2 games
Deshaun Fenwick, RB (Oregon State): 5 carries for 9 yards in 2 games
Ryan Hilinski, QB (Northwestern): No snaps in 2 games
Jammie Robinson, DB (Florida State): 5 tackles and 1 pass deflected in 2 games
Shilo Sanders, DB (Jackson State): 12 tackles, 1 forced fumble in 2 games
Keir Thomas, DE (Florida State): 2 tackles, 1 sack in 2 games
Keshawn Toney, TE (UT Chattanooga): 1 reception for 13 yards in 2 games
Jamyest Williams, RB (Georgia State): 10 carries for 29 yards in 2 games, made a position change from defensive back.
This story was originally published September 12, 2021 at 2:43 PM.
