ZaQuandre White leaving Gamecocks to prepare for NFL, not expected to play in bowl
South Carolina football’s leading rusher is headed to the NFL.
Running back ZaQuandre White declared for the 2022 NFL Draft in an Instagram post Tuesday night.
White’s post said he would begin preparing for the draft immediately, appearing to indicate he would not play in Duke’s Mayo Bowl against North Carolina on Dec. 30.
“As a kid growing up in Florida, playing big time college football was always a dream of mine,” White said in the post. “While playing these last 5 years, I also set a goal of playing in the NFL. After a lot of thought, prayer and talking with my family, I have decided to start pursuing this goal and begin preparing for the NFL Draft immediately.”
Head coach Shane Beamer said in a press conference Wednesday that he’d spoken with White since his announcement and had multiple conversations with him since the Gamecocks’ last game against Clemson. Beamer said it’s “not definite” White won’t be available for the bowl game.
“I would not say it’s 100% that ZaQuandre’s not playing in the bowl game,” Beamer said. “He made that clear to me in the conversation. (There are) things that he’s still working through, and we want to get him the best input possible to make a great decision.”
White led the Gamecocks on the ground in 2021, rushing for 583 yards on 88 carries for two touchdowns. He added another 202 yards and three touchdowns on 19 receptions, recording stats in nine of USC’s 12 regular season games.
White, a redshirt senior transfer from Florida State and Iowa Western Community College, was one of 19 South Carolina football players honored in the Gamecocks’ senior day ceremony before the Clemson game.
White first played for the Gamecocks last season and vastly improved his stats this year after totaling just 59 yards on 16 attempts in 2020. He emerged as South Carolina’s most reliable weapon out of the backfield, averaging 6.6 yards per carry and 48.58 yards per game in 2021.
White was the third to depart South Carolina after the conclusion of the season and fifth to leave since the start of the season.
Wide receiver Ger-Cari Caldwell and defensive back Jahmar Brown announced their intentions to transfer after the season concluded. Linebacker Rosendo Louis and wide receiver OrTre Smith left the Gamecocks during the season. Defensive back Dominick Hill entered the transfer portal Wednesday afternoon.
Beamer said Wednesday he’s had conversations with multiple players weighing NFL or transfer options. He said the team will reconvene over the weekend to “see where we’re at.”
“We’ve got a lot of young men that I’ve met with, a lot of young men that I’m having conversations with,” Beamer said. “We want what’s best for them and their futures, and (there are) certainly things that we’re working through.”
This story was originally published December 7, 2021 at 8:44 PM.
