Gamecocks have two scholarship spots left in 2022 class. Now what?
Shane Beamer isn’t in a hurry to fill the last two scholarship spots in South Carolina’s 2022 class.
The Gamecocks have used 23 of their 25 allotted scholarships through the end of Wednesday’s traditional signing day — 21 high school recruits and two spots taken from late-summer additions, defensive back Tyrese Ross and quarterback Zeb Noland.
Beamer said Wednesday that he’s planning to wait and see how the Gamecocks perform in spring practice before making final decisions with those two slots. Coaches want to be conscious of injuries and other roster attrition, choosing to re-evaluate things after the April 16 spring game. South Carolina begins spring football practice March 15.
“It’s more to see where we are coming out spring depth-wise, personnel-wise, who may or may not be available,” Beamer said. “We may not use it on anybody. I just don’t want to throw out a scholarship just to be throwing one out.”
Transfer defensive backs Ross, Carlins Platel and Karon Prunty all committed to South Carolina in the weeks and months after the 2021 February signing day, though Prunty left the program shortly after arriving.
Beamer said his philosophy around potentially adding to the roster is centered around thinking toward positions of need in 2022 and beyond. Specifically, Beamer made mention of reloading along the offensive line, as veterans head into their final years with the program.
“You’ll never turn down a great player at any position, in my mind,” Beamer said. “Certainly, there are some positions that you look at and say, as we go a year from now when we’re sitting in this room, certain positions are going to look a lot difference probably because of experience or eligibility level.
“You need to be thinking about 2023 and 2024, as well as continue to build the roster for the 2022 team.”
South Carolina finished Wednesday with the No. 26 class and the No. 11 class in the SEC, according to the 247Sports Composite. Seven high school commits have enrolled early, including Delaware Gatorade Player of the Year quarterback Braden Davis.
Beamer was also busy in the transfer portal in December, adding seven transfers to the Gamecocks’ roster for 2022. The NCAA added a waiver this season that allows teams to expand recruiting classes by replacing up to seven players who departed for the transfer portal with additions from the transfer portal. Those transfers do not count toward the 25-man scholarship limit under the NCAA’s waiver.
The Gamecocks are limited to signing two high school players or two transfers, or one of each, if they choose to add to the roster after the spring.
High-profile transfers to the Gamecocks’ program in 2022 include highly touted former Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler, who arrived on campus over the weekend, as well as Georgia transfer Lovasea Carroll, who played defensive back with the Bulldogs and will be a running back in Columbia.
South Carolina’s 2022 transfer portal class is ranked No. 7 in the nation and No. 4 in the SEC, according to the 247Sports Composite.
