RJ Roderick, USC senior defender, no longer with the Gamecocks
A key contributor over the last four years is leaving the South Carolina program.
Safety R.J. Roderick is no longer with the team, head coach Shane Beamer told reporters on Tuesday afternoon. 247Sports first reported that Roderick was in the transfer portal.
“Right now he’s not a member of this football team and won’t be going forward,” Beamer said in his weekly press conference. “I’ve met with RJ and his mom on Sunday and had good conversations. I don’t want to speak for RJ, but everything is good from that standpoint.”
Roderick was a fifth-year senior, a four-year starter and four-year letterman over his four-plus seasons in Columbia. He owned 33 starts, 198 tackles and two interceptions heading into the 2022 season.
The best season of his USC career was in 2021, when he had 64 total tackles, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. He was among the players who opted out of the 2020 season partway through the year.
This year, Roderick battled injuries from the jump. He hurt his arm on the first drive of the season-opener against Georgia State. He’s only since appeared in additional contests against Charlotte and S.C. State.
Roderick sign with South Carolina under Will Muschamp, starring as a triple-option quarterback at Cane Bay High School in Summerville. He was rated the No. 1,238 player and No. 98 safety in the 2018 class, per 247Sports.
Freshman Nick Emmanwori had replaced Roderick as a starter during his absence. Emmanwori projected to maintain that starting role even when Roderick was healthy. The Irmo product leads the team with 37 tackles through six appearances.
South Carolina hosts Texas A&M at 7:30 p.m. Saturday (SEC Network).
This story was originally published October 18, 2022 at 1:33 PM.
