South Carolina newcomer named to national list of college football’s top 100 transfers
Nick Gargiulo is the “heart and soul” of South Carolina’s offensive line.
That’s what Sidney Fugar had to say of his fellow Gamecock newcomer. Both athletes transferred to South Carolina over the offseason. Fugar came in from Western Illinois, and Gargiulo last played at Yale.
The Ivy League graduate earned a spot on The Athletic’s list of the 100 most-hyped transfers in college football, coming in at No. 97. He is the lone current Gamecock and one of just 12 offensive linemen named to the list.
Former USC players Jordan Burch (defensive end, now at Oregon), Jaheim Bell (tight end, Florida State) and MarShawn Lloyd (running back, Southern California) are also listed.
Plenty of Gargiulo’s teammates have echoed Fugar’s sentiment. They tout the graduate transfer as a born leader.
“He comes in, brings the energy every day,” offensive lineman Tyshawn Wannamaker said. “And he’s a great guy to be around.”
“He voices his opinion, he works hard, and that’s all we needed to see,” said quarterback Spencer Rattler, who transferred to South Carolina from Oklahoma before the 2022 season.
Offensive lineman Vershon Lee said Gargiulo eased his way into things at first at USC and now he won’t stop talking — a sign that he’s settled and comfortable. Lee joked, “We can’t get him to shut up.”
Gargiulo came to Columbia in January after serving as the sole captain of Team 149 at Yale, which added to his clout. He played in all 10 of the Bulldogs’ games in 2022, helping them to an 8-2 (6-1 conference) record. Gargiulo is pursuing a master’s degree in sports and entertainment management at USC after earning a bachelor’s degree with a double major in economics and political science from Yale.
The key to Gargiulo’s seamless transition, he said, was his prioritizing earning his new teammates’ trust and respect.
“Initially I came in here, and I just wanted to prove to them that I was going to be a contributing member of the room in all facets,” Gargiulo said. “I was going to abide by the standards that we operate in the room and I was going to contribute to the culture that we have.”
