Freshman DB Jalon Kilgore, transfer tight ends most active among new Gamecock faces
Shane Beamer said he didn’t expect freshman defensive back Jalon Kilgore to play for as long as he did Saturday, but injuries called for the new kid to stay on the field in the Gamecocks’ 31-17 loss to North Carolina.
Kilgore, along with transfer tight ends Trey Knox and Joshua Simon, were two of the few players South Carolina fans watched Saturday for the first time in a regular-season game. The others will have to wait until next week when the Gamecocks host Furman.
Kilgore signed with USC out of Eatonton, Georgia. While he made the opening-game depth chart, he was pressed into action Saturday with the first-quarter injury to sophomore Nick Emmanwori.
Not many fresh faces saw a lot of action against North Carolina on Saturday night. In fact, eight freshmen didn’t travel with the Gamecocks to Charlotte.
Here’s who played among the true freshmen and transfers and how they did in Week 1.
The freshmen
No. 16 QB LaNorris Sellers: Did not play
No. 25 RB Djay Braswell: Did not play
No. 33 RB Kamron Sandlin: Did not travel with team
No. 85 WR CJ Adams: Did not travel with team
No. 14 WR Elijah Caldwell: Did not play
No. 8 WR Nyck Harbor: Played, no receptions
No. 83 WR Kelton Henderson: Did not travel with team
No. 21 WR Tyshawn Russell: Did not play
No. 18 TE Connor Cox: Did not travel with team
No. 86 TE Reid Mikeska: Did not travel with team
No. 58 OL Markee Anderson: Did not travel with team
No. 78 OL Trovon Baugh: Did not play
No. 51 OL Tree Babalade: Did not play
No. 50 OL Jatavius Shivers: Did not travel with team
No. 64 DL Xzavier McLeod: Did not travel with team
No. 9 DL Desmond Umeozulu: Did not play
No. 5 LB Grayson Howard: Did not play
No. 20 DB Judge Collier: Played, did not record stats
No. 24 DB Jalon Kilgore: Eight total tackles, three solo
No. 25 DB Zahbari Sandy: Did not play
No. 16 DB Vicari Swain: Played, did not record stats
The transfers
No. 24 RB Mario Anderson (Newberry): Played, no carries
No. 11 WR Eddie Lewis (Memphis): Played, no receptions
No. 84 TE Nick Elksnis (Florida): Did not play
No. 1 TE Trey Knox (Arkansas): Started, had two receptions for 14 yards.
No. 6 TE Joshua Simon (Western Kentucky): Had four receptions for 20 yards
No. 69 OL Nick Gargiulo (Yale): Started
No. 77 OL Sidney Fugar (Western Illinois): Started
No. 12 DL Jatius Geer (Syracuse): Did not travel with team
No. 19 DL Drew Tuazama (UAB): Played, did not record stats
No. 14 LB Jaron Willis (Ole Miss): Did not travel with team
This story was originally published September 3, 2023 at 10:00 AM.
