Inside South Carolina’s pursuit of transfer tailback Raheim ‘Rocket’ Sanders
South Carolina coach Shane Beamer doesn’t remember his team’s 44-30 loss to Arkansas in 2022 very fondly.
But he does remember Raheim “Rocket” Sanders, who ran for 156 yards and two touchdowns against the Gamecocks. Sanders, then a sophomore, finished that season with 1,443 yards (averaging 6.5 per carry) and 10 touchdowns.
“As an SEC head coach and as a fan of college football, you knew who Rocket Sanders was even before we played that game,” Beamer said Wednesday at his early signing day press conference.
About 14 months later, Sanders entered the transfer portal. Beamer hunkered down in his office and studied Sanders’ tape. The head coach was impressed with the 6-foot-2, 242-pound running back’s build, speed and athleticism. Beamer ultimately decided to pursue Sanders to bolster USC’s small, youthful running back room.
“To have a burst, to have such quick feet, to be able to break tackles but also make you miss, catch the ball well out of the backfield,” Beamer said. “He’s a really, really talented guy.”
Sanders missed six games last season with a knee injury, but he was one of the best rushers in the SEC as a true sophomore in 2022. His time at Arkansas overlapped with current South Carolina offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains and assistant strength and conditioning coach Jamil Walker. So there were some naturally strong connections between Sanders and the Gamecocks.
Plenty of other schools were after Sanders, though. Several hit his line while he was visiting South Carolina, but Beamer said Sanders was a great guest. The head coach was particularly taken with how friendly Sanders was with Beamer’s son, Hunter, and other coaches’ children who were around that weekend.
Beamer was in Washington, D.C. for a home visit the day Sanders committed to the Gamecocks. Director of player personnel Taylor Edwards called Beamer, who didn’t pick up.
Beamer texted Edwards back: “We’re in a home visit. I can’t talk.”
Edwards responded: “You need to take this call.”
Beamer: “Why?”
Edwards sent a screenshot of himself on a FaceTime call with Sanders.
Beamer told the family he was visiting: “I need to step outside for a second.”
The head coach gave Sanders a FaceTime call. No answer.
Beamer tried again. Still no answer.
“Oh, crap,” Beamer remembered thinking.
Sanders reached back out to Beamer while he was on the way to the airport and told him he wanted to be a Gamecock.
“It was a pretty special moment in D.C.,” Beamer said, “after a long day of being in the Northern Virginia-D.C.-Maryland area.”
