South Carolina’s newest QB is from Texas. So how did he grow up rooting for Gamecocks?
South Carolina has a new quarterback on the roster.
Jimmy Francis joined the Gamecocks as a preferred walk-on, enrolling at USC in June and going through summer workouts with the team. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound QB was a three-year varsity player and team captain in 2023 for St. Mark’s School of Texas in Dallas.
He’ll wear No. 25 at South Carolina, an unusually high number for quarterbacks. Zeb Noland wore 25 briefly when he was added to the roster in 2021, though he eventually switched to No. 8.
The State talked with Francis ahead of the 2024 college football season.
The State: How’d you end up at South Carolina?
Jimmy Francis: “After my senior season, Coach (Shane) Beamer called and gave me the opportunity to be a preferred walk-on here. I couldn’t say no to it. It’s the place I’d wanted to go since I was 7 years old, and everything worked out really well.
“My grandmother, she went here. Her whole family’s from Columbia, been there for generations, so I just kind of grew up wearing garnet and loving the Gamecocks.
“I came to the showcase camp in June (2023) and had an opportunity to meet the staff and some of the players, and was hoping they’d keep eyes on me. I was fortunate enough that they saw my highlights and reached out to me.”
TS: What’s it been like so far?
JF: “It’s been great. I was a little worried at first that maybe there’s a chance I’d be outcasted, you know, being a walk-on, being from Texas — and everybody’s really embraced me and brought me on kind of like one of their own. These are the best teammates I’ve ever had at any level, and it’s been a phenomenal experience so far.”
TS: Are you closest with the other quarterbacks, any other positions?
JF: “Both my roommates are defensive guys, but the quarterbacks have been big brothers to me. All of them just take me under their wing when they can, and help me learn the system and understand the culture. A lot of time during strength and conditioning, we lift as an entire offense. So I’ve really gotten a chance to get close with those guys and get to know them a lot better as well.”
TS: Give me a self-scouting report.
JF: “A lot of people are gonna say I’m undersized, but I know that. That hasn’t inhibited me at any level thus far. It won’t be an issue going forward. I can figure out the game really quickly, and I’m going to be a guy who can play within the system and be effective and do what (the team) needs me to do.”
TS: What are your short-term goals and things you want to accomplish this fall?
JF: “I think just proving my worth to the team, that I am an important asset to the team, and the team’s better because I’m here. I think getting a really strong foundation, understanding the offense and growing myself physically and mentally as a quarterback, and just doing everything to put myself in a good place going into the spring.”
TS: You were born on Halloween. Any fun stories there?
JF: “Growing up, it was always really nice because all my friends would come over, and we could all go trick or treating together after my birthday party. So that was that was always fun.”
TS: What number did you wear in high school?
JF: “I wore No. 12. So at my school, it’s an all-boys school. We have what’s called a senior buddy. In my second- grade year, the quarterback of the football team who still holds all the records for passing yards and went on to play at Vanderbilt, he wore No. 12. He was my hero that whole time. So I wore 12 because of John Webb.”
TS: Do you think it’s funny at all that you’re wearing 25 at USC?
JF: “A little bit. You don’t see it very often, but I’m just happy to have a number and stick with 25 and embrace it the best I can.
“We’ll see going in the spring, what numbers are open, and maybe we’ll stick with 25 and kind of make a little trademark, we’ll see.”
TS: What’s the best advice you’ve gotten from either Dowell Loggains or perhaps one of the other quarterbacks?
JF: “I would say Luke Doty. He’s playing receiver right now, but the second I got here, he was offering to take me to the meeting room and help me learn the plays and just really going out of his way to be a great guy. I think Coach Loggains, he coaches me really hard. Despite being a freshman and having just gotten here, he has high expectations for me, so that really pushes me to be the best version of myself. Really, all the quarterbacks have done a great job bringing me along and get me in a position where I can be helpful.”
