How Mario Anderson, Stone Blanton, Jordan Burch, USC transfers did at new schools
The South Carolina football team has lost a number of players to the transfer portal the last two years.
Here is a look at how the transfers fared this season at their new schools.
Players who left after 2023
▪ RB Mario Anderson (Memphis): Former Stratford High standout was a first-team All-American Athletic Conference selection after rushing for 1,292 yards and 19 total touchdowns. He was ninth in Football Bowl Subdivision in rushing and his 19 total TDs are eighth-most in FBS. Anderson was just the ninth Memphis back to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season and had eight 100-yard rushing games, most at the school since 2018. Memphis will play West Virginia in the Frisco Bowl.
▪ OL JonDarius Morgan (UAB): Morgan started all 12 games at left tackle for UAB.
▪ OL Jaylen Nichols (Memphis): Appeared in all 12 games at right tackle.
▪ WR Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. (Ole Miss): Wells played in 11 games and caught 27 passes for 521 yards and five touchdowns. Ole Miss will play Duke in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl.
▪ WR O’Mega Blake (Charlotte): Blake played in all 12 games and caught 32 passes for a team-high 795 yards and nine touchdowns. He will be looking for a new school to play at next season, as he entered the transfer portal on Tuesday.
▪ WR Zavier Short (Appalachian State): Short appeared in seven games but didn’t catch a pass this season.
▪ DL Xzavier McLeod (Georgia): Camden product appeared in 10 games and had 12 tackles (two for loss). Georgia qualified for the College Football Playoff and is the No. 2 seed.
▪ DL Felix Hixon (Middle Tennessee): Hixon appeared in 11 games and had eight tackles for the Blue Raiders.
▪ DL D’Andre Martin (Charlotte): Martin appeared in all 12 games and had 18 tackles, two quarterback hurries for the 49ers.
▪ DL Donovan Westmoreland (Kennesaw State): Westmoreland played in one game this season and didn’t record a tackle.
▪ LB Grayson “Pup” Howard (Florida): Howard played in nine games this season, missing three with an ankle injury. He had 37 tackles (two for loss), a sack, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. The Gators will play in the Gasparilla Bowl against Tulane.
▪ LB Stone Blanton (Mississippi State): Played in all 12 games and was second on the team with 124 tackles (3.5 for loss), three pass break-ups and two fumble recoveries.
▪ DB Kajuan Banks (South Florida): Banks played in all 12 games and had 27 tackles (three for loss), two sacks, four pass break-ups and three QB hurries. South Florida will play San Jose State in the Hawaii Bowl.
▪ K Mitch Jeter (Notre Dame): Jeter is 6-of-12 on field goals with a long of 48 yards and 45 of 45 on extra points this season. The Fighting Irish qualified for the College Football Playoff and will host Indiana in the first round.
2022 Transfers Still Playing
▪ OL Jordan Davis, South Alabama: Davis started all 12 games this year on the offensive line for South Alabama and made 21 starts in his two seasons. South Alabama will play Western Michigan in the Veterans Bowl.
▪ LS Matthew Bailey, Toledo: Bailey only played two games this season and appeared in 14 games last year as the team’s long snapper.
▪ DE Jordan Burch, Oregon: Burch was a third-team all-Big 10 selection by the coaches and the media. In nine games this season, the former Hammond School standout had 30 tackles (11 for loss), 8.5 sacks, five pass break-ups and four QB hurries. Last year, he had 34.5 tackles (7.5 for loss) and 3.5 sacks and earned Pac-12 honorable mention honors. Oregon is the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff and will play the Ohio State-Tennessee winner in the second round.
▪ QB Jalen Daniels, Norfolk State: Daniels played in all 11 games this season and threw for 1,333 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also rushed for 269 yards and five scores.
▪ QB Braden Davis, Syracuse: Hasn’t played in a game this season and is not listed on the team’s depth chart at quarterback.
▪ OL Colin Henrich, Old Dominion: Transferred to Old Dominion after playing last season at Georgia State. He played in one games this season for the Monarchs.
▪ DB Joey Hunter, DB, Akron: Hunter played in 11 games and had 10 tackles and two pass break-ups. He had one tackle against the Gamecocks on Sept. 21. Last season, he played in eight games, had eight tackles and two pass break-ups.
▪ WR Corey Rucker, Arkansas State: Rucker started in all 12 games and led Arkansas State with 65 catches for 946 yards, five touchdowns and was a second-team Sun Belt Conference selection. He also led the team in receiving last year with 36 catches for 705 yards and two scores. Arkansas State will play Bowling Green in the Ventures Bowl.
