South Carolina’s top backup QB in transfer portal
South Carolina quarterback Robby Ashford has entered the transfer portal.
The State confirmed that the redshirt senior — who transferred from Oregon to Auburn in 2022 and then to South Carolina after the 2023 season — is back in the portal for a third time. Matt Zenitz of 247 Sports was the first to report the news.
Ashford joined the Gamecocks and was competing for the starting quarterback job, but was beaten out by LaNorris Sellers during the preseason. Still, because of early-season injuries to Sellers, Ashford played a bit and even got the start in a win over Akron.
On the season, he completed 23 of 32 passes for 324 and two touchdowns while rushing for 278 yards (third among all Gamecocks) and a pair of scores.
Per a team source, Ashford is staying on the South Carolina roster through the bowl game — an indication the Gamecocks’ coaches support his decision.
Going forward, though, Ashford’s choice likely means that South Carolina will have to add a portal quarterback. As of now, the Gamecocks’ 2025 roster only includes a trio of scholarship quarterbacks: Sellers, redshirt freshman Dante Reno and true freshman Cutter Woods, who just signed with USC last week.
Fourteen from the 2024 roster are in the transfer portal. The Gamecocks lost 21 via transfer last year.
Gamecocks in the transfer portal
- QB — Robby Ashford
- RB — Djay Braswell
- WR — CJ Adams
- WR — Elijah Caldwell
- WR — Debron Gatling
- WR — Tyshawn Russell
- TE — Connor Cox
- TE — Reid Mikeska
- TE — Nick Elksnis
- OL — Ni Mansell
- DL — Jamaal Whyce
- DL — Elijah Davis
- LB — Mo Kaba
- PK — Daniel Lester
This story was originally published December 10, 2024 at 12:34 PM.
