QB Robby Ashford is in portal, taking visits. So how’s he suiting up for USC bowl game?
Shane Beamer seems to have shifted his stance on South Carolina’s players entering the transfer portal and still suiting up for a bowl game.
In years past, Beamer drew a clear line in the sand: “You’re either with us, or you’re not,” he said.
But this year, he’s cracked the door a little, showing some flexibility and grace in letting quarterback Robby Ashford play one final game for South Carolina in the Citrus Bowl against Illinois on Dec. 31.
“I’d say it’s a little bit of a change,” Beamer admitted Wednesday. “I’ve had guys ask me to do this before, and I wouldn’t let them.”
Ashford is the only player who’s in the portal but still on USC’s active roster and on track to be available for the bowl game, Beamer said. USC has had 14 players announce their intent to transfer.
Beamer met with the team’s leaders to discuss whether to let Ashford play, and those players were all in agreement: “He started this thing with us. He’s been a good teammate,” Beamer said.
Call it a mulligan or a soft spot for Ashford’s dedication, but Beamer isn’t going in blind. If Ashford even hints at coasting through the next few practices, Beamer made it clear the arrangement could change.
“If we go through this process and over the next few days, I sense anything that he’s not being a great teammate or isn’t completely committed, then we’re gonna have a different conversation,” Beamer added.
For now, though, it’s all systems go for Ashford, who doesn’t want to leave but recognizes the writing on the wall. LaNorris Sellers is locked in as the Gamecocks’ starter for the foreseeable future, leaving Ashford in search of a different situation — and more snaps.
Ashford has taken visits to other schools already, according to Beamer. The quarterback was on a visit Wednesday at UNLV, he posted to Instagram.
“Robby loves it here. Robby wants to be the starting quarterback. I get that, and he should be. And there’s only one of those guys on the field,” Beamer said. “... I want Robby to get a chance to be a quarterback somewhere.”
Ashford joined the Gamecocks and was competing with Sellers for the starting quarterback job. The redshirt senior transferred from Oregon to Auburn in 2022 and then to South Carolina after the 2023 season. He announced his plans to enter the portal for a third time on Dec. 10.
Since enrolling at USC, Ashford has been the Gamecocks’ backup, stepping in late in games or when Sellers was sidelined with injuries. He started in a win over Akron back in September.
In limited action, Ashford completed 23 of 32 passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 278 yards (third-best on the team) and two more scores.
Ashford let Beamer know about his decision during the week after South Carolina’s win over Clemson. Beamer would’ve preferred Ashford wait until after the Citrus Bowl to make his announcement, but he understands the logistics.
In the transfer portal’s fast-moving marketplace, it’s all about timing. Teams aren’t waiting around, especially for quarterbacks, and they’re most likely only taking one. For Ashford, announcing early gives him a better shot at landing with a team that needs a QB.
