South Carolina football signs transfer long snapper from FCS program
For the first time under Shane Beamer, South Carolina has signed a long snapper from the transfer portal.
On Saturday, the Gamecocks announced they had inked a deal with Western Carolina transfer LS Emmet Rhoades.
Rhoades is not new to transferring. The 5-foot-10, 225-pound Chicago native started his college career at Florida A&M in 2023. After not playing, he transferred to Akron, where he saw action in one game.
That led him to Western Carolina, where he played in 12 games for the Catamounts.
Rhoades is the second special-teamer South Carolina special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis has added through the portal. The first was Texas Tech transfer kicker Upton Bellenfant, who signed with USC on Friday.
In 2026, South Carolina will start its third long snapper in the last three years.
Hunter Rogers, a Columbia native, was the Gamecocks’ longtime starting snapper (2021-24) before graduating last year. That led to graduate Cole Rasmussen — a Fort Mill grad — starting every game last season.
With Rasmussen now also gone, there will likely be a long-snapping competition between Rhoades, redshirt sophomore Gunnar Yocum and redshirt freshman Kyler Farrow.
2026 South Carolina transfer portal additions
- WR Jayden Gibson (Oklahoma) — committed on Jan. 4
- DL Jordan Thomas (Georgia) — committed on Jan. 6
- OL Carter Miller (UCF) — committed on Jan. 6
- OL Hank Purvis (Purdue) — committed on Jan. 6
- K Upton Bellenfant (Texas Tech) — committed on Jan. 8
- DB Quay’Sheed Scott (Kentucky) — committed on Jan. 8
- OL Jacarrius Peak (NC State) — committed on Jan. 8
- OL Emmanuel Poku (East Carolina) — committed on Jan. 9
- RB Sam Williams-Dixon (Ohio State) — committed on Jan. 9
- WR Nitro Tuggle (Purdue) — committed on Jan. 9
- OL Dayne Arnett (Ferris State) — committed on Jan. 9
- DL Tomiwa Durojaiye (Illinois) — committed on Jan. 10
- LS Emmet Rhoades (Western Carolina) — signed on Jan. 10
- OL Seth Smith (Northern Arizona) — committed on Jan. 11
- DL Kelby Collins (Alabama) — committed on Jan. 11
- DE Drew Collins (Arkansas State) — committed on Jan. 11
This story was originally published January 10, 2026 at 6:58 PM.
