Junior Gamecocks defensive back won’t return

Junior defensive back Ali Groves will not return to the South Carolina football team this fall.

Groves, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound Georgia native, has taken a medical hardship waiver, which will allow him to remain on scholarship but not eligible to compete, the school confirmed Monday. Groves was a three-star prospect who also had scholarship offers from Florida and Ole Miss among others.

Groves did not see any game action during his three seasons in Columbia. He redshirted in 2013 and then had shoulder surgery late that season. He didn’t play in 2014 or 2015 and was moved from cornerback to safety this spring.

Groves, a business administration major, was a member of the SEC fall academic honor roll each of the last two seasons.

This story was originally published June 27, 2016 at 9:28 AM with the headline "Junior Gamecocks defensive back won’t return."