‘We’re in a holding pattern.’ Frank Martin updates Jermaine Couisnard’s status

South Carolina won’t have Jermaine Couisnard when the Gamecocks open the 2018-19 season Tuesday against USC Upstate.

“His situation remains in a holding pattern,” USC coach Frank Martin said Monday of his freshman guard still dealing with an academic issue. “It’s not a campus issue. We’re in a holding pattern waiting for clarifications and decisions to be made.”

Couisnard is a three-star guard from East Chicago, Indiana. After averaging 29.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists during his senior season at East Chicago Central High School, Couisnard took a post-graduate year at Montverde Academy in Florida.

He came to USC this summer but only helped with the “Little Gamecocks” youth camp. He didn’t enroll until August after re-taking the ACT in July and receiving a qualifying score. An undisclosed hurdle with the test score has led to the current delay.

Couisnard has been practicing with the Gamecocks this preseason, but didn’t participate in USC’s exhibition game against Augusta nor its closed scrimmage at Virginia Tech.

This story was originally published November 5, 2018 at 10:34 AM.