South Carolina adds some ‘Bam’ to defensive side of ball on signing day
South Carolina football added some experience to its defense Wednesday.
Junior college linebacker Tavareon Martin-Scott committed to the Gamecocks on the first day of the second signing period. Martin-Scott picked USC over Mississippi State and West Virginia.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder played at Dodge City Community College in Kansas, led the team with 3.5 sacks and was second with 42 tackles in 2019. He also forced two fumbles and picked off a pass.
Scott — nicknamed “Bam” because of his birthday being on the Fourth of July and the accompanying fireworks — earned all-conference honors as a freshman year at Dodge City. The Conquistadors didn’t play a fall season in 2020 because of COVID-19 but are expected to play a spring schedule starting in March.
“I like the city really,” Martin-Scott said in making his commitment. “I want to be down South with that weather. And the weight room, I really want to develop my body and the coaches there are good for that.”
He also liked what he’s heard from new defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Clayton White.
“He told me that he will make me a better player and develop my skills to another level,” Martin-Scott said. “He said the position that I’m playing will give me the opportunity to show scouts that I’m very flexible and can do multiple things.”
As a senior at Snider High School in Indiana, Scott led the team with 87 tackles and six sacks. He was selected to play in the Blue Grey All-American Bowl in high school.
He’s the third junior college addition for the Gamecocks’ class, joining defensive backs Marcellas Dial and Isaiah Norris, both who played at Georgia Military College.
Martin-Scott will play the spring season at Dodge City while finishing up his academic work and hopes to join the Gamecocks this summer.
— Phil Kornblut contributed
This story was originally published February 3, 2021 at 1:13 PM.
