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EDITORIALLY INDEPENDENT SINCE 1908 | SPECIAL EDITION AUGUST 2026

‘HE NEEDS TO WIN GAMES’

Fans expect improvement from Beamer in upcoming football season Carolina fan Kirstin Bradley said. “I think we have such roller coaster seasons, but I don’t think that he’s solely to blame. I think it has a lot to do with players. I think it has a lot to do with fans. I think it has a lot to do with a lot of things.”

South Carolina football finished 15th in the SEC in 2025, winning just one conference game and ending with a record of 4-8. As head coach Shane Beamer heads into his sixth season with the Gamecocks, many fans are hoping to see significant improvements from the team.

The team’s fall from a record of 9-4 in 2024 to 4-8 in 2025 brought a multitude of backlash to Beamer and his staff. This occured one year after Beamer was named SEC Coach of the Year following the 2024 season. Last season brought a fluctuation of performance,

mid-season staffing changes and a disappointing conclusion. While some fans have said 2026 could be a make-or-break season for Beamer, others said last year’s misfortune wasn’t entirely his fault. “I think (Beamer), along with the rest of his coaching staff, needs to regain his fans’ confidence,” South

Offensive line aims to be area of strength in 2026

A sneak peek into “Williams-Brice Reimagined”

Do top in-state What to know: The football recruits end basics of South up at South Carolina? Carolina game days

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800 Huger St., Columbia (800) 868-8740

C O N T E N TS

The Gamecock | 1

Letter from the editor

Offensive line aims to be area of strength in 2026

Column: South Carolina makes strong case to claim ‘DBU’

A sneek peek into “Williams-Brice Reimagined”

Do top in-state football recruits end up at South Carolina?

Anaston’s guide to South Carolina game days for incoming fans

Get to know the Gamecocks: Key players in 2026

‘He needs to win games’: Fans expect improvement from Beamer in 2026

Stan Drayton brings experience to Gamecock offense

South Carolina athletics enters new era with Nike

Column: The ticket point system is as fair as it gets in college athletics

Steve Fink retires after 21 years with Gamecock Athletics

Kendal Briles looks to resurge Gamecocks offense

Staff picks and predictions

Column: A 9-game SEC schedule is bad for college football

The Daily Gamecock Mission Statement As student journalists on staff, we hold several responsibilities: to report any news that affects the USC community in a timely fashion; to represent the voices of the community fairly in our reporting; to strive for ultimate accuracy in our work, to correct mistakes and to pursue journalistic excellence; to practice journalism in a professional and educational environment; to advocate for the mental health of our staff; to recruit, train and retain a diverse group of interested incoming students; to adhere to the ethical standards of The Daily Gamecock, the Associated Collegiate Press and Society of Professional Journalists in order to maintain a tradition of fairness and excellence; and to make decisions in the best interest of the publication and give readers the best product that we can give them daily.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Nat Campbell MANAGING EDITORS CJ Leathers, Simone Meyer CREATIVE DIRECTOR Megan Gourley OUTREACH DIRECTOR Miles Shea SPORTS EDITOR John Davis ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITORS Anaston Bell, Katie Dikes SENIOR SPORTS WRITERS Kofi Ayiku, Marli Main COPY DESK CHIEF Sam Moore ASSISTANT COPY DESK CHIEF Kennedy Moore

SENIOR COPY EDITORS Olivia Cyr, Stella Moore DESIGN DIRECTOR Isabella Huffines ASSISTANT DESIGN DIRECTOR Stella Bradley SENIOR DESIGNER Miracle Barksdale PHOTO EDITOR Kiley Wagner AD SALES TEAM Sophia Schlauch, Clare Donovan CREATIVE SERVICES Abbie Lucas, Abby Short DIRECTOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Sarah Scarborough

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The Gamecock | 2

Letter From The Sports Editor

he annual time has come when optimism courses through the veins of an entire student body who so desperatetly desires for their school to find success on the football field. Welcome back to Columbia, Gamecocks! Whether you’re reacclimating to campus or settling into your dorm for the first time, so much of your fall semester will be defined by the state of Gamecock football. In what feels like ages ago, ESPN’s “College Gameday” was right here in Columbia amidst the success that was the 2024 season. Last season felt like a punch to the gut in comparison, as the four-win campaign marked the worst record for the team under head coach Shane Beamer. Being in the SEC is both an added pressure and a privilege. The 2025 Gamecocks found it to be the former. Beamer’s seat is warm, but a retooled offensive coaching staff looks to recapture that 2024 spark this fall. Offensive coordinator Kendal Briles is throwing out the “pro-style” offense that Mike Shula implemented last season in hopes to return redshirt junior quarterback Lanorris Sellers to Heisman candidacy. You won’t see a more popular jersey outside of WilliamsBrice Stadium this fall than No. 16. Sellers headlines a starstudded roster that includes a 6-foot-5 former track star at receiver in Nyck Harbor and

potentially the nation’s best pass rusher in Dylan Stewart. The three potential first-round NFL draft picks pave the way for a team desperate to return to the national spotlight. Those stars will be wearing new uniforms this fall, as for the first time since 2007, the Gamecocks jerseys won’t feature an Under Armour logo. South Carolina has made the move to Nike as it enters its second football season under Athletics Director Jeremiah Donati, who’s already helped the school secure an exclusive licensing deal with what he called the “best apparel provider in the world.” Williams-Brice Stadium is the best college football environment in the nation. It doesn’t matter if kickoff is at noon or at 7 p.m., you will cherish the feeling of creating a Sandstorm on Saturdays. A handful of changes have come to the stadium we all know and love, as phases of reconstruction continue leading up to Sept. 5 against Kent State. We at The Daily Gamecock have worked to compile a handful of stories all about what’s new this season, stories that we believe will improve your familiarity with the team this fall. From the schematic changes that come with a new play caller, to how to dress on gamedays, our sports team has you covered with the ins-andouts of 2026 Gamecock football. I am beyond privileged to be your sports editor this fall. If it’s your first time reading one of our print

editions, soak in what it could be like to contribute to your school’s newspaper, and consider joining us to assist our sports coverage this semester. Though it’s hard to beat watching a game from The Cockpit, covering the game from the press box at Williams-Brice is an experience like no other, and being able to pick the brain of Beamer and company after a tough win or loss is unforgettable. We couldn’t be more excited to provide

Columbia with as much content as possible this season, and we’d love to have your help. Thanks for reading! Your Sports Editor, John Davis

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The Gamecock | 4

Offensive line aims to be area of strength in 2026 KATIE DIKES | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

uring the nine games last season that ex-offensive coordinator Mike Shula coached, South Carolina did not have a winning record. It ranked last in the SEC in points, with 19.7, and in yards per game, with 294.1. Nothing may prove more important to this upcoming season’s success than improvement on the offensive line. South Carolina’s newest offensive line coach, Randy Clements, and new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Kendal Briles, provide reason for optimism. Both coaches made the move from Texas Christian University (TCU), where Clements served as the assistant offensive line coach for one year, and Briles served as the associate head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2023-25. “I mean the welcome that Coach Beamer and his staff gave us is just second to none and I’m very appreciative of that and excited about the journey,” Clements said. “It’s going to be a grind. It’s going to be a day-by-day process, and we’re gonna work every day as hard as we can to make this program one of the most competitive and toughest leagues in America.” Both were named as new hires in December 2025, and the two will join associate head coach/running backs coach Stan Drayton as the three new additions who will take over the helm of South Carolina’s offense.

CLEMENTS BRINGS EXPERIENCE TO OFFENSIVE LINE

Clements first began his coaching career at his alma mater, Stephen F. Austin State, as a student-assistant for the offensive line in 1986. After 12 years coaching high school football, he jumped back to the collegiate level as the offensive line coach for the Houston Cougars from 2003-07. Staying in his home state of Texas, Clements made the transition to Baylor in 2008, becoming their co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach and run game coordinator during his eight seasons spent with the Bears. At a large glance of his career, from 2010-20, Clements served as the offensive line coach for nine offenses that ranked 4

in the top 13 nationally, including threestraight with Baylor from 2013-15. He helped the Baylor program achieve historic heights, including back-to-back Big 12 championships in 2013 and 2014 behind a record-setting offense. Clements produced the Big 12’s Offensive Lineman of the Year for four straight seasons from 2012-15. He also mentored eight NFL Draft picks in the process. Various linemen

After coaching at North Texas for the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Clements found himself in Chapel Hill with the North Carolina Tar Heels for two seasons beginning in 2023. In that first season, the offense averaged 192.1 yards of rushing per game, ranking 19th nationally and 491.2 yards of total offense per game, ranking seventh in the nation. Under his guidance, three offensive linemen

IT’S GOING TO BE A GRIND. IT’S GOING TO BE A DAYBY-DAY PROCESS, AND WE’RE GONNA WORK EVERY DAY AS HARD AS WE CAN TO MAKE THIS PROGRAM ONE OF THE MOST COMPETITIVE AND TOUGHEST LEAGUE IN AMERICA.

under him earned numerous accolades and recognition along the way. Clements served a one-year stint at Southeastern in 2017 before heading back Houston for the 2018 season. Houston’s offense averaged 43.9 points per game, fifth in the nation and 512.3 yards of total offense per game, the seventh-highest total in the FBS during 2018. Clements then spent time at Florida State in 2019 and at Ole Miss in 2020. During his time with the Rebels, Ole Miss ranked first in the SEC in total offense, averaging 555.5 yards per game, and broke the conference record for total offense in conference play, averaging 562.4 yards per game.

earned All-ACC honors and two earned All-ACC distinction. With more than 35 years of coaching experience, 23 of those years mentoring offensive linemen, Clements will take over the offensive line coaching position at South Carolina from Lonnie Teasley. He will have his hands full with plenty of transfers, a few returners, three true freshmen, and one player out of junior college. Safe to say Clements jumped right into the swing of things, capturing attention in early March after a video of one of his drills — what he called a “change of direction pad level drill” — went viral on social media, gaining 1 million views in 24 hours. Although he received criticism after

many people commented the drill looked like a waste of time, Clements did not back down. He responded on social media via X, formerly Twitter, on the same day the original video was posted, writing in the caption “Coaches make sure your drills show up in real time” with two more videos of his drills. A few weeks later, during a press conference on March 23, Clements also responded once more to criticism and his method of coaching. “This is my 24th year in college and I’ve been in various systems, but the run game has really been the same since I’ve been in college,” Clements said. He said there are things he sees repeatedly go wrong and go well in terms of the run game, noting that there is always time to address that. “You never want to waste time in practice with a drill that’s not going to show up on the field in live action,” Clements said. “So, mine are a little unorthodox, and that’s what I ultimately got attacked for, but I don’t care.

INJURIES HINDER, BUT CONFIDENCE REMAINS

This media attention came to Clements as the Gamecocks’ injury report came through to the public. After having missed just one game in his two seasons as the starting left tackle, junior Josiah Thompson will not play this season. Thompson, who had been dealing with a lower body injury, needed to get surgery, putting an end to his playing chances this coming season. Clements noted this during a press conference, but was optimistic about Thompson taking on a new role both on and off the field. “I always tell those guys that are hurt that they become coaches, and we always say the best way to know something is to be able to teach it,” Clements said. “So, if you can coach it and teach it, you know. And so, we’ll put them in that role as soon as they get a little bit further away from their recovery phase of their injuries and more into the rehab phase.” Among major additions to the group is NC State transfer and redshirt senior Jacarrius Peak, who appeared in 38 games during his four years with the Wolfpack.

The Gamecock | 5 Ranked as a five-star transfer prospect, 247Sports listed Peak as the fifth-highest rated transfer prospect in all of college football. Peak injured his knee during the offseason while playing basketball during a team bonding experience. However, Peak had a head start on rehab, is making significant progress, and according to head coach Shane Beamer, should be good to go come time for the start of the 2026 season. Despite injuries to the team’s top tackles, sophomore Shed Sarratt Jr. is making a name for himself as one of the leaders of the offensive line. Appearing in 10 games as a true freshman last season, nine of those games as a starter, Sarratt Jr. notched the most appearances of any freshman Gamecock that season. He first appeared in South Carolina’s second game of the year against South Carolina State at left tackle, playing in that position for five consecutive games. A plug-and-play lineman, Sarratt Jr. rounded out the season at right tackle as well.

Clements said he is on track and is taking things in strides to remain a key contributor for the Gamecocks. “Shed’s doing a great job right now,” Clements said. “He’s improving daily. He’s done a good job of taking ownership of things that he’s needed to work on, and addressing those daily, and calling himself out when he sees what it’s not supposed to look like.”

NEWCOMERS ROUND OUT THE LINE Of all additions to South Carolina’s offensive line, none may standout more than incoming freshman Darius Gray. The highest-rated recruit in the Gamecocks’ 2026 recruiting class, Gray is the first fivestar prospect to sign with South Carolina since now-junior edge rusher Dylan Stewart did so in 2024. The nation’s 16th overall prospect and highest-rated interior offensive lineman stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs in at 302 pounds. Alongside the addition of top-rated recruits, there are a variety of unique backstories along the offensive line’s

Nyck Harbour practicing at the Long Family Football Operations Center on Aug. 7, 2026.

Randy Clements during pre-season practice at the Long Family Football Operations Center on Aug. 8, 2026.

PHOTO BY: KILEY WAGNER

newest additions. Junior transfer Ashton Mozone comes to Columbia from Iowa Western Community College, having played 11 games across his two seasons at the school. Oluwanifemi “Neff” Giwa comes to South Carolina as a true freshman. The native of Cashel, Ireland, has never played football in his life, but he has played rugby, soccer, basketball, and track and field. After having expressed interest in playing football, he chose the Gamecocks after receiving offers from Miami, SMU, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. Junior transfer Hank Purvis comes to South Carolina after playing at Purdue with junior quarterback Ryan Browne for one season. Prior to that, he played one season, his freshman year, at UNLV. He has played in both the left and right guard positions, posting 565 total snaps across 24 game appearances. Redshirt senior transfer Carter Miller also hitchhiked his way to South Carolina after having played football in the southern and east coast parts of the country. He played two seasons at James Madison University, achieving more success during his second year while under then-head

PHOTO BY: KILEY WAGNER

coach Curt Cignetti. He played in 11 games, making eight starts, and was part of a JMU offensive line that helped the Dukes rank top 30 in the FBS in six categories, including passing touchdowns, passing yards, and completion percentage. He then had year stints at LouisianaMonroe in 2024 and at UCF in 2025 before joining South Carolina. The recipient of the co-Gamecock Toughness Award following spring practice, Miller has played 36 games, appearing in 29 as a starter. There may not be a position group that has come under more scrutiny and pressure than the Gamecocks’ front five this fall. Among the team’s largest liabilities last season, a combination of a fresh offensive staff and a near-complete roster overhaul hope to right a position that can’t afford to mirror inabilities of the past.

The Gamecock | 6

Column: South Carolina makes case to claim ‘DBU’ KOFI AYIKU | SENIOR SPORTS WRITER

n the world of college football, everyone is desperate for an edge — not just in the win column, but in bragging rights over the other schools in the NCAA. An arena where this debate for institutional superiority has heated up centers around the question of which school has produced the most elite NFL players in certain position groups. The Gamecocks make a strong case to be “Defensive Back University.” The first South Carolina Gamecock to be selected in the first-round of an NFL draft was Rick Sanford, a defensive back, in 1979. He grabbed 16 interceptions across his time in the NFL. In 2004, when Dunta Robinson was selected by the Texans with the 10th overall pick in the NFL Draft, he finished second in AP Defensive

Rookie of the Year voting and won PFWA Defensive Rookie of the Year. In 2005, Rodriques Wilson’s playing career lasted 5 seasons before he embarked on a fruitful coaching career afterwards. He’s earned three Super Bowl rings as part of the Kansas City Chiefs coaching staff and is currently the inside linebackers coach for the Arizona Cardinals. One of the longer careers of Gamecock defensive backs in the NFL was Jonathan Joseph, selected 24th overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2006. Signing with the Houston Texans in 2011, Joseph was named a Pro-Bowler in his first two seasons with the team, closing out his pro career with 14 seasons in the league. Over the course of Joseph’s NFL career, he defended 200 passes, the

second most in NFL history behind only Champ Bailey (203). No man solidifies the Gamecocks’ claim for “DBU” more than Stephon Gilmore. Drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 2012, he would earn the first of five Pro-Bowl appearances in 2016. Joining the New England Patriots (2018-20) and Carolina Panthers (2021), Gilmore was named First Team All-Pro twice (2018-19), won NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2019) and became a Super Bowl LIII Champion with the Patriots. He became the first cornerback in 10 years to win Defensive Player of the Year when he earned the award in 2019. Remaining in the Carolinas, Jaycee Horn was selected eighth overall by the Carolina Panthers. In his five-year NFL career thus far, he has two Pro-Bowl

selections and aided the Panthers in returning to the playoffs in 2025. Despite being a second-round pick, few Gamecocks have made as quick of an NFL impact as safety Nick Emmanwori. An immediate hit for the Seattle Seahawks, the former first team All-SEC defender did everything on the football field en route to a rookie-season Super Bowl victory. This past April, defenders Brandon Cisse and Jalon Kilgore were drafted by the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills respectively in the 2026 Draft. Editor’s note: This article was cut down to fit in print. The full story is published online at dailygamecock.com.

The Gamecock | 7

A sneak peek into “Williams-Brice Reimagined” KATIE DIKES | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

he renovation of Williams-Brice Stadium, home of the University of South Carolina’s football team, began soon after the end of the 2025 football season. But the plans to make improvements date much further back. From January through October of 2024, Nations Group Project Development and Elevate Market Study conducted a market survey to garner the opinions of fans. The results found 94% of respondents believed updating Williams-Brice Stadium is important. The analysis concluded that the stadium does not have the proper amenities to provide a first-class fan experience. South Carolina hired architecture firm Populous for the stadium renovation, a firm based out of Atlanta, Georgia. Populous is one of the leading design firms in the world, having completed more than 3,500 projects for both collegiate and professional teams and their venues, including the New York Yankees, Kansas City Chiefs, the World Cup and more. On Oct. 25, 2024, the USC Board of Trustees gave its approval for the hiring of a design and construction management team for the renovation. Fast forward a handful of months to May 22, 2025 when the Board of

Trustees approved the next step of the project that would allow for the scope of the project to be expanded. Then, on Aug. 19, 2025, the State of South Carolina Legislature’s Joint Bond Review Committee approved $350 million in revenue bonds for the renovation. And so it began — what would become known as “Williams-Brice Reimagined,” the official title of the renovation of Williams-Brice Stadium. With the countdown ticking down to South Carolina’s first game against the Kent State Golden Flashes on Sept. 5, Phase 1 of “Williams-Brice Reimagined” will be completed, according to Gamecocks Online.

THE RENOVATION PHASES

The changes to Williams-Brice Stadium are a part of the project’s three key aspects of renovation; the overall fan experience, premium offerings and the student-athlete experience, which all tie into Phases 1, 2 and 3 of the renovation. Phase 1 of “Williams-Brice Reimagined” includes the renovation of the west main and east ground general concourses, “The Cockpit” student section and the southwest ramp. The new changes include new “Marketplace Grab-n-Go” concession

Williams-Brice Stadium renovations progress as of Aug. 7, 2026. Courtesy of Gamecock Athletics.

stands that will increase line speeds and create a more efficient operation for concession staff. Eighteen additional points of sale will be added for grab-ngo concessions, resulting in fans’ ability to check out 2.5 times as fast. Additional kitchen space will be added to ensure food is delivered in a timelier manner. Both the west main and east ground concourses will also have new, larger restrooms. The west main concourse will now see an increase of 2.5 times as many toilets per person now. Along the east ground concourse, fans will see an increase of 7.5 times as many toilets per female than before and an increase of 1.24 times as many toilets per males than before along the east ground concourse. Twentyone additional points of sale will be added for grab-and-go concessions, also resulting in a fans’ ability to check out 2.5 times as fast according to Gamecocks Online. Among the new changes to “The Cockpit”, student section will be more standing room. Currently, there are 1.5 square feet per person of concourse space, but that number will increase to five square feet per person. However, sacrifices must be made for the new stadium upgrades. The Floyd Building, named after Eddie and Kay Floyd, which houses offices for some of South Carolina’s coaches, will have been torn down. The video board and its existing support structure will remain. Students will also see a new concourse area that will feature a permanent concession stand and new restrooms as well as a new space for students to socialize. Phase 2 will focus more on premium offerings. This includes the renovations of the Founder’s Club and its suites, the 200-level suites, the 100-level suites, and the Field Club. Renovations for Phase 2 will occur following the conclusion of the 2026 season that will last until the start of the 2027 season. Phase 3 will focus on the studentathlete experience. These renovations, which will take place from the end of the 2027 season through the start of the 2028 season, encompass the complete redesign of existing spaces within the stadium.

Williams-Brice Stadium renovations progress as of Aug. 7, 2026. Courtesy of Gamecock Athletics.

Such spaces include the team’s lobby and recruit lounge, the locker rooms for both coaches and trainers, the equipment room, and the training room. This phase will also include the renovation of the southeast corner of the stadium. Another part of Phase 3 includes moving the visiting team’s locker room to the southeast corner of the stadium to assist with back-ofhouse operations on the ground level.

KEY PILLARS

The project is rooted in four key pillars. These pillars include “For All,” “Legacy and Tradition,” “Home’” and “Pride of the State.” While the renovation will focus on preserving the history of WilliamsBrice stadium and the meaning behind being a Gamecock, it will also look to bridge the nostalgia and tradition of the past and enthusiasm for the future. The “Williams-Brice Reimagined” project creates a place of belonging that brings fans together and foster camaraderie among South Carolinians. The renovation will transform WiliamsBrice Stadium as not just a football stadium, according to Gamecocks Online, but a year-round venue that will highlight the beauty and culture of the state of South Carolina.

The Gamecock | 8

Do top in-state football recruits end up at South Carolina? MILES SHEA | OUTREACH DIRECTOR

ome Gamecock greats dream of playing football in the Garnet and Black. Marcus Lattimore wasn’t one of them. “All of my heroes wore the blue jerseys with silver helmets, and that was Will Korn, that was Stanley Hunter, that was Chad Diehl, that was Everett Dawkins”, Lattimore said to The Daily Gamecock. “Those were my heroes growing up, and that’s who I wanted to be. I had no aspirations in football outside of excelling at my high school.” James F. Byrnes High School, in Duncan, South Carolina, has won 11 state titles in football, including two with Lattimore. During his four years at the school, the team lost four games. Three of the players he named became Clemson Tigers. The other went to Florida State.

Elite South Carolina high school players staying in-state is far from guaranteed. The Palmetto State’s three Division 1 FBS football teams alone make competition on the recruiting trail a given. Phil Kornblut, a longtime college athletics reporter, founded SportsTalkSC and has hosted the statewide radio and now digital show for 42 years. He’s covered the recruitment of many Gamecock standouts, including Lattimore. Kornblut said at his commitment ceremony, even Lattimore’s destination certainly didn’t seem like a sure thing. “The first hat he put on was Auburn,” Kornblut said. “He took it off then I think he put on a South Carolina hat second.” However, the process ultimately didn’t make playing in his home state any less meaningful for Lattimore. “You know the crowd, you know the people, you know the heat index,”

Lattimore said. “Some thing about being from South Carolina and playing in front of people who are South Carolinians, it just adds another boost to your game. Something you can’t really describe.” According to 247Sports, here’s how South Carolina’s FBS programs have recruited the state’s top 25 prospects each year since 2016: (See figure below).

TELLING TRENDS

The Georgia Bulldogs have been a common out-of-state destination for elite South Carolina talent. Conversely, South Carolina’s 2026 roster will feature 17 players from the Peach State, compared with 21 for Clemson and nine at Coastal Carolina. Kornblut said the state has become a priority for Clemson in particular. “They really like to hit Georgia, especially for quarterbacks and running backs,”

DESIGN: ISABELLA HUFFINES 8

Kornblut said. “They opted to take a running back from Georgia instead of pushing for the in-state guys. Just a matter of what your needs are.” Both 21st-century Clemson championship quarterbacks, Trevor Lawrence and Deshaun Watson , graduated from high school in Georgia. Kornblut said that while both South Carolina and Clemson recruit out-of-state players, Clemson has adopted national strategy in recent years, while South Carolina tends to focus on securing instate talent in Columbia. “The Gamecocks always have, and Shane Beamer has always made it an emphasis to recruit in-state first,” Kornblut said. “They’ve kept a lot of those players in state.” Since 2016, South Carolina has brought in an average of 5.9 top-25-in-state prospects each year , while Clemson has recruited an average of 2.3 such players. Despite its move to the NCAA Division 1 Football Bowl Subdivision in 2015, the data shows that Coastal Carolina remains a smaller draw. “When you got South Carolina and Clemson coming for you with committable offers, you’re going to take that over Coastal,” Kornblut said. “They get some good players in-state, but they’re getting that next tier.” Kornblut said home state remains a notable factor in college football recruiting, but in this new era, it’s only one piece of an increasingly complex puzzle. “You want the people in your backyard,” Kornblut said. “You don’t want to lose really good players to out-of-state teams, but you make up for it by getting really good players out of state.” Many of South Carolina’s biggest recent recruiting wins have involved out-of-state players, with two highly touted prospects, wide receiver Nyck Harbor and defensive end Dylan Stewart, both coming from the DMV. However, homegrown talent remains a core part of Gamecocks’ identity. South Carolina’s most recent firstround draft pick Xavier Legette and Super Bowl champion Nick Emmanwori, both graduated from South Carolina high schools. The man currently under center, quarterback LaNorris Sellers, calls Florence home.

The Gamecock | 9

BEYOND THE NUMBERS

Lattimore said that while receiving Division 1 attention is an exciting time for recruits, it can also be highly stressful. He said young players still have to juggle everyday responsibilities along with a major life decision that’s under close public scrutiny. “I think these recruits should be given maybe just a little more grace when it comes to decommitting and uncommitting and trying to figure out what’s the best decision for them,” Lattimore said. “I mean hell, your life is moving at 300 miles per hour and you’re 17 with hormones raging. It’s just such a tumultuous, chaotic time.” Kornblut said he thinks rating and ranking services, such as 247Sports, have contributed to this era’s high level of scrutiny and often lose the nuance he feels is critical in evaluating prospects. “You can’t judge somebody’s mental approach. You can’t judge their heart based off watching them in a few camps,” Kornblut said. “To me, it’s just part of the lure for recruiting sites.” Kornblut said because recruiting has fundamentally changed since the advent of NIL, it’s hard to compare the current era to any previous one.

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“It’s an entirely new game,” Kornblut said. “You still have to recruit and build relationships. That’s what gets it going, you find a guy you like, you introduce yourself as a coach and you start building that relationship, but at some point in time during the process, it comes down to dollars and cents.” Lattimore said while NIL has dramatically altered the recruiting landscape, he still believes relationships are the make-or-break for many players. “At the end of the day, it’s still about relationships,” Lattimore said. “No matter how much money is involved, I still believe that what hasn’t changed is relationships, and recruits and their families being able to determine if this coach, this mentor is authentic or not. That will always remain the same.” Lattimore said he also firmly believes South Carolina is a college football destination and that Beamer has strong potential to accomplish great things. “There’s not a more loyal fan base,” Lattimore said. “It’s still one of the best schools in America if you want to play college football.”

FALL CROSSWORD

Read through the edition to find some answers and hints to this crossword puzzle. Stay tuned on our Instagram @dailygamecock for the answer key.

ACROSS

DOWN

1 Must-wear color 4 Conference that “just means more” 5 Hand gesture 10 Common student section footwear 12 Here’s a health, Carolina... 13 Equestrian footwear 14 New and improved cockpit 15 Future Gamecocks? 18 Official live mascot’s namesake 19 Beloved head coach 20 Nike program

2 South Carolina Seahawk 3 Only numbers that matter on game day 6 Popular tailgate spot 7 Where you get your points 8 Football figure in his sixth season 9 Go-to goggles guy 11 2009 Ole Miss 16 Notable Blowfish 17 From the golf course to the student section EDITED BY NAT CAMPBELL 9

The Gamecock | 10

Anaston’s guide to South Carolina game days ANASTON BELL | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

ith an influx of new students and fans from outside the South now attending the University of South Carolina, I am sure it can feel overwhelming at the beginning of your journey trying to learn as much as you can about our school and traditions. As a native South Carolinian and lifelong Carolina supporter, I feel obligated to share the incredible traditions and history that help make this university so special. Whether you’re an incoming freshman who has never heard of “Sandstorm” or a parent looking to understand why your child suddenly has 35 small towels littered around their dorm, I hope to share some information and wisdom to ensure your game days are spent to their full potential.

HOW DO I EVEN GET TO THE STADIUM?

You’ve probably already looked up how far Williams-Brice is from your dorm or have seen it while walking down Sumter Street and thought “How on Earth am I going to make that walk?” First word of advice: pack your patience. Whether you make the journey on foot or order an Uber or Lyft, be prepared for lots of traffic and walking. I highly recommend taking advantage of the Gameday Shuttle on campus which you can take there and back with your Carolina Card. On game days, you will be walking to most places no matter what, so plan accordingly. Your time of arrival really depends on if you want good seats or not. The student section, referred to as “The Cockpit”, is broken up into upper- and lower-level concourses. Your ticket — based off your points on the Cockpit app — will decide which concourse you watch the game in. The Cockpit app is what students scan when they enter sporting events in order to get points that go towards the football ticket lottery. Starting at 10 a.m. the Friday before a home game to Tuesday at 3 p.m., students can request tickets for the upcoming game. In short, the more points you have, the greater chance you have of receiving a ticket. I highly stress attending as many soccer matches or volleyball games before the first football game on Sept. 5 to increase your chances of earning a ticket. On game day, my recommendation is to get to the front entrance of the student 10

section at least 30 minutes early. It truly depends on what seats you want or how big of a game it is, but it is important to be there for pregame and kickoff festivities. Home field advantage is everything in the SEC.

WHAT TO WEAR

Many people, including myself, stress over what to wear for each game. One thing I can almost always count on for most games is the heat and humidity. Until about the last two or three games, it will be hot, and you will be sweating, so finding a happy medium between fashion and comfort is vital. As I have observed for most guys, khaki pants or shorts and a polo are the most common outfit worn to games. It could be a polo shirt, jersey or T-shirt, but it is usually paired with khakis of some sort. Now for girls, I have seen casual and not so casual. Dresses and boots are the most popular combination; my only advice is to make sure you are wearing garnet. If you want to wear red or maroon, transfer to Alabama or Mississippi State. We are garnet, and the garnet police will get you (not really, but you will be judged). A clear bag is a must-have to keep your belongings safe, and I recommend getting a portable fan, portable charger and a small rain poncho to keep in the bag. You may think it’s dumb now, but just ask students how last season’s first home game went for them, and you’ll heed my advice. While the boots are adorable, if you choose to break them in for the first time on game day, you will quickly regret the decision. Break them in early or find comfier shoes for minimal discomfort.

As I mentioned before, the game days are long and hot. It is of the utmost importance that you make sure you are eating food and drinking water throughout the day. I have personally seen way too many students fail to do this, and it will ruin game day for not only you, but fans around you as well. Free water is handed out to students as they enter the stadium, so make sure to utilize that for hot days.

SOUNDTRACK OF GAME DAYS

Music holds an important part in SEC traditions — from Alabama’s “Dixieland Delight” to Tennessee’s “Rocky Top,” music serves as a reminder of the wonderful place you hold so dear in your heart. For South Carolina, a few come to mind for me. For football specifically, the No. 1 song you must familiarize yourself with prior to Sept. 5 is “Sandstorm” by Darude. The song became popular at WilliamsBrice Stadium in 2009 during an upset win against then-No. 4 Ole Miss and has become a major tradition across all of South Carolina athletics ever since. If you have not practiced at an upcoming soccer game or volleyball match, just look it up on YouTube and you’ll have it down in no time. Don’t freak out thinking you have to go and buy white towels, they are free in the student section at each game.

TAILGATING

There are few things greater than the sights, and more importantly the smells, from a college football tailgate. Fans go all out for tailgates each week, and it is one of my favorite parts of the gameday experience. If you do not have a specific place to tailgate, I recommend just walking around the Fairgrounds and around the stadium to simply take in all of the people tailgating and cooking up delicious food. The Fraternity Lots are another popular destination for tailgating students.

PHOTOS: SEBASTIAN GODUN, JOHN CARPENTER DESIGN: ISABELLA HUFFINES Fans show support for the Gamecocks in the student section at Williams-Brice Stadium in 2025.

Another staple that is the definition of homegrown is Hootie & the Blowfish. Before taking the country music world by storm, Darius Rucker was the lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish, a band that was created right here at the University of South Carolina in the mid-1980s. While I personally recommend their entire discography, “Hold My Hand,” “I Only Wanna Be With You” and “Let Her Cry,” are the three must-knows for students and fans on game day. While there will be plenty more to learn and experience as a student and fan at South Carolina, hopefully these tips help get you on the right track if you’re new to our wonderful state and university. I was born into this fanbase, and my hope for every new fan is that they learn to cherish their experiences as a Gamecock and fully emerge themselves in the incredible traditions and history of the University of South Carolina.

The Gamecock | 11

Get to know the Gamecocks: Key players in 2026 JOHN DAVIS | SPORTS EDITOR

or new students at the University of South Carolina, familiarizing yourself with Gamecock football is the equivalent of familiarizing yourself with the ability to read as a kindergartner. The grandeur of Saturdays in South Carolina can range from what you wear to how you tailgate, but little matters more than understanding what you are watching on the field. Meet South Carolina’s trio of superstars entering the 2026 season, along with the man at the top of the program who could be coaching for his job this fall.

SELLERS

It was third and 16 when redshirt freshman quarterback LaNorris Sellers scored a game-winning 20-yard rushing touchdown with just over a minute to play in the 2024 Palmetto Bowl. He became just the second Gamecock quarterback to defeat Clemson since 2013 and has solidified himself as the face of South Carolina football over the past two seasons. Many say the identity of a football team is d e f i n e d by the identity of its

Gamecocks in the Sellers-era. Leading the Gamecocks to a 9-3 record in his first season under center, he accounted for 25 of the team’s touchdowns and gained 852 yards on the ground, the fourth-most among Power Four quarterbacks. That correlation of identities continued in 2025, as Sellers was the most sacked Power Four quarterback in the nation last season. He scored seven less touchdowns and the Gamecocks won five less games than in 2024. But under new offensive coordinator Kendal Briles and a retooled offensive line, South Carolina hopes to make Sellers’ job easier this fall. Among all of his traits as an athlete, loyalty may be his strongest. The Florence, South Carolina, native turned down a two-year, $8 million Name Image Likeness deal to transfer from the university after the 2024 season, but opted to return to the Gamecocks for less money. His little brother, Jayden Sellers, has since joined South Carolina as a receiver. “We’re attacking every day. We’re still working. We’re still confident in ourselves,” LaNorris said. “(Fans) should have confidence in us as well.”

STEWART

quarterback, and that has very much been the case for the

Entering his junior season, nobody has fostered more preseason NFL Draft buzz than head coach Shane Beamer’s all-time highest-rated recruit. Defensive end Dylan Stewart anchors the Gamecocks’ defensive line and is already seen as a consensus top-10 player coming out of college this fall. Named to the 2025 Second-Team All SEC by the conference’s coaches, Stewart led South Carolina in both tackles for loss (12.0) and quarterback hurries (27) last season. His 37 pressures logged are the most among returning Gamecocks. In his freshman season, Stewart was named both Freshman All-American and Freshman All-SEC. He was also named a finalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award that season following a 6.5-sack campaign that included three forced fumbles. Despite dealing with a nagging back injury last season, Stewart managed

another three forced fumbles in 2025. Prioritizing rest and recovery rather than opting for surgery, Stewart was held out of spring camp and the beginning of fall camp as that recovery process continued. His absence from the field this offseason hasn’t dampened expectations, as he was named a Preseason Second Team AllAmerican by The Sporting News . A mixture of remarkable bend and length makes Stewart arguably the Gamecocks’ most explosive player. His presence on South Carolina’s defensive line bolsters a 2026 defense that will feature various new starters across the board.

HARBOR

On the topic of explosivity, senior receiver Nyck Harbor moves like he’s been shot out of a cannon. The 6-foot-5 goliath of a speedy pass catcher was a fivestar recruit out of high school, where he played edge rusher and tightened before making the switch to wide receiver with the Gamecocks. Harbor is the only player to rank No. 1 in consecutive seasons on Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks List,” an annual list put out by The Athletic ranking the nation’s most physically gifted athletes. Those familiar with EA Sports College Football likely know the name well. For the third-consecutive year, Harbor was given a 99 speed rating, the highest of any player in the country . Prior to his sophomore season, Harbor skipped out on spring drills and opted instead to compete on the Carolina track & field team. Harbor didn’t just compete either — he finished fifth at the SEC indoor track & field championships, earned second-team All-American honors in both the outdoor 100-meter and 200-meter dash and posted the third-fastest 100 meters in school history . Harbor’s time in the 200 meters (20.20) booked him a trip to nationals, as well as a ticket to the 2024 U.S. Olympic team trials later that fall. The trials coincided with fall camp, and Harbor elected to prioritize football rather than track . Aside from otherworldly speed at his size, Harbor produces on the football field as well. His 618 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 2025 led the Gamecocks, and he was named the 2025 Steve Spurrier Most Valuable Player for Offense. He caught a touchdown in each of his last five

games, but Harbor says there’s still room for him to improve before the season kicks off this fall. “Getting better everyday,” Harbor said. “Showing up for 16, showing up for the offense, showing up for the team. Whenever they call my number, I got to answer. Everyday I’m just working on that, just answering the phone.”

BEAMER

The weight of Gamecock football rests on the shoulders of head coach Shane Beamer. Touting a 33-30 record with South Carolina through five seasons, there may never be a season with more pressure to succeed than year six. Beamer’s three wins over top-10 teams and seven wins over top-25 teams in his first five campaigns as head coach both are the best mark among all South Carolina head football coaches in their first five seasons. He’s led the program to three bowl games, finishing with a winning record more often than not. Easily his magnum opus in the role, the Gamecocks’ 9-4 campaign in 2024 featured five SEC wins and a school-record four wins over ranked opponents. The team ended the year on a six-game winning streak, earning Beamer SEC Coach of the Year recognitions by the AP, USA Today, Bear Bryant and College Football Nation. Following the 2024 season, the Gamecocks lost five starting defenders to the NFL Draft and their offensive coordinator to a head coaching job at Appalachian State. In a season of “could’ve been,” South Carolina led or was within a touchdown entering the fourth quarter in 10 of its 12 games in 2025. That included losses to then-No. 23 Missouri, thenNo. 4 Alabama and then-No. 3 Texas A&M in which the team led entering the fourth quarter . “Your investment level equals your expectation, and we have a group of guys that went through some really, really hard stuff in 2025,” Beamer said. “We’re better because of what we went through. We’ve grown because of what we went through.” For a coach who has proven he is capable of capturing success on the football field, the ball will be in his court to return the Gamecocks to the national limelight. 11

The Gamecock | 12

Fans expect improvement from Beamer in upcoming season NAT CAMPBELL & MARLI MAIN | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & SENIOR SPORTS WRITER

CONTINUED FROM COVER

PHOTO: SEBASTIAN GODUN Head football coach Shane Beamer makes a frustrated face on the sideline at Williams-Brice Stadium during a game against Alabama on Oct. 25, 2025.

o open the 2025 season, South Carolina played Beamer’s alma mater, Virginia Tech. The Gamecocks defeated the Hokies 24-11 on Aug. 31, 2025 in the Aflac Kickoff Game in Atlanta, Georgia. Carrying momentum into week two, the Gamecocks outplayed the South Carolina State Bulldogs 38-10. Despite slight offensive struggle, South Carolina had two early wins under its belt and had lived up to preseason expectations thus far. The Gamecocks 2-0 start marked the highest point of the season, as an onslaught of SEC competition would quickly humble South Carolina’s 2025 campaign. “I think in the past couple years, it’s just been, like, disappointment after disappointment. He came in with a lot of momentum,” USC graduate student Lily Eppes said. “But now it’s kind of just, people are getting frustrated, even though it’s not necessarily all (Beamer’s) fault.” On Sept. 13, 2025, the Gamecocks faced off against Vanderbilt on their home turf. The Commodores led 14-7 late in the first half when thensophomore quarterback Lanorris Sellers took a hit to the head on a play deemed targeting by Vanderbilt. Sellers would be ruled out with a concussion shortly after. The Gamecocks never got back on their feet, suffering a 31-7 loss and dropping to 2-1. Beamer had little information to give postgame, leaving Sellers’ status for the next matchup up in the air. The loss was the program’s first to Vanderbilt since 2008. To fans’ relief, Sellers cleared concussion protocol to return for an away game against Missouri on Sept. 20, 2025. The Gamecocks led 20-18 after the third, but the Tigers pulled away in the fourth with a touchdown, a twopoint conversion and a field goal to hand South Carolina another loss 29-20. South Carolina faced off against LSU on the road on Oct. 11, 2025, suffering a 20-10 loss. Both teams

committed a handful of mistakes throughout the game, but LSU managed to overcome three turnovers to control the outcome. The following day, Beamer relieved offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley from his duties. Run game coordinator and tight ends coach Shawn Elliott assumed the responsibilities. Despite the change, the Gamecocks went on to lose the next two games. Oklahoma demolished South Carolina, 26-7 and sacked Sellers six times. The next week, Alabama ruled the first half against the Gamecocks, until South Carolina responded in the third to gain the lead. In the fourth, the Gamecocks let up 15 points and scored only seven, resulting in a 29-22 loss. “I’m a person who stays till the fourth quarter every game, no matter what, win, lose, rain, no rain, whatever. I’m staying till the fourth quarter,” fourth-year international business and management student Carolyn Zander said. “And at that point, I’m like, ‘Why am I standing up and cheering for you if I’m seeing you just let them run it into an end zone again?’” In the face off against Ole Miss on Nov. 1, 2025, South Carolina succumbed to the Rebel’s defense 30-14. Sellers was sacked six times and threw two interceptions. The next day, Beamer fired offensive coordinator Mike Shula, just shy of a year in his position. Beamer had been facing swarms of public scrutiny prior to Shula’s release. Fourthyear public relations student Caroline Nix said it was clear that students were losing faith. “I saw students actually marching around campus protesting him and like calling for (Shula) to get fired,” Nix said. “And that was honestly somewhat funny to me that students were so passionate that they were on the streets protesting.” Parallel to the series of events last season, former head coach Will Muschamp was fired following a 5942 loss to Ole Miss in 2020. The loss tallied to a three-game losing streak. Muschamp was relieved before he could finish his fifth season, despite his early career success.

The true low point of the season was met with a 31-30 loss to Texas A&M. South Carolina had complete control over the Aggies in the first half, taking a 30-3 lead, but went on to give up 28 unanswered points to fall 31-30. Ending the season with a 4-8 record thrust so many questions into circulation, with the biggest being the potential return of Sellers. After a month of speculation, Sellers announced his intent to stay with South Carolina on Dec. 22, 2025. The next concern among Gamecock Nation was the transfer portal. A total of 23 players left South Carolina. Beamer and an overhauled coaching staff were left to recruit, managing to land 25 players with a heavy emphasis on the lines of scrimmage. Looking towards this season, Beamer has made several adjustments in the off-season, both among his staff and on the roster. The pressure remains on South Carolina to perform to what the fans deem their potential. “I think that’s always a challenge when you play at a big-time SEC school like South Carolina,” USC law student Michael Sabatello said. “Fans are passionate, and they’re gonna turn on you quick. Last year wasn’t a great year, but he’s got another opportunity this year to really prove something.” According to the 2026 SEC preseason media poll, South Carolina is projected to place 11th out of the SEC’s 16 teams. The Gamecocks missed the mark for USA Today’s preseason Coaches Poll Top 25 rankings of the year but still managed to receive 50 votes, placing them, theoretically, at No. 30. South Carolina has the potential and talent of their 2024 success, but it all comes down to the team’s ability to bounce back from last season’s struggles. “This is a big season for Shane,” South Carolina fan Michael Barnes said. “I think I would speak for the most fans saying that we love Shane Beamer as far as I think he’s really good for the school, good for the community. But the bottom line is he needs to win games.”

SPORTS | 14

Stan Drayton brings experience to Gamecock offense KATIE DIKES | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

outh Carolina football welcomed Stan Drayton as a new associate head coach following the conclusion of the 2025 season. Drayton was named the team’s running backs coach in December and was promoted to associate head coach for offense in March. Drayton signed a three-year contract with South Carolina on Dec. 11, 2025, taking over the running backs coaching position, after former coach Marquel Blackwell was fired on Dec. 4. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Drayton played for Allegheny College from 198992 and was a three-time first-team AllAmerican selection as a running back. Helping Allegheny capture an NCAA Division III national championship in 1990, Drayton was, at the time, the leading rusher in Division III football history with 3,272 all-time yards. Also a veteran coach, he will begin his 34th season of coaching with 26 years of experience mentoring running backs, holding 18 former coaching roles among the NFL and NCAA. Drayton has coached and mentored some of the most prominent players at the position including Brian Westbrook, Ezekiel Elliott, Bijan Robinson and Jordan Howard. He’s produced two AllAmericans, five NFL Draft picks and seven tailbacks that have notched over 1,000 yards on the ground. His first coaching job came in the form of the running backs coach at his alma mater in 1993. After one season in the role, he then became a graduate assistant at Eastern Michigan. Drayton would go on to coach Penn in 1995, afterwards landing a job at Villanova from 1996-99, where he mentored two-time All-American Brian Westbrook. Westbrook accumulated a grand total of 4,298 career rushing yards and 54 career rushing touchdowns in his time at Villanova, and in his 1998 season he became the first collegiate player on any level to record over 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in the same season. Drayton made his first move to the NFL in 2001 after spending one season with Bowling Green in 2000, earning the offensive quality control and special teams coordinator role for the Green Bay Packers. He returned to the NCAA to become the running backs 14

coach at Mississippi State in 2004, where he met South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer, who was, at the time, serving in the role of cornerbacks coach and recruiting director. “We only spent one year together,” Beamer said. “But it was a powerful year for me to be able to learn, to see his work ethic, what he’s about as a running back coach, what he’s about as a person.” Drayton then joined the Florida Gators in the same role from 200507, where he was a member of the 2006 national championship team. He eventually took on roles at Tennessee in 2008 and Syracuse in 2009, before returning to Florida in 2010. He coached at Ohio State from 2011-14, earning himself another national championship win in 2014. While he’s mentored and coached a plethora of running backs, few are as notable as Ezekiel Elliot.

During his time at Ohio State, Drayton took the young Elliot under his wing, who posted 1,878 yards for 18 touchdowns under Drayton. The 2014 season saw the Buckeyes win the national championship, with Elliot rushing for 246 yards on 36 carries with four touchdowns. Elliot earned offensive MVP in both the Sugar Bowl and the national championship games. He was later selected fourth overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2016 NFL Draft. Drayton then decided to head back to the NFL once again, this time as the running backs coach for the Chicago Bears from 2015-16. While he was in Chicago, rookie running back Jordan Howard set the Bears’ single-season rookie record with 1,313 rushing yards. He finished the 2016 season as the NFL’s second leading rusher, second to only fellow Draytonmentored Elliot. Afterwards, Drayton moved on from the Bears and took up his longest coaching stint to date as the assistant head coach, running backs coach and run game coordinator at the University of Texas from 2017-21. The second of two top-10 NFL Draft picks, Bijan Robinson learned from Drayton while the two spent time together at Texas. Robinson rushed for 1,830 yards and 15 touchdowns in two seasons and would go on to be selected eighth overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2023 NFL Draft. Drayton then earned a head coaching gig with the Temple Owls in 2022 before becoming the running backs coach for Penn State under then-head coach James Franklin for the 2025 season. Kaytron Allen notched 1,303 yards and 15 touchdowns in his lone season under Drayton. Allen concluded his Penn State career as the school’s all-time leading rusher before being drafted by the Washington Commanders this past spring. Come this season, over 22 years after working on the same staff, it didn’t require much thought for who Beamer wanted to help assist the makeover of the Gamecocks’ offensive staff. “Just to be completely honest, Stan is what I’ve been looking for at the running

backs position since I got hired in December of 2020,” Beamer said. “He is the total package. I’ve worked with him. I know the kind of person he is... When I made the change at running back, there was one running backs coach that I thought of. There was one running backs coach that I called. There was one running backs coach that I offered a job to and no one else.” Drayton is equally enthusiastic about being in Columbia and taking on this new challenge, adding that this coaching job is one that he already feels at home with. “(I’m) just really super excited to be here. You know, it’s an eerie feeling being here in Columbia because the last time I was here was a night game where I brought a Florida team in here, and all I can remember is how loud that place gets,” Drayton said. “There hasn’t been many opportunities in 33 years where I can work with or for someone that I can absolutely let my hair down and be me and know exactly what’s expected of me and know exactly what I can expect of that person. So, it’s an honor to be here.” Drayton will have his hands full with a running backs room that consists of two transfers, four returners and one incoming freshman. Among those transferred include redshirt sophomore Christian Clark from Texas, and redshirt freshman Jabree Coleman from Penn State. Returning redshirt juniors Isaiah Agustave and Jawarn Howell, and sophomores Matt Fuller and Neil Salvage III, along with freshman Ethan Kellum round out the room. The countdown to the Gamecocks’ first game of the season against the Kent State Golden Flashes already started well in advance, but South Carolina fans should know that Drayton and the rest of the new offensive coaching staff have things covered. Similarly, while the 2025 season proved success was hard to come by on the ground for the Gamecocks, Drayton looks to provide the same spark he has ignited at nearly every stop of his coaching career thus far.

PHOTO: KILEY WAGNER Stan Drayton overlooks players at practice Aug 8, 2026.

SPORTS | 15

South Carolina Athletics enters new era with Nike KATIE DIKES | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

fter partnering with Under Armour for 19 years, the South Carolina Athletics program has transitioned to Nike as the university’s official shoe and apparel partner as of July 1. With an impending contract renewal between South Carolina and Under Armour last year, the university finalized its decision to move to Nike in August 2025. Now, 12 months later, a 10-year deal between South Carolina and Nike is underway, having brought a multitude of enthusiasm and Gamecock pride already. South Carolina’s Athletics programs have created a national reputation that has been built and maintained through competitive excellence, passionate fan support and a commitment to developing student-athletes both on and off the field, as noted in South Carolina Athletics official press release. According to Athletic Director Jeremiah Donati, Nike’s platform amplifies similar pillars. He believes the partnership will propel South Carolina for future growth and success. “It represents a shared vision for excellence, competition, and the continued elevation of the South Carolina Athletics brand,” Donati said. “We are proud to join the Nike family and look forward to providing our studentathletes, coaches, and staff with the very best in athletic performance and brand representation.” A day after the official announcement on July 2, women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley revealed that the players under her wing and the rest of the women’s basketball coaching staff would all receive shoes from former South Carolina women’s basketball player A’ja Wilson’s Nike shoe line. The ‘A’Twos,’ which are custom made, include South Carolina’s traditional colors of garnet, black, and white, featuring the Gamecock logo, A’ja’s signature and the traditional Nike swoosh. “Having been a Nike athlete most of my life, I’m well-versed in what partnership with them means to an organization and its athletes,” Staley said. “I am excited that our teams at South Carolina will get to feel that, too. For our women’s basketball

team, only good things have happened when we’ve partnered with A’ja Wilson, so I look forward to what’s coming next in that legacy.” Head football coach Shane Beamer also expressed enthusiasm about the transition to Nike. “Our move to Nike has generated tremendous excitement throughout our program,” Beamer said. “Our studentathletes, coaches, recruits and fans are energized and we’re proud to align with a brand that shares our commitment to excellence as we continue to move Gamecock football forward. ” The beginning of the Nike era also propelled five Gamecock student athletes to its Blue Ribbon Elite program roster. The program, a first-of-its-kind, represents a broad portfolio of student-athletes that reimagines the NIL space by providing athletes and universities a next level collaboration that prioritizes the future of sport and individual identity according to Gamecocks Online. Launched by Nike on Dec. 11, 2025, the Blue Ribbon Elite program was originally part of a long-term extension deal between Nike and Louisiana State University, with 10 student-athletes spearheading the program. However, the program has now expanded to include athletes from other universities. In March of this year, studentathletes from the University of Texas joined the program. Student-athletes from Clemson University joined in June. While Nike is now a billion-dollar industry and a sponsor of hundreds of collegiate teams, the program is named after its humble beginnings. Small business owners and co-founders Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman were still operating as Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS), and distributing Japanese running shoes in the early days of the company. The program reflects Nike’s long-held, leading position in sport, college, and NIL partnership, as well as a longstanding commitment to supporting athletes, according to their website. “The opportunity for our studentathletes to leverage Nike’s Blue Ribbon Elite Program is an incredible benefit,” Donati said. “NIL has created meaningful

opportunities for our students to build and grow their personal brands, and we look forward to partnering with Nike to expand those opportunities and help position our student-athletes for success both during and beyond their time at South Carolina.” With a growing list of roughly 80 student athletes, junior forward Joyce Edwards and redshirt senior forward Chloe Kitts of the women’s basketball team are some of the newest members. Senior edge rusher Dylan Stewart, senior wide receiver Nyck Harbor and redshirt junior quarterback LaNorris Sellers of the football team also join as South Carolina’s Blue Ribbon Elite athletes. All five of these athletes have expressed appreciation and excitement about where their collaboration with Nike as part of the Blue Ribbon Elite program will take them. “I’m excited to be one of South Carolina’s first Nike Blue Ribbon Elite athletes. Being a part of Gamecock women’s basketball has given me a platform to create amazing partnerships, and this is another chance to partner with the best,” Kitts said. “Nike is an iconic brand that is globally known for making the best basketball footwear and

apparel, and I can’t wait to get to see what we can do together.” For some, like Harbor, being able to represent Nike in this way is a dream come true. “It means the world to me to be a Nike Blue Ribbon Elite athlete. This is something I have wanted ever since I was a little kid when I was running track and playing football and I had the Vapors on and the Max Flys,” Harbor said. “I am honored and excited to represent this brand in the best possible way.” For now, Gamecock fans will be flooded with images of the iconic swoosh logo on all South Carolina apparel and shoes. No longer are the letters U and A visible on apparel, but Nike’s trademark logo that marks a new beginning; one that simply materializes the thought of “Just Do It.”

PHOTO: KILEY WAGNER Senior defensive back Judge Collier stretches at practice Aug 8, 2026.

The Gamecock |16

Column: Point system is as fair as it gets in college athletics MILES SHEA | OUTREACH DIRECTOR

f you want a ticket to a football game at most Division 1 schools, you need to be prepared to pay up for a pass, wait in line or desperately refresh, hoping you’ll finish first in a crowded digital race. While it’s not perfect, I believe the University of South Carolina has a great and fair system in place that takes away most of the stress of getting football tickets. But, before we get into the details, why not look at the systems in other Southeastern Conference schools? The great state of Mississippi provides two perfect examples of schools’ nickel and diming their students. Ole Miss offers the privilege of a limited allotment of $175 season tickets, only available after you graciously donate an additional $75, while Mississippi State sells a similarly limited $199 pass to, as the website says, “support the Bulldogs as they compete in the toughest conference in the nation.” However, everything is bigger in Texas. In Austin, the “Big Ticket” comes in at an appropriately grand price of $270, while Texas A&M provides a yell-worthy steal at just $400, with the option of a guest ticket each game raising the price to $925. Missouri, Tennessee and LSU almost get it right, but not quite. LSU has a loyalty point system, but it’s to earn the right to buy tickets to high-demand postseason games, a situation I can admit we don’t typically encounter. Missouri and Tennessee have loyalty point systems, but only for the right to purchase a ticket each home game. Vanderbilt tickets are free but considering the program won five SEC games in five years prior to 2025, they should be free. Here, the most reliable way to get a football ticket, for no additional cost, is taking some time to support any one of our other sports teams, like volleyball, soccer and swim, with extra points if it’s against Clemson. In a key difference from some other schools, access to this system doesn’t sell out. Every full-time student can sign up for the system at any time. Cockpit Rewards has a queue that can get crowded, especially when tickets first come available, but being the first to put in a request doesn’t actually matter. You can submit a request whenever you’d like before the deadline, and whether you were first or last, your shot at a ticket comedown to points. 16

The system accounts for one issue that’s always popular on our modern-day town forum YikYak: seniority. Freshman start with three points, sophomores get four, juniors and graduate students get six and seniors begin the year with eight. Those points are before the additional 10% of points that rollover from the previous year, providing a valuable additional boost to any upperclassmen that attended every football game last year. If you were frequently in the building to see, for example, our elite women’s basketball team, you start off with even more points. Encouraging students to attend other on-campus games to earn football tickets is our system’s best feature. Sports that otherwise might see low attendance get lines that go outside the building. The only issue I can think of with the system is the nearly as-large line of people leaving at halftime. I’ve been guilty of this myself, and I’m not calling for the leave-athalftime rule to be changed, but I do think we could do a bit better as a student body about staying in our seats the whole game. Imagine if you were giving a presentation you’d spent weeks or even months preparing for, and in the middle of it, most of the class got up, started talking and got out as soon as possible. It wouldn’t be a good feeling, and I can’t imagine it feels too great for a Gamecock athlete to see a big halftime exodus in the middle of a competitive matchup. With students’ widely varying academic and work schedules, is this a totally, 100% fair system? No, I won’t say that, but it’s about as close as we can possibly get. Expensive passes certainly wouldn’t boost equity. To address the other elephant in the room, I won’t passionately defend the $300 athletics fee. It’s a great example of something that’s “complimentary” being baked into other costs. However, our price remains competitive compared to schools like A&M, especially when people are demanding higher-and-higher NIL budgets every year. I don’t like the athletics fee, but can’t entirely blame USC for maintaining it. As for people being irritated when they don’t get a ticket, my response is simple: if you care, it really isn’t that hard.

On a personal level, I got lowers for every game last year just from attending football games. If you’re a senior and go to the games each week, you should get a lower. If you’re requesting a ticket the first time that season for the last game of year, it can be tough. While on the topic of lowers, we should keep them full the whole game. If it’s a blowout loss in pouring rain, fine, but otherwise, you should stay for the whole game you requested a ticket for. It’s as simple as that. Last year was rough, but judging by Shane Beamer’s track record following a bad season, this year will be successful and LaHeisman will return to elite form. Remember to request those tickets.

PHOTO: ELLIS PAGE Fans in the student section at the South Carolina vs Campbell volleyball game on Aug. 30, 2025 .

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The Gamecock |17

Steve Fink retires after 21 years with Gamecock Athletics JOHN DAVIS | SPORTS WRITER

teve Fink wanted to be an accountant. More than 40 years later, and after 21 years serving as South Carolina’s Senior Associate Athletics Director for Communications and Public Relations, he’s calling it a career. Officially hanging it up this past June, Fink sat down with The Daily Gamecock to talk about his journey through sports media. Born and raised in a small town in Iowa, Fink opted to stay close to home and attend the University of Northern Iowa for its accounting program. “After a semester or two, I realized that wasn’t for me,” Fink said. “I made an appointment and went into the athletic director’s office and said, ‘I want to get involved somehow in athletics.’” He began by helping out in the press box during sports games, running the message board along the top of the scoreboard during athletic events. Fink said the joy he found from being in the press box solidified his desire to pursue a career in sports. Fink gradually worked his way up from AAA baseball to the Kansas City Royals, inevitably earning the Managers of Media Relations title within the organization. He’d serve the Royals for over 12 years, and while the job itself came with many perks, Fink felt his life at home deserved to take higher priority. “A lot of fun traveling everywhere, spring training and all that,” Fink said. “When you’re married and now have two small kids and I’m gone all the time,

it got to be a bit of a challenge from a personal standpoint.” Amidst the search of a better work-life balance, he received a call, out of the blue, from the head women’s basketball coach at TCU Jeff Mittie. Mittie had worked for Fink as an intern with the Royals and reached out to his former boss to see if he knew anyone who may be interested in an SID job at the school. “I wasn’t even a hundred percent sure I knew exactly where (TCU) was,” Fink said. “He talked about it, I said ‘Yeah I do know somebody who might be interested, it might be me.’” He and his family packed up and made the move to Fort Worth, where they’d stay from 2000-05. TCU’s Athletic Director at the time, Eric Hyman, brought Fink on to head media relations for the school’s 19 intercollegiate athletic teams. In 2005, Hyman took the Athletic Director job at the school Fink would learn to call home. “Eric said, ‘Do you want to come along?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, never been to South Carolina, but okay, let’s go for it,’ because I believed in him and what he was doing,” Fink said. Accompanying him in his first season at South Carolina was a head coach who’d leave quite the legacy. “I’m driving home one day, and my phone rings, and I look at it and Steve Spurrier’s name pops up, and it was like, ‘What the heck?’” Fink said. “He had just been named coach here that winter before … He called me just outta

(the) blue just to welcome me aboard and knew that I was coming and looked forward to working with me.” There were few head coaches as opinionated around the microphone as Spurrier. “As a PR guy, it was always interesting because you never knew what he was going to say,” Fink said. “The best days of Gamecock football (were) under his watch.” With South Carolina, Fink helped Gamecock football see 13 players earn First-Team All American honors. It was the role of Fink and South Carolina’s PR staff to ensure the school’s best athletes received deserved national attention. “I tell the players this: The more success we have as a team, the more individual success, awards, accolades you’re going to receive as well,” Fink said. “There’s only so much a PR guy can do if you’re not winning enough.” Thankfully, the Gamecocks did win enough under Spurrier, and have with Beamer as well. Under Fink’s leadership, South Carolina has been recognized as the recipient of the Annual Super 11 Awards in four of the last five seasons, an award that’s voted on by the Football Writers Association of America to honor the best performing sports information departments in FBS. “A lot of that goes to your head coach too, and how much access he allows and how cordial he is with the media in helping them,” Fink said. “It’s not

a coincidence that part of it’s that Shane Beamer is the head coach. I’ve been doing this for a long time … never won it before Shane.” The landscape of college football changed over the course of his time at South Carolina, which in turn resulted in his duties evolving as well. In 2017, the Gamecocks Media Relations Department was renamed to the Athletic Communications and Public Relations Department. “We’ve seen a lot of change from the old sports information,” Fink said. “We’d get calls from ‘Hey, we were talking in the bar last night, and can you tell me who the leading rusher in 1972 was, we’re arguing over’ ... The job’s quite frankly a lot different than it used to be.” Despite residing at a university nearly 1,000 miles from his hometown, Fink calls Columbia home, and he plans to stay as he enters retirement. “My daughter still lives here, and she and my wife have been tailgating for years, same spot. So it’ll be different ‘cause I may be joining them,” Fink said. After over four decades of surrounding himself with sports, Fink has no plans of losing interest in Gamecock athletics. “We’ve still got tickets, I’ll be at every game that I can be at,” Fink said. “That’s why I got in it, ‘cause I love sports. I love being around it, and that hasn’t changed.” Editor’s note: This article was cut down to fit in print. The full story is published online at dailygamecock.com.

PHOTO: KILEY WAGNER Retired Senior Associate Athletics Director Steve Fink describes his journey into overseeing the communications and public relations department at USC on May 5, 2026 at Rice Athletics Center.

The Gamecock | 18

Kendal Briles looks to Revive Gamecocks Offense JOHN DAVIS | SPORTS EDITOR

empo. New Gamecocks offensive coordinator Kendal Briles’ offensive scheme highlights tempo more than anything, something the Gamecocks sincerely lacked in 2025. The former TCU signal caller enters his first year on head coach Shane Beamer’s staff with one of the nation’s top dual-threat quarterbacks — redshirt junior LaNorris Sellers — under center, a man whose job Briles hopes to make easier. It took just nine games for South Carolina to fire its offensive coordinator last season, a fitting result of a measly 3-6 start to the season. The team’s offensive ineptitude directly contributed to the worst win-loss record of Beamer’s five-season tenure as the Gamecocks head coach. The Gamecocks offense fell flat in a multitude of ways last season: South Carolina’s output of 21.3 points per game ranked dead-last in the SEC and 104th in the nation. The team’s average time of possession of 28 minutes 14 seconds ranked lower at 118th. These numbers become all the more puzzling when juxtaposed with the 2024 season, when the unit averaged 28.3 points per game, the 51st best mark nationwide that season, and clocked an average time of possession of 31 minutes 4 seconds that ranked 34th in the nation and first in the SEC. Then-offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains handled playcalling duties, but he’d earn the head coaching job at Appalachian State following the conclusion of the season. His playcalling duties were replaced by Mike Shula ahead of 2025. Nobody may have suffered more from the loss of Loggains than Sellers, who saw his completion percentage drop nearly 5% and his touchdown and yardage output each take a fall as well. He took nine more sacks in 2025 than in 2024 and his rushing production dropped by over 60%. Shula, the son of the NFL all-time winningest coach Don Shula, had spent his entire coaching career in the NFL prior to his arrival in Columbia. He was elevated from a senior offensive assistant role in 2024 into the coordinator position 18

PHOTO : KILEY WAGNER

Redshirt junior quarterback LaNorris Sellers takes a sip of water during the Gamecocks’ preseason camp at the Long Family Football Operations Center on Aug. 7, 2026.

for 2025, where he implemented a pro-style offense that de-emphasized Sellers reliance on his legs like in the year prior. That de-emphasis resulted in Sellers’ total designed rush attempts on the season dropping from 71 to just 49, and despite a vastly smaller sample size, Sellers’ efficiency on designed rushes took a significant dip as well, as his breakaway percentage dropped from 24.4% to just 8.1% Briles’ offense looks to fix that. He’s the son of former Baylor head coach Art Briles, the engineer of his own take on “Air Raid” offense that earned Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III the Heisman trophy in 2011. Kendal was the Bears’ inside receivers coach at the time and served on his father’s coaching staff for the first eight seasons of his coaching career. The scheme highlights pre-snap creativity, adapting to personnel on a caseby-case basis and “mix plays” to get both the quarterback and skill position players into open space with the ball in their hands. Stretching the defense horizontally to generate spacing, the scheme gives a mobile quarterback the option to sling the ball downfield or to create with his legs. “Whenever we first started running ‘RPO world’, 2010, there wasn’t a term for it, so we called it mix plays,” Kendal Briles said.

Griffin III produced 7,794 yards and 59 touchdowns in the air and 1,334 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground in those first two seasons following the introduction of mix plays to the Bears’ offense. After Griffin III was selected No. 2 overall by the Washington Redskins in 2012, the Bears still earned consecutive 4,000+ yard, 30+ touchdown passing seasons from Nick Florence and Bryce Petty. Where Kendal Briles goes, success from the quarterback position follows. While in the role of assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach with Houston in 2018, he coached D’Eriq King to 50 total touchdowns (36 passing, 14 rushing) in the 11 games he appeared under center. As the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Arkansas, he helped KJ Jefferson account for 60 total touchdowns across the 2021 and 2022 seasons. As the signal caller for TCU these past two years, he saw Horned Frog Josh Hoover throw for consecutive seasons with over 27 touchdowns and a 65% completion rate. “He’s got a proven track record as a coordinator and that’s a big reason why I hired him,” Beamer said. “Eager to see that continue.”

Briles prioritizes explosive plays within his offensive strategy, which are plays that gain 10 or more yards from scrimmage. In 2024, South Carolina ranked seventh in the nation with 69 explosive plays against ranked opponents. That total dropped to 60 in 2025 but remained a top 15 mark in the nation. “You win explosive plays, you win the football game,” Briles said. “That’s the bottom line. We put a ton of emphasis on being incredibly explosive.” Sellers alone has generated 51 such plays on the ground over the past two seasons, the most of any returning SEC quarterback. “The thing that I’ve learned (about Sellers) is he’s very coachable,” Briles said. “Whatever we talk about afterwards and then in the film session the next day, he’s gone out and applied that, so that’s good to see.” Under newfound guidance from Briles and his offensive staff in what could possibly be Sellers final season under center for the Gamecocks, South Carolina looks to regain the offensive spark that made its 2024 campaign so successful. “Everybody has seen his resume,” senior receiver Nyck Harbor said. “We’ve been more of like a pro-style offense the past couple years, so going into a more fastpace, higher tempo, it’s been fun.”

The Gamecock | 19

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The Gamecock | 20

Column: A 9-game SEC schedule is bad for college football JOHN DAVIS | SPORTS EDITOR

he existence of the 12-team College Football Playoff has, as expected, drastically changed the landscape of the sport. With nearly half the nation’s Top 25 teams earning a trip to the playoffs, the SEC is moving from an eight-game conference schedule to nine-game schedule in 2026 in an attempt to boost strength-of-schedule rankings for all 16 members of the conference. Prior to the addition of Texas and Oklahoma, the SEC’s East and West divisions determined which schools played each other. Teams would play six division games, one permanent cross-division rivalry game and one rotating crossdivision game. That all changes this fall — teams now have three permanent annual opponents alongside six opponents that will rotate among the other 12 teams in the conference. On this path, every team will face every other SEC program at least once every two years. The SEC also mandated that every team schedule at least one Power Four opponent each season. For South Carolina, that requirement is fulfilled by the Palmetto Bowl. Starting last season, the CFP introduced “record strength,” a new metric used to give credit for how teams perform against their schedules. The measurement gives more credit to a school for beating quality teams while also lessening the penalty for a loss to a tougher opponent. For the SEC, increasing the number of games played among its members will ideally lessen the penalty for a team that finishes with three-to-four losses. Although strategically designed to earn more SEC teams bids to the

CFP, the changes put some of the greatest aspects of college football at a risk of extinction. Missouri’s annual tradition of ending its season against Arkansas is gone, as the teams will now play in Week 8. Florida and LSU won’t face off this fall for the first time in 56 years. The Battle of the Carolinas, a game that has featured 60 meetings between South Carolina and North Carolina, has gone longer than six years without a meeting just once since 1903. The home-and-home series that would have seen the two teams face off in both 2028 and 2029 was cancelled this offseason due to the SEC’s new nine-game schedule . Given that the Gamecocks would never forgo their matchup with Clemson to end each season, the team would be electing to play an 11th Power Four opponent by taking on the Tar Heels. No program would put itself at that kind of disadvantage. So instead, you see teams like Kent State and Towson on the Gamecocks’ schedule to start the year, two games you can essentially pencil in as South Carolina victories. Rather than heading home early for Thanksgiving break because the Gamecocks are playing Wofford (2024) or Coastal Carolina (2025), the team will now take on the Georgia Bulldogs in its penultimate game before heading to Clemson to end the regular season. For years, the SEC’s depth has been its greatest selling point. Every matchup provides must-watch television, and now removing a cupcake game in November provides further opportunity for quality football. But in an effort to convince the CFP committee

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that your conference is the best of the best, will having your conference’s best team potentially finish with nine wins truly strengthen that argument? While an expansion to a 16-team playoff is likely on the horizon, the SEC’s commitment to convincing

the nation “it just means more” will continue to depreciate the value of its teams compared with the rest of the Power Four, especially given the last three seasons have resulted in the national champion residing in the Big Ten.

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