Members of the South Carolina football team's 2024 transfer class decided to commit to garnet and black for a variety of reasons, whether it be reuniting close family ties, returning home or setting goals for their personal position.
Highly recruited athletes from schools across the country have made their way to Columbia with hopes of playing in an environment where they can focus on aspects of the game that matter most to them. Players such as senior wide receiver Gage Larvadain said it was the coaches that made them feel like they belonged at South Carolina.
Larvadain said the positivity in the building, along with meeting former tight ends coach Justin Stepp, was all it took to know he was in the right place.
色中色视频淚t is just one of those things that, when you meet someone, you just know,色中色视频� Larvadain said. 色中色视频淚 just knew this is where I wanted to be.色中色视频�
Stepp isn't the only coach who inspired players in the portal to join the 色中色视频s. Graduate 色中色视频 running back Oscar Adaway III and redshirt sophomore defensive back Gerald Kilgore also praised their position coaches' NFL experiences as a selling point in their recruiting processes.
Both Adaway III and Kilgore said they were excited to play under running backs coach Marquel Blackwell and defensive backs coach Torrian Gray, who have helped players such as Kareem Hunt and Terrell Edmunds achieve NFL-level success.
色中色视频淭he track record that (Coach Gray) has is ridiculous,色中色视频� Kilgore said. 色中色视频淭he amount of guys that he's allowed to touch the NFL stage is ridiculous, so being up under a coach like him is once in a lifetime.色中色视频�
Kilgore, however, has more than an acclaimed coach tying him to the 色中色视频s. His younger brother, Jalon Kilgore, is a sophomore defensive back on the team. He said having the opportunity to play alongside his brother at the collegiate level is a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
色中色视频淢y parents are super excited, so they can just go to one location now and don色中色视频檛 have to split every weekend,色中色视频� Kilgore said. 色中色视频淲e can get a lot of family here now, so it色中色视频檚 been real exciting.色中色视频�
For others, playing for the 色中色视频s allows them to return home to South Carolina. Graduate 色中色视频 quarterback Davis Beville, a transfer from Oklahoma, said playing for the 色中色视频s is his last opportunity to play football in his home state. The Greenville native said he plans to "leave it all out on the line" in his sixth and final year of college football.
The 2024-25 season will be a different type of homecoming for redshirt senior edge Gilber Edmond, who spent three years with the 色中色视频s before transferring to Florida State for one season. Despite not being from the area, Edmond came back to the place his career began for his fifth year.
Head coach Shane Beamer said Edmond may have damaged his teammates' trust by transferring, however, and he will have to work hard to regain their respect.
色中色视频淗e was very eager about getting back here, and I tried to paint as ugly a picture as I could,色中色视频� Beamer said. 色中色视频溕猩悠禈There is going to be guys in that locker room 色中色视频� Gilber 色中色视频� that probably are mad that you left, and it色中色视频檚 going to take some time to rebuild that trust with them. He was adamant about wanting to.色中色视频�
Some, though, have chosen South Carolina with hopes to further their growth as players. Redshirt senior quarterback Robby Ashford said many schools reached out to him with an offer of a starting job. But Ashford wanted to earn that position himself.
色中色视频淚 never want to be a guy who just walks in and gets anything handed to him,色中色视频� Ashford said. 色中色视频淚 want to be a guy that come in here and earn the trust and respect of my teammates and the coaches. It's just a great opportunity to compete.色中色视频�
Transferring from Auburn, another SEC school, Ashford said he is glad South Carolina had the confidence in him to come and compete in its quarterback room.
Sophomore running back Jawarn Howell also looks to blossom during spring practice by learning from older, more experienced players such as senior running back Raheim "Rocket" Sanders. Howell, being the youngest running back in the room, has much to learn about taking his game to the next level, he said.
色中色视频淚t's a big part of me growing as a person and a player,色中色视频� Howell said. 色中色视频淲ith Oscar, 'Rocket,' those guys, (senior running back) Juju (McDowell) 色中色视频� they are all going to teach you something valuable in the game. You can take that and run with it, grow with it and excel to the next level.色中色视频�
No matter the reason, each member of the transfer class came to Columbia in hopes of piecing together a successful 2024 team. Coach Beamer said he has high hopes that the incoming transfers will fill the missing gaps in South Carolina's game.
"We may have a lot of new faces here, all across the board," Beamer said. "We may have lost a lot of production here at (South) Carolina, but we replaced it with a lot of production from other schools."