Shane Beamer breaks down what South Carolina accomplished in transfer portal
South Carolina coach Shane Beamer used his spring practice as a way to evaluate positions of need for his team in the transfer portal. By the time practice was over and the second window for the portal opened, he had identified offensive line and receiver as the two biggest areas to address.
The Gamecocks have added a couple of transfer receivers since then with Dalevon Campbell (Nevada) and Vandrevius Jacobs (Florida State). Although they haven’t added any offensive lineman, Beamer noted that the team still isn’t done recruiting potential additions.
He also addressed how he feels the team used the portal as a whole this offseason to prepare for the upcoming year.
“I feel good,” he said. “Coming out of spring practice, there was some positions depth-wise that we weren’t where we wanted to be just from a scholarship numbers standpoint. Offensive line was one of them. Not saying we weren’t good on the offensive line, but to be able to practice and having a certain number of guys on scholarship, we weren’t there from a lineman standpoint. At receiver, we had some areas to address. as well. That was what we went into the portal. Those two positions were primary needs and primary portal targets for us.
“I feel like we’ve addressed it well. We’re still not done. Obviously the portal is closed, but if you’re in the portal you can still take visits as well. So that’s still going on with us and other colleges as well. So we’ll see how it finishes in the end, but I like where we are right now and I like where we’re headed also.”
South Carolina has brought in 21 transfers this offseason, tied for the 10th-most of any Power 5 team. The Gamecocks have also lost 26 players in the portal to rank No. 10 overall according to On3’s Transfer Portal Team Rankings with an index score of 30.
Former Arkansas running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders the biggest transfer addition for South Carolina. He finished second in the SEC in rushing yards with 1,443 in addition to 10 touchdowns and is the No. 43 overall player according to On3’s Transfer Portal Player rankings.
South Carolina will look to continue to attack the transfer portal throughout the remainder of the offseason and perhaps bring in more offensive lineman to pave the way for Sanders. The Gamecocks are coming off of a 5-7 finish this past season and looking to make it back to a bowl game after missing for the first time under Beamer.