South Carolina graduate assistant will compete in quarterback competition

Former Iowa State and North Dakota State quarterback Zeb Noland has been added to the South Carolina roster three weeks before the season, according to Fox 57’s Mike Uva. Zeb Noland joined the Gamecocks as a graduate assistant under first-year coach Shane Beamer but still holds one year of college eligibility.

The 6-foot-2 former quarterback spent three seasons at Iowa State before transferring to North Dakota State, where he backed up Trey Lance. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the FCS season. When Lance left to prepare for the NFL Draft, Noland stepped into the starting job. Noland threw for 721 yards with five touchdowns and six interceptions during the spring season.

“[Noland] arrived here in June as a graduate assistant with eligibility still remaining,” Beamer said in a press conference. “He has great experience, and most importantly has played in a football game a heck of a lot more recent than anyone else on this team.”

South Carolina is low on options at quarterback entering the season, but Beamer maintains that they are not desperate. With just four scholarship quarterbacks on the roster and one with FBS experience, the Gamecocks are looking to add experience by activating graduate assistant Zeb Noland.

“This is not a situation where we are desperate for quarterbacks,” said Beamer. “I was not in Five Points last night seeing if anybody played high school quarterback. We’re not in that situation. We have someone on our team who can help us. If he earns the opportunity to play and help us win football games, he will.”

South Carolina’s quarterback room

Sophomore Luke Doty entered the season as the presumptive starter after playing in eight games last season. He suffered a foot sprain during practice and is questionable for week one against Eastern Illinois on Sept. 4.

St. Francis transfer Jason Brown has not played at any level since 2019, despite being named to the preseason All-NEC team. Brown opted to transfer to South Carolina in the spring instead of playing the rescheduled season in the FCS.

Freshman Colten Gauthier and redshirt sophomore Connor Jordan both enter the season with no collegiate playing experience. Another option on the roster is converted quarterback Dakereon Joyner, who has been practicing with the wide receivers.

“Most college football programs in the country, I can’t imagine any of them are practicing with three quarterbacks right now,” said Beamer. “We do a lot of work on two different fields, meaning we need multiple quarterbacks on both fields.”