Spencer Rattler opens up on wearing No. 7, upholding Jadeveon Clowney's legacy

Spencer Rattler understands the special place that Jadeveon Clowney has in both South Carolina and college football history. A former Gamecocks defensive end, Clowney is set to have his number — No. 7 — retired by the team at halftime of the season opener against Georgia State on Saturday.

That is the same number that Rattler, a transfer quarterback from Oklahoma, will wear this season with the Gamecocks. In a press conference Tuesday, Rattler opened up about the honor of being the last player to wear Clowney’s number before it is retired.

“It’s really cool,” he said. “That’s probably the best defensive end ever to come through college football. Big name here, big name across the country and the world. So that’s really cool that they’re honoring him that way and I’ve really got to represent 7 the right way while I’m here.”

Rattler began last season as the starter for the Sooners and a Heisman Trophy candidate. However, he was eventually benched in favor of true freshman Caleb Williams.

Still, Rattler ranked as the No. 1 quarterback in the 2019 class according to On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average. As a redshirt freshman in 2020, he led the Big 12 with 3,031 yards passing and 28 touchdowns while also helping Oklahoma to a Big 12 title.

That is the kind of play that Spencer Rattler hopes he can bring to Columbia, where he hopes to make Jadeveon Clowney proud. South Carolina is scheduled to kick off against Georgia State at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.

South Carolina to retire Jadeveon Clowney’s jersey

The Gamecocks will retire Clowney’s No. 7 jersey in their season opener against Georgia State next weekend. The jersey will be retired at halftime of the game.

Clowney was a two-time All-American in his three seasons at South Carolina, including earning SEC Defensive Player of the Year awards in 2012. He holds the Gamecocks’ single-season records for tackles for loss (23.5), career sacks (13) in 2012, and second all-time in career tackles for loss. 

“We are excited to honor one of our greatest Gamecock football players ever, Jadeveon Clowney, by retiring his jersey at our first game of the season,” South Carolina athletic director Ray Tanner said. “He helped lead us to three 11-win seasons as one of the best players in college football.”

Clowney becomes the fifth Gamecock to have his football jersey retired. Sterling Sharpe’s No. 2 was the last one. Steve Wadiak (37), George Rogers (38) and Mike Johnson (56) were the others.

Gamecock Central’s Collyn Taylor contributed to this report.