Phil Petty Football Scholarship established to honor legacy of Gamecock Great
The Phil Petty Football Scholarship has been established to honor the life and legacy of South Carolina football great Phil Petty, who unexpectedly passed away Thursday morning at the age of 43.
Petty’s wife, Morgan Petty, and his family have established the scholarship with funds going “directly towards supporting a Gamecock Football student-athlete in their drive to personify Petty’s legacy as a Gamecock legend.”
[Click here to give to the Phil Petty Football Scholarship fund]
Gamecock Nation mourned in unison on Thursday as news of his passing broke with many fans and former teammates sharing stories of Petty’s on-field exploits, the brotherhood he shared with teammates off the field, and his love for his family.
The Boiling Springs, S.C. native is best known among Gamecock fans for quarterbacking the biggest turnaround in school history under head coach Lou Holtz.
After a winless season in 1999, Petty and the Gamecocks went 8-4 in 2000 and 9-3 in 2001 including back-to-back Outback Bowl victories.
Petty, who spent the time after his playing career in and out of coaching, most recently accepted a job earlier his year as co-offensive coordinator at Gray Collegiate Academy in Columbia with head coach Adam Holmes, a former teammate and great friend of Petty’s.
“He was my brother and a leader of our team,” Holmes told The State. “He led us to the turnaround we had and was a great friend, great dad and husband.”
Petty spent two full seasons and part of a third as South Carolina’s starting quarterback.
During his final two seasons, Petty completed 306-of-547 passes for 4,079 yards and 17 touchdowns while leading South Carolina to a combined 17-7 record in 2000 and 2001 on the way to those two Outback Bowl wins.
Petty took home Outback Bowl MVP honors in the second of those after throwing for 227 yards and two touchdowns in the matchup.
“Phil Petty typified what a Gamecock truly is,” said South Carolina Athletics Director Ray Tanner via a release from the school. “A native South Carolinian, he was a fighter on the football field, a tremendous person off the field and beloved by all Gamecocks. He was a great friend to many and a wonderful dad and husband. My prayers go out to his wife, Morgan, children, Sage and McCoy, and his many friends.”
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A team captain in 2001, Petty helped orchestrate some of the most memorable moments of modern South Carolina football history.
He led the Gamecocks to a surprise 21-10 upset of No. 9 UGA in 2020 and then the following year led a game-winning drive in the waning moments of that contest to knock off the Bulldogs 14-9 in Athens.
In 2001, Petty threw three touchdowns, including the game-winner with 2:24 to play, in an all-time classic as the Gamecocks edged Alabama 37-36 at Williams-Brice Stadium.
Petty is currently seventh in school history with 5,652 career passing yards.
Following his playing career, Petty signed a free agent contract with the Tennessee Titans and then spent the 2003 season as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Hammond School.
Petty spent 2004 as a graduate assistant at South Carolina and then joined the East Carolina staff as an on-field assistant under former Gamecock coordinator Skip Holtz.
Petty is survived by his wife, Morgan, and two children, Sage and McCoy. Funeral arrangements are pending.
[Click here to give to the Phil Petty Football Scholarship fund]
