The latest on Mo Kaba's recovery
After South Carolina linebacker Mo Kaba suffered a second-straight season-ending knee injury to start the year, it was natural to wonder if Kaba might consider moving on from the game he loves.
But according to head coach Shane Beamer, who spoke on National Signing Day Wednesday, the Gamecocks’ upperclassmen linebacker appears headed for a return to the gridiron.
“Everything I’ve been told, he’s full speed ahead,” Beamer said when asked what Kaba’s plans were for next year. “I saw him in the training room pretty regularly, obviously rehabbing during the season and he hasn’t given me any reason to think otherwise. He’s full speed ahead and would love that for Mo and for our team.”
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Kaba suffered a left knee injury early in the Gamecocks season-opener against North Carolina, his third overall major knee injury dating back to high school.
The 6-foot-2, 253-pound redshirt junior from Clinton, N.C., was making his first appearance since suffering a season-ending injury to his right knee at Arkansas in the second game of the 2022 season.
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A member of the 2020 SEC Coaches’ All-Freshman team, Kaba earned 2022 Jim Carlen Special Teams Player of the Spring and 2022 Most Improved Defensive Player of the Spring honors. He has collected 53 tackles in 25 games including five starts over the past four seasons.
Kaba entered this season as a second-teamer at linebacker hoping to ease his way back into the mix behind starters Stone Blanton and Debo Williams.
He opened the 2022 season as a starter and arguably the team’s top linebacker, seemingly poised for a breakout season after a couple of years as a special teams standout and reserve defender.
In Week 2 of last season, Kaba went shooting into the backfield to tackle Arkansas QB K.J. Jefferson. But as Jefferson dodged his pursuit and another Carolina defender also engaged with the QB, Kaba came down awkwardly and felt the familiar twinge, tearing the ACL in the same knee he injured in high school.
