South Carolina running back Oscar Adaway 'setting the standard'

South Carolina running back Oscar Adaway is heading into his seventh year of college football. The veteran should be in for another important role with the Gamecocks in 2025, following a 2024 campaign in which he registered over 400 yards as a reserve behind All-SEC rusher Rocket Sanders. This year, he is competing with the yet-to-be-cleared-by-the-NCAA Rahsul Faison, new transfer Isaiah Augustave, and returners Jawarn Howell and Matthew Fuller for carries.

However, no matter how that position battle finishes up, Adaway’s position coach is a big fan of his.

According to South Carolina running backs coach Marquel Blackwell, Adaway is the perfect combination of supportive teammate, fierce competitor, and influential leader.

Blackwell told GamecockCentral this week, “[Adaway is] setting the standard and the expectations of the room. At the end of the day, I’m big on that.” He added, “As much as [the other members of South Carolina’s coaching staff] can say it, too, I’ve got one of the strongest senior guys in the room to help things out.”

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Adaway shows up each day ready to work. He also shows up with an expectation that his teammates are ready to work, too. Sometimes that manifests in him leading by humble example. Sometimes leading means holding others accountable. Blackwell explained, “With Oscar, it’s day-by-day…He’s that type of guy who’s going to speak up and be a leader. He is the guy who is going to come every day and do the things he needs to do. He also leads by example and stays focused.”

This offseason, Adaway has been busy. Not only has he been working tirelessly on his game and on helping his teammates get better, he has shared his leadership ability with the rest of the conference. Adaway was the SEC Football Leadership Council Chairman. His peers and fellow leaders in the Southeastern Conference elected him to the position. Adaway was also reconginzed (alongside head coach Shane Beamer) as an AFCA Good Works Team nominee and as a nominee for the annual Danny Wuerffel Trophy, given to the player who demonstrates the best combination of on-field and off-field excellence, focusing on athletics, community service, and academics.

Those offseason accolades are well-deserved for Adaway. And Blackwell believes they are why his senior leader handles himself so well. “I mean, you can be talented, but you’ve got to be able to do certain things the right way to help us win and play winning football…Oscar does that.”

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Adaway isn’t just a good guy who happens to have a spot on the football team. He’s a good player, too. According to Blackwell, No. 27 has had “a heck of a summer.” That work ethic, plus his experience (Blackwell described Adaway as “the one who has played a lot”), has Adaway in position to play an important role for the 2025 Gamecocks.

South Carolina still isn’t sure if Rahsul Faison will suit up this fall. Whether or not the NCAA clears him, Blackwell plans to start the year utilizing a by-committee approach with his room. “We’re going to do it by committee,” Blackwell said. “I’ve done it when we’ve had a guy. I’ve done it when we’ve had two guys. And I’ve done it when we’ve had three,” he continued. “So, the players are going to determine what the rotation is going to be.” Beyond Faison (if cleared), Adaway seems to be the safest bet to be part of that committee.

Adaway and the other running backs have less than one month before they take the field for the first time. South Carolina will take on the Virginia Tech Hokies on Sunday, August 31st in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The two teams will kick off at 3:00 p.m. on ESPN.

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