A new QB, newcomer jersey numbers and other South Carolina football roster updates

South Carolina will begin preseason practice in August with 50 new faces on the roster for 2024.

Most of those newcomers were enrolled for spring practice, with four freshman signees joining the team this summer. Those are: running back Matthew Fuller; defensive lineman Jerome Simmons; tight end Michael Smith; and defensive back Jalewis Solomon.

Scholarship transfer wide receivers Vandrevius Jacobs (Florida State) and Dalevon Campell (Nevada) were added to the roster since spring wrapped up.

According to USC’s new media guide posted Sunday for the 2024 season , there are eight new walk-ons on the roster, including quarterback Jimmy Francis. He gives the Gamecocks six total quarterbacks.

The 5-foot-11, 195-pound Francis is from St. Mark’s School of Texas in Dallas. He’ll wear No. 25 for the Gamecocks. While that’s a bit of an unusual jersey number for a quarterback — they usually wear Nos. 1 to 19 — it appears 25 was the lowest jersey number available.

Shane Beamer is entering his fourth season as South Carolina head coach. Beamer will appear at SEC Media Days in Dallas on Monday along with USC players Luke Doty, Alex Huntley and Debo Williams.

South Carolina players officially report on Thursday, Aug. 1, with the first practice scheduled for Friday, Aug. 2. The Gamecocks will scrimmage on two August Saturdays: Aug. 10 and Aug. 17.

Other roster notes:

▪ Wide receiver Nyck Harbor is listed at 235 pounds, down from 242 last year. Harbor said he weighed in the 220s during his track season.

▪ The Gamecocks count 15 “super seniors” on the roster, those seniors who are taking an extra “COVID year” for a last season of eligibility: Oscar Adaway III; Kamaar Bell; Davis Beville; Dalevon Campbell; Tonka Hemingway; Alex Herrera; DeAndre Jules; Bangally Kamara; Kyle Kennard; Demetrius Knight Jr.; Kai Kroeger; Bam Martin-Scott; Jakai Moore; Joshua Simon; and David Spaulding.

Freshman signees and their jersey numbers (16)

x — denotes enrolled this summer

• 3-Mazeo Bennett Jr., WR
• 6-Dylan Stewart, Edge
• 10-Wendell Gregory, LB
• 10-Dante Reno, QB
• 13-David Bucey, DB
• 15-Fred “JayR” Johnson, LB
• 16-Jalewis Solomon, DB (x)
• 17-Debron Gatling, WR
• 20-Michael Smith, TE (x)
• 21-Kelvin Hunter, DB
• 24-Mason Love, P/K
• 28-Matthew Fuller, RB (x)
• 54-Kam Pringle, OL
• 71-Blake Franks, OL
• 74-Josiah Thompson, OL
• 96-Jerome Simmons, DL (x)

Scholarship transfers and their jersey numbers (20)

x — denotes enrolled this summer

• 1-Ahmari Huggins-Bruce, WR (Louisville)
• 4-Robby Ashford, QB (Auburn)
• 5-Kyle Kennard, DE (Georgia Tech)
• 5-Raheim “Rocket” Sanders, RB (Arkansas)
• 7-Gage Larvadain, WR (Miami (OH))
• 14-Jared Brown, WR (Coastal Carolina)
• 15-Dalevon Campell, WR (x - Nevada)
• 17-Demetrius Knight, LB (Charlotte)
• 18-Bangally Kamara, LB (Pitt)
• 19-Vandrevius Jacobs, WR (x - Florida State)
• 22-Jawarn Howell, RB (S.C. State)
• 23-Gerald Kilgore, DB (Tennessee Tech)
• 27-Oscar Adaway III, RB (North Texas)
• 44-Monkell Goodwine, DL (Alabama)
• 52-Kamaar Bell, OL (FAU)
• 55-Gilber Edmond, DE (Florida State)
• 60-Aaryn “AJ” Parks, OL (Oklahoma)
• 76-Torricelli Simpkins III, OL (NC Central)
• 87-Brady Hunt, TE (Ball State)
• 99-Deandre Jules, DL (Pitt)

Walk-on newcomers and their jersey numbers (14)

x — denotes enrolled this summer

• 11-Davis Beville, QB (Oklahoma)
• 25-Jimmy Francis, QB (x)
• 26-Isaiah McClary, DB
• 29-DS Gunnary Yokum (x)

• 31-Neil Savage III, RB (x)

  Sign Up for The State, This Week

• 33-Buddy Mack III, DB (Pitt)
• 35-Jackson Burger, DB (x)
• 36-Landon Kurtz, DB (x)
• 39-Larry Scott, RB
• 49-Rondarius Porter, DL
• 59-Chase Kibble, DL (x)
• 63-Parker Lawson, OL
• 70-Jake Recker, OL (x)
• 83-Emazon Littlejohn, WR (x)