Gamecocks place another QB, the son of a former Clemson player, on scholarship

Davis Beville is a third-generation football player.

The sixth-year quarterback out of Greenville started his college career at Pitt, then transferred to Oklahoma for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. His father, Scott, played long snapper at Clemson from 1988-90. And Scott’s father before him suited up for Florida State.

When Davis told his dad he would spend his final year of eligibility at South Carolina, it could’ve gone much worse. For many staunch South Carolinians, growing up a Clemson fan and deciding to attend South Carolina — or vice versa — would be a blasphemous choice. And Scott’s not just a South Carolinian. He’s a Clemson alum.

But Scott’s love for Davis trumps all that. Blood is thicker than fandom. So he’s willing to compromise in support of his son — or, at least, that’s what Davis chooses to believe.

“I think he’ll definitely wear the colors,” Davis Beville said Tuesday, almost laughing. “I’m not sure about the logo.

“... We’ll see what happens in Week 12.”

Beville took a huge risk coming to USC — and not just because it went against his family’s longstanding in-state allegiance. He left a scholarship at Oklahoma to walk on at South Carolina. But after five years away, he wanted to come home, play in front of his family and friends.

South Carolina is home.

“It’s as close as I can get to being back in Greenville,” Beville said. (Well, second closest. Behind Clemson, which is about 45 minutes away from Davis’ hometown as opposed to USC, which is about an hour and 40 minutes away.)

And after a satisfactory offseason, coach Shane Beamer decided to reward him with a scholarship.

“I trusted myself and ended up in the spot that I am now,” Beville said. “...That’s a big blessing from coach Beamer, and I really thank him for that.”

Beamer said he decided to put Beville on scholarship based on his spring and summer portfolio.

“He’s done a good job,” Beamer said. “...He’s done what he’s supposed to do.”

Beamer declined to say how many scholarships the Gamecocks were up to with Beville’s addition. The NCAA maximum is 85 scholarships for a Division I football team.

Redshirt freshman LaNorris Sellers will start Week 1 versus Old Dominion, Beamer announced Tuesday, after battling with redshirt senior Robby Ashford for the spot. True freshman Dante Reno joins Sellers, Ashford and Beville as the four Gamecock QBs now on scholarship.

While Beville’s name never really came up as a QB1 candidate, he has contributed to the room in other ways.

“With Davis doing the things he has done in his career and coming in and leading in the way he leads, it’s real cool, man,” sixth-year tight end Josh Simon said. “And it’s a competition in the quarterback room, but those boys, they really feed off of one another and help each other out there when we play.”