Rahsul Faison update: Shane Beamer gives South Carolina RB's status starting fall camp

It’s officially August and South Carolina is still awaiting word on a waiver from the NCAA for transfer running back Rahsul Faison. Although the Utah State transfer was granted permission on Friday to begin practicing with the team, coach Shane Beamer revealed that the team still has not heard whether he will be available once the season starts.

The Gamecocks held their second practice of fall camp on Saturday and will now have the chance to work with Faison as they hold out hope he will be cleared. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Beamer revealed that he didn’t have any new information to give.

“No update,” the coach said. “He’s in meetings right now.”

Faison graduated from high school in 2019 and enrolled at Marshall, but never played a snap for the Thundering Herd and later left the program. He enrolled in online classes at Lackawanna College in 2020, but did not play football.

And when he enrolled at Snow College in 2021, he didn’t get on the field until 2022 and transferred to Utah State for the 2023 season. His push for an extra year of eligibility came after Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia’s legal win over the NCAA.

Pavia initially filed a lawsuit last November against the NCAA, arguing that because the governing body counts junior college seasons towards NCAA eligibility and athletes cannot redshirt after they have played four years, NCAA rules violate antitrust law.

“It’s frustrating, but I’ve just been focused on football more than the waiver,” Faison recently told On3’s Pete Nakos as he waited on the NCAA’s decision. “Obviously, I’m hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. I’ve just been grinding. Staying locked in. That’s all I really can do.”

Rahsul Faison rushed for 1,109 yards on 5.6 yards per attempt with eight touchdowns at Utah State in 2024. He also caught 22 passes for 99 yards. Faison emerged in the portal as an ideal candidate for South Carolina to take over for Rocket Sanders.

Faison also practiced with the Gamecocks in the spring while waiting for his waiver to clear. The fact that he still hasn’t received news with the season set to kick off in less than a month is a little alarming.

South Carolina is prepared for whatever happens though, having brought in Colorado transfer Isaiah Augustave as well. Of course, the best case scenario would be for Faison to be cleared. But with the season set to start on Aug. 31 against Virginia Tech, time is running out.

On3’s Pete Nakos contributed to this report.