Shane Beamer explains why Rahsul Faison was picked to replace Rocket Sanders

This offseason, South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer has had the unenviable task of replacing star running back Rocket Sanders. To do so, he turned to the Transfer Portal and brought in Rahsul Faison from the Utah State Aggies.

Recently, Beamer appeared on Always College Football. There, he broke down why he felt Faison was the right running back to bring into the program.

“We were certainly looking for a guy to replace Rocket,” Shane Beamer said. “Somebody that had that home run ability. That can take an eight-yard gain or a run that’s blocked for five yards and can turn it into an explosive run. That’s what we saw when we watched him. I think he’s got great vision. He’s got great balance. He can make people miss, but he can also run you over.”

Last season, Rahsul Faison rushed for 1,109 yards on 5.6 yards per attempt with eight touchdowns at Utah State. He also caught 22 passes for 99 yards.

“He’s got a good way out of the backfield as well in the passing game also. Then, the other thing that we like when you watch his tape. For a guy coming from Utah State, he played — anybody, whether we signed Nick Sharpe, the offensive lineman. Well, he went to Wake Forest. I’m going to watch Wake Forest play Clemson and I’m going to watch Wake Forest play Ole Miss last year, and you see how he performed in those games. It’s the same thing with [Rahsul]. You watched his games against Southern Cal and Utah, and he played really well in those games against really good teams. So, that’s what stood out to us. And then he’s an older guy. He’s got a great story getting here.”

After initially going to Marshall in 2019, Faison used a grayshirt. After that, he transferred to the JUCO ranks, and in 2021 and 2022, he played for Snow College, though he was only on the football team there for one season. He’d later transfer to Utah State and now South Carolina. Now, he’s looking for a waiver from the NCAA for next season.

“So, I like that and then, overall, I really like that group. I don’t necessarily want to say we’re better, because we’re losing a really talented running back in Rocket Sanders, but there’s no question, I think we have a chance to be better overall because we’re deeper and we’re a year older,” Beamer said.

“Oscar Adaway returns. Rocket didn’t play in the bowl game for us and Oscar did some nice things in that bowl game. Had a long touchdown run on the fourth down that we went for. We’ve added Rahsul. Then, two young guys that we’re really excited about. Matthew Fuller was a true freshman last year. Then, Jawarn Howell was in his first year in our program last year after transferring from South Carolina State. I think both of those guys have a chance to be really good running backs here at South Carolina. So, we’ve got four and then Bradley Dunn‘s a guy that’s been in our program since I got here that’s got experience also.”

For Shane Beamer, it’s a unit behind Rahsul Faison that has a chance to be deeper than it was last season. That comes from more experience and the depth that this year’s team offers.

“I think we’ll be better with those running backs, not that Rocket wasn’t,” Beamer said. “But I think these guys are really good at running routes, getting open, and they’ve got a good feel for the passing game. Just be another outlet for LaNorris [Sellers] when things — hopefully, they don’t break down — but if they break down, being able to utilize the running backs in the passing game also.”