Rahsul Faison Update: South Carolina still 'just in line' waiting

South Carolina held a spelling bee as part of its annual newcomer team talent show this week.

Rahsul Faison‘s word was “eligibility.”

Fitting, considering the Gamecocks’ running back transfer has been waiting for weeks for a final ruling on his plea to the NCAA for a waiver for one final year of eligibility.

“No update on Rahsul; I know you’re going to ask,” head coach Shane Beamer said Tuesday. “Same story as last week, hopeful and optimistic we’ll hear something from the NCAA soon.”

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Faison, as pretty much every South Carolina fan knows by now, transferred in from Utah State this offseason and is hoping to suit up for the Gamecocks against Virginia Tech in 12 days but will need a waiver to do so.

As some other high-profile cases have come to a conclusion recently, Beamer was asked if there was any additional information on a potential timeline for a final decision.

“I think we’re just in line,” Beamer said. “We’ve given them everything that they’ve asked, and they’ve some back a couple of times in the last few months, just wanting a little bit more. I think that process, that communication has been very clear and concise. Obviously, the (case) that I’m most worried about is this one, there’s also other cases like you’re alluding to as well and I think we’re in line, if you will.

“I don’t know the logistics of how everything works there at the NCAA, but it’s not a matter at this point of, they don’t have what they need. Now, they may call me as soon as I walk out of here or call us and say they still need clarity on this scenario but until they tell me otherwise, I think we’re just in line.”

While South Carolina waits, the staff has been preparing as if Faison will play.

The Gamecocks have a deep running back room also featuring Oscar Adaway, Matthew Fuller, Jawarn Howell, Bradley Dunn, and newcomer transfer Isaiah Augustave, so there’s been a lot of rotating guys in and out anyway.

But Beamer compared that to the typical practice rotation that the coaches would use to get multiple players ready regardless, not as something that was tweaked due to the eligibility case.

“I’ve been proud of (Faison), the way that he’s worked,” Beamer added. “Proud of that whole group and the way that they’ve supported him throughout this process as well. I believe this, we’re better in that running back room than we were last year. And that’s nothing against anybody that was here, nothing against Rocket (Sanders), Rocket was the guy in that room. He got the bulk of the reps and the carries (but) we have more depth in that room this year, and they’re all really supportive of each other.”

Faison and the Gamecocks hope the next time they hear the word “eligibility” it’s with the news that he has an extra year of it.

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