Shane Beamer gives latest on injuries to Jaylen Brown, George Wilson Jr.

South Carolina added EDGEs Jaylen Brown and George Wilson Jr. via the transfer portal this offseason, with designs of both making a big impact opposite superstar pass-rusher Dylan Stewart. Both were injured without playing a down for the Gamecocks.

It appeared at the time of each injury — Brown’s in the spring and Wilson’s during preseason camp — that they were long-term and potentially season-ending, but Beamer never completely confirmed that at the time.

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Now nine games into the season, with just three regular-season games left, Beamer confirmed both players will miss the rest of the year, too.

“They’re trending the right direction,” Beamer said. “It makes me sad because Jaylen and George were two portal guys we brought in that we knew would bring help to that EDGE room and they’ve been out the whole season, not to mention Kobe (Sakyi-Prah) too. It breaks my heart when I walk into the training room each day and I see those guys rehabbing. But literally just told Jaylen that before I came up, it won’t be long before he’s back out there. But not trending to be ready in these next three weeks.”

The fifth-year head coach did provide some encouraging news on reserve offensive lineman Ryan Brubaker, who had been dealing with a long-term injury too.

“Ryan Brubaker, now, credit to him, he missed all of spring practice essentially and thought his injury may be potentially long, long, long, long-term, but he’s actually back out there practicing now,” Beamer said. “And is healthy, which is pretty awesome too. What a testiment to Ryan and the warrior that he is, because he had a long road ahead of him, we thought, by no means did we think he’d be practicing in November, but he is, so that’s a credit to him.”

Brown, who transferred in as a true sophomore before suffering the knee injury, will still have three years of eligibility when he returns to action with the Gamecocks next year after playing for Missouri as a true freshman last season.

This would have been Wilson’s final year of eligibility but Beamer said during the preseason that they were already working to get him back in 2026 if he was not able to play this year.

“Disappointing for him to not be ready to go right now and to be out for a little bit,” Beamer said in August. “Trying to find a positive in everything and what I told him is that maybe this is a positive beacuse you didn’t get here until June and now, if you’re not able to get back here in ’25, you have an entire offseason in the weight room where you should be an even better version of yourself in 2026.”

The 2025 Gamecocks are set to take on No. 3 Texas A&M this Saturday in College Station, Texas. The non kickoff will be on ESPN.

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