With 36 days until South Carolina football kicks off 2025 season, a look back at No. 36, DJ Swearinger

South Carolina football will take the field for the first time in the 2025 season on August 31st when the Gamecocks take on the Virginia Tech Hokies in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. That means kickoff is just 36 days away.

With all due respect to All-American long snapper Hunter Rogers, the No. 36 jersey’s most famous wearer was DJ Swearinger. Swearinger, one of the fieriest Gamecocks ever, was a fan favorite and one of the best safeties in program history.

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No. 36 was special. Not only was he a talented player who earned on-field accolades, but Swearinger was also the heart and soul of some of the most talented defenses in program history from 2010-2012. His aggressive playing style and even more aggressive brand of leadership made him one of the most exciting players on some of Steve Spurrier’s top teams in Columbia.

A Greenwood native, Swearinger was one of several key players in South Carolina’s 2009 recruiting class, joining fellow defensive backs Stephon Gilmore and DeVonte Holloman and wide receiver Alshon Jeffery. The in-state studs made staying home in the Palmetto State the easy move for classes after them. They also proved that the Gamecocks could compete and win in the SEC.

Once he cracked the starting lineup as a sophomore, Swearinger never looked back. Despite playing in the secondary, he finished both the 2011 and 2012 seasons second on the team in tackles. He also led the squad in pass breakups in 2012. Swearinger finished his time in garnet and black as a team captain who led Carolina to an SEC East Championship and back-to-back 11-win campaigns. Though he played on a different side of the ball, South Carolina legend Marcus Lattimore credits Swearinger for instilling within him the mindset he needed to become a University of South Carolina Athletics Hall of Famer

Cementing his status as a South Carolina legend, Swearinger never lost to the rival Clemson Tigers. As a former Tennessee commitment, he helped knock off the Vols in all three tries as a Gamecock starter, too. Swearinger was part of the 2010 team that beat Clemson, Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida. That was the first time in program history that had happened in the same year.

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Swearinger held several nicknames during his time on campus, most revolving around the word “swag.” The names were appropriate, as no one played with more swag than No. 36. His brand of swag was a little different than most, though. While swag is often associated with a player being cool because of a flashy style, Swearinger’s came from being a bad man on the back end of the South Carolina defense. He made opposing receivers regret running routes over the middle of the field, and he came up in run support with more ferocity than just about any other Gamecock in team history–just ask Clemson running back Andre Ellington.

During his 2012 All-SEC campaign, Swearinger made a lot of plays. Along with his hit and subsequent flex on Ellington, perhaps his most memorable moment(s) came against Arkansas. The senior defensive back had been whistled for a horsecollar tackle and a helmet-to-helmet hit (in the days before “targeting” had a name or resulted in an ejection) on back-to-back plays. Then, after the 30 free penalty yards, Swearinger picked off quarterback Tyler Wilson and returned it for six points. Upon his arrival in the end zone, the Gamecock captain chucked the pigskin into the student section. The move capped off his third consecutive play of 15-yard penalties. It also elicited the now-famous “Who cares?!” call from play-by-play man Todd Ellis.

Swearinger earned second-round selection in the 2013 NFL Draft. He spent nearly a decade playing in the League, despite a listed height of 5-10. He will one day be a University of South Carolina Lettermen’s Hall of Famer.

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