South Carolina football hit with minor penalties following level-III recruiting violations

This summer, South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer dismissed the Gamecocks’ director of player personnel Taylor Edwards. The move came despite Edwards getting a new contract not long prior. The dismissal stemmed from recruiting violations. The specifics of Edwards’ misdeeds were never made official, but the University of South Carolina self-reported several violations to the NCAA. On Tuesday, news broke about the Gamecock football program’s punishment.

According to a report from David Coninger of The Post and Courier, South Carolina football received penalties for level-III violations. The minor punishments include a one-week ban from recruiting, a four-day reduction from the Spring recruiting calendar, and mandatory “rules education” for the football staff. Per Cloninger, the matter is officially “closed as of Oct. 10th.” The NCAA informed South Carolina about the punishment, and USC accepted.

Considering the University’s own reporting of the violations as “serious” back in July, the Gamecocks’ punishment is light. Presumedly, this is because Edwards and the player involved in the violation are no longer with the program. The player left the program before Edwards.

[GamecockCentral FLASH SALE: $1 for the first week, then half-price for a year]

Shane Beamer hired Taylor Edwards as the Gamecocks’ director of player personnel in January of 2021. He was part of Beamer’s first staff in Columbia. Before joining South Carolina’s staff, he worked with the Maryland Terrapins and Arkansas Razorbacks.

Shortly following Edwards’ firing, Beamer hired Darren Uscher as the team’s director of player personnel and recruiting. Uscher graduated from the University of South Carolina and had prior SEC experience.

Discuss South Carolina football on The Insiders Forum!