What South Carolina defensive backs are calling their newest teammate

Brandon Cisse transferred to South Carolina from North Carolina State in January. The move brought the veteran junior cornerback to a new conference and a new team.

South Carolina’s newest defensive back earned a nickname from his teammates shortly after he arrived in Columbia.

“We call him ‘Glitch,'” fellow defensive back Gerald Kilgore said. “We gave him a new nickname because of how fast he is. Just the tempo he plays with his ridiculous.”

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Cisse is a Sumter, SC native who spent two seasons with the Wolfpack, appearing in 22 total games across those seasons. Cisse spent time as a true freshman in NC State’s “dime” package. The assignment allowed him to appear in all 13 games, recording 10 tackles and one interception.

Cisse’s games played went down in his sophomore season in 2024, only appearing in nine games due to a wrist injury. However, his numbers improved vastly in his nine appearances, logging 28 tackles and five pass breakups.

Cisse’s speed is something many of his fellow Gamecock defensive backs are quick to comment on when it comes to acknowledging his skill set.

In addition to Kilgore’s comments, Vicari Swain called the junior corner freakishly athletic.

“He’s very fast, twitchy, he knows the game a lot,” Swain said. “He has a wide knowledge of football. Learning from him, seeing how he does, makes all of us better.”

While many of his teammates are quick to mention his speed and IQ, his brother Cedric Cisse, a true freshman, talked about the elder Cisse’s instincts as a defensive back.

“If I could take one thing from him, it’s his instinct,” Cedric Cisse told GamecockCentral in July. “Being able to break on certain routes and stuff like that. He has good instincts to play the position as a corner.”

Cisse has an unquestionable knowledge of the game that goes beyond the field. The junior also has a great mentality and approach to the game, South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer said.

“Brandon’s just a football junkie … I would get text messages from him in the springtime and in the summer, on a Saturday morning at 7 a.m., and he’s up watching tape of Stephon Gilmore, whoever, and just asking questions,” Beamer said. “That’s who he is. He loves football.”

His love for football has Cisse in the film room more often than not as well.

“His game IQ, he’s always in here watching extra film, trying to get whatever may not be, whatever could be. Whatever play possibly could happen,” Kilgore said.

What Cisse brings to the group is not lost on his teammates or staff. Swain also mentioned that Cisse’s ACC experience provides new insight when South Carolina faces opponents from that conference. Kilgore knows he adds depth to a room that is replacing a ton of talent.

“He’s really smart, and he’s been a great addition to not just our secondary and not just our defense, but our football team,” Beamer said. “Just his mentality, the way that he practices, the speed that he plays with, I think he’s getting ready to have a really, really productive year for us.”

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