The biggest loss to the Carolina backfield from last season was Mario Anderson. Anderson was the Gamecocks\u2019 leading rusher in 2023, racking up 707 yards on the ground. The former Division Two all-American was expected to return for his final season but elected instead to transfer to Memphis. Filling this hole is the biggest priority for the Gamecocks ahead of the season.<\/p>\n
While Anderson led the Gamecocks in rushing yards last season, the team leader in rushing touchdowns was Dakereon Joyner. The sixth-year senior punched in five touchdowns compared to Anderson\u2019s three. Joyner was also Carolina\u2019s go-to goal line back, with all five of his scores coming within the five-yard line.<\/p>\n
Unlike Anderson, Joyner departed Carolina at the end of last season due to his eligibility running out. While he unfortunately didn\u2019t hear his name called in the NFL draft, his nose for the endzone was enough to earn him and UDFA deal with the Seattle Seahawks.<\/p>\n
While there is nothing a coach can do about eligibility running out, losing yet another promising position player to the portal stings a bit. Much like Jaheim Bell last year, Anderson was in prime position to take that next step for Carolina\u2019s offense. Now Beamer will have to find somebody else to fill that void. Fortunately, the fourth-year head coach looks to have just the right guy for the job.<\/p>\n
Next Gamecocks Star?<\/h3>\n
The biggest transfer portal addition of the year for Carolina has been Raheim Sanders<\/a>. After spending the past three seasons with SEC foe Arkansas, Sanders is primed to become the premier tailback in Columbia this fall. While he was sidelined for most of last season with injury, his 2022 campaign is what has Gamecock Nation so enticed.<\/p>\n As a true sophomore, Sanders finished second in the SEC in rushing with 1,443 yards, and first in yards per carry with six-and-a-half. Along with earning him first-team all-SEC honors, his 2022 campaign was the sole bright spot in an otherwise bleak Razorbacks season. If Sanders is able to return to form, Carolina will have found the star running back they\u2019ve been missing for so long.<\/p>\n Carolina also picked up two more backs from the portal in Oscar Adaway<\/a> and Jawarn Howell<\/a>. Adaway comes in as a grad transfer via North Texas where he spent the last five seasons. In his time for the Mean Green the veteran tailback put up 2,061 total yards and 15 touchdowns. Adaway is a do-it-all running back who can run the ball, catch out of the backfield, and pass block. This versatility gives the Gamecocks more flexibility in the ground game, along with a serious change of pace threat.<\/p>\n Howell on the other hand is a dynamic playmaker who comes to the Gamecocks via South Carolina State. As a freshman in 2023, he put up 809 yards and seven touchdowns in only nine games. This earned him FCS freshman All-American and all-MEAC first-team honors. Howell possesses all the necessary traits to become a dominant back in the SEC. His lethal combination of strength and speed makes him a homerun threat every time he takes a handoff. This alone will make it hard to keep him off the field.<\/p>\nRest of the Room<\/h3>\n
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