After losing a previous four-star LB recruit to an SEC opponent, South Carolina now has one.
Shortly after losing a linebacker to Ole Miss, the Gamecocks were able to get another one through the transfer portal.
Only a few days after committing to Ole Miss, a competitor in the SEC, South Carolina lost its best linebacker, Andrew Jones. Although many Gamecock supporters believed that Jones used South Carolina as leverage when negotiating with the Rebels, the Southwestern Atlantic Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year ultimately decided to pursue his skills elsewhere.
The Gamecocks will already be shorthanded on linebackers next season due to Jones’ decision to travel south to Mississippi, as it is still unclear if Demetrius Knight Jr., Bam Martin-Scott, and Debo Williams will remain with the Gamecocks or leave.
Murphy, who spent the first two years of his undergraduate career at Alabama under Nick Saban, returns to South Carolina from Florida State after playing for the Seminoles for one season. Murphy decided to leave the Crimson Tide after Saban announced his retirement in favor of Florida State, which appeared to be a very excellent team that was ready for a great 2024 season but had anything but that.
Murphy earned six solo tackles and 13 total tackles at Florida State, but he could mesh well with Clayton White’s defensive system because he has two more years of eligibility available after a redshirt year. With three years of Power Conference experience, the former four-star recruit from Virginia will also be a valuable asset to South Carolina’s younger linebackers.
Murphy is the latest member of South Carolina’s transfer class, which also includes Nick Sharpe, Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, Jordan Dingle, and Jaylen Brown.
One linebacker from South Carolina, Sam Martin-Scott, is attempting to earn one more year of eligibility with the Gamecocks in order to play for them next season.
However, Shane Beamer just acquired former four-star linebacker Shawn Murphy from Florida State via the transfer portal, which is fantastic news for South Carolina.
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