Who's the brand new man in South Carolina's QB room?

[ad_1] When South Carolina started fall camp two weeks in the past, an unfamiliar face sporting a inexperienced jersey was working with the opposite quarterbacks.

The inexperienced jerseys are worn solely by quarterbacks throughout apply, whereas the remainder of the gamers put on white and garnet jerseys. So when a brand new quarterback was noticed — sporting No. 34 — the instant query grew to become, who's he?

His title is Brandon Cunningham, a real freshman who graduated from T.L. Hanna Excessive College in Might. He joined the Gamecocks in the summertime as a walk-on because the sixth member of the quarterback room.

Cunningham initially attended certainly one of South Carolina’s soccer camps final summer season, the place he impressed head coach Shane Beamer. However as Beamer bought to observe him play as a quarterback, he thought possibly a unique place could be in his future on the school degree.

“We talked to him about,” Beamer mentioned, “‘Along with your dimension and the best way that you just run, not saying which you can’t play quarterback on the subsequent degree, however we actually suppose you would doubtlessly be a receiver or defensive again, since you’re robust, you’re athletic, you’re an excellent soccer participant, you'll be able to run.'”

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However Cunningham was adamant that he would play quarterback in school. As a senior at T.L. Hanna, he began underneath middle and have become an all-region choice. He additionally ran monitor in highschool, posting private bests of 10.5 within the 100m and 21.5 within the 200m on his option to Higher State Athlete of the Yr honors.

Then, earlier this summer season, Beamer realized that Cunningham had been accepted into South Carolina as a scholar however wasn’t planning on enjoying soccer.

“So then I instantly referred to as him up. I believe it was his commencement day, truly, and I referred to as him up,” Beamer mentioned. “I’m like, ‘Hey, bud. For those who’re coming right here and also you wish to play soccer, we’d like to have you ever. That dialog that I had with you final summer season has not modified. We expect that in the end you’re a receiver or a defensive again, however for those who’re , try this.'”

The supply was too good to move up. Cunningham cancelled any summer season plans he could have had and determined to stroll on. Quickly after commencement, he was on campus and beginning summer season exercises and summer season lessons with the remainder of the staff.

“He was most likely planning on simply having a heck of a summer season hanging out within the Upstate,” Beamer mentioned. “After which per week later, he’s getting his face blown off by Coach (Luke) Time out right here at summer season exercises. So happy with him from that standpoint.”

Cunningham is listed as an “athlete” on South Carolina’s official roster. He and Luke Doty are the one two gamers with that designation. Each are working at quarterback in fall camp.

Whereas Cunningham is taking snaps as a quarterback, Beamer nonetheless thinks a place change may occur in a while in his school profession. However for now, he’s one other depth piece and added arm within the quarterback room, which is what Beamer needs for this season.

“I do suppose long-term, his place might be receiver or defensive again,” Beamer mentioned. “… Clearly, we’ve bought Luke, we’ve bought LaNorris (Sellers), we’ve bought Cutter (Woods), we’ve bought Air (Noland), we’ve bought Jimmy Francis. However whenever you begin speaking about, we get into the season and all that as effectively, we want greater than 5. We’d prefer to have six arms. So he’s working as a quarterback proper now.”