Gamecocks add commitment from transfer portal O-lineman

Phil Kornblut

South Carolina is losing at least three starters off their offensive line, and Shane Beamer has reached into the NCAA transfer portal for more help.

Offensive tackle Sidney Fugar (6-6, 330) of Western Illinois announced on Sunday a commitment to Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks. He will be enrolling at USC this coming week after taking an official visit over the weekend.

Fugar also visited Cincinnati prior to his USC visit, and he gave some consideration to Memphis. He and new USC offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley have known each other since Teasley recruited him out of high school for North Carolina Central. That relationship helped the Gamecocks land Fugar.

“The hospitality, the family environment, it was just all amazing,” Fugar said. “I felt that connection with Coach Teasley and talking to Coach Beamer. They told me right away I have the potential to be a starter here. They showed me all the different opportunities that they have, and I could really be a good asset. That just all drew me in and made me happy and pushed me more to commit here. That’s all that I wanted, a good coaching staff that loved their players and invested in me.”

South Carolina is losing veterans Jovaughn Gwyn, Eric Douglas and Dylan Wonnum from its offensive line.

Fugar joins Yale tackle Nick Gargiulo as the transfer offensive linemen the Gamecocks have taken as part of their 2023 additions. The Gamecocks also signed high prospects Markee Anderson, Oluwatosin “Tree” Babalade, Trovon Baugh and Jatavius Shivers.

“I see myself becoming a starter and working hard to get my starting position,” Fugar said. “I plan to impact the program the best that I can and give it my all.”

Fugar entered the portal in early December. He’s also attracted offers from Murray State, Northern Arizona, Southern Illinois, Northwestern State, Troy, Hawaii, Eastern Kentucky, ODU and East Carolina.

Fugar appeared in one game for the Leathernecks in 2021 and redshirted. He played in nine games this season and was named the team’s Offensive Lineman of the Year.

South Carolina 2023 transfer class

  • RB Mario Anderson, Newberry

  • TE Nick Elksnis, Florida

  • TE Trey Knox, Arkansas

  • TE Joshua Simon, Western Kentucky

  • OL Nick Gargiulo, Yale

  • OL Sidney Fugar, Western Illinois

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