The Best Performances Of Alshon Jeffery's College Career
On Monday, the University of South Carolina's Athletic Department announced that former Gamecock star and wide receiver, Alshon Jeffery, will have his jersey retired later this Fall. It's a huge honor for the South Carolina native, who'll become just the sixth football player in South Carolina's history to have either his jersey number or jersey retired. When looking back at Alshon's college career, he had several notable moments while playing for the South Carolina Gamecocks from 2009 to 2011. Which ones were the biggest?
2009 Game Against Kentucky
While not against a notable opponent, this was the game where Alshon Jeffery arrived on the scene both in Columbia and the SEC. Being a true freshman at the time, Alshon caught seven passes for 138 yards and three touchdowns.
2010 Game Against Alabama
As the old saying goes, big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games, and that's exactly what Jeffery did against the then No. 1 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide as a sophomore. He caught seven passes, one of which was his spectacular one-handed catch in the fourth quarter against future NFL corner Dre Kirkpatrick, for 127 yards and two touchdowns, which helped the Gamecocks secure a 35-21 upset victory.
2010 Game Against Auburn
This game might have went into the loss column for Carolina, but it wasn't because of anything Alshon Jeffery did or didn't do. The now budding star torched Auburn's defense all night long, reeling in eight receptions for 192 yards and two touchdowns.
2011 Capital One Bowl
One of Jeffery's most memorable games came in his last appearance for South Carolina in the 2011 Capital One Bowl against Nebraska. Despite being ejected for a skirmish with Nebraska's Alfonzo Dennard, Jeffery had an outstanding performance. He caught four passes for 148 yards and one touchdown, including a memorable 51-yard Hail Mary pass from Connor Shaw that he caught in the end zone as time expired in the first half. Jeffery was named the game's MVP despite his ejection.
By the time Jeffery declared for the NFL Draft after his junior season, he had left a significant mark on the Gamecocks' program, and these performances helped elevate the perception of South Carolina and put Alshon's name in the books as one of the best to ever do it in the garnet and black.
You Might Also Like:
- South Carolina Has A Chance To Create A New Offensive Norm
- Spencer Rattler & Joshua Simon Rave About Dowell Loggains' Offense
- How Marcellas Dial Can Fill The Void At Cornerback
Join the community:
- Follow Andrew Lyon on Twitter: @ALyon_SC
- Follow Fisher Brewer on Twitter: @USCTalk
- Follow Joseph Griffin on Twitter: @JosephGriffinJG
- Follow Locked On Gamecocks on Youtube or wherever you get your podcasts
You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter at @GamecocksDigest.