South Carolina Running Back No Longer With Team Per Reports, How This Affects the Gamecocks Running Back Room

South Carolina running back Sam Williams-Dixon is no longer with the program. Here's how it affects the Gamecocks running back rotation for next fall.

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Tavien St. Clair (9) hands off to running back Sam Williams-Dixon (24) during spring football practice at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on March 17, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After a recent arrests and charges that followed, transfer running back Sam Williams-Dixon is no longer with the team. With the loss of Williams-Dixon, the overall depth of the room takes a hit, but the team still has options for next season.

Over the weekend, Sam Williams-Dixon and his brother Elijah Williams-Dixon were arrested on multiple charges linked to larceny and criminal conspiracy. According to arrest warrants, the brothers allegedly broke into multiple vehicles between June 7 and 12. The two were arrested for reportedly stealing thousands of dollars worth of items from multiple vehicles.

These charges prompted South Carolina to part ways with Williams-Dixon, who transferred over from Ohio State this offseason. He served mostly as a reserve tailback while with the Buckeyes for two seasons. He appeared in five games tallying 62 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries.

This is the second dismissal of the offseason after defensive lineman Devonta Miles was dismissed on Feb 10. Miles as arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana.

State of the Gamecocks Running Back Room

Oct 12, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks running back Matthew Fuller (28) during warm ups at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images | Butch Dill-Imagn Images

With this dismissal, South Carolina is looking at a room that includes Matthew Fuller, Jawarn Howell, Isaiah Augustave, Christian Clark, and Jabree Coleman. Fuller, Howell, and Augustave are the three returning scholarship tailbacks from last season.

Fuller appears to be the front runner for the starting job after his performance from last season. He finished second on the team, among running backs, in rushing yards (260), second in rushing touchdowns among running backs (2), and had the longest rush on the team (72 yards) in a game against the LSU Tigers on the road.

Regardless of who wins the starting running back job and how the rotation shakes out, the biggest question mark the team will have to answer is the development of the offensive line. Josiah Thompson is out for the year, which puts the team down at offensive tackle, but NC State transfer Emmanuel Peak was also injured in non-football related activities. Peak is expected to return at somepoint in the early goings of the season.

The offensive line was a major let down in the 2025 season which led to the firing of Lonnie Teasley following the LSU game in October. Randy Clements comes in from TCU in hopes to rebuild the unit as a whole this season. Through transfers and high school additions, Clements will be tasked with selecting the best five to help the running backs and offense as a whole succeed in 2026.