Gamecock Digest

South Carolina Running Back Set to Return to the Gamecocks in 2026

South Carolina running back Matthew Fuller announces his return to Columbia on Monday.
Alex Joyce|
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
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

The transfer portal has hit the South Carolina roster hard as of late, but the team did get good news on Monday. Running back Matthew Fuller announces he will return to Columbia in 2026 to suit up for the Gamecocks. Fuller is coming off a career year in his second season with the team.

Rated as a three-star as a recruit, Fuller joined South Carolina as a member of its 2024 class. He spent most of his true freshman season on scout team, only seeing action in two games before ultimately getting redshirted. He carried the ball eight times that season for 25 yards, all against Akron.

As a redshirt freshman, FUller saw career highs across the board. Serving mainly in a rotation role with Rahsul Faison, Jawarn Howell, and Oscar Adaway III, 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). His best game came against LSU where he carried the ball eight times for 83 yards and a touchdown.

2026 Running Back Rotation

As we sit three days out from the transfer portal window opening, the current running back room in South Carolina is very thin. The Gamecocks not adding a running back out of the high school ranks in each of the past two years, one of the reasons for hiring a new running backs coach, has left the spot in desperate need of portal additions. Right now, with Rahsul Faison and Oscar Adaway III out of eligibility, the running back room consists of Matthew Fuller, Jawarn Howell, and Isaiah Augustave. Howell and Augustave combined for 16 carries and 81 yards last season, so an addition is coming out of the portal. Question is how many?

The transfer portal has good running back talent as of Tuesday morning, but things can still change both when the portal first opens on Friday Jan. 2 and before it closes on Jan. 16. Shane Beamer and new running backs coach Stan Drayton can afford to act fast and wait, especially on playoff teams where players have yet to announce their intentions of transferring. A few early names to look out for is the two Texas running backs CJ Baxter and Quintrevion Wisner, along with NC State's Holly Smothers.

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Alex Joyce
ALEX JOYCE

Alex Joyce is a graduate from the University of Georgia with a degree in Journalism. Alex began his career in television as a news and sports reporter. During his career, Alex has been able to cover everything from breaking news to the game’s brightest moments. His passion for journalism drives him to deliver compelling stories and to connect with his audiences.

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