SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS FOOTBALL RECRUITING
South Carolina's backfield will get an expected boost for the 2019 season. Former Clemson running back Tavien Feaster plans to play his final season in Columbia, GamecockCentral.com has learned.
Feaster has completed his course work and an internship in Clemson and is on track for graduation, according to sources. South Carolina's players are due to report on Thursday, August 1, with the first preseason practice set to take place on August 2. Feaster could join the team by the first practice, but is still awaiting final academic clearance.
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Per NCAA rules pertaining to graduate transfers, Feaster will be immediately eligible at USC with one year left to play. Feaster announced in April that he would look elsewhere to complete his college career. His decision came down to South Carolina and Virginia Tech, although GamecockCentral.com reported in May that USC was the front runner.
Earlier this year, Feaster talked about the possibility of joining the South Carolina program in an interview with WSPA News 7's Todd Summers.
"I've been getting a lot of grief about that, but at the end of the day, it is a business decision," Feaster said. "Like, I had the school, and the fun, being an undergrad, but this is a business decision. This is what I need on the table right now and for me to go out and show my talents. This is what this moment is about for me in my life. And if it happens, it happens. I'm not saying it will; I'm not saying it won't. But at the end of the day, it will be the best thing for me, and the best thing for me to provide for my family and that's what it is."
The Spartanburg, S.C. native appeared in 41 career games at Clemson, including 11 starts, rushing for 1,330 career yards and 15 touchdowns on 222 carries (5.99 YPC). He added 23 catches for 183 yards and a touchdown.
While he had flashes of brilliance, and made big plays for the Tigers (his yards per carry ranks second in school history), he was never the feature back in a crowded Clemson backfield.
He will look for that chance in Columbia. While head coach Will Muschamp can't yet speak publicly about Feaster, he did talk at SEC Media Days about the Gamecocks' need to get better at running back.
"We still haven't found that consistent runner that's been able to run through contact, that's been able to make a guy miss in space, and in our league you're going to have to do that - that's part of the deal," Muschamp said. "Hopefully, we'll continue to improve there moving forward."
Feaster will join a backfield that features three other seniors in Rico Dowdle, Mon Denson and A.J. Turner, who will split time between there and cornerback. Dowdle is likely considered the Gamecocks' top returning back, and should battle with Feaster for the starting position, but has been slowed by injuries throughout his career.
Now listed at 5-foot-11, 220-pounds, Feaster was ranked the No. 3 all-purpose back in the 2016 class by Rivals.com and the top player in the state of South Carolina.
Feaster officially announced the news Monday afternoon, posting a picture to Instagram of him in a Gamecock uniform sitting at his new locker at South Carolina's new operations center.
