Will Muschamp on Davonne Bowen's career-ending injury
South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp confirmed Wednesday that linebacker Davonne Bowen's playing career is officially over, news that had previously broken late last month.
A former three-star prospect, the 6-foot-1, 218-pound Simpsonville, S.C. native earned his scholarship offer from South Carolina with an impressive camp workout two summers ago. He redshirted last season as a freshman.
Muschamp had not previously announced the news because the program was still working through the paperwork, but said he was disappointed that Bowen's career had to be cut short.
“Davonne was a guy we were really excited about,” Muschamp said during the Anderson stop of South Carolina's Spurs Up Tour. “A guy that really speed-wise could do some things for us on special teams, especially. I thought he was progressing well at the linebacker position. He could give us some situational pass rush. But he’s had an issue with some stingers in his shoulder and medically they talked to him about his future, and certainly his health is the most important thing.”
Like tight end Robert Tucker and wide receiver Terry Googer before him, Bowen has been placed on a medical hardship scholarship which will allow him to complete his education at South Carolina.
Muschamp says the staff will try to do all it can to help Bowen make the transition away from football now that he's been medically disqualified.
“We try to keep them busy No. 1. They stay on scholarship. Nothing’s changing as far as any of that’s concerned. I just try to keep them busy,” Muschamp said. “Robert Tucker, I’m trying to get him to help with a local high school as far as coaching is concerned. Terry Googer we’re trying to get a job.
“There's a lot of different things we’re trying to do to help those guys to eat some of their time. That’s the hardest thing for guys when their football career ends is that transition, because you spend so much time training. You spend so much time perfecting your skill set. And now all of a sudden there’s a lot of dead time involved with that.”