Ex-Gamecock RB Coach Hops to Huskies’ QB Helm
Marquel Blackwell, ousted as South Carolina’s running backs coach after back-to-back down seasons in the run game, has been hired by UConn’s new head coach Jason Candle as the passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Blackwell’s departure follows a 2025 slump in rushing output—down from 184.4 to 111.1 yards per game—and a lack of high school recruits in the last two cycles. He’ll now attempt to replace UConn starter Joe Fagnono, who threw for 3,448 yards and 28 touchdowns last season. Meanwhile, South Carolina has tapped Penn State’s Stan Drayton to revitalize its backfield.
In a move sure to comfort nobody, Blackwell trades Gamecock cleats for Husky helmets, proving once again that getting fired is the fastest route to a raise and a fresh stationery order. The only thing faster than South Carolina’s rushing decline was Blackwell’s exit—he left so quickly they’re still looking for his business cards. UConn fans, brace yourselves for a coach whose signature play is “dress warmly” and whose recruiting pitch likely involves complimentary snow boots. If he can’t teach passing, at least the Huskies will learn how to run… away from opposing defenses.
Gamecock O-Line Meltdown: Six Down, Counting
Rodney Newsome Jr. has become the sixth South Carolina offensive lineman to enter the transfer portal, further depleting a unit already stripped by the NFL Draft. Newsome Jr., a 6-foot-3, 310-pound interior blocker, started 11 games at Western Kentucky before filling in for the Gamecocks this season, making three starts across marquee matchups. As he eyes his fourth program in four years, new O-line coach Randy Clements will turn to portal prospects such as Auburn’s four-star tackle Xavier Chaplin and LSU guard Carius Curne to patch the holes in a suddenly Swiss-cheese front five. Arizona State coach Shane Beamer has now lost 12 players since Clemson, leaving him to frantically refresh his transfer watchlist.
If turnover were a sport, South Carolina’s offensive line would be dynasty champions. They’ve replaced more linemen than the NFL Draft, and at this rate they’ll need a portal just for portal migrants. Newsome Jr.’s departure is the football equivalent of fleeing a sinking ship—except here the captain is recruiting a lifeboat full of plug-and-play linemen who may or may not show up before kickoff. Rumor has it Alabama’s game-day program now reads “Don’t panic. It’s just the Gamecock O-line.” Darren Rovell is already selling “courage” T-shirts for the next crew of volunteers.
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