Exclusive: South Carolina Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Trent Seaborn in Unique Solo Visit
Columbia, SC – It was 8 a.m. on Saturday when Trent Seaborn and his family arrived at the South Carolina football facility—only to be greeted by an unexpected sight.
An empty parking lot.
Confused, Seaborn wondered if they had gotten the schedule wrong. After all, this is peak recruiting season, with junior days in full swing across the country. Just last week, the Gamecocks had hosted dozens of prospects.
Then, from the balcony, Shane Beamer appeared, welcoming them inside.
Inside, it all made sense. South Carolina had gathered an elite group of assistant coaches, analysts, academic advisors, and strength coaches—all for Seaborn.
“I thought there’s a junior day going on,” Seaborn asked offensive coordinator Mike Shula.
“Yeah,” Shula responded. “The junior day is for you.”
A Personal Touch for a Rising Star
Though this was an unofficial visit—meaning the Seaborn family covered all expenses—the experience felt far more exclusive than a typical recruiting trip.
“The fact that I was the only recruit up there made me feel really special,” Seaborn said. “My parents loved it. They’re absolutely blown away, not just by the facilities, but by the people. The people we met are just out of this world.”
It’s easy to see why South Carolina is rolling out the red carpet. The four-star quarterback from Alabaster, Alabama, led Thompson High to a state title as a sophomore and is already ranked among the Top 20 QBs in the Class of 2027, holding a dozen SEC offers.
South Carolina’s pursuit of Seaborn began last summer when then-offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains extended an offer and invited him to Columbia for a private workout. Even after Loggains departed for Appalachian State, Seaborn’s connection with South Carolina remained intact—thanks to Mike Shula.
A Weekend Beyond Football
This weekend only strengthened that bond. On Sunday, Seaborn and his family attended Mass at The Basilica of Saint Peter in downtown Columbia—accompanied by Shula.
“Man, it was beautiful,” Seaborn said. “That was the first church I’ve been to where an organ played. It was so incredible.”
But after Mass, it was back to business.
Inside the Gamecocks’ facility, Seaborn, Shula, analyst Davis Koetter, and others spent over three hours in the quarterback room dissecting football. They watched film, broke down South Carolina’s offensive system, and even had Seaborn work on the whiteboard.
“I actually thought I did pretty well,” Seaborn said. “I was able to regurgitate everything he put on me. He said I’ve done better than some QBs they’ve seen on a whiteboard.”
Shula gave detailed feedback on Seaborn’s film, advising him on technical improvements.
“He told me, ‘Look through your film and see where you set up. Define your drop. Maybe your drop is a little shaky—work on that,’” Seaborn recalled. “And he said the biggest thing transitioning from high school to college is understanding protections and how to adjust them.”
South Carolina’s Quarterback Hunt
While South Carolina has its eyes on Seaborn, he’s not the only elite quarterback they’re pursuing.
Just weeks ago, Beamer traveled to California to meet with 2026 four-star Brady Smigiel. More recently, Beamer and Shula visited five-star Jared Curtis. The Gamecocks remain in the mix for 2026 four-star Landon Duckworth, who previously committed to South Carolina before reopening his recruitment last summer.
But when it comes to 2027 QBs, the focus is clear. South Carolina wants Trent Seaborn.
As for his decision, Seaborn hopes to commit before his junior season kicks off next August—but he’s not rushing.
“Something Coach Shula advised my dad and me is, don’t rush the process,” Seaborn said. “Take your time. Be thorough with your decision so you can stick with that college.”
For now, South Carolina has made its move. The question is: Will it be enough?
