South Carolina football is mourning the loss of one of its most iconic figures. Steve Taneyhill, the former Gamecocks quarterback whose playmaking ability and unforgettable mullet defined an era, passed away Monday at the age of 52.
Taneyhill suited up for South Carolina from 1992 to 1995 and left an indelible mark on the program’s history. His name still appears throughout the record book, highlighted by his 62 career passing touchdowns — the most ever by a Gamecock. He also finished his career with 8,782 passing yards, which ranks second all-time in school history.
Beyond the numbers, Taneyhill delivered moments that shaped South Carolina football in the early 1990s. Here are five defining chapters from his Gamecock legacy.
A statement win over Clemson in 1992
Few beginnings could top Taneyhill’s first signature moment — a victory over rival Clemson in Death Valley. South Carolina stumbled to an 0-5 start in 1992, but everything changed once the freshman quarterback took control of the offense.
The Gamecocks caught fire down the stretch, winning five of their final six games, capped by a 24-13 upset of Clemson. Taneyhill threw for 296 yards and two touchdowns, while also jawing with Tigers fans throughout the game. After the final whistle, he famously pretended to autograph the tiger paw at midfield.
The win not only spoiled Clemson’s bowl hopes but also gave South Carolina momentum to close out a difficult season on a high note.
SEC Freshman of the Year honors
Taneyhill’s impact during his debut season didn’t go unnoticed. In South Carolina’s first year competing in the SEC, he was named the 1992 SEC Freshman of the Year.
Once installed as the starter, Taneyhill guided the Gamecocks to wins in five of their last six games, including victories over No. 15 Mississippi State, No. 16 Tennessee and Clemson. He appeared in nine games, throwing for 1,272 yards and seven touchdowns.
For more than a decade, Taneyhill stood alone as the only Gamecock to earn SEC Freshman of the Year honors. He was later joined by Ko Simpson, Sidney Rice, Marcus Lattimore, Jadeveon Clowney and LaNorris Sellers.
Rewriting the passing record book — twice
During his junior season in 1994, Taneyhill set a new South Carolina single-game passing record in a high-scoring loss to East Carolina. Although the Gamecocks fell 56-42, Taneyhill lit up the stat sheet with 451 passing yards, surpassing Todd Ellis’ previous record of 425 yards set in 1987.
That same game also produced two records that still stand today: 58 pass attempts and 39 completions in a single contest.
Less than a year later, Taneyhill topped himself. In a road win at Mississippi State during the 1995 season, he threw for 473 yards in a 65-39 victory. That mark stood until 2018, when Jake Bentley broke it against Clemson.
In that Mississippi State game, Taneyhill totaled 512 yards of offense — a single-game program record that remains untouched.
Delivering South Carolina’s first bowl victory
While winning seasons were hard to come by during Taneyhill’s tenure, he still guided the program to a historic breakthrough. In 1994, South Carolina earned a bowl bid for the ninth time in school history, still searching for its first bowl win.
After starting the season 5-1, the Gamecocks limped into the final week at 5-5. Taneyhill responded with a dominant 33-7 win over Clemson, punching South Carolina’s ticket to the CarQuest Bowl against West Virginia in Miami.
There, Taneyhill delivered again. He threw for 227 yards and a touchdown, added a rushing score, and led the Gamecocks to a 24-21 victory — the first bowl win in program history. His performance earned him MVP honors.
Touchdown records that still resonate
Even during a 4-6-1 campaign in his senior season, Taneyhill continued to pile up historic performances. In a 68-21 blowout of Louisiana Tech, he tossed five touchdown passes, becoming the first Gamecock to do so since Jeff Grantz in 1975. The performance tied Taneyhill with Grantz and Tommy Suggs atop the single-game touchdown record.
He matched that feat again less than a month later, throwing five touchdowns in a 52-14 win over Vanderbilt. While others have since tied the five-touchdown mark, it wasn’t surpassed until Spencer Rattler threw six touchdowns against Tennessee in 2022.
After tying Todd Ellis’ single-season record with 20 touchdown passes in 1994, Taneyhill set a new program standard with 29 touchdowns in 1995 — a record that still stands today.
Steve Taneyhill’s legacy at South Carolina goes far beyond statistics. From unforgettable rivalry moments to record-setting performances and historic milestones, he remains one of the most influential figures in Gamecocks football history.
