Gerald Kilgore’s Fall Camp Interception Fuels Confidence Ahead of 2025 Season
Sometimes, one moment can shift momentum and spark growth for a player. For South Carolina defensive back Gerald Kilgore, that moment came during last Saturday’s team scrimmage.
Matched up against freshman receiver Brian Rowe Jr., Kilgore made one of the highlight plays of camp. Reading the pass from quarterback Air Noland, he turned at the perfect time, leapt backward, and snatched the ball out of the air for an interception.
As he landed with the ball secured, teammates rushed from the sideline to celebrate. His younger brother, Jalon Kilgore, captured attention on social media with his stunned, yet excited reaction — a clip that has already racked up over 64,000 views.
“I’ve had a great fall camp, and that was a great way for me to end it off,” Kilgore said. “… I just had to continue to keep putting on tape, and I feel like I did that this camp. So that was just a great way to end it off. I thank God for being able to make that play.”
Now heading into his second season with the Gamecocks, Kilgore said the moment has only increased his drive.
“I already know what I have, the type of player I am, the type of skills that I have, what I can put on tape,” he said. “So, I mean, I’m just prepared to be ready to make those plays in the stadium and any away game we go to. So just continue to be prepared. But it definitely boosts it. It just boosts it up, definitely higher.”
Kilgore transferred from Tennessee Tech last year and appeared in all 13 games for South Carolina, mostly on special teams. He logged seven tackles, recording one against seven different opponents.
This fall, he’s been competing with other defensive backs for a starting role in 2025. With Nick Emmanwori now in the NFL, the Gamecocks are searching for a new safety to line up alongside DQ Smith — and Kilgore is firmly in contention.
“I think (the players) are doing a really good job of just really competing and helping each other and not really making a personal battle,” defensive coordinator Clayton White said. “They understand the best guy goes out there to give us the best chance to win, but I do think they’ve all earned time to showcase their skills.”
Kilgore believes his readiness comes not just from physical reps, but from mastering the playbook and helping mentor younger players.
“I put myself in a position throughout this spring, summer, and especially this fall, to be able to not only obtain information, but be able to put out information to younger guys,” Kilgore said. “And I love to do that, because freshmen coming in, I mean, we didn’t have any transfer safeties coming in this year, but just in all aspects of the room, I’m able to answer questions.”
Coach White has also taken note of Kilgore’s growth, particularly in how he approaches the game mentally.
“I always have a lot of respect for football players who put in the work, and you can see the improvement right in front of your eyes,” White said. “… I can always tell when a player comes to me to ask me a question, I can tell where they are in our system based on the level of the question. So his questions are starting to get more 300-level questions, not 100-level questions anymore.”
With camp wrapped up, Kilgore has proven he’s not just competing for a role — he’s ready to take a step forward and potentially become a key figure in South Carolina’s secondary.
