Dave Doeren Opens Up About Losing Brandon Cisse and the Shocking Flip to South Carolina;

Brandon Cisse’s Flip from NC State to South Carolina Highlights Growing Transfer Era Challenges

One of South Carolina’s more unexpected offseason additions, Brandon Cisse, made waves when he transferred from NC State to the Gamecocks — despite having previously committed to stay with the Wolfpack for 2025. The Sumter, South Carolina native made his move in January, just weeks after signing an NIL deal with NC State’s collective, Savage Wolves.

Now, Cisse’s former head coach, Dave Doeren, is reflecting on what the cornerback’s departure means for the modern college football landscape.

“You have to kind of wrap your head around the fact that you’re going to lose some guys that you shouldn’t lose,” Doeren said in a July 24 appearance on the Ovies & Giglio podcast.
“At the end of the day, they’re making decisions for them and their family that you don’t have to agree with. It’s OK to think they’re wrong, and it’s OK for them to think they’re right.”

Cisse’s Rise at NC State

Cisse, a former three-star recruit out of Lakewood High School in Sumter, quickly outperformed expectations. Ranked No. 51 among corners and No. 505 overall in the Class of 2023, he became a regular contributor for the Wolfpack as a true freshman in 2023. By 2024, he was starting regularly at cornerback when healthy, totaling 38 tackles, five pass breakups, and an interception over two seasons.

In December 2024, it seemed NC State had locked him in for another year after the Savage Wolves collective announced Cisse had re-signed with the program. But by January 13, he entered the transfer portal and publicly committed to Shane Beamer’s Gamecocks.

What Changed?

Cisse later clarified his decision, telling The State in March that the NIL contract he signed with NC State was non-binding and that he did not receive any money up front. His decision, he explained, was driven by staff departures—specifically, NC State’s defensive coordinator and DBs coach leaving the program.

He also emphasized that South Carolina defensive backs coach Torrian Gray, who had recruited him in high school, was a familiar face—but denied any illegal recruiting activity.

“There was no tampering at all,” Cisse stated.

Doeren’s Perspective on Losing Talent

Doeren, without naming Cisse directly, acknowledged how tough it is to lose players like him—under-the-radar prospects that NC State built into high-impact players, much like former stars Bradley Chubb, Garrett Bradbury, and Ickey Ekwonu.

“Those are the types of kids… that we’ve identified and really beat nobody to get, and now they become all-conference and in some cases NFL players,” he said. “But it doesn’t mean the other 124 guys in the locker room aren’t still there. And you’ve just gotta move on, you know?”

“It’s harder in this space,” Doeren continued. “But my formula of identifying guys that are tough, that have the measurables, and making them into really good players… won’t change. And we will lose some of them, because that’s just the way it is these days.”

Fresh Start at South Carolina

Since arriving in Columbia, Cisse has made an immediate impression. He was named USC’s 2025 “newcomer of the spring” on defense and shared newcomer honors on special teams. He’s projected to start at cornerback this fall as South Carolina eyes a potential College Football Playoff run after a 9-4 season.

The move also brought a family reunion: Cedric Cisse, Brandon’s younger brother and a 2025 defensive back recruit, joined South Carolina as a walk-on after decommitting from NC State. Cedric, like Brandon, also played at Lakewood High.

The Cisse brothers’ journey from NC State to South Carolina reflects the new reality in college football—where NIL, coaching changes, and player mobility are rewriting the playbook on loyalty and program building.