Beamer Updates Gamecocks Injury Report, Clarifies Rahsul Faison’s Absence
South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer delivered a mix of reassuring and cautious updates Tuesday on running back Rahsul Faison and other injured Gamecocks.
The good news for Faison: he’s not dealing with a serious injury. The neutral news: there’s still no update on his ongoing NCAA eligibility case.
“I know I’m going to get asked about Rahsul; I don’t have an update for you right now,” Beamer said. “He wasn’t at practice Sunday, that wasn’t because of his situation with the NCAA, he just got hit on his shoulder a little bit in our scrimmage on Saturday night, it’s nothing serious, just a bruise, but he was in the training room, getting some extra work done Sunday night when you guys were at practice. But he was back out there today and in good spirits.”
Faison, who is seeking an additional year of eligibility from the NCAA, has stayed upbeat through the process. Beamer remains hopeful the final ruling will go his way.
Other injury notes
Beamer also addressed the status of nickelback Jalon Kilgore and EDGE rusher Desmond Umeozulu, who were limited or absent from Sunday’s viewing period.
“They (have) normal bumps and bruises,” Beamer said. “Des will be fine; got banged up in the scrimmage the other night. Jalon’s got a little bit of a soft tissue injury on the lower body but if we played today they would play.”
The most significant setbacks came for freshman EDGE Kobby Sakyi-Prah and walk-on defensive back Jackson Burger.
“Nothing really new injury-wise to report, normal bumps and bruises that you have in preseason camp, nothing long term that would affect anybody playing in Game 1 other than Kobby Sakyi-Prah, our true freshman, he’s got a lower body injury that will be somewhat long-term. I wouldn’t expect him back anytime soon,” Beamer said.
“Jackson Burger, who was really doing some great things for us from a defensive back and special teams standpoint going back to the spring, the rate that he improved from last year to now was really impressive. He’ll be out for a while also.”
Aside from those two long-term injuries, Beamer said the team is in good shape heading into the season opener.
“Everybody else that I haven’t already said was going to be out long term, no one new to report other than those two. Optimistic that everybody will be good as we go into Game 1,” he said.
