South Carolina suffered another setback at EDGE this week, as head coach Shane Beamer announced Tuesday that transfer George Wilson will miss significant time with an injury, dealing a major blow to the Gamecocks’ defensive depth.
“No new injury updates that are long-term other than George Wilson, an EDGE transfer that was going to play for us this season,” Beamer told reporters at his weekly press conference. “He’s going to be out for a while as well, which is unfortunate. We’ve kind of gotten hit pretty good at that one spot, which is disappointing from a depth standpoint. But a lot of guys that are there are competing and working to get better.”
Wilson’s injury marks the second consecutive week that Beamer has revealed a major blow to the pass rush unit. Last week, the coach confirmed that freshman EDGE Kobby Sakyi-Prah would be sidelined with a long-term lower body injury. Add in earlier updates on Jaylen Brown, Ryan Brubaker, Caleb Williams, and Zahbari Sandy, and the Gamecocks are already navigating a bruising preseason when it comes to injuries.
Despite the setback, Beamer stressed that Wilson’s college career may not be finished. If he cannot return in 2025, there is a strong possibility the senior will receive an additional year of eligibility to play in 2026.
“We’ll see what happens this year, but we’re already working to get him back in 2026, absolutely, if we’re not able to get him back in 2025,” Beamer said. “It’s disappointing for him to not be ready to go right now and to be out for a little bit, but like I told him, you try to find the positive in everything. What I told him is maybe this is a positive because you didn’t get here until June and now you have a chance—if you’re not able to get back in 2025—to have an entire offseason in the weight room, and you should be an even better version of yourself in 2026.”
Wilson’s journey to Columbia has been anything but straightforward. Originally a Gamecock commit out of high school over five years ago, he backed away from South Carolina after Will Muschamp’s firing and ultimately signed with Florida State. He spent two seasons in Tallahassee before transferring to Campbell, where he reinvented himself as a disruptive pass rusher.
In 2023, his first season with the Fighting Camels, Wilson appeared in all 11 games, starting four, while recording 21 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and a team-high four sacks. He followed that up last season with 12 appearances and seven starts, notching 18 tackles, six tackles for loss, and five sacks. With a combined nine sacks in two years, he proved himself as one of Campbell’s most consistent defensive threats.
Hoping to showcase his talent at the highest level, Wilson entered the transfer portal with one year of eligibility remaining. When South Carolina called, the decision was instant.
“I got in the portal and Coach Sterl Luc called me and I thought it was a no-brainer,” Wilson told GamecockCentral before fall camp. “I wanted to be at South Carolina out of high school, and I thought it was a no-brainer, so I just ended the deal there.”
Now, instead of suiting up for what was supposed to be a long-awaited full-circle moment, Wilson will spend the year on the sidelines, rehabbing and preparing for a possible comeback.
Meanwhile, South Carolina continues to feel the pressure at EDGE. Depth is already thin, and the loss of both Wilson and Sakyi-Prah piles even more responsibility on the shoulders of the remaining players in the rotation. Beamer acknowledged the challenge but expressed confidence that the unit would keep progressing.
As for other roster updates, Beamer confirmed Tuesday that there is still no change in the situation surrounding transfer running back Rahsul Faison, whose NCAA eligibility status remains unresolved.
With fall camp still ongoing, the Gamecocks will look to steady themselves as they prepare for the grind of the 2025 season—though the road just got a lot tougher on the defensive edge.
