South Carolina football losing second offensive lineman to transfer portal

South Carolina football has lost its second player to the spring transfer portal.

Offensive lineman Sidney Fugar is transferring from the program, a school official confirmed to The State on Wednesday afternoon. A short time later, Fugar announced his intention on social media.

“To Coach Beamer, Coach Teasley and the entire staff, thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me the opportunity and support for me to be successful on and off the field. I am forever a Gamecock,” Fugar wrote.

Fugar joins fellow lineman Jaxon Hughes as Gamecocks players to announce plans to transfer during the spring portal window. Walk-on Joseph Morris also has entered the transfer portal. Players, other than grad students, have between April 16 and April 30 to announce that they are entering the portal.

USC coach Shane Beamer met with players this week after Saturday’s spring game. Beamer said during Tuesday’s Welcome Home Tour appearance that some players have told him their intentions to leave the program.

“You kind of expect that at the end of spring,” Beamer said. “Again, you want guys to have good experiences and good opportunities. If that means going somewhere where you can play a little bit more. (I) certainly wish those guys well and all of them have been honest, positive conversations.”

Fugar played last season with the Gamecocks and made four starts, including the first three games of the season.

The 6-foot-5, 325-pound Fugar transferred to South Carolina after spending two years at Western Illinois. At Western, he made nine starts for the Leathernecks.