South Carolina to retire Jadeveon Clowney’s jersey. Here are the details
A Garnet and Black No. 7 will be enshrined at Williams-Brice Stadium.
South Carolina announced on Friday that legendary defensive end Jadeveon Clowney will have his jersey retired at halftime of the Sept. 3 season opener against Georgia State.
“We are excited to honor one of our greatest Gamecock football players ever, Jadeveon Clowney, by retiring his jersey at our first game of the season,” athletic director Ray Tanner said in a news release. “He helped lead us to three 11-win seasons as one of the best players in college football.”
Clowney, a Rock Hill native, came to South Carolina as one of the most ballyhooed recruits in USC and college football history. He was rated the No. 1 overall prospect in the class of 2011, per the 247Sports Composite, and is still the all-time highest graded recruit in 247Sports history.
The former South Pointe star was named the SEC Freshman of the Year and a second team All-SEC selection during his first fall in Columbia.
Clowney went on to record 54 tackles, including a school record 23.5 for a loss and 13 sacks, during a dominant sophomore campaign. He was named the second unanimous All-American in program history and the first since Heisman Trophy-winning running back George Rogers in 1980.
He capped off his final season at South Carolina in 2013 with 39 total tackles, 11.5 for a loss, three sacks and a forced fumble en route to a second consecutive first team All-American selection.
Clowney was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. His professional career includes three Pro Bowl selections, 292 tackles, 41 sacks, 12 forced fumbles, and seven fumble recoveries.
South Carolina finished Clowney’s three years 33-6 overall and 18-6 in SEC play, including bowl wins over Nebraska (2011 Capital One Bowl), Michigan (2012 Outback Bowl) and Wisconsin (2013 Capital One Bowl).
The Gamecocks were ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 every week of Clowney’s career.
With next week’s ceremony, Clowney will become the fifth South Carolina football player to ever have their jersey retired — joining receiver Sterling Sharpe (No. 2), offensive lineman Mike Johnson (No. 56), running back Steve Wadiak (No. 37) and Rogers (No. 38).
Sharpe was the most recent player to have their number retired at USC, doing so after the 1987 regular season.
The No. 7 will stay in use, however, as the school no longer retires numbers.
“The current athletics department policy states that the school retire jerseys not numbers,” the school said in its announcement. “Athletics department records indicate the current policy has been in place since at least 2007. Numbers retired prior to then will continue to be in a retired state. Current and future student-athletes can wear numbers that were affiliated with jersey retirements after 2007.”
USC jersey retirements
FOOTBALL
#2 Sterling Sharpe (1983, 85-87)
#7 Jadeveon Clowney (2011-13)
#37 Steve Wadiak (1948-51)
#38 George Rogers (1977-80)
#56 Mike Johnson (1964)
MEN’S BASKETBALL
#3 BJ McKie (1996-99)
#11 John Roche (1968-71)
#22 Alex English (1972-76)
#42 Grady Wallace (1955-57)
#43 Kevin Joyce (1970-71)
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
#13 Martha Parker (1985-89)
#14 Shannon Johnson (1992-96)
#53 Sheila Foster (1978-82)
BASEBALL
#1 Ray Tanner (1997-2012)
#13 Earl Bass (1972-75)
SOFTBALL
#11 Trinity Johnson (1995-97)
Joyce Compton (1987-2010)
WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD
Miki Barber (1999-2003)
Dawn Ellerbe (1992-97)
MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD
Terrence Trammell (1998-200)
MEN’S SOCCER
Clint Mathis (1994-97)
