South Carolina Gamecocks WR Nyck Harbor Announces Commitment to Football, Not Track, for 2025

During South Carolina’s spring practice, Nyck Harbor, the Gamecocks’ talented tight end, addressed the media and revealed a shift in his offseason focus as he prepares for the 2025-2026 college football season.

Since joining South Carolina as part of the 2023 recruiting class, Harbor has been a standout two-sport athlete. Not only has he showcased his skills on the football field as a pass-catching tight end, but his performance in track has been equally impressive, even earning an invitation to the Olympic trials.

Last offseason, Harbor ran the 200m dash in a remarkable 20.20 seconds, putting him on track to compete in the Paris Olympic trials. However, shortly after that performance, Harbor announced that he would not attend the trials, opting instead to dedicate his focus to the 2024 football season. With track season overlapping with spring football practice, Harbor made it clear that his attention would be on football heading into 2025.

“My track for this year is done,” Harbor stated.

In January, Shane Beamer, Harbor’s head coach, echoed these sentiments, explaining that the decision was ultimately Harbor’s. “He is solely focusing on football right now. And that was Nyck’s decision. That was something that he talked to us about. I think he realized that though he did a lot of really good things in track last year, missing spring practice… I don’t want to say, set him back, but it was more of a challenge to be ready for the season,” Coach Beamer said.

Harbor had a breakout season in 2024, achieving the best year of his young career at South Carolina. He appeared in 13 games, starting in eight, and posted career highs in yards (376), touchdowns (3), and yards per game (29.8). By narrowing his focus on football, Harbor aims to tap into the full potential of his five-star status from the 2023 recruiting class, and his decision to fully commit to football in 2025 could help him reach new heights.

More news….

Possible defensive starter absent on South Carolina’s first day of spring practice

South Carolina football kicked off its spring practice on Wednesday morning, but there was a notable absence on the field. Defensive back Vicari Swain was not participating in practice, according to a USC spokesperson. The spokesperson clarified that while Swain is still with the team, he is currently addressing an academic issue.

Despite this setback, if Swain resolves the matter soon, he could still play a significant role on the Gamecocks’ defense. Although he wasn’t expected to start in 2024, the former 4-star recruit proved valuable last season, rotating in behind starters O’Donnell Fortune and Judge Collier. With Fortune aiming for the 2025 NFL Draft, Swain was one of the frontrunners to step into a starting role alongside Collier.

Swain had a solid redshirt freshman campaign in 2024, appearing in all 13 games. He racked up 13 total tackles, including a strip sack against Kentucky, and even knocked away a pass. Swain played 314 snaps, the sixth-most among South Carolina’s secondary players, solidifying his position as the team’s top backup in the defensive backfield. Given that the Gamecocks often deploy five defensive backs, Swain was a key contributor, coming in as a reliable reserve.

Looking ahead, regardless of Swain’s status, South Carolina’s secondary will see some changes this fall. With Fortune and safety Nick Emmanwori heading to the NFL, two starting spots are now up for grabs. Judge Collier (cornerback), DQ Smith (safety), and Jalon Kilgore (nickel/safety) are expected to start, but the competition for the remaining spots will be fierce throughout the spring and summer. For more on these battles, GamecockCentral’s Wes Mitchell has the inside scoop, breaking down the competition here.