Why Shane Beamer said South Carolina signed Neff Giwa, who has never played football
Neff Giwa, an Irish rugby player, signed with South Carolina football. Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer explained why the 6-foot-8 athlete was added
South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer said he didn't know much about Neff Giwa but was blown away when he first saw the 6-foot-8, 295-pound Irish rugby player at the team's practice on March 19. "You look over there on the sideline, you're like, 'Who the heck is that'? " Beamer said March 31 after South Carolina's 10th spring practice.
Giwa, a three-star recruit in the 247Sports Composite who has never played football, signed with the Gamecocks on March 29 after visiting South Carolina again on March 23. He chose Beamer's program over Miami, Georgia, Clemson, Tennessee, Michigan State, North Carolina, SMU and James Madison. The Athletic reported on March 24 that South Carolina wanted to give Giwa a "huge NIL deal," so he would commit earlier and cancel his visit to Miami.
" Beamer said this wasn't true. "We were trying to keep him from someone else because he sat in my office and he told me how much he loves this place, and he told me that from the first time he was here, how at home he felt," Beamer said. "...
This wasn't just a 'Hey, we got a bunch of money left over. Let's just throw it all at the Irish soccer player. '" Brandon Collier, the founder and CEO of PPI recruits, which is focused on international recruiting for football, helped Giwa visit South Carolina.