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Every 1,000-Yard Rusher in South Carolina Football History
By Chris Wright
Last Updated:
The SEC record books would look a lot different had South Carolina joined the conference in the 1970s instead of 1992.
For starters, 1980 Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers would have set the SEC’s single-season rushing record when he ran for 1,781 yards. And Georgia’s Herschel Walker would have then broken Rogers’ SEC record instead of LSU great Charles Alexander’s record when he ran for 1,891 yards in 1981.
Decades later, Rogers still sits at the top of South Carolina’s “Mount Rushing More.”
Here’s the complete history of the 1,000-yard rushers in Gamecocks football history, entering the 2025 season.
South Carolina’s 1,000-Yard Rushers
It’s worth noting that although the NCAA didn’t include bowl stats in official totals until 2002, South Carolina includes those stats in its record book. That’s why players such as George Rogers often have different rushing totals, depending on the source.
Regardless, Rogers not only is the Gamecocks’ single-season rushing leader, he’s the only Gamecock to top 1,000 yards in a season 3 times. Here’s the Gamecocks’ complete list of 1,000-yard rushers (* indicates the player was not in the SEC at the time):
South Carolina’s Single-Season Rushing Record Progression
Again, the NCAA didn’t include bowl stats in official totals until 2002; South Carolina includes those stats.
In 1975, the Gamecocks finally produced their first 1,000-yard rusher. Actually, the Gamecocks had 2 1,000-yard rushers that season: Clarence Williams (1,073) and Kevin Long (1,133). Long became the single-season record-holder, but he didn’t hold that spot long (bold indicates season in which the record was broken; * indicates the player was not in the SEC at the time):
| Years at No. 1 | Player | Rushing Yards** |
|---|---|---|
| 1980-present | George Rogers* | 1,781 (1,894 with bowl) |
| 1979-1980 | George Rogers* | 1,548 (1,681 with bowl) |
| 1975-1979 | Kevin Long* | 1,114 (1,33 with bowl) |
** Again, the NCAA recognizes the first total. South Carolina recognizes the second total, which includes bowl stats.
Managing Editor
A 30-time APSE award-winning editor with previous stints at the Miami Herald, The Indianapolis Star and News & Observer, Executive Editor Chris Wright oversees editorial operations for Saturday Down South.
