Marlon Character may have left the SEC West, but he’s not leaving the conference entirely as it turns out.
While his new home has yet to confirm his addition, Character announced on Twitter that he is now a South Carolina Gamecock. The move comes nearly two months after the defensive back had decided to leave the Auburn football program.
Reports subsequently surfaced that said Character was nudged to leave following an unspecified incident with a Tigers teammate.🙏🏾🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/LfPjfqCu8O
— Marlon Character Jr. (@riptrizzle) August 1, 2017
#NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/tUOV6bGyA7
— Marlon Character Jr. (@riptrizzle) August 1, 2017
The decision will result in a quasi-reunion for Character as he’ll play for USC head coach Will Muschamp, as AU’s defensive coordinator in 2015, he helped recruit Character to The Plains. Additionally, Gamecocks defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson was the Tigers’ defensive backs coach and helped in Character’s recruitment as well. Robinson, hired in December of 2016, is the Gamecocks’ defensive backs coach as well.
Character will have to sit out the 2017 season. He’ll then have three years of eligibility beginning in 2018.
A three-star 2016 AU recruit who had originally been committed to USC, Character took a redshirt as a true freshman last season. He had been expected to take on a more significant role this season after moving from safety to cornerback this past spring.
Character will see a familiar face when he takes the practice field as, in early June, it was reported that Stephen Davis was making the move from AU to USC as well.