South Carolina running back Lavonte Valentine has entered the transfer portal, the school has confirmed.
Valentine was a spring enrollee in 2018 out of Melbourne, Fla., but a torn ACL during his senior season at Melbourne Central Catholic High School cost him the remainder of that season plus the entire 2018 Gamecocks campaign. Valentine progressed enough to where he could run track for South Carolina this past spring, but he could not overcome being buried on Carolina’s depth chart.
In addition to seniors AJ Turner, Rico Dowdle, Mon Denson and Clemson transfer Tavien Feaster, Valentine was behind redshirt freshman DeShaun Fenwick and true freshman Kevin Harris.
USC confirms that redshirt freshman RB Lavonte Valentine has entered the transfer portal. Didn't play last year after a high-school knee injury but did recover to run track in the spring.
— David Cloninger (@DCPandC) August 6, 2019
“Lavonte made every effort he could,” Will Muschamp told The State, “between practices, between days that we’re off and time when he was away from track and academics to be able to come over and meet.”
Assuming he regains his form, Valentine should have suitors moving forward. He ran for 9.6 yards per carry as a high school junior and was timed at 10.57 in the 100-meter dash this spring.