A tragedy that shocked both a state and a country will be commemorated by the former’s flagship football program.
South Carolina announced Sunday that its helmets will be adorned with a sticker honoring the nine individuals gunned down in cold blood in a Charleston church shooting this past June. The inexplicably heinous act, committed by an individual with ties to hate groups, prompted a national discussion on the Confederate flag, and both the football program and the athletic department weren’t shy in letting their feelings be known on the issue.
“Whether it’s Greenville, Columbia, Charleston or any other cities in South Carolina, we feel a tremendous sense of pride in this state,” a statement from USC athletic director Ray Tanner. “The tragedy that happened in Charleston doesn’t just affect people in Charleston; it affects the entire state. We feel very much a part of that at the university. Coach Steve Spurrier and University President Harris Pastides felt very strongly that the ‘Emanuel 9' should be recognized.”
According to Tanner, head coach Steve Spurrier had a significant voice in the decision to honor the victims.
“Coach Spurrier was very engaged in this process,” Tanner said. “Football coaches are usually focused on just getting ready for their season, and he very much is too, but he took the time to be engaged with what we were going to do. He is excited that we are going to do the helmet sticker.”
The sticker will be worn on every helmet for every game this season, the first of which will be the opener against North Carolina Thursday.
(Photo credit: South Carolina athletics)