Former Gamecock football recruiting boss ‘committed serious violations,’ documents say

A former top-ranking South Carolina football recruiting staffer “committed serious violations of NCAA legislation” while working for the Gamecocks, according to a USC human resources email obtained by The State.

Taylor Edwards worked as the football program’s director of player personnel from Jan. 25, 2021 to July 3, 2024. His job duties included overseeing the Gamecocks’ recruiting operation and serving as a liaison between the football program and South Carolina’s NIL collective, The Garnet Trust.

He left the staff this summer, and head coach Shane Beamer said very little about Edwards or his departure when asked about it by reporters on July 15.

Internal university emails, obtained by The State through an open records request, provide some clarity about what happened that led to Edwards’ exit from USC but leave questions about what it means for potential NCAA scrutiny or any possible punishment the university might face.

Exactly what the alleged violations were or how serious they were in nature were not immediately known. The documents only address the end of Edwards’ employment with the University of South Carolina

Edwards did not immediately offer comment when reached Thursday by The State.

USC spokesman Charles Bloom told The State that USC has not been served with a notice of allegations from the NCAA. Bloom otherwise did not immediately answer questions about Edwards or the violations the documents allege happened.

It wasn’t known whether South Carolina has communicated to the NCAA the alleged violations that the emails say were connected with Edwards.

Under Beamer, USC football self-reported two NCAA violations in 2021 and three in 2022. All five were deemed minor in nature. No violations were reported in 2023.

Taylor Edwards departure timeline

Edwards left the staff suddenly this summer, a few months after receiving a raise and contract extension from USC.

Edwards, who joined the Gamecocks shortly after Beamer was hired as head coach in 2021, received an extension in January that boosted his annual salary to $300,000.

In a note found in his personnel file that was also obtained through the records request, the raise came “in recognition of employee’s work supporting USC football NIL, recruiting, and staffing. This salary increase was requested by Head Football Coach Shane Beamer and approved by AD Ray Tanner.”

By July 3, though, he was no longer with the program. In the wake of the news, Beamer would not delve into the reasoning for Edwards’ unexpected exit.

The internal emails, however, provide some clarity to his final days as a USC employee.

On June 23, South Carolina athletics human resources manager Christina Sergi emailed Edwards with the subject line reading: “Meeting with the Athletics Director.”

“As previously discussed,” Sergi wrote, “the athletics department has determined that you have committed serious violations of NCAA legislation and your contractual obligations to the University sufficient to justify the termination.”

Sergi went on to explain that Edwards had the right to a “pre-termination meeting” with Tanner where he “may present the reasons you believe termination of your employment is not justified.”

Five hours after that initial email, Phoenix-based lawyer Gregg Clifton — whose bio notes that he has “represented NCAA and NAIA collegiate clients regarding rules compliance, investigatory matters and in disciplinary hearings” — responded to Sergi informing her that he would serve as Edwards’ legal representative and participate in the pre-termination meeting via Zoom.

The in-person meeting was scheduled for the morning of June 26 inside the athletic director conference room in the Rice Athletics Complex, according to the emails.

On July 3, Edwards emailed Sergi and Andy Humes, USC’s senior associate athletics director for compliance services.

“As per your conversation with Gregg Clifton earlier this morning,” Edwards wrote to them, “please be advised that I will be resigning my position with the University of South Carolina, effective August 1, 2024.”

“If you have any questions,” he added, “please don’t hesitate to contact Gregg or me at your convenience.”

TheBigSpur, an affiliate of the 247Sports network, first reported the news that Edwards was leaving the program a day before he sent that official email about his resignation.

Other emails obtained by The State from USC suggested that Edwards was seeking out other job opportunities while navigating his departure from the Gamecocks.

On July 25, Humes emailed several people in the football program and the athletics department, noting that some had received calls from potential employers about Edwards. If USC folks got those calls, Humes said they can “discuss any general thoughts you may have about him as a person or his time here, but nothing about his resignation or any circumstances surrounding it.”