Columbia, South Carolina – South Carolina football head coach Shane Beamer voiced his dissatisfaction earlier this week regarding the NCAA’s handling of transfer portal addition Rahsul Faison’s eligibility. Beamer’s frustration stems from the NCAA’s silence on Faison’s status for the 2025 season, as other players with junior college backgrounds have previously been granted additional opportunities to compete.
In a recent announcement, Faison revealed he has secured the services of prominent NIL attorney Darren Heitner to assist with potentially contesting the NCAA’s decision. Heitner validated Faison’s declaration via a social media post, stating, “Rahsul Faison submitted his waiver request to the NCAA. I will be urging them to expedite their decision on his request for an additional year of eligibility.”
At this stage, neither Faison nor Heitner has indicated that they have initiated any legal action against the NCAA. Heitner is renowned within the NIL legal arena, teaching NIL Law at the University of Miami and representing numerous athletes. He also publishes a weekly newsletter focused on NIL issues that reaches a broad audience.
Earlier this spring, Heitner was involved in a successful effort to secure an additional year of eligibility for South Carolina basketball player Myles Stute, who had missed significant time due to a medical issue. The NCAA ultimately recognized Stute’s case, allowing him to play another season.
Faison’s circumstances appear to support his case for an extra year of play. He initially grayshirted at Marshall in 2019 and missed both the 2020 and 2021 seasons before spending a year playing junior college football in 2022. He then took the field for two seasons at Utah State, totaling only three years of play since high school, with one of those years spent in junior college.
Legal precedents suggest that both Faison and Heitner could have a strong argument. Diego Pavia, who is set to play his sixth college season in 2025, serves as a high-profile example. After a court ruling, Pavia’s two junior college seasons were effectively removed from the record, allowing him additional eligibility.
Just recently, a New Jersey court granted a temporary injunction for Rutgers defensive back Jett Elad, another class of 2019 graduate with a junior college background, enabling him to compete in 2025. Elad’s experience included one junior college season along with four years at the Division I level.
The Gamecocks are optimistic about Faison joining an experienced running back squad this fall, which also includes redshirt seniors Oscar Adaway and Bradley Dunn, redshirt sophomore Jawarn Howell, and redshirt freshman Matthew Fuller.
Faison, who recently transferred to South Carolina, was considered a four-star talent by On3 after amassing over 1,100 rushing yards at Utah State in the 2024 season.
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