With 99 days until South Carolina football kicks off 2026, a look at No. 99, Kelcy Quarles

South Carolina football will take the field for the first time in 2026 on September 5 against Kent State. Williams-Brice Stadium will play host to the Gamecocks and Golden Flashes at 12:45 p.m., just 99 days from today.

The number 99 has been worn by several prominent South Carolina football players through the years. Arguably the best of them all was defensive tackle Kelcy Quarles.

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Quarles, a product of Greenwood High School, made an immediate impact on the Gamecocks. En route to Freshman All-American honors in 2011, he eventually became a starter on a loaded defensive line. Remarkably, Quarles, Jadeveon Clowney, Melvin Ingram, Travian Robertson, and Devin Taylor all picked up end-of-season conference honors in the SEC.

When Ingram and Robertson graduated, Quarles took a step forward as a full-time starter. He finished the 2012 season with eight tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.

Then, as a junior, Quarles was one of the best players in the country. Logging 13.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks, he was an All-American and also a first-team All-SEC selection. In fact, Quarles’ effort made him the first Gamecock defensive tackle voted by the league’s coaches as a first-team All-SEC performer (Melvin Ingram earned the honor as a defensive end in 2011). He is one of just five players to record at least 9.5 sacks in a season at USC.

Alongside defensive line mate Jadeveon Clowney, Quarles earned postseason accolades following all three of his seasons in garnet and black.

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Quarles remains one of the top defensive tackles in South Carolina football history. His excellent play contributed to three 11-win campaigns in a row from 2011 to 2013. Though overshadowed by the heroics of Connor Shaw and Bruce Ellington, he had a huge day in 2013’s “Miracle in Missouri.” That day, Quarles logged two sacks and three tackles for loss in a stifling defensive effort.

Following the 2013 season, Quarles elected to enter the NFL Draft with a year of eligibility remaining. He was not selected. He spent the next three seasons bouncing around the league, playing briefly for the New York Giants, New England Patriots, and Indianapolis Colts. Quarles had two stints each with the Patriots and Colts.

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