Alabama Football News

South Carolina pursuing buyout from Desmond Umeozulu after his commitment to Alabama, per report

by
Justin Smith
January 22, 2026

Sep 27, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks linebacker Desmond Umeozulu (9) hits Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Cutter Boley (8) as he passes which causes an interception in the second quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

South Carolina is reportedly pursuing a buyout from Desmond Umeozulu after the former Gamecock entered the transfer portal after signing a contract to return to the Gamecocks, per Jordan Kaye of The State Newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina.

Umeozulu entered the transfer portal after playing three seasons with the Gamecocks. He committed to transfer to Alabama soon after.

Kaye reports a source at the University of South Carolina has informed him the Gamecocks is looking to obtain a six-figure buyout, and the buy out can be paid by either Alabama or Umeozulu.

Multiple programs have sued players who have entered the transfer portal after signing to play for them. One of the more notable recent lawsuits came from Duke. The Blue Devils filed a lawsuit against its now former quarterback, Darian Mensah to stop him from transferring to another school to play football after he signed a contract with them.

The new NIL era of college sports is coming with its own share of twist and turns as the landscape of collegiate sports continue to look like the wild West.

Justin Smith( Managing Editor, Director of Recruiting )

Justin Smith is the Managing Editor and Lead Writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine with over 10 years of writing experience & expertise. Smith has consistently delivered high quality, extensively researched information on the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide football team that fans can trust. Smith is official credentialed media with the University of Alabama under Touchdown Alabama Magazine. He is also the Director of Recruiting for Touchdown Enterprises, specializing in scouting and analyzing high school recruits around the nation, specifically focusing on recruits within the state of Alabama.