Kyle Kennard

* 2024 South Carolina Spirit Award – Defense

EDGE rusher who transferred to South Carolina from Georgia Tech where he played defensive end… veteran who has played in 42 contests over the past four seasons, making 20 starts… can play both the run and the pass effectively… strong at the point of attack… credited with 115 career tackles with 21.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks… received the South Carolina Spirit Award for the defense in the spring… has one year of eligibility.

2023 (Senior)

Played in all 12 regular season games, starting six… recorded 54 tackles, sixth on the squad… led the Yellow Jackets with 11.0 tackles for loss and with 6.0 sacks… credited with two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception… credited with a career-high eight tackles against both Louisville and Wake Forest… logged an interception, forced fumble and fumble recovery against South Carolina State, earning ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors… credited with 4.0 sacks at Wake Forest, tied for the most by an FBS player in 2023 and the most by a Yellow Jacket in 10 years… had the game-changing fumble recovery in the final minute of the win at Miami.

2022 (Junior)

Played in all 12 games and made nine starts at defensive end… tied for eighth on team in total tackles with 36… amassed 19 solo tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks… recorded a season-best five tackles including four solo stops against Western Carolina and at Florida State… turned in four tackles in four different games – at UCF, vs. Duke, vs. Virginia and vs. Miami.

2021 (Sophomore)

Saw action in all 12 games… made starts against Boston College and Notre Dame… finished the season with 15 tackles, which included 3.5 tackles for loss (fifth on team) and two sacks (tied for second on team)… turned in his best performance of the season in win over No. 20 North Carolina with two sacks and three tackles for loss among his season-high four total tackles… was in on a tackle for loss in win at Duke… recorded three tackles against Boston College.

2020 (Freshman)

Became a significant contributor at defensive end down the stretch of his true-freshman campaign…  saw action in six games, including the final five contests… made three starts, getting the nod at Boston College, at NC State and vs. Pitt… recorded 10 tackles and 2.5 sacks… 2.5 sacks ranked second on the team… seven of his 10 tackles and all 2.5 sacks came in the final two games of the season with three tackles with 1.5 sacks at NC State and four tackles with 1.0 sack versus Pitt.

HIGH SCHOOL

Earned all-region honors at Riverwood international Charter School in Sandy Springs, Ga… recorded more than 100 tackles and 40 tackles for loss over the final two seasons of his prep career… Helped lead the Raiders to a perfect 10-0 regular season and 11-1 overall record as a senior in 2019… anchored a defense that allowed just 11.4 points per game during his senior campaign… coached by Robert Edwards… tabbed as the No. 38-ranked weakside defensive end in the nation and the No. 77-ranked player in the state of Georgia by Rivals.

PERSONAL

Kyle M. Kennard was born Dec. 12, 2001… is a services management major.