Clifton Geathers

Junior defensive end who is listed as the starter opposite Cliff Matthews… has gained a significant amount of experience, seeing action in 24 of the 25 games over the past two seasons… has excellent size and athletic ability at 6-8 and 281 pounds… powerful athlete with long arms and good reach… comes from a tremendous family tree of football standouts… has made one career start.

2008: Saw extensive playing time while rotating in with the second unit… played in all 13 games, making one start… credited with 29 tackles including 17 solo stops… made his first career start against UAB… responded with five tackles including a tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry in the contest… credited with a sack when he forced a Jevan Snead fumble at Ole Miss that Nathan Pepper recovered and returned for a touchdown… credited with a half sack in the win at Kentucky… named the Most Improved Defensive End coming out of the spring.

2007: Enrolled at South Carolina in January and went through spring drills… played in 11-of-12 games… credited with a pair of tackles during his freshman campaign, both coming against South Carolina State… also credited with one quarterback hurry on the season… did not play in the season finale against Clemson.

2006: Attended Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham (Va.) in the fall, where he was coached by Robert Prunty and was a teammate of fellow Gamecock Ladi Ajiboye… a four-star prospect who originally committed to Georgia before casting his lot with the Gamecocks… regarded as the No. 14 prep school prospect in the country by Rivals.com… also received offers from Clemson, Florida and Florida State.

HIGH SCHOOL: Prepped at Carvers Bay High School where he was one of the nation[apos]s top prospects… participated in the Army All-American game in January 2006.