T.J. Brunson

2019 Team Captain

2018 Rex Enright Co-Defensive Player of the Spring

2017 Strength & Conditioning Award

2017 Tenacity Award – Defense

2017 All-Bowl Team (AP)

CAREER
Linebacker who was a leader of the defense… two-time permanent team captain… started every game over the past two seasons and made 38 career starts… logged 283 career tackles, including 164 unassisted tackles, tying for 10th on the school’s all-time list.

2019
Senior linebacker who was one of five permanent team captains named following the season… picked by his teammates for Leadership Award for defense… selected to play in the NFL Players Association Collegiate Bowl… started all 12 games… finished second on the squad with 77 tackles including 6.0 tackles for loss… also had five pass breakups… had a season-high 12 tackles at Missouri… also had double-digit stops against Georgia (10) and Tennessee (10)… had a fumble recovery in the upset win over Georgia… notched his first career interception against Vanderbilt… sat out the spring while recovering from off-season surgery… graduated in December.

2018    
Named as one of four permanent team captains… recognized by his peers with four postseason awards for the defense: shared the Joe Morrison Award as the MVP with Javon Kinlaw, was one of three Unselfish Teammate Award winners, garnered the Leadership Award, and shared the Most Productive Player Award with Jaycee Horn… received the Nutrition Award from the coaches… led the team with a career-high 106 tackles and tied for seventh in the SEC averaging 8.2 tackles per game… led the team with 10.5 tackles for loss and was second with 4.0 sacks… led the team in tackles in seven of 13 games… posted a three-game SEC stretch in which he recorded a total of 45 tackles… logged 14 stops versus Tennessee, had 15 tackles including 3.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks at Ole Miss, then finished the stretch with a 16-tackle performance at Florida that included 3.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and a forced fumble… collected a dozen tackles in the Belk Bowl versus Virginia.

2017    
True sophomore linebacker who started all 13 games… ranked second on the team with 88 tackles… credited with 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and a pair of quarterback hurries… tied for the SEC lead and tied for fourth nationally with three fumble recoveries… posted a game- and career-high 16 tackles in the season-opening win over NC State… it was the most tackles by a Gamecock since Antonio Allen logged 16 stops against East Carolina on Sept. 3, 2011, and the first of three games in double-figures in tackles… logged a dozen tackles against Kentucky… finished the Louisiana Tech win with eight tackles, including a tackle for loss… added seven stops against both Georgia and Tennessee… recovered a fumble and raced 73 yards to paydirt in the Arkansas win… posted a game high 13 tackles with his first two career sacks in the Outback Bowl win over Michigan… earned a spot on the Associated Press All-Bowl Team… presented with the Strength & Conditioning Award by the coaches and the Tenacity Award for the defense by the players.

2016    
True freshman who played in 11 games… used at linebacker and on special teams… logged a dozen tackles… made his debut in the win over Vanderbilt… made his first career tackle vs. East Carolina… singled out by Coach Muschamp for making a key block on A.J. Turner’s game-opening 80-yard kick return against the Pirates… made four tackles and was credited with a quarterback hurry against Texas A&M… added three tackles in the UMass win… did not play against Missouri and Florida.

HIGH SCHOOL    
Local product who played at Columbia’s Richland Northeast High School, graduating in 2016… coached by Jay Frye… overcame a serious hip injury during his junior season to log 140 tackles as a senior, leading the Cavaliers to the Class 3A state playoffs… named the Defensive MVP of the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas after leading the Sandlappers with 13 tackles and a sack… credited with 134 tackles as a junior… Rivals considered him the 14th-best player in the state and No. 56 in the country among outside linebackers… 247Sports ranked him as the 13th-best player in the state and the No. 30 inside linebacker in the nation… ESPN ranked him as the 22nd-best player in South Carolina and the No. 40 inside linebacker in the land… a PrepStar All-Atlantic pick.

PERSONAL    
Tremari Jerelle Brunson was born Dec. 3, 1997… graduated in December 2019 with a degree in interdisciplinary studies… was the first recruit Coach Muschamp visited after being hired.