Former Clemson football RB Tavien Feaster decided transfer from the program earlier this year and now will face his former team in a rivalry matchup.
As we head into rivalry week, we’ve had several Clemson football fans ask us about the decision of former Tiger RB Tavien Feaster.
Feaster, who played his first three seasons with the Tigers, graduated and elected to spend his final year of eligibility elsewhere. During his time with Clemson football, Feaster rushed 223 times for 1,330 yards 15 touchdowns.
From all accounts, Feaster wanted to go somewhere where he could be a focal point of an offense and prove to NFL scouts that he is capable of being a mainstay running back at the next level.
He elected to transfer to in-state rival South Carolina to do what was best for him, but at times early in the season it seemed that the Gamecocks were under-utilizing the talented running back. However, as the season progressed, Feaster began to get more carries.
Though he has missed the last two games with a groin injury, Feaster leads the Gamecocks with 112 attempts for 625 yards (5.6 YPC) and five touchdowns.
Despite South Carolina’s disappointing season– that included losses to Appalachian State and Tennessee- Feaster has actually been a bright spot for the Gamecocks. Averaging more than five yards per carry, he has continued to show that he is capable of carrying the ball and performing at a high level. All of this is being done with a South Carolina offensive line that is certainly not considered one of the best units in the nation.
Did he make the right or wrong decision? That’s not really something we- from the outside-looking-in- can tell. If he wanted to win a National Championship or compete for team accolades, then the answer is no. If he wanted to put up some solid stats and perhaps give himself a shot at the next level, then the answer is likely yes.
It should be pointed out that Feaster did graduate from Clemson University and, had he stayed, he would’ve been splitting time with Lyn-J Dixon behind Travis Etienne at the running back position. He also was considering Virginia Tech, where he would’ve likely been the focal point of the offense, but reportedly wanted to stay closer to home.
No matter the thought on the decision itself, the most intriguing dynamic of the entire transfer will happen this weekend when Feaster takes the field against his former teammates.
Many former teammates, including Sean Pollard and Trevor Lawrence, have had nothing but great things to say about Feaster. That being said, when the ball is teed up and we’re ready for kickoff, they’ll all be opponents for the first time in their careers and it will be ‘business as usual’ on both sides.
Feaster will be an underdog against the Clemson football program that he won two National Championships with, and it will certainly be a strange sight to see.