With 13 days until South Carolina football kicks off 2025 season, a look back at No. 13, Syvelle Newton

South Carolina football will take the field for the first time in the 2025 season on August 31st when the Gamecocks take on the Virginia Tech Hokies in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. That means kickoff is just 13 days away.

Several memorable Gamecocks have worn the No. 13, including some in recent years. Wide receiver Shi Smith wore the number for three strong seasons, and quarterback Erik Kimrey threw one of the most memorable passes in team history back in 2000 against Mississippi State. However, it was the player who immediately followed Kimrey who gets the nod with lucky 13. Syvelle Newton might be the most versatile player ever to prowl the grounds at Williams-Brice Stadium.

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Newton, a dynamic high school quarterback who won a state title for Marlboro County High School, was a reserve at the position as a freshman with the Gamecocks. However, he was too talented to keep off the field. Head coach Lou Holtz and offensive coordinator Skip Holtz gave him some snaps at receiver, and he logged over 300 yards from scrimmage.

Newton bounced between quarterback and receiver (and even running back) multiple times for Holtz and then for Steve Spurrier. Along the way, he threw for nearly 2500 yards, rushed for 786, and caught 673 yards worth of passes. He was responsible for 33 total touchdowns, too. For Spurrier, Newton’s versatility was a weapon on trick plays.

Down the stretch of his final season, Newton played yet another position: safety. He had previously shifted to the defensive side of the ball during spring practice walk-thrus while rehabbing a torn Achilles. However, he had never been a full-time defensive back until his final four collegiate games. In those contests, he logged 18 tackles, three pass deflections, and a sack.

He is one of just a handful of college players ever to reach at least 600 yards passing, 600 yards rushing, and 600 yards receiving for his career. Though hard to verify, he might be the only one of those players to also record a sack. During his junior season, he tied a then-record with five touchdown passes (all to Sidney Rice) against Florida Atlantic.

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Following his playing days in Columbia, Newton spent five seasons playing professionally between the Canadian Football League and Arena Football League. He then got into coaching and training, including a brief stint at his alma mater. Newton has been both an offensive coordinator and head coach in the Palmetto State at the high school level. He has also been involved in various forms of media.

These days, No. 13 has expanded his media company to include an 1801 Media podcast called “As I Sip My Coffee,” in which he interviews current and former Gamecocks.

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