South Carolina has made a significant late addition to its 2026 football roster, bringing in experienced kicker Ethan Sanchez just days before the Gamecocks begin their season. Head coach Shane Beamer announced the signing Thursday, giving South Carolina another proven option at a position that has been a focus throughout the offseason.
Sanchez arrives in Columbia as a fifth-year player with four seasons of college football experience. He spent his first three seasons at Old Dominion from 2022 through 2024 before transferring to Houston for the 2025 campaign. His final season with the Cougars turned him into one of the more accomplished kickers available, as he earned All-Big 12 recognition and was named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, which is presented annually to the nation’s top placekicker.
The move gives South Carolina a kicker who has already handled pressure situations and produced from distance. During his 2025 season at Houston, Sanchez made 21 field goals, with a long of 52 yards, according to On3. He also earned three Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honors during his Houston career and finished second in school history for single-season field goals made.
His overall college résumé is also impressive. At Old Dominion, Sanchez made 35 of 46 field-goal attempts and converted 101 of 106 extra-point attempts. His career numbers through his four college seasons were 56 made field goals on 72 attempts, according to On3. He has demonstrated that he can contribute not only on field goals but also on extra points and kickoffs.
Interestingly, Sanchez is already familiar with South Carolina’s stadium and program. He faced the Gamecocks while playing for Old Dominion in the 2024 season opener at Williams-Brice Stadium. Sanchez connected on field goals from 40 and 33 yards in that game, giving him firsthand experience performing in the environment he will now call home. South Carolina ultimately won the contest 23-19 after a late touchdown run from LaNorris Sellers.
The timing of the addition makes the move even more noteworthy. South Carolina is less than 48 hours away from its 2026 season opener, meaning Sanchez is joining the team at the very last moment. The Gamecocks had entered the season with Texas Tech transfer Upton Bellenfant among their primary kicking options, but the arrival of Sanchez gives Beamer another experienced player to consider. Bellenfant had made all six of his field-goal attempts for Texas Tech last season and brings his own strong résumé to the competition.
Sanchez’s path to South Carolina was also unusual. He entered the transfer portal after receiving a temporary restraining order that allowed him, along with other players, to pursue another season of college eligibility. That opened the door for him to find another program despite already having multiple years of college football behind him.
Before returning to college football, Sanchez also attracted NFL interest. Following his Houston season, he received an invitation to the San Francisco 49ers’ rookie minicamp, showing that his kicking ability had drawn attention beyond the college level.
For South Carolina, the signing is a calculated late move that could have an immediate impact. Close games in the SEC can often come down to field position, extra points and field goals, making reliability at kicker extremely important.
With Sanchez bringing experience, accuracy and a history of making important kicks, the Gamecocks have added another weapon to their special teams unit at precisely the moment when the pressure is about to begin.
