Getty Image
Nyckoles Harbor is wrapping up his freshman year at South Carolina as a dual-sport athlete. The freaky talent suits up for the football team in the fall while running track in the spring for the Gamecocks.
That second priority has caused a bit of a scheduling conflict with spring practice, which Shane Beamer’s bunch just capped with Saturday’s Spring Game. Harbor was not a participant in that scrimmage due to those non-football related responsibilities.
The 6-5, 240-pound pass catcher arrived in Columbia with much fanfare. The top rated ‘athlete’ in his respective recruiting class, he made an instant impact on the field with 12 receptions for 195 yards and a score.
His 16.3 yard per catch average ranked second on the team to only leading receiver Xavier Legette.
A big play threat when on the field, he’s hoping to build on that solid freshman campaign. Unfortunately, Harbor’s commitment to track kept him on the sidelines in the spring season’s most anticipated football event.
Though he was listed on Saturday’s roster, the receiver was nowhere to be found. Many asked about that absence throughout the day.
Shane Beamer held his playmaker out of the action during South Carolina’s Garnet & Black Game, believing his track dreams to be more important than this final practice.
Shane Beamer: Nyck Harbor is mad at him. He wanted to play today.
Beamer refused. Had no desire for him to get hurt tonight and cost him a chance at a potential Olympics.
— David Cloninger (@DCPandC) April 21, 2024
Nyckoles Harbor is training for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
It was an aspiration made clear during the recruiting process, and one that Coach Beamer has honored thus far in the wideout’s first year on campus.
In spring, the focus is on track. After that, it shifts back to the gridiron.
And the fact that Harbor is thriving in his second sport as a true freshman gives even more reason to put all energy into the current track season.
The speedster was dominant in his first ever 60m dash, flying by his competition with relative ease.
He followed that incredible performance up by setting a new personal record with a 10.12-second time in the 100m at the USC Open on Saturday. It was the third-best time in program history!
The 100m finals did not disappoint!#onecockymind #cockyandconfident pic.twitter.com/uV5cZcWu6f
— Gamecock Track & XC (@GamecockTrack) April 20, 2024
He also finished second overall in the 200m.
His head coach wasn’t going to let him risk injury by suiting up for the football team later that night!
While South Carolina fans weren’t able to see Nyckoles Harbor on the field this weekend, he’s sure to make his presence felt come fall. Though his full attention hasn’t been put on the gridiron of late, he’s remained engaged with the team as much as possible while also juggling his track and class schedules (Did we mention he also wants to become a doctor??).
It will be fun to follow his potential Olympic path, as well as his journey into the upcoming football season.