A former top-ranking South Carolina football recruiting staffer “committed serious violations of NCAA legislation” while working for the Gamecocks, according to a USC human resources email obtained by The State. Taylor Edwards worked as the football program’s director of player personnel from Jan. 25, 2021 to July 3, 2024. His job duties included overseeing the Gamecocks’ recruiting operation and serving as a liaison between the football program and South Carolina’s NIL collective, The Garnet Trust.

He left the staff this summer, and head coach Shane Beamer said very little about Edwards or his departure when asked about it by reporters on July 15. Internal university emails, obtained by The State through an open records request, provide some clarity about what happened that led to Edwards’ exit from USC but leave questions about what it means for potential NCAA scrutiny or any possible punishment the university might face.

Exactly what the alleged violations were or how serious they were in nature were not immediately known. The documents only address the end of Edwards’ employment with the University of South Carolina

Edwards did not immediately offer comment when reached Thursday by The State. USC spokesman Charles Bloom told The State that USC has not been served with a notice of allegations from the NCAA. Bloom otherwise did not immediately answer questions about Edwards or the violations the documents allege happened. It wasn’t known whether South Carolina has communicated to the NCAA the alleged violations that the emails say were connected with Edwards.