Saturday night's performance at Alabama was four quarters to forget for South Carolina edge rusher Dylan Stewart, one of the top prospects for the 2027 NFL Draft and the Gamecocks' top defender this season. South Carolina coach Shane Beamer laid into Stewart coming off the field in the first half after his late hit on Crimson Tide quarterback Keelon Russell extended a drive. Later, Stewart was called for unsportsmanlike conduct in the fourth quarter after punching Alabama tight end Josh Ford after a whistle.
"We're both fiery and competitive guys, and it's a fiery, competitive environment, and that's what being in the arena is like," Beamer said of his first-half confrontation with Stewart. Shane Beamer screaming at Dylan Stewart. Stewart does not seem to care.This is bad.
This is really bad. pic.twitter.com/bxtn9Af38b Widely considered the top edge prospect alongside Texas standout Colin Simmons for this year's draft cycle, Stewart is the closest comp to Myles Garrett college football has seen in recent years, standing 6-foot-5, 250 pounds. The former five-star signee played minimally in only his second game this season, Saturday night, after missing the entire offseason and fall camp with back issues. Stewart's been on a pitch count of sorts and was only on the field situationally against Alabama.
Officials appeared to have missed Stewart's punch after the Crimson Tide's fourth-quarter touchdown led to a personal foul flag, or they determined the hit to Ford's helmet was not violent enough to warrant an ejection. "I saw the play that he got the penalty on. I didn't see it until just now, and that's unacceptable," Beamer said of Stewart's punch.
"That's not how we do things around here, and I'm embarrassed to see that because that's not what we're about. Didn't see it during the game. I didn't know what happened.
"We got a lot of fiery, emotional, competitive guys, and I love that. When you're in the arena, emotions are high. I love the way that he plays, but we got to make sure, not just Dylan, but with all of our players, that we make sure it's not affecting us in a negative way." Alabama led 35-3 in the first half and 42-18 midway through the fourth quarter before Stewart's emotions got the best of him.
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