South Carolina Gamecocks football 2014 roster preview: No. 2, Sterling Sharpe

Some of you younger folks may wonder why no one took #2 on this year's Gamecock squad. In honor of everyone's captain, Derek Jeter you might suspect? Well no, though I think we all realize that would be an appropriate honor for someone who played the game The Right Way so long as that never included him moving positions for the better of the team (enough baseball, sorry).

In any event, the number goes undonned because Carolina retired it after the *ahem* sterling career of its former wide receiver, Sterling Sharpe. Sharpe came to Carolina from Glenville, Georgia, and helped lead the Gamecocks to one of their best seasons ever in 1987, when they finished 8-4. He still holds a number of records at Carolina, including the longest kick return ever by a Gamecock at 105 yards against Duke:

Sharpe stands third and sixth all-time for Carolina in season receiving yards with 1186 in 1986 and 915 in 1987. He is third in career receiving yards with 2497 and sixth in receiving TDs with 17, all during an era with less passing and fewer games played than most of those ahead of him (this is not meant as an insult to the greatness of Alshon Jeffrey, Kenny McKinley, Sidney Rice, Jermale Kelly, et. al.).

Enjoy an eight minute video summarizing his college career below, where he dresses outstandingly and otherwise shows off his excellence on the football field.