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Former South Carolina punter Joseph Charlton was on hand at the Gamecocks’ football home opener against SC State over the weekend. He was not, however, on the sidelines.
Was his access denied? Charlton’s girlfriend led some to believe that was the case with a contextless post on TikTok.
The Gamecocks hosted the instate Bulldogs in Columbia for a Week 2 showdown. A number of highly rated recruits were in the building, as was their special teams star from the past.
Charlton’s girlfriend filmed a video of the punter in Williams-Brice Stadium. She hinted at some bad blood in a seemingly shady post.
Did South Carolina football deny access?
A clip with the caption reading, “Imagine playing 4 years here & not even being let in!” was posted by TikTok account Coral Marie (@coralschadewald).
Previous posts would appear to confirm Coral’s relationship with Joseph Charlton. She is dating the former college and pro punter.
Photos from his Instagram account can also be referenced as evidence.
Looking back at the initial post, there’s little context. All we see is Charlton standing in a walkway potentially speaking to security crew members.
Was there a reason he was supposed to be on the field? Did he reach out to the staff for sideline passes? Was he expecting to gain access without credentials? Was the video posted simply for clout?
We don’t know! What we do know is that it caused a bit of stir online. Most tended to side with the Gamecocks despite Charlton’s affiliation with the program.
“He’s a former pro, all he had to do was reach out to Beamer or the athletic department and he would’ve been welcomed,” one follower commented.
“We all pay, bro,” wrote another. “Go Cocks!”
Player access is a topic that’s been discussed before at schools across the country. Some coaching staffs love inviting former players back. Others are a bit more selective when it comes to field access.
Florida Gators star Janoris Jenkins, for example, ripped into the current staff for not allowing former players to be around the program.
Shane Beamer, however, seems open to including past Gamecocks so long as the correct steps are taken. The alleged mix-up with Charlton remains unclear.
Who is Joseph Charlton?
Charlton is a former all-conference punter that’s arguably the best player at his position in program history. He owns a South Carolina career record of 45.5 yards per punt, including a single-season mark of 47.7 yards per punt as a senior.
After wrapping up his time at South Carolina, he moved onto the NFL. Charlton suited up for the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars across two pro seasons.
He now owns a pressure washing company in the Columbia area.
There appears to be no reason he wouldn’t be welcomed back by his alma mater given his success. That only makes the TikTok post all the more confusing!