South Carolina LB Kaba (knee) out rest of season

Heather Dinich, ESPN Senior WriterSep 5, 2023, 11:20 AM ET
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- College football reporter
- Joined ESPN.com in 2007
- Graduate of Indiana University

South Carolina linebacker Mohamed Kaba will miss the rest of the season with a left knee injury he suffered early in Saturday’s night’s 31-17 loss to North Carolina, the school announced on Tuesday.

Kaba, a 6-foot-2, 253-pound redshirt junior, was making his first appearance since suffering a season-ending injury to his right knee at Arkansas in the second game of the 2022 season. It was another devastatingly abrupt end to what was supposed to be a promising year for Kaba.

Last year, he earned the team’s spring awards for the most improved defensive player and the Jim Carlen Special Teams player of the spring.

He was also a member of the 2020 SEC coaches’ all-freshman team. While he wasn’t a starter against the Tar Heels, his injury will impact their depth at the position.

Over the past four seasons, Kaba had 53 tackles in 25 games, including five starts over the past four seasons. It’s likely Debo Williams and Stone Blanton will remain the Gamecocks’ top options at linebacker.

South Carolina hosts Furman on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET).