Defensive lineman Davonte Miles has been dismissed from the South Carolina Gamecocks football team, according to a university spokesperson who confirmed the decision Thursday.
The move follows Miles’ arrest Tuesday on a felony charge of possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
The Richland County Sheriff’s Department said deputies conducted a traffic stop near Williams-Brice Stadium for an improper vehicle tag display and a window tint violation. Authorities reported smelling marijuana coming from the vehicle, prompting a search.
During the search, deputies allegedly found roughly 20 individually packaged bags of what was described as marijuana. A firearm was also recovered and seized because of its proximity to the narcotics, according to the sheriff’s office.
Miles was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon and booked at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center before later posting bond. He was no longer listed as being in custody by Wednesday morning.
The 22-year-old redshirt senior transferred to South Carolina from Bowling Green Falcons and appeared in 11 of 12 games during the 2025 season. Serving primarily as a reserve, he recorded six tackles and one tackle for loss.
Miles had also missed a home matchup against Oklahoma Sooners in October due to what head coach Shane Beamer described at the time as a violation of team standards, though no further details were provided. South Carolina is scheduled to begin spring practice on March 4.
Hours after the university announced his dismissal, Miles released a statement on social media accepting responsibility and apologizing.
He acknowledged that his actions failed to meet the expectations of a South Carolina student-athlete and expressed regret to fans, teammates, Beamer, and defensive line coach Travian Robertson.
Miles said he respected the program’s decision and described the incident as a turning point in his life, pledging to work toward rebuilding his future. It remains uncertain whether he will continue his college football career elsewhere in 2026.
