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South Carolina football will take the field for the first time in 2026 on September 5 against Kent State. Williams-Brice Stadium will play host to the Gamecocks and Golden Flashes at 12:45 p.m., just 44 days from today.
Several solid defensive players have worn No. 44 for South Carolina, including multiple linebackers. The highest tackle total for any of them belongs to linebacker Paul Vogel, who wore it in Columbia from 1980 to 1984.
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Vogel was a product of Eastside High School in Greenville and didn’t have to travel far to play college football at South Carolina. When he arrived at USC, he redshirted, as players like JD Fuller, Ed Baxley, and Mike Durrah were also on the roster. He was also a smaller player than most other linebackers, weighing just over 200 pounds.
The workload didn’t grow much in 1981, either, as true freshman James Seawright joined Fuller and Durrah in the rotation.
However, by the time 1982 came along, Vogel couldn’t be kept off the field. He had gained 20 pounds since his enrollment and had gained valuable experience. Despite the crowded position group, Vogel tallied 54 tackles and was involved in four turnover plays, with two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and an interception.
’83 was a similar story for Vogel, but with a spot next to Seawright opening up, it was clear that his senior season could be a special one.
Vogel and Seawright combined for one of the best linebacker duo seasons ever in 1984, combining for over 300 tackles. Vogel actually led the team with 164 stops, adding seven tackles for loss and four more turnover plays. He and Seawright had 45 total tackles in a win over NC State, a number that remains a record for two Gamecock players in the same game. Vogel also posted 24 tackles of his own against Notre Dame for the “Fire Ant” defense.
Vogel earned All-South Independent honors in 1984, joining three other Gamecock defenders.
See other jersey countdown stories like this on GamecockCentral.com.
Following his graduation from South Carolina, Vogel didn’t have much NFL interest. Because of that, the USFL’s Los Angeles Express drafted him ahead of the spring 1985 season. That caught the attention of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who convinced Vogel to sign with the organization as an undrafted free agent.
Over three seasons as a professional, Vogel played with the Bucs, Miami Dolphins, and Houston Oilers. He saw action for the Oilers but did not sign back with the team after the 1987 league-wide players’ strike.
