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Former South Carolina quarterback Steve Taneyhill, who played for the Gamecocks from 1992-95, has died at age 52.
The Gamecocks athletic department confirmed Monday that Taneyhill died overnight in his sleep, though no cause of death was given.
“Taneyhill was inducted into the University of South Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006,” the Gamecocks said in a statement about his death. “He was named Freshman of the Year by Sports Illustrated and Football News Freshman All-America in 1992.
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USC’s Steve Taneyhill taunts Clemson fans after USC beats Clemson 24-13 at Clemson in 1992. (Tim Dominick/The State/Tribune News Service)
“An exciting player, Taneyhill was known for his iconic mullet hair and his ‘home run swing’ after touchdown passes.”
Taneyhill led the Gamecocks to their first-ever bowl victory in program history in 1994, his junior season at South Carolina. They defeated West Virginia in the Carquest Bowl.
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And when Taneyhill threw touchdowns, he would perform his famous “home run swing,” as the statement went, to celebrate.
A native of Altoona, Pennsylvania, Taneyhill set South Carolina records with 753 completions and 62 passing touchdowns during his four seasons. He also ranked second with 8,782 passing yards and seventh with a 60.5 completion rate.
Taneyhill’s senior season in 1995 saw him lead the SEC in completions (261), pass attempts (389) and completion percentage (67.1) en route to 3,094 passing yards with 29 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
University of South Carolina quarterback Steve Taneyhill drops back to pass during a 42-23 loss to the University of Georgia at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia on September 2, 1995. (Jamie Squire/Allsport)
For his performance as a Gamecocks star, Taneyhill was later inducted into the South Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006.
To this day, Taneyhill is responsible for three of the four games with the highest yardage in school history, including a 471-yard day against Mississippi State in 1995.
However, Taneyhill was never able to break into the NFL as he joined the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 1997. However, he was released during the preseason and has never played in the league once.
He later became a high school football coach, leading Chesterfield High to the South Carolina title in three straight seasons in 2007-09.
Steve Taneyhill, Quarterback for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks throws a pass downfield during the NCAA Southeastern Conference college football game against the University of Georgia Bulldogs on September 2, 1995 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia, USA. (Jamie Squire/Allsport)
South Carolina’s statement said he also bought and operated businesses in Columbia and Spartanburg, South Carolina, after his coaching days were over.
