Stephon Gilmore and Alshon Jeffery will line up on opposite sides of the field in Super Bowl LII, but once upon a time the two were college teammates with a special connection.

Even though Patriots fans (and NFL fans in general) know Gilmore as a talented cornerback, he was named South Carolina’s “Mr. Football” in 2008 partly for his play as a high school quarterback. Gilmore, who is in his first year with the Patriots in 2017, led South Pointe High School to a perfect 15-0 record and a state title playing both offense and defense.

In 2009, Gilmore and Jeffery were true freshmen at South Carolina. In an attempt to help jumpstart the offense, South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier installed plays out of a version of the popularized “Wildcat Formation” with the speedy Gilmore as quarterback. Dubbed the “Wild Cock” formation after South Carolina’s mascot (the Gamecock), the play design included passing options.


And in a coincidental turn of events, both passes that Gilmore completed during his time at South Carolina went to Jeffery.

The first came as a freshman against South Carolina’s rival, Clemson, on Nov. 28, 2009. Faking a run, Gilmore kept the ball and passed 39 yards downfield to Jeffery. South Carolina went on to upset the 15th ranked Tigers, 34-17:

The second Gilmore-Jeffery connection came a year later in the Chick-fil-A Bowl against Florida State. Down nine points in the fourth quarter, Jeffery showed off his future NFL talent by reeling in Gilmore’s pass in the vicinity of multiple defenders:

While it’s uncertain how much the two will actually matchup against each other in the Super Bowl on Feb. 4, it’s clear that in an emergency, the Patriots have another quarterback possibility on the roster.