The etymology of the nickname isn’t hard to follow.
South Carolina tight end Hayden Hurst is certainly a big gentleman at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds. He has a long shock of red hair, often pulled back in a ponytail. “Big Red” is cliche, even by the standards of television announcers, but it fits, and more than a few broadcasters have used it for the Gamecocks football star.
And Hurst has thoughts on the nickname, and another one that’s popped up.
“I’m not a big fan of ‘Big Red,’ ” Hurst said. “No one’s really called me that before.