South Carolina newspaper issues apology for insensitive Hilinski headline

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The State newspaper in Columbia has issued an apology for a headline connecting the Hilinski’s Hope foundation to South Carolina’s 34-14 loss Saturday at Missouri where Ryan Hilinski was the Gamecocks quarterback.

The story about the game in print editions carried the headline, “Hilinski Hope Sinks. ” Hilinski’s Hope is a foundation set up by the Hilinski family after Tyler Hilinski, Ryan’s older brother, committed suicide in 2018 while a quarterback at Washington State.

The paper received criticism on social media and from the university, which issued a statement against the headline Sunday.

The newspaper said on social media the link reference to the foundation was unintentional, but there was “no excuse” for the wording. It reached out to the family and university to express its regrets.

Ryan Hilinski is a freshman who became South Carolina starter earlier this month after a season-ending injury to senior Jake Bentley.