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Fall Preseason Drills Continue
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The
University of South Carolina football team practiced for about two
hours on Wednesday morning at the Bluff Road practice fields. The
season is just over two weeks from commencing, as the Gamecocks will
host North Carolina in the season lidlifter on Thursday, August 29.
Game time is set for 6 p.m. ET and the contest will be televised
nationally on ESPN.
After Wednesday’s practice, head coach Steve
Spurrier confirmed that All-American defensive end Jadeveon Clowney is
expected to play against the Tar Heels in the opener. “All
communication problems have been solved,” said Coach Spurrier. “He’s
back on the team in good standing. Bruce (Ellington) is still hurt,”
noted the Head Ball Coach. “Bruce has a lingering hamstring that
prevents him (from practicing). He hasn’t done anything for a good week
now.”
Coach Spurrier reiterated that Connor Shaw was his
starting quarterback. “(Shaw and Dylan Thompson) are ready to play.
We’ll try to find a way to get them both in there, but Connor Shaw is
the starter. Dylan is going to play somewhere it looks like. We’re
still working on that two-quarterback system offense. We’re thinking
about it.”
A key member on the defensive side of the ball
remains sidelined. “Chaz (Sutton) is still out,” said defensive
coordinator Lorenzo Ward. “We just want to make sure his foot is well
so it’s not something that’s going to be lingering all season.”
Others
who remain sidelined are Cedrick Cooper (elbow), Kyle Morini (elbow),
James King (foot), Gerald Turner (ankle), Rory Anderson (hamstring),
Mike Matulis (shoulder) and Cody Gibson (knee).
The Gamecocks
have not spent much time game planning for the Tar Heels. “I looked at
them a lot over the summer but haven’t looked at them any in this camp
because we’re trying to prepare for the season,” noted Ward. “But it’s
hard to simulate what North Carolina does because they go so fast. We
just got to be ready for the pace. I think we picked up the pace in
practice the last three days. We’ll try to give them some idea of what
the game is going to be like. Missouri was an up-tempo team, so I think
they’ll be very similar.”
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