Aug. 6, 2009

The University of South Carolina football squad put the shoulder pads on for the first time this fall as they went through a two-hour practice session Thursday night at the Bluff Road practice fields.

“We had a spirited practice,” said head coach Steve Spurrier following the workout. “We did some good things here and there and some bad things. We had a lot of extra up-and-downs and running after practice from mistakes. We’ve got a bunch of coaches that don’t like mistakes around here. Hopefully we can eliminate the way we’ve made so many mistakes in the past. We’re just practicing, trying to get better.”

Coach Spurrier was complimentary of freshman wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, who caught a long pass from Reid McCollum. “It was a jump ball. Reid can throw it a long way. Alshon can come down with the ball. He’s a guy it’s worth pitching two or three up in the air to him and see what happens. He’s got a knack of going and getting it. We’ve learned that in the last two or three days. A tall receiver like Alshon’s got an advantage.”

The two junior college offensive linemen from Georgia Military, Steven Singleton and Rokevious Watkins, attended their first practice on Thursday. “They can’t do anything yet,” explained Coach Spurrier. “I think they can jog around a little bit tomorrow. They’re a little on the pudgy side, but they were on the pudgy side when we signed them. They haven’t had Coach Fitz’s offseason program at all. They don’t quite look like our other players right now.”

The Gamecocks will return to the practice fields on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. That practice will be open to the pubic.