Nov. 20, 2006

The University of South Carolina football squad (6-5) began its preparations for Saturday’s noon contest at 24th-ranked Clemson (8-3) by working out at the Bluff Road practice fields on Monday evening. Saturday’s game will be televised nationally on ESPN with Sean McDonough, Chris Spielman and Rob Stone working the contest.

Following the session, head coach Steve Spurrier met with the media:

On being rumored as the next head coach at Alabama: “Miami yesterday, Alabama today. Well thank you. I appreciate it. It’s always flattering that someone would throw the South Carolina coach’s name out there. Obviously, I’m very, very happy here. We’re going to try to win us an SEC. That’s the goal. That’s my mission.”

On scoring in the red zone: “That will be a big key this week. It was a big key last year in the Clemson game. We were three field goals and two turnovers in the red zone (last year), so we didn’t get many points.”

On the report of recruiting violations that was reported on a website earlier in the day: “That report might have been like `me going to Miami next year’ report. It had a lot of similarities.”

On the pre-game handshake (that was done prior to last year’s Clemson game): “We don’t need to do it this year. We’re going over there to play football. They don’t have to worry about that fighting crap anymore. Not on our side, that’s for sure and I don’t think on their side. Let’s just go play football. If they want to do cartwheels coming down the hill, that’s fine with me. We’re over there to play football. This could make a good year for us if we can find a way to beat those guys. We know that.”

The Gamecocks will return to the practice fields on Tuesday afternoon.