Nov. 10, 2004

Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina’s football team (6-3/4-3) continued preparations for its final Southeastern Conference game this Saturday evening at 7:00 against the Florida Gators (5-4/3-4) at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville. The Gamecocks worked out for two hours in “shells” Wednesday afternoon.

* Injury update from the Gamecock camp: QB Dondrial Pinkins is out with a rotator cuff injury (right shoulder). OL Chris Tucker has a left knee sprain and will undergo arthroscopic surgery on Thursday; OT Na’Shan Goddard (knee sprain) returned to practice; LB Marcus Lawrence (groin) returned to practice; RB/WR Andrea Gause, RB Cory Boyd, and DT Marque Hall, who missed Tuesday’s workout with a virus, returned to practice. WR Matthew Thomas did not practice due to a virus.

* Here are some of Assistant head coach Skip Holtz’s comments following Wednesday’s workout: “We’ve had a good week, but we also know we need to bring our total game this week. This is a very talented Florida team. It’s Senior Night, it’s Coach Zook’s last game at The Swamp, and their players have a lot of respect for Coach Zook and his staff. It will be an emotional game for them. Syvelle (Newton) went through the full practice, but he is still a bit hobbled with his ankle. I think we’ve received good leadership from our seniors; guys like John Strickland, George Gause, Jonathan Alston, Rod Wilson … I believe we will be ready to play. It’s got a big-game atmosphere to it and let’s go play it and see what happens … (on all the speculation about Coach Lou Holtz’s future) “Coach is as excited and energetic as I’ve seen him. He’s upbeat and very positive about everything. Sure, there’s a lot of speculation going around, but let’s finish the season, take an assessment of things and go from there. I would like for him to continue coaching, but let’s just wait and see. It’s our job as coaches to get this team ready to play Florida, then Clemson next week and get to the best bowl game that we can. I believe this team and coaching staff are focused on what we have to do.”