Oct. 31, 2011

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Freshman tailback Brandon Wilds from the football team has been named AgSouth Athlete of the Week.

Wilds, a 6-1, 223-pounder from Blythewood, S.C., made his first collegiate start Saturday at Tennessee and responded with 137 yards rushing on 28 carries, an average of 4.9 yards per carry, in the Gamecocks’ 14-3 win. He was also Carolina’s top receiver with three catches for 31 yards, accounting for 168 of the Gamecocks’ 318 total offensive yards against the Vols.

On Carolina’s 20-play, 98-yard third quarter drive, Wilds carried the ball 11 times for 51 yards. He entered the game with just 13 carries on the season for 75 yards.

Wilds and the Gamecocks (7-1, 5-1 SEC) will return to the Bluff Road practice fields Monday night at 7 pm as they begin preparations for Saturday’s contest at Arkansas (7-1, 3-1 SEC).