Nov. 9, 2011

The South Carolina Gamecocks returned to the Bluff Road practice fields Wednesday afternoon. The Gamecocks (7-2, 5-2 SEC) are preparing for their SEC finale against the Florida Gators (5-4, 3-4 SEC). Game time is set for noon on Saturday, Nov. 12. The game will be televised nationally on CBS. Carolina enters the contest ranked 15th in both the Associated Press and USA TODAY Coaches poll, and are 13th in the latest BCS Standings. The Gators are unranked.

Following Wednesday’s workout, offensive line coach Shawn Elliott said either Cody Gibson or Mike Matulis would get the starting nod at the right tackle position. “Both of them have seen a lot of work this week as we try to get them both better. I think right now it’s a toss up between them, but Mike’s been doing real well this week and competing, so it could very easily be Mike Matulis on Saturday. We feel good with either one of them going in there so we’ll see how it plays out in the next couple of days.”

Elliott admitted he made a mistake in putting A.J. Cann at right tackle on Saturday at Arkansas. “Here’s a guy who had very limited practice experience at that position in an environment where he really couldn’t hear the snap count. That guy just beat him off the edge. (A.J.) plays his tail off. I put him in a situation not to be successful. That was all on me. It wasn’t his fault. That was totally my responsibility.”

Connor Shaw practiced on Wednesday, but DeVonte Holloman did not. Those wearing yellow “non-contact” jerseys included D.J. Swearinger, Aldrick Fordham and C.C. Whitlock.

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