Oct. 15, 2002

Columbia, SC –

? Inclimate weather caused a change in South Carolina’s practice schedule Tuesday, as the Gamecocks continued preparation for their showdown this Saturday against #14 LSU in Baton Rouge. With the USC campus on fall break, the Gamecock squad met Tuesday morning and looked at film of the Tiger team. The offense practiced for two hours in the indoor facility, while the defense practiced for two hours on the practice field at Bluff Road. There was a team dinner Tuesday evening. Classes resume on Wednesday.

? Head coach Lou Holtz said Tuesday’s workout was productive, despite the alteration in schedule. “It was a good Tuesday; not too emotional, yet we made some improvement,” said Holtz. “We need another good day on Wednesday. Hopefully, we will be able to work outdoors on Wednesday.”

? Holtz noted that the team’s defense had made marked improvement over the past several weeks. The Gamecock coach said the biggest improvement had come in the area of fundamentals. “We’re much better fundamentally than we were at the beginning of the year. We’ve started to make the necessary adjustments we needed to make. Our secondary is starting to come along. We thought all along that Dunta Robinson was going to be a good cornerback and he is, but now we’re getting good play from the other cornerback position.”

? Coach Holtz, who admitted he had spent more time on the defensive field this fall than in years past, said the defensive staff had also simplified its package. “We’ve gone from running something like 40 defensive calls to around 15 defensive calls,” said Holtz. “I told the staff at the beginning of the year that the other team better have the ball for a long time if we wanted to get all of our calls in during a game.”

? On the injury front, Holtz said that center C.J. Frye and linebacker Lance Laury, who both suffered knee sprains in the Vanderbilt game on Sept. 28, practiced in limited roles on Tuesday. “We let them do some things today,” said Holtz. “The doctors are going to examine them again tomorrow and make an evaluation on just where they are. There’s an outside chance they could travel to LSU this week.”

? When asked how the offense was working on cutting down on fumbling, Holtz said: “When one of our backs is not involved in team drills, he is holding a football — the proper way.”

? Saturday’s game at LSU will be televised nationally by ESPN2. Kickoff is set for 7:45 p.m. (eastern time).