Sept. 16, 2004
Columbia, S.C. –
The South Carolina Gamecocks worked out in shorts Thursday afternoon and concentrated on putting on the finishing touches in preparation for Saturday’s clash with the South Florida Bulls. Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Williams-Brice Stadium. There is no live television coverage.
* Injury update: OL Kris Mick (out) may require additional surgery on his wrist; TB Demetris Summers (ankle) is out for Saturday and will not dress; WR Sidney Rice (hyperextended knee) is out indefinitely. QB Dondrial Pinkins has a shoulder bruise and will dress Saturday, but he is listed as questionable.
* Following Thursday’s workout, head coach Lou Holtz met with the media. Here are some of his comments: “The preparation is over for the most part. Demetris Summers will not dress; hopefully he will be back for next week. Dondrial (Pinkins) was able to do some things today and throw a little bit. He will dress. Syvelle Newton will start at quarterback and we’ll go from there. We’re a little thin at running back and I’m greatly concerned with our placekicking. South Florida will have a huge advantage there. Defensively, they (USF) resemble Georgia with the different fronts they like to run. They are a veteran team and they are very athletic. Dondrial’s shoulder is still very tender. He threw some today, but we didn’t want to overwork him. I think Syvelle will do a good job of running the team. But, what I’m counting on is for the offensive line to carry him and put him in a baby carriage. Syvelle is a confident quarterback and I think that’s a good thing. We just want him to execute the offense. I’m anxious to see what he can do in a game. There’s a fine line between confidence and being cocky and I think he walks that line. I don’t want him to get too excited. I have no idea what we are going to do at placekicker. We have been so inconsistent this week. I’m really a basket case over that.”
* Coach Holtz said that wide receivers Noah Whiteside and Travis Lee, who missed the Georgia game due to a suspension for violating team rules, have been reinstated and would be available to play against South Florida.
* Senior cornerback Taqiy Muhammad has been named to the AFCA Good Works Team. The national 11-man squad recognizes student-athletes for their outstanding contributions in the area of community service.
* Team Gamecocks, in partnership with the Junior League of Columbia, will sponsor a children’s book drive prior to Saturday’s game. Fans are encouraged to bring a new or slightly used children’s book and deposit them in the carts located outside the stadium gates.
