Sept. 29, 2004

Columbia, S.C. – * South Carolina’s football team practiced in shells Wednesday afternoon, continuing preparations for their showdown this Saturday afternoon against the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa. Kickoff at Bryant-Denny Stadium is set for 6 p.m. (eastern) with ESPN2 televising nationally.

* Tailback Demetris Summers, who has missed the past two games due to an ankle sprain, said Wednesday that he feels “better than 90 percent right now.” “Hopefully, by Saturday, I’ll be at 100 percent,” said Summers.

* Following the workout, assistant head coach Skip Holtz met with the media. Here are some of his comments: “We’ve worked hard and efficiently this week. I think our offensive line has picked things up this week. I believe they had their ego bruised last week against Troy. We plan on playing both quarterbacks (Dondrial Pinkins and Syvelle Newton). How we will rotate them, I’m not sure right now. Maybe every two series; I don’t know. I have no reservation about playing either one of them at any point during the game. Alabama poses a great challenge for us. They run extremely well; they are well-coached and they have a phenomenal rate of success playing in Tuscaloosa. They are a fundamentally sound football team. Their corners like to jam your receivers and they bring a lot of pressure with their front.”

* On his radio call-in show Wednesday night, head coach Lou Holtz said that freshman fullback Antonio Lamar would be making the trip to Alabama. Lamar, who missed nearly the first three weeks of preseason camp while awaiting final certification from the NCAA Clearinghouse, has not played yet this season. “He is starting to come along,” said Holtz. “He does a lot of good things.”

* Tim Frisby, USC’s 39-year-old walk-on wide receiver, continues to make the national media rounds. On Tuesday, Frisby was interviewed live by CNN News. Wednesday morning, he appeared live on ESPN’s “Cold Pizza.” The spectrum gets even bigger for the 20-year U.S. Army veteran Thursday, when he travels to New York City to appear on CBS TV’s “Late Night with David Letterman.” The taping will take place at 4:30 p.m., with the show scheduled to run Thursday evening at 11:30. Other guests scheduled to appear on the show Thursday include actor John Travolta and the rock group Pearl Jam. Frisby will be accompanied by USC assistant sports information director Gavin Lang. Said Frisby, “I look forward to representing the University.”