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April 11, 2009

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• South Carolina Head Coach Steve Spurrier •

Opening Statement…
It was sort of a typical spring game. The Garnet team made a whole lot more first downs than the other team. Some guys played pretty well, some played so-so. Other than that, it was just a normal spring game.

On the second half play of Jarvis Giles and Kenny Miles
They had good runs because the defense took all of their linemen out. We were playing against some walk on players that are snapper and also (Ryan) Broadhead who has been playing center so it was not really anything to brag about. I thought Kenny Miles did make some very nice runs. Jarvis broke a few towards the end.

On the play and progress of Stephen Garcia
He did decent today. He threw some good ones here and there. Reid (McCollum) got off to a slow start, but threw some good ones at the end. We have a long ways to go. Hopefully our guys will have a very productive summer. We have four and a half months between now and our next game. We have a lot of time for our players to improve. He’s better than he once was. Still has a ways to go. It was maybe a little more efficient than some of our spring games around here. Still, it was nothing really to get too overly excited about.

On the running game…
We have a lot better chance with the running game than maybe we did at this time last year. The line needs to get better. They need to block a little more aggressively. We have a plan in place for them to work this summer. They should improve. We have a little different scheme of runs. Hopefully the guys will block better than they once did. We’re still trying to get a higher effort level. They can play at a higher level we believe.

On the new coaching staff…
They’ve all coached before. They’re excellent coaches. We should have a better- coached team than we once did. Time will tell when we play N.C. State.

On the overall depth…
It will be okay in August when all of the freshman get here. Stephon Gilmore, we need to find a way to get the ball to him. He made that cut on a run in front of our sideline and all of a sudden he made five yards and three guys look like they had him pinned up. He’s a talent. No question about it.

On the quarterback situation compared to last year…
We’re in better shape than last year at the quarterback spot. If Stephen (Garcia) has a good summer, he should be ready to play well. He should be ready if he will dedicate himself this summer.

• South Carolina Player Quotes •

Brian Maddox
We got stronger and faster this spring, which allowed us to run more plays on offense. The running scheme is the same; it’s just the blocking scheme has changed which I like. It gives me more opportunities.

Kyle Nunn
We did a lot of good things but there were still things to improve. As a group, we played really well today and look forward to getting better over the summer.

On his play…
I did the best I could. I tried to better myself and the team this game. We need to get better as a team. I don’t think that there is any one position that is lacking or another position that is stronger.

On the offensive line…
We definitely improved over the spring as an offensive line. We did some stuff that brought us closer together, motivational things that got us working harder on the field, rushing the line, and getting in and out of the huddle faster. Working hard is key.

Steven Garcia
It was my first spring as everyone knows. The progress went really well for the entire offense especially since we have new offensive coaches.

On the running game…
The running game has definitely taken the pressure off of me as a quarterback. We have a lot of running backs who can make things happen on the field.

Stephon Gilmore
I was just getting out there and learning. I came in a little slow in the first half, but I kept going at it. Learning the plays and listening to Coach Johnson.

I want the ball and I am looking forward to it. Coach says that he wants to get me the ball so I am doing anything I can to get it.

Reid McCollum
It felt good to get out there. I don’t think I threw the ball as well as I had hoped. But it was good, we had a good turnout and it was just fun to get out there in front of all those people and put on real jerseys. It was fun

On his comfort level…
I’ve been getting more comfortable with each practice but still going out there today with all of those people, I was a little jacked up at first. I was overthrowing a little bit in the first half but I thought I settled down in the second half and made a couple of nice throws.

Kenny Miles
On garnering attention today…
We practiced really hard over the spring and it showed a lot today between Brian (Maddox) and his run, (Eric) Baker and his run, (Jarvis) Giles with his run and me with two touchdowns.

On having to prove himself in the spring game…
I did. I felt like I had improved being a redshirt last year and Maddox coming in. He didn’t get much last year but I knew that he’d be a big factor in this year’s offense. Also Baker, he played a lot last year and (Jarvis) Giles coming in with a lot of talent.

On showing what he wanted to show today…
I felt like I ran hard today and made some good decisions but I think a lot had to do with blocking and the offensive line doing really well.

Assistant Head Coach-Defensive Ellis Johnson
I thought the kids played hard but we don’t have a unit right now. We’ve got so many guys missing for different reasons but we’re going to have to look at the film to see who made individual improvement, who is working themselves in to the 2D picture and trying to build on that. But what I’ve been saying all spring long, we don’t really have a defensive unit. We haven’t had two practices in a row with the same eleven people in there and we’ve had a lot of young faces. But I can’t talk without talking about the walk-ons, those guys really [worked hard] to get us through the spring. But we’ve made some progress, especially the young players that needed it.

Jarvis Giles
On separating himself from the other running backs…
I try to separate myself as much as possible. I try to use my speed a lot more and my agility to get past guys. Every running back is good – (Brian) Maddox, (Kenny) Miles, and (Eric) Baker, they’ve all got their own forms but I just try to be a little bit better.