Aug. 31, 2009

The University of South Carolina football team returned to the Bluff Road practice fields on Monday night after being forced indoors on Sunday. They are just three days away from opening the 2009 season with a Thursday night date in Raleigh with the NC State Wolfpack. That contest will be televised nationally on ESPN beginning at 7 p.m.

“Just a normal Wednesday night practice on Monday,” said head coach Steve Spurrier following the workout. “Hopefully our guys will be ready to play well Thursday night.”

There was some question earlier in the week as to why Tori Gurley moved ahead of Jason Barnes on the depth chart at wide receiver. “The reason Tori passed him up is because Tori practiced better than Jason. We got all of that straightened out. Guys that practice the best are usually the guys who are starting.”

“We’ve had good spirit the last couple of days,” noted Coach Spurrier about the mood of his team. “It’s getting closer. We don’t run or hit as much as we’ve been doing. We’re hopefully getting ready for a ballgame and getting ready to play our best.”

The Gamecocks will return to the practice fields again on Tuesday at 4:15 p.m. That practice is closed. Coach Spurrier’s call-in show will take place at the Wild Wings Café in the Vista on Tuesday night from 7-8 p.m.