Aug. 11, 2010

Preseason Practice Central | Buy Season Tickets | Buy 3-Game Mini Packs

The University of South Carolina football team was back at the Bluff Road practice fields Wednesday morning as they continued preparations for the 2010 season. It was the squad’s first practice since Tuesday’s scrimmage.

Ellis Johnson, who heads up the Gamecock defense, felt Tuesday’s scrimmage was positive overall. “We got a lot out of it,” said Johnson after Wednesday’s practice, noting that most of the first-team defensive players did not participate in the scrimmage. “To sit here and tell you where we are, I don’t know. The biggest problem we have right now is nagging injuries. Shaq (Wilson) hasn’t practiced but half of a practice right now and he’s just one who comes to mind. Other than that we were able to get good work. I’m anxious to see Saturday (when the Gamecocks will scrimmage next). I hope we’ll have more of the “one’s” out there, at least for 20-30 snaps, maybe 15-20 snaps, whatever we choose to do. The younger guys, the real new guys, gave great effort. They were kind of sloppy, but they fought hard. They don’t really know what they’re doing right now but just playing hard.”

Redshirt freshman defensive end Chaz Sutton drew kudos from Coach Johnson. “Chaz Sutton, in my mind, is the one guy that I felt like did not have a good spring and he’s had a really good fall.”

A couple members of the team sustained injuries during Tuesday’s scrimmage and were held out of practice on Wednesday. Senior wide receiver Dion Lecorn suffered a left shoulder sprain, while fullback/tight end Patrick DiMarco has a left forearm bruise. On the defensive side of the ball, defensive back Corey Addison was held out of Wednesday’s practice with a concussion, while Reginald Bowens was sidelined with a knee sprain.

The squad will return to the practice fields on Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m.