April 14, 2011

2011 Season Tickets

The South Carolina football team wrapped up its 2011 spring drills on Thursday afternoon at the Bluff Road practice fields. The squad worked out for about 90 minutes in helmets and shorts in their 15th and final practice of the spring.

“I appreciate all the fans coming out for the spring game,” said head coach Steve Spurrier following the workout. “That was an excellent turnout – probably 30,000 or so is what was the estimated count.”

The Gamecocks held two of their 15 practices after the spring game. “First time I think I’ve ever done this,” said Coach Spurrier. “It’s really pretty neat. We got a chance to work with the guys individually a lot here today and last Tuesday.

“We’re headed to the offseason,” continued the Head Ball Coach. “The players are actually off the month of May, then summer conditioning workouts begin in June. We’re looking forward to the season and we have a long way to go. Our team is not near as good as maybe some people think we’re going to be. Our offensive line has got to really come around. The quarterbacks have got to come around. On defense, our linebackers have never played much at all. Our kicking game – I don’t know who is going to be our kicker. Maybe Jay Wooten or Adam Yates, whoever has the best summer and comes out ready to kick next year. So we’re an unknown team and got a lot of work ahead of us to have a chance to be a good team in the coming season.

“If we were playing tomorrow, Connor Shaw would certainly be our quarterback,” acknowledged the Gamecocks’ head coach. “Andrew Clifford would be second right now.

“I don’t think we’ve had great summer workouts with our quarterbacks and receivers for some reason. When they come out in August they’re about where they were when we left them in spring ball. It’s an individual thing. Coaches can only give them a plan, then they’ve got to do it. We can’t coach them during the summer. We’ll see if our quarterbacks come back much better prepared to throw it up and down the field. I think we’re going to have an excellent group of receivers. I really do. We’re going to have speed and quickness. But if we can’t throw correctly and pass block very well it doesn’t matter how good those guys are.”

“Overall the spring was pretty good. No serious injuries at all. I’ve always believed summer is more important than spring,” said Coach Spurrier. “You get 15 practices out here. During these 15, we’ve tried to teach our players here’s what you need to do all summer. And I mean all summer long. Some guys do it. Some go drink beer all summer. Hopefully our guys are going to want to try to get fundamentally sound, learn their assignments and be ready to go in August when we start preseason practice.”

The team is slated to report for fall camp on Tuesday, August 2, while the first day of fall practice is set for Wednesday, August 3.