Oct. 5, 2011

The University of South Carolina football squad returned to the Bluff Road practice fields Wednesday afternoon. The Gamecocks (4-1, 2-1 SEC) are preparing for Saturday’s SEC Eastern Division showdown with the Kentucky Wildcats (2-3, 0-2 SEC). Game time is set for 12:21 p.m. ET and will be televised on the SEC Network with Dave Neal, Andre Ware and Cara Capuano calling the action.

Redshirt freshman Cody Gibson is expected to make the start at right tackle on Saturday, with senior Rokevious Watkins moving from right tackle to left tackle to replace the injured Kyle Nunn.

“I’ve been practicing hard this week trying to get ready for it,” said Gibson.

Gibson says it means a lot to him to get back on the field so quickly after overcoming an injury earlier in the fall. “I didn’t think I could recover that fast from it and get back to playing full speed. I’m still working on it. I came into camp wanting to compete for a starting spot and it kind of set me back. Right now I’m just trying to get back in there and play. It’s really exciting (to be in the lineup). My parents are coming up here. It’s an SEC game – an SEC East game – it doesn’t get any better than that.”

The Gamecocks will return to the practice fields on Thursday afternoon.