Aug. 23, 2012

The University of South Carolina football squad’s Thursday practice was cut short due to heavy rains in the Columbia area. Thursday also marked the first day of fall semester classes at the university.

The Gamecocks are just one week away from opening the season with a Thursday, August 30 SEC clash set for Nashville and a date with the Vanderbilt Commodores. The ESPN crew assigned to that contest are Rece Davis, Jesse Palmer and David Pollack in the booth, with Samantha Steele working the sidelines.

One position change to note, redshirt senior walk-on Blair Lowery has been moved from wide receiver to running back. Lowery, who prepped at Dutch Fork High School in Irmo, S.C., will wear number 19, rather than the 86 he was previously assigned.

Four Gamecocks were named to the first-ever Watch List for the Senior Bowl. The top 100 seniors in the country will be invited to participate in the 2013 Senior Bowl, set for Saturday, January 26, in Mobile’s Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Appearing on the Watch List is not a requirement for a player to earn an invitation to the Senior Bowl. Those representing South Carolina on the list are DeVonte Holloman, T.J. Johnson, Devin Taylor and Shaq Wilson.

The Gamecocks will take a mandatory off day on Friday before returning to practice on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. That practice is closed.