Sept. 25, 2012

The University of South Carolina football squad worked out at the Bluff Road practice fields on Tuesday afternoon. The sixth-ranked Gamecocks (4-0, 2-0 SEC) are preparing for Saturday’s SEC Eastern Division matchup with Kentucky (1-3, 0-1 SEC). Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington with ESPN2 airing the contest nationally. Mike Patrick, Ed Cunningham and Jeannine Edwards will be the announce crew for the Deuce.

The Gamecocks may have senior cornerback Akeem Auguste available for the first time this season. Auguste, who missed all but one game of last season with a foot injury, has been hampered with a groin injury this fall. He returned to the practice fields for the first time on Monday. “I feel real good,” said Auguste. “I’ve got to get back into my groove though. I’m a little rusty. I don’t know how much I’m going to play on Saturday, but I should be ready to go. I doubt that I’ll start, but I should be able to play a couple of snaps. The whole thing is being ready – anything could happen, anybody could go down. I’ve just got to be mentally ready and physically ready.”

The Gamecocks will also have the services of senior safety D.J. Swearinger back in the lineup after missing one game due to a suspension levied by the league office for a helmet to helmet hit. “I feel fresh and I’m ready to go,” said Swearinger. “I won’t be overexcited, I’ll be ready to play football. I’ll just be playing my game. I’ll be targeting a little lower,” admitted Swearinger, “but I won’t stop playing how I play.”

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