Aug. 19, 2015

Preseason drills continued Wednesday morning for the University of South Carolina football squad, as the team worked out at the practice fields for about two hours in full pads.

“It was not encouraging watching us on offense today,” said head coach Steve Spurrier. “We definitely are coaching way too many guys right now to try to be polished. I think the entire second line is freshmen or redshirt freshmen pretty much. Our first line just did so-so. We’re coaching about 15 or 16 receivers, and I think 10 or 11 of those guys are first-year guys. So it’s a little helter-skelter on the offense. We’ve got to hone in and act like we can coach a little bit better than what we’re doing. That’s probably normal for so many guys rotating around. We’ve got to quit rotating four quarterbacks around.”

Coach Spurrier indicated that he and the coaching staff would start to formulate a depth chart beginning tomorrow. “We’ve got about two weeks to coach the guys who are going to play in the game. That’s where we’re at right now.”

While last Saturday’s scrimmage primarily focused on passing, Coach Spurrier has a different gameplan in mind for this Saturday’s scrimmage. “This week will be more of a mixture to see if we can make some first downs and look like a decent offense,” said the Head Ball Coach. “We’ve got to get some guys out there this week that are going to play in the game.” Coach Spurrier indicated he had an idea of which quarterbacks would get the most work, but that he would hold off announcing that for the time being.

Defensive back D.J. Smith (right knee strain) joined a group of players who did not participate in the drills on Wednesday, including defensive end Cedrick Cooper (sick), Cody Waldrop (shoulder), safety Antoine Wilder (right knee sprain), tight end Connor Redmond (back), and kicker Joseph Charlton (back) on the sidelines.

The Gamecocks will not practice on Thursday as fall semester classes begin at the University. The team will return to the practice fields on Friday afternoon. Saturday’s 10 a.m. scrimmage will likely be closed to the media and public, according to Coach Spurrier.

Coach Spurrier’s first “Carolina Calls” radio call-in show of the season will be held at Wild Wings Café in the Vista on Thursday night from 7-8 p.m. and can be heard throughout the Midlands on WNKT-107.5 FM. Todd Ellis returns as the host of the show.