Sept. 16, 2015
The University of South Carolina football team (1-1, 0-1 SEC) worked out Wednesday afternoon on its new practice fields as they continued preparations for Saturday’s SEC Eastern Division showdown with the No. 7/8 Georgia Bulldogs (2-0, 1-0 SEC) in Athens. The Gamecocks have won four of the last five meetings with the Bulldogs.
Shawn Elliott knows that his offensive line will have its hands full with the stout Georgia defense. “They’ve got some edge rushers that get up the field and create some havoc,” said Elliott. “There are big, strong and physical inside. They’ve got very good players. They are very sound in what they are doing. They got better as the year progressed from seeing them last year. They’ll be real prepared. Hopefully we’ll come out and execute better than we did last week and get a win. It’s going to take a really great effort for us,” admitted Elliott.
Wide receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. indicated the Deebo Samuel is back to full speed and is expected to start after missing most of last week’s game after suffering a hamstring injury in the season opener against North Carolina. “His hamstring was still a little sore and he didn’t do much on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday (of last week). He moved around a little on Thursday, but still wasn’t 100 percent. He’s done well this week and has looked good. Hopefully he’s at full speed and ready to roll.”
The Gamecock wide receivers, with the exception of Pharoh Cooper, have been held in check during the season’s first two weeks. Cooper owns 12 of the 17 receptions made by the wideouts. “We all go out there together as a group, so however it happens,” said Spurrier Jr. “We’re going to find a way to get the ball to the guy who is open. Pharoh has certainly been open the most and we’ve been fortunate to get it to him. As a group, we have to keep finding a way to get it to different people, but if we get it to Pharoh every time, that’s fine with me too.”
The Gamecocks have seen several former walk-ons contribute already this season. “It means we have some good walk-ons here,” noted Spurrier Jr. “There are a lot of great walk-ons that get passed up and just don’t get the opportunities they deserve, then there are a lot of guys that are overrated. We stumbled into some good (walk-ons) and they’ve done well for us.”
Saturday’s game will be televised nationally on ESPN with Brad Nessler and Todd Blackledge in the booth and Holly Rowe working the sidelines. Game time is set for 6 p.m. ET.
The Gamecocks will return to the practice fields on Thursday afternoon.
