Sept. 30, 2015

The University of South Carolina football team (2-2, 0-2 SEC) worked out at their new practice facility on Wednesday afternoon as they continue preparations for Saturday’s SEC Eastern Division showdown with the Missouri Tigers (3-1, 0-1 SEC). The battle for the Columbia Cup will be televised on the SEC Network beginning at noon ET with Tom Hart and Andre Ware in the booth and Laura Rutledge working the sidelines.

Once again, the Gamecocks will be playing a team that has a reputation for putting a strong defensive line on the field. “They’re fast. They’re physical. They’re so relentless. They play with great effort,” said offensive line coach Shawn Elliott. “That’s the No. 1 thing I always see from those guys from the first time they stepped in this conference. They play with great effort. I respect that.”

Elliott was pleased with how true freshman center Zack Bailey performed in his first starting assignment. “He did ok. He has some things he can get better on. When you put a freshman in there snapping to a freshman, probably the first thing you have a little bit of concern is snapping the football. His snaps were on point. He did a good job. He didn’t get overwhelmed. He played with confidence and played with poise,” added Elliott. “I thought he did a pretty good job.”

One of the changes the Gamecocks made last week in the win over UCF was moving wide receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. to the field with quarterback coach G.A. Mangus going to the press box. Spurrier Jr. said it had been six or seven years since he’s watched from the sidelines. “It’s a lot different,” noted Spurrier Jr. “When you’re in the (press) box, you can’t move. You know what the play is and you watch everything happen and there’s very little emotion. When you’re on the field there’s action, there are things moving, it’s live, you’re into the game a little more, so it’s different. Your vision is different. You can communicate a little better (with the players).”

Among those who did not practice on Wednesday were tailback Brandon Wilds (ribs), wide receiver Deebo Samuel (hamstring) and offensive center Alan Knott (ankle).

With Wilds likely sidelined for a second-straight week, running backs coach Everette Sands said Shon Carson would make his second straight start, but he also hopes to get Rod Talley some work. “I want to see what (Talley) can do when he gets in there,” said Sands. “I’m going to try to get him a few carries this week.”

The Gamecocks will practice again on Thursday afternoon.