The strong play from the front-four allowed the Gamecock secondary to capitalize on poor passes as the unit totaled three interceptions thanks to Chris Lammons, Al Harris Jr. and T.J. Gurley.
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“We had a pretty good practice today”, said head coach Steve Spurrier following Monday’s workout.
“We didn’t have a “best” quarterback”, Spurrier said when asked if any of his passers had an edge.
It could be one of the better throws of the season for South Carolina.
None of the quarterbacks were available to media after the scrimmage. On Saturday, the team will move into Williams-Brice Stadium for an open scrimmage. Connor Mitch put it on the money and Googer finished the play. He was also the only one of the quartet without an interception.
Junior Perry Orth was 3 of 6 for 42 yards and an interception. Connor Mitch, Perry Orth and Michael Scarnecchia are contending for the starting job, but two of them will begin to receive the majority of practice snaps.
Spurrier said he hopes his offense will be balanced again this season. “We’ve still got a whole bunch of coaching to do”.
That deadline is approaching quickly.
In an attempt to prepare for the Gamecocks season opener against North Carolina, Spurrier is ready to pare down the number of athletes with which the coaching staff concentrates. We do very well in pass skel.
So when Spurrier walked off the practice field Wednesday, he decided to take a step back from his serious self and jokingly change the tone of his interview to give us “the opposite of what a coach this time of year says”.
Now, Spurrier might stretch out the decision, maybe up until kickoff at Bank of America Stadium. The defensive line, which was headlined by Cedrick Cooper, Dante Sawyer, Gerald Dixon Jr. and Marquavius Lewis, dominated the trenches and wreaked havoc in the backfield, giving all of South Carolina’s quarterbacks a tough time. After the ball is snapped, we have to get moving. Defensive backs, gosh, I wonder why they got grass stains on their jerseys they fall about every play, about two or three of them are falling. The quarterbacks, receivers, offensive line has to get up and get set, all of that kind of stuff. That series bogged down as well, ending with a 30-yard field goal by reliable kicker Elliott Fry.
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“They all did some good things”, said G.A. Mangus of the quarterbacks’ performance in last Saturday’s scrimmage. If he follows through, Spurrier would be at South Carolina for longer than his 12-season run at his alma mater of Florida. Senior Jerrell Adams, the only returning tight end with experience, also spent much of the session on the sidelines. It did not go well on the offensive side.
