Gamecocks' QB corps struggles in scrimmage
COLUMBIA - After watching his three quarterbacks struggle through a two-hour, 107-play scrimmage Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium, South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said the Gamecocks may run the ball more next season.
While that brought a smile to the face of senior tailback Cory Boyd, he's also smart enough to know that remains an unlikely possibility.
"If it comes to that, that's what we're going to have to do, but I don't see it happening that way," Boyd said. "We're going to get better. They're young. We've still got (Stephen Garcia) Garcia coming in. He's learning things. Coach Spurrier's going to give all the quarterbacks the opportunity and the best one is going to shine sooner or later. The cream always rises to the top."
The cream stayed on the bottom on Saturday, with the Gamecocks' three quarterbacks combining for five interceptions.
Senior starter Blake Mitchell completed 11 of 18 passes for 79 yards and one interception.
Backup Tommy Beecher completed 11 of 20 passes for 140 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown pass to Jared Cook, but also threw three interceptions, one of which was returned 42 yards for a touchdown by linebacker Damien Wright.
Backup Chris Smelley completed 10 of 17 for 88 yards and one interception.
The defense also scored a touchdown on a 42-yard fumble return by Jonathan Williams.
"Our quarterbacks did not play well at all," said Spurrier. "We threw careless interceptions, all three of them. Whoever coaches quarterbacks needs to do a better job. So I've done a lousy job with those guys thus far. Every time I called a pass play I said, 'I'm a dummy.' They threw them right to them.
"So we may be a hell of a running team this year because the quarterbacks right now are not good enough to throw 30 times a game. We may have to throw about 20, pick our spots a little better, keep throwing that quick screen behind the line if we don't get it knocked down."
Spurrier had promised that there would be a surprise in today's scrimmage, and the surprise was that he rotated the three quarterbacks nearly every play.
"They had a plan before every play, so you think they could make a better decision than what they did," Spurrier said. "I don't know. We haven't coached them very well yet."
At least the running game looked promising. Boyd rushed 12 times for 72 yards, including a 2-yard touchdown run. Bobby Wallace had eight carries for 56 yards and Taylor Rank had 11 carries for 46 yards.
"I thought the line stepped up pretty good today," Boyd said. "I talked to them before we came out here just to get their confidence up and told then everything starts with them. Everybody works hand in hand with each other. I feel as though they came out and stepped up to the challenge, but we still have work to do."
See more at www.charleston.net
