The last of South Carolina’s allotted 15 practices will take place this Saturday in the form of the annual Garnet & Black Spring Game.
While the public scrimmage is simply the last practice of the spring, there are several questions that could be answered Saturday. Here are five things to look for this weekend at the spring game.
1. The quarterback battle
Sophomore Connor Mitch leads the pack and the job is, in all likelihood, his to lose. The former four-star prospect from Raleigh, North Carolina, leads junior Perry Orth and redshirt freshman Michael Scarnecchia in the race, but head coach Steve Spurrier says all three have been playing well.
Mitch needs a solid outing to solidify his position as the starter and keep some of the pressure off of himself as he heads into the summer.
While he’ll be wearing a red jersey, and won’t have to worry about the pass rush, it will be important to see solid timing and accuracy for Mitch.
2. A new defensive scheme
New co-defensive coordinator Jon Hoke has hinted that the Gamecocks will ditch the 4-2-5 scheme that they have run for the past few years in favor of a more traditional 4-3 lineup.
So far this spring, the Gamecocks have run just one package at a time, so it's been tough to tell what formation Hoke will use as his base set. Saturday is the first chance fans will have to see how Hoke uses his personnel.
3. Newcomers at receiver
Junior Pharoh Cooper did everything for the Gamecocks last season as a receiver, Wildcat quarterback and return man. Only Cooper and senior Shamier Jeffery have caught passes at the receiver position.
Many believe redshirt freshman Deebo Samuel will step up as another target, but he has yet to play a down for the Gamecocks. Both Mitch and Orth have confidence and timing with Samuel, so look for the six-foot receiver to have a big day.
4. Tired offensive linemen
The Gamecocks lost guard A.J. Cann and tackle Corey Robinson to the draft, so much of the leadership on the line will fall to senior right tackle Brandon Shell. Shell, however, has a torn shoulder labrum, and has not been able to participate in spring drills.
South Carolina has found itself extremely thin along the line. Expect the linemen to play the entire game on both offenses.
“We ended up with five or six guys going in the spring and got a lot of quality reps for these guys,” offensive line coach Shawn Elliott said.
5. Celebrity Cameo
Arguably, the most burning question entering Saturday’s game is that of the mystery cameo.
It's become an unspoken tradition for a local celebrity to make a big play in the game. In 2013, Jadeveon Clowney, who sat out most of the game to avoid injury, came off the bench to catch a touchdown pass.
Last spring, women’s head basketball coach Dawn Staley caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from Dylan Thompson.
This year, many expect a similar cameo. Darius Rucker and Connor Shaw are names that have been thrown around, but no one will know for sure until Saturday.