Injuries:
Several players did not practice on Sunday, including C.C. Whitlock (knee), D.J. Swearinger (foot) and Terrence Campbell (leg). Kelcy Quarles limped off the practice field with a lower leg injury, but a USC spokesman did not know the extent of the injury. USC coach Steve Spurrier wasn’t aware that Quarles had been injured at all, so I’d assume it’s minor and he’ll be OK.
Jeffery ran around some, but said he could not catch with his left hand. He also confirmed that he filed for an NFL evaluation, though he won’t make his decision on whether to stay or enter the NFL Draft until after the Capital One Bowl.
“Alshon’s been out here spectating a little bit,” Spurrier said. “He’s been running with the guys. He could catch one-handed, but should be ready for the bowl game. The doctors say that another week or so and he should be full go. D.J. (Swearinger) has that foot that they’d like him to stay off of. Terrence Campbell is not practicing this week and I don't think D.J.’s going to practice. Hopefully when we get to Orlando they can get in shape a little bit.”
Spurrier quotes:
Spurrier, who typically only speaks to the media during his press conferences on a game week, thought that the media looked sad, so he decided to point his golf-cart in our direction and answer questions.
“We had a pretty good practice today from about 12 p.m. to 2:15 p.m., and then we let the guys off to watch some pro football today to see if Tebow can beat New England,” Spurrier said. “I think most of the guys, including me, are going to watch that. But other than that, it’s been just a normal couple of bowl practices. We’ll start getting into the game plan on maybe Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday this coming week.”
Spurrier said that he and graduate assistant Tommy Galt will coach the running backs and tight ends following the departure of Jay Graham. The hiring of a new coach for that position is not imminent and Spurrier said USC would wait until after the bowl game.
Spurrier also said that assistant head coach for defense Ellis Johnson will likely coach the bowl game, even if he is hired for the head coaching vacancy at Southern Miss. Reports out of Hattiesburg indicate that USM could wait until Dec. 24 to make a hire.
Wide receiver Bruce Ellington was not at practice because he was looking over game film of Ohio State with the basketball team. He also did not practice on Saturday because the men's hoops squad played Ohio State at noon. Spurrier thinks he will be at football practice on Monday.
“We pretty much left it up to him how much he wants to come out,” Spurrier said. “If he’s going to play some, he needs to come down here and pretty much get the game plan down for this coming week. I think he’s supposed to be here for most of the time.”
Spurrier also addressed South Carolina’s response to the NCAA Notice of Allegations and its self-imposed penalties.
“I think it’s smart and that’s what you have to do when mistakes occur, which can happen sometimes,” Spurrier said. “So you suggest that, and of course it’s up to the NCAA to tell you final decision.”
Women’s hoops knocks off No. 18 UNC:
The women’s basketball team got a big victory over the Tarheels in Myrtle Beach, likely reserving a place in the Top 25 after a convincing 79-48 outcome.
La’keshia Sutton had a game-high 21 points for the Gamecocks (9-2), while Markeshia Grant had 20.
“This is a good win for a team,” said USC coach Dawn Staley in a statement. “Our players have been working extremely hard and put in position to compete and win, and win in pretty good fashion. Our defense has been pretty steady. Some other players have been stepping up from time to time on the offensive end. We got our production from people we can count on to get production from. So, it was a good, quality win in that we got La’Keisha [Sutton] (going). Ieasia [Walker] played well. Although she didn’t score a lot of points, she jump-started our defense. She controlled our basketball team and the tempo of the game. It was great for everybody to play well.”
What to look forward to:
This is only half of the quotes out of practice on Sunday, so there will be a morning blog with things that pertain more to the matchup with Nebraska.
Tweet of the Day: @DanWetzel: Longer odds? Colts and Chiefs winning today or either Caldwell or Crennel breaking a monotone postgame?
Weird day in the NFL? I'd say so.
Sports story that will be overlooked because of other headlines: From The Times-Picayune, Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns top San Diego State Aztecs with late field goal in New Orleans Bowl: http://www.nola.com/nobowl/index.ssf/2011/12/louisiana-lafayette_ragin_caju.html
