Garcia comes on late after rough start
Connor Shaw spent his time in South Carolina's second preseason scrimmage Wednesday as the first-team quarterback over Stephen Garcia, but coach Steve Spurrier said not to read too much into it.
"He was scheduled to start the scrimmage," Spurrier said. "Stephen started the last one. So Connor played with the guys Stephen played with the last scrimmage, and Stephen played with the guys Connor played with last scrimmage. We're trying to get a good evaluation on. That's what [Shaw starting] meant."
Shaw did look the part, going six-of-11 for 192 yards and two touchdowns. Both scores were on deep balls — a 70-yard pass to Jason Barnes to open the scrimmage and later an 80-yard strike to Damiere Byrd.
However, Shaw's night was cut short after he hit his hand, dislocating his thumb on his throwing hand. He wore a black brace for the remainder of the evening and was not made available to the media after the scrimmage due to treatment. Spurrier indicated he was not worried.
"His thumb sort of popped out of the joint, briefly," Spurrier said. "He got it back in. He says that's happened before, and it shouldn't bother him. So hopefully he'll be OK in two or three days."
For as well as Shaw started, Garcia's night began poorly. On his first play with the second team, he fumbled while trying to pull the ball back in to his chest. Heralded freshman Jadeveon Clowney picked it up, returning it 22 yards for a touchdown.
"Stephen's got to quit starting to throw and stopping," Spurrier said. "He does that all the time. He did it in the game last year, against Tennessee I think. Fortunately, we recovered."
In his defense, Garcia said he believed the play was an incomplete pass, not a fumble.
"I guess the refs thought it came out of my hand and went backward," Garcia said. "I don't think that was a fumble."
Garcia did recover later in the night, hitting Ace Sanders for a 23-yard touchdown on a corner route in the back of the end zone. Garcia finished the night eight-of-13 for 128 yards and a score.
"Stephen threw some good balls at the end," Spurrier said.
Spurrier has said on several occasions that Shaw and Garcia are in a quarterback competition for the starting job despite the fact Garcia has started 28 consecutive games over two-plus seasons. He declined to tip his hand as to which way he may be leaning at this point after the scrimmage, only saying both have played well this summer. Garcia also said he doesn't know who is leading, but he does feel as if he is in a competition despite being the incumbent starter.
"I've been in a quarterback competition since I've been here, really," Garcia said. "Nothing's changed."
Barnes led all receivers with three catches for 83 yards and a score, while Shon Carson led all rushers with 42 yards and a touchdown. All-American tailback Marcus Lattimore did not have a carry for the second straight scrimmage.
With 15 preseason practices in the books, USC is at the technical halfway point of summer camp with just about two weeks to go before the season opener against East Carolina on Sept. 3.
Spurrier said his team is improving, but not quite ready to face another colored jersey in a game.
"We've still got a bit to go," he said.
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Scoring Summary – Full Field Portion
Jason Barnes 70 pass from Connor Shaw (Jay Wooten kick)
Jadeveon Clowney 22 fumble recovery (Adam Yates kick)
Damiere Byrd 80 pass from Shaw (Wooten kick)
Wooten FG 41
Ace Sanders 23 pass from Stephen Garcia (Yates kick)
DeAngelo Smith 18 pass from Sanders (Wooten kick)
K.J. Brent 43 pass from Dylan Thompson (Yates kick)
Scoring Summary – Overtime Portion (ball on 35-yard line)
Shon Carson 16 run (Wooten kick)
Yates FG 38
Passing: Shaw 6-11-192, 2 TD, INT; Garcia 8-13-128, TD; Thompson 8-15-92, TD, INT; Sanders 1-1-18, TD; Clifford 2-7-8, INT
Rushing: Carson 6-42, TD; Wilds 4-33; Miles 5-11; Hinch 3-5; Clifford 1-4
Receiving: Barnes 3-83, TD; Byrd 1-80, TD; Brent 3-58, TD; Smith 3-50, TD; Scruggs 2-39; Sanders 2-37, TD; Moore 1-21; Cunningham 1-17; Carson 2-16; Jones 1-14; Brady 1-7; Miles 1-6; Anderson 1-6; Ellington 1-2; Baker 1-1; Hinch 1-1
Turnovers: Corey Addison INT Shaw; Clowney FR Garcia; Kadetrix Marcus INT Clifford; Marty Markett INT Thompson