Redshirt freshman leads all receivers
Marcus Lattimore has always known what Nick Jones is capable of doing.
So Lattimore, who grew up playing youth football with Jones before the two spent four years together at Byrnes High, wasn't surprised to see Jones have his biggest game as a Gamecock against Navy on Saturday, helping lift a USC passing game that has struggled the past two weeks.
"Those were big time catches he made," said Lattimore of Jones. "He did it all in high school — that's my boy. It was good to see him out there."
With Navy leading 14-7 in the second quarter, the Gamecock offense seemed on the verge of a punt, facing a third-and-15 from its own 39. But USC was able to keep possession, as quarterback Stephen Garcia found Jones for a 34-yard pass to get the first down at the Navy 27-yard line. Jones finished with 52 yards on three catches to lead all receivers.
"We've been working on that play all week," Jones said. "I went inside the guy, and I was fortunate to be open. Garcia hit me with a nice pass."
Receivers Alshon Jeffery and Ace Sanders were leading the team in receiving yards, respectively, through the first two games of the season, but both were ineffective against Navy. Jeffery had two catches for 35 yards, while Sanders had one catch for just 3 yards. Capitalizing on the opportunity, Jones went on to catch two more passes for first downs late in the third quarter, setting up an eventual Lattimore touchdown run to give USC the lead for the last time.
"We were just playing our role," Jones said. "If we have to run the ball 48 times or throw the ball to Alshon 10 times a game, we just want to win. It doesn't really matter to us."
No start for Jeffery: Jeffery, South Carolina's leading receiver, was held out of the starting lineup after breaking a team rule.
"Alshon broke the team rules, and I said, 'You're not going out the first play, so we'll get you in there the fourth or fifth,'" coach Steve Spurrier said. "That was that. Not a major [rule], but just enough to say, 'You're not starting tonight.'"
Jeffery did not have a catch until the third quarter. He finished with two catches for 35 yards.
Quarles out with concussion: Defensive tackle Kelcy Quarles did not dress for USC's game against Navy due to a concussion. Offensive lineman Brandon Shell did not dress out either after a decision by the coaching staff for him to redshirt this season.
"Brandon (Shell) is going to be redshirting," Spurrier said. "We've sort of got our redshirt guys ready. He's fine with it and knows he's got a ways to go, so we're thinking about certainly redshirting Brandon Shell."
Injury report: Defensive back Kadetrix Marcus suffered a lower leg bruise that was not believed to be serious. Defensive end Melvin Ingram bruised his thigh but returned to the game. Linebacker Damario Jeffery has been hampered recently by a sprained ankle, Spurrier said Sunday on a teleconference with reporters.