Sophomore quarterback recovering well from concussion
Quarterback Connor Shaw should be able to play for No. 15 South Carolina against Florida, coach Steve Spurrier said Tuesday.
“We think Connor’s going to be alright by the middle of the week,” Spurrier said. “Clint Haggard, our trainer, gave him the (concussion baseline) test to see how he was doing, and he’s doing very well.”
Shaw practiced in a limited role Tuesday and is expected to be fully cleared either today or tomorrow. He suffered a concussion in the fourth quarter of USC’s 44-28 loss to eighth-ranked Arkansas when he was sacked by Razorback defensive end Jake Bequette. Shaw fumbled on the play, and Arkansas, leading 37-28 at the time, recovered at the USC 1 to score its final touchdown of the game moments later.
The hit has since become controversial, as many have suggested it involved helmet-to-helmet contact and should have been a penalty. Spurrier said that USC has sent film of the play to the Southeastern Conference for official review.
“Yeah, we turned it in,” Spurrier said. “We’ll have to see what they say. It was hands to the face. Whether or not it was helmet and hands, the head officials will try and figure it out.”
As a precaution, backup quarterback Dylan Thompson will take snaps with the first team in practice. The Boiling Springs native would start if Shaw cannot play.
The outlook for safety DeVonte Holloman, who also suffered a concussion against Arkansas, is not as positive. Spurrier did not rule Holloman out for Saturday, but said his recovery has not been as fast as Shaw’s. Spur linebacker Antonio Allen, who missed the Arkansas game with muscle spasms in his neck, should play against the Gators, Spurrier said.
“He was running around [Monday] night for the first time in a week,” Spurrier said. “Hopefully he will be able to play the entire game for us.”
Safety D.J. Swearinger has a foot injury and will not practice much this week, Spurrier said, but he should be able to play. It is imperative for USC to be as healthy as it can be, considering it must defeat the Gators and hope for Georgia to lose one of its next two games in order to win its second straight SEC East title.
“We all know what’s at stake. We all know what’s out there,” Spurrier said. “We’re going to try our best to play football. That’s what we need to concentrate on.”
Spurrier OK with Petrino comment: Spurrier said he didn’t object to Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino saying his team could have scored 60 points on the Gamecocks.
“He could have. He could have scored maybe 65,” Spurrier said. “They dropped what, two or three touchdown passes? Had to kick a bunch of little field goals and missed two of them.”
Taylor a distant relative of Joe Frazier: Defensive end Devin Taylor said he is related to former world heavyweight champion boxer “Smokin’” Joe Frazier, who died Monday of liver cancer, but the two never met to his recollection. Both Frazier and Taylor are natives of Beaufort, S.C.
“He’s related to me through my mom’s side, somehow,” Taylor said. “I’ve heard a bunch of different stories and stuff (about Frazier).”
Frazier, 67, went 32-4-1 in his career, which spanned from 1965-1981. Frazier won the Olympic heavyweight Gold Medal in 1964. He is most remembered for his epic trilogy of fights with Muhammad Ali, most notably the legendary “Thrilla in Manila” in 1975.