Joe Connolly promoted to replace Craig Fitzgerald, who resigned "to pursue other opportunities"
Assistant strength and conditioning coach Joe Connolly has been named the head football strength and conditioning coach following the departure of Craig Fitzgerald, who resigned to “pursue other opportunities,” USC announced in a release Friday.
“We feel very fortunate to have had Joe Connolly right here for the past three years,” said USC coach Steve Spurrier in the release. “He and coach Fitzgerald together put in the running and lifting programs we have in place at South Carolina. We will not miss a beat with coach Connolly in charge of our strength and conditioning program. We wish coach Fitz and his family all the best.”
Connolly, 29, has also worked with the track and field program since coming to USC. Connolly was previously an assistant at Harvard before going to Louisville, where he was an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the football team.
In response to Fitzgerald’s departure, several players took to Twitter. Tailback Kenny Miles tweeted, “Dear #Fitz, im shocked u leavin bruh, but thanks for everything u did for us, my blessings & best wishes go out to you and ya Fam #beastMOde.”
Chaz Elder, a USC commit, tweeted, “Ward and Spurrier and Spurrier Jr still in Columbia... I’m cool... Good luck to Coach Fitz at Penn St... Operation Win SEC still in effect.”
Spurrier issues statement on Paterno’s death:
Legendary former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno died early Sunday morning at the age of 85.
Paterno, who coached six decades at Penn State, is the winningest football coach in collegiate history. USC coach Steve Spurrier issued a statement in response to his passing,.
“I have the utmost respect and admiration for Joe Paterno,” Spurrier said in the statement. “I’ve coached around 300 college games and only once when I’ve met the other coach at midfield prior to the game have I asked a photographer to take a picture of me with the other coach. That happened in the Citrus Bowl after the ’97 season when we were playing Penn State. I had one of our university photographers take the picture with me and coach Paterno, and I still have that photo in the den at my house. That’s the admiration I have for Joe Paterno. It was sad how it ended, but he was a great person and coach.”
Freshman safety indefinitely suspended:
South Carolina freshman safety Brison Williams has been suspended indefinitely from the football team, USC announced in a release Saturday.
“Brison Williams has been suspended for conduct detrimental to the South Carolina football team,” Spurrier said in the statement. Williams played in eight games for the Gamecocks in 2011, tallying 11 tackles.
Draft projections:
According to the most recent draft projections from CBS Sports, only one Gamecock is projected to be drafted in the first round.
Defensive end Melvin Ingram is rated the No. 19 prospect and projected to be a first-round pick. Cornerback Stephon Gilmore and wide receiver Alshon Jeffery are both projected second-round picks, being rated the No. 42 and No. 45 prospects, respectively.
Defensive back Antonio Allen is the next highest-rated prospect from USC, listed as a second- to third-round pick. Travian Robertson, who was named the captain of the East team in the East-West Shrine Game, is projected to go undrafted.