Cornerback Auguste returns, tailback Wilds could redshirt
After not taking questions from media for two consecutive availability sessions, USC coach Steve Spurrier ended the silent treatment in his weekly press conference Tuesday, addressing upcoming opponent Kentucky.
“We generally have close games with Kentucky,” Spurrier said. “They are struggling a bit right now. Hopefully they will struggle one more week before they get it turned around. They are a team that is very capable. I think we are better than them, but if we don’t play better than them, they can certainly beat us. The team that usually plays the best wins the game.”
Spurrier said he doesn’t know how good the team is because it has yet to face a squad with a winning record, though he did concede that the SEC East looks stronger this year than it has in years past with South Carolina, Georgia and Florida all ranked in the top 15. South Carolina, ranked No. 6, will play No. 5 Georgia Saturday on ESPN with a 7 p.m. kickoff.
“It looks like it has turned that way, with Florida undefeated, Georgia and us right there,” Spurrier said. “Tennessee was there till they played Florida ... Obviously Arkansas struggled, which they didn’t think would happen, but there are still Alabama, LSU over there and Mississippi State undefeated. So [the SEC West] is in good shape. I think they have three and we have three.”
Injury update: Spurrier said senior cornerback Akeem Auguste has been practicing and would try to participate in a full practice on Tuesday night. Auguste is listed as the No. 2 cornerback behind Jimmy Legree on the updated depth chart.
He hasn’t played this season after injuring his groin in the preseason.
“We are very healthy,” Spurrier said. “Our trainer, Clint Haggard, came in the other day, and I said, ‘Is everybody ready who was ready last week?’ And he said, ‘Yeah.’ Everybody was fine.”
Brandon Wilds: Spurrier said he would consider redshirting sophomore tailback Brandon Wilds, who hasn’t played yet this season because of an ankle sprain.
“Unless somebody gets hurt, Brandon will have another year to play, and he is all for that, which is something that maybe hasn’t always happened around here,” Spurrier said. “Players actually look forward to being redshirted. They like playing for the University of South Carolina. They like living here in Columbia, going to college here and so forth. That is a neat thing to have, guys (saying), ‘I am OK with redshirting, coach.’ I think it’s very much a positive.”
Offensive line: Spurrier said he was pleased with the offensive line’s performance against Missouri, citing improvement in run blocking.
“(Senior center) T.J. Johnson actually had one of his best games; we looked at the tape and figured out that maybe he deserved a little praise for having a solid, excellent game, and again his snaps in the shotgun so far have really been good,” Spurrier said.
Replacement referees: Having coached in the NFL for a brief time, Spurrier offered his opinion of the replacement referees following a controversial call at the end of Monday night’s game in Seattle between the Packers and Seahawks.
“I’ve watched a little bit of that, but you know, we’ve all had some sort of bad reffin’ during our day,” Spurrier said. “And we’ve had some good ones, too. For every one of those bad ones, the guy on the other side said, ‘Maybe these replacement refs are pretty good.’ I imagine Seattle said, ‘Man, these guys are pretty good!’ So I guess it depends on what side you’re on.”