USC spring game this coming weekend

[smazza]

your embedded correspondent smazza( i am  in bed with my girlfriend) will report results

[smazza]

april 14,2004

Spring game format undecided

The fate of Saturday’s spring game is on the shoulders  or more precisely, the head  of backup center Fran Person.

The status of Person, who suffered a grade 2 concussion during Friday’s scrimmage, will determine whether USC uses a traditional format for its annual spring game or comes up with an alternate plan.

“All I can tell you is there’s going to be some hitting going on Saturday a little after 1,†USC coach Lou Holtz said Tuesday.

Person, a tight end until two weeks ago, is one of only three centers on the spring roster, along with starter John Strickland and Chris White, who takes most of his reps at guard. Person, a junior from Haverton, Pa. who did running drills during Tuesday’s practice, will be re-evaluated today.

“They’re going to check me out and hopefully I’ll be cleared for the game,†he said.

White certainly hopes so.

“I talked to (Person) today on campus. I was like, ‘You’ve got to get right, man.’ But I also told him if you don’t think you can go don’t go in there and jeopardize your health because I’ve been through that,†said White, who has a spinal condition that nearly ended his career.

Holtz said he would decide Thursday whether to play a traditional game or pit the offense against the defense with a scoring system that awards the defense points for forcing punts and creating turnovers.

The players prefer the former. “I want to have a spring game,†Strickland said. “I don’t want to go out and have another practice. We’ve already had 14 of them.â€Â

Regardless of the format, tickets for the 1 p.m. scrimmage at Williams-Brice Stadium are $5 for adults and $3 for children, with proceeds benefiting the USC lettermen’s association.

• Return to Fumble Island. Holtz said Tuesday’s injury report included several cases of fumble-itis, an outbreak that has hit the Gamecocks’ running backs and at least one quarterback in recent practices.

“We’ve had a bad case of putting the ball on the ground this spring, particularly by the running backs,†Holtz said. “Quarterbacks had it on the ground some, put the ball in jeopardy some. But the running backs for the last five, six practices have really not done a good job protecting the ball as a group.â€Â

But it was not only the running backs. Asked about backup quarterback Syvelle Newton, Holtz joked: “I was impressed today (with) the way he recovered his fumbles.â€Â

Quarterback Dondrial Pinkins said the Gamecocks’ new offense, which features a few more option plays, was not a factor in the fumbles.

“Most of the time when you fumble I think it’s because you’re trying to do too much or trying to dance too much,†he said.

Tailback Demetris Summers said the running backs each had to do 30 reps Tuesday through Fumble Island  a tires-and-sand course where the butter fingers are banished.

• This and that. Receiver Derrick Harper, a redshirt freshman from Montclair, N.J., has been suspended for the rest of the spring semester for academic reasons, Holtz said. Harper has been sidelined most of spring with a broken hand. ... Holtz was pleased with his team’s effort during spring practice, but did not like its closing number. “We’d had a good spring. I thought today was one of the more sluggish days we’ve had,†he said. “I was just disappointed we weren’t as sharp as we have been.â€Â

[beastiebull]

No offense but I could not care less.

[Guest A Bulls Fan]

No offense but I could not care less.

Careful-- don't want to upset super scout smazza. He can cut and paste now. (clap clap clap) We're all so proud.

[bulls96go]

hope they keep fumbling when our D smashes them in the mouth.

[beastiebull]

My bad.  I didn't read the article you posted Smazza.  I thought you were posting about Southern Cal since you live out there.  South Carolina is a different story.  Post on.

[mattegunz]

Hey beastie don't feel bad I thought the same thing.  I guess we would have failed one of those read the instructions first trick tests.  

[smazza]

g-cocks and entire state refers to them as USC.you think we  have an entity problem.

the rest of world refers to so cal as USC

[smazza]

 

Spring Football Game Set For Saturday

Players available for autographs beginning at 11:15 a.m.

April 15, 2004

Columbia, SC -

South Carolina's football team will conclude its 2004 spring practice this Saturday, April 17 with the annual Spring Game at Williams-Brice Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. The game serves as a fundraiser for the USC Lettermen's Association and tickets are $5 for adults, $2 for youth and $10 for an entire family. USC students, faculty and staff will be admitted free of charge upon showing their university ID card. Tickets are on sale at the USC Ticket Office on Rosewood Drive and also will be available on game day at the stadium.

Fans will have the opportunity to get autographs from the Gamecock players beginning at 11:15 a.m. on the field. The offense will sit on the west side and the defense and specialists will sit on the east side for autographs. 2004 posters and schedule cards will be handed out. The 2004 Spring Football Media Guide will be on sale for $2.

Fan seating for the game will be on the west side of the stadium only, and all fans are asked to enter through gates on the west side. As has been normal stadium security policy over the past two years, there will be bag checks upon entry into the stadium and fans are asked to not bring in backpacks or large bags.

 

There is no reserved parking, but there is plenty of parking available in the Fairgrounds Lots. There is a $1 parking charge, however, as there is another function going on Saturday within the Fairgrounds. Parking lots will be open by 9 a.m. Fans should enter through Gate 6.

The format of the game will be as follows:

* Kickoff and kickoff returns will be practiced before the regular scrimmage begins

* The clock will stop on incomplete passes and timeouts; the clock will not stop on out of bounds plays or after first downs

* The two teams be divided up as follows: first offense & second defense (Carolina) will take on second offense & first defense (Gamecocks)

Injury update: Center Fran Person, who suffered a mild concussion in last week's scrimmage, is listed as probable for Saturday's Spring Game.

[Papa_Bull]

That must not be a very extensive media guide. USF's is about $20 I believe.

Strange-- they use the Spring Game as a fund raiser. Does anyone think if USF did that that we would have even less attendance? If we ever go that route-- I would hope they would try to have the Spring Game played at night.

Louisville is holding their Spring game tonight. They had 17,000 fans show up last year.

http://louisville.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=285971