ESPN College Football

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville dropped by South Carolina’s spring practice a few weeks ago and brought along his son, Tucker, to chat with Steve Spurrier.

Tucker, a quarterback, would like to come back to the South and play college football -- and he's interested in possibly walking on at South Carolina.

Tuberville and Spurrier matched wits in some epic SEC battles back when Tuberville was at Auburn and Spurrier at Florida.

“We’re standing over there watching one of our inside drills in practice, and I said, ‘Tommy, did you ever think I’d be a spread offense coach running the ball 70 percent of the time?’ ” cracked Spurrier, whose Gamecocks averaged more rushing yards (192.1) than they did passing yards (181.5) last season.

And they did it with a quarterback, Connor Shaw, who was the second-leading rusher on the team. Shaw, whose specialty is the zone read, churned out 525 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.

It was a far cry from Spurrier’s Fun ‘n’ Gun days at Florida, when the Gators threw it all over the ballpark and regularly averaged more than 300 yards passing.

“What we did then was throw it around a whole bunch, get a lead and then try to run it,” Spurrier said.

But these days, the Head Ball Coach leans to the run and isn’t ashamed to admit it.

In a lot of ways, he’s reinvented himself, but stops short of saying that he’s undergone a total transformation.

“It’s just what we do best right now,” Spurrier said. “If that’s what we had done best back then (at Florida), that’s what we would have done. We beat Penn State in the 1997 Citrus Bowl, and Fred Taylor ran it 43 times (for 234 yards).”

Still, Spurrier has proven over the past couple of seasons that he’s not too stubborn (or too programmed) to adjust to his personnel.

When you have Marcus Lattimore sitting back there in the backfield, it’s an adjustment that comes pretty naturally.

“You can only call so many pass plays,” Spurrier said. “Two years ago, when we were playing Georgia, I think that’s when it hit me. We were up 14-3, and to start the fourth quarter, [Stephen] Garcia got sacked and fumbled, but we recovered it.

“There was about nine minutes left, and I told the guys up top, ‘We’re not going to throw it again. We’re going to keep giving it to Marcus until they stop him.’ When your defense is playing well, you just keep running it. And if we don’t make it, we’re not going to give them anything.”

The Gamecocks expect to get a healthy Lattimore back in the fall and should again have one of the better defenses in the SEC. Plus, Shaw simply isn’t a pocket passer. His forte is moving around and making things happen with his arm and legs, although he’s working hard on becoming more efficient from the pocket.

In South Carolina’s spring game last Saturday, Shaw was 6-of-7 for 128 yards and two touchdowns. On the first play of the game, he hit Damiere Byrd with a 70-yard touchdown strike.

“When you throw, throw, throw and the ball hits the ground, the clock doesn’t go,” said Spurrier, who doesn’t understand the current fascination with trying to run 100-plus plays.

“Everybody is all hung up on how many plays you get. That means your defense is going to be out there a bunch, too. I remember when time of possession used to be an important stat. Now, all of a sudden, they think it’s cool to have a bunch of plays and how quickly you score.”

Spurrier said a big part of the Gamecocks’ success last season was tied into their time of possession. They finished third in the SEC (31:34), behind Georgia and Alabama, and were also third in third-down conversions and second in fourth-down conversions.

South Carolina was 24-of-31 on fourth down, which Spurrier said was the best of his career. And in 42 red-zone chances, the Gamecocks scored 32 touchdowns.

“We’re going to keep doing what we do best, which is why we’ve been able to accomplish a bunch of firsts around here,” Spurrier said.

And, yes, we’re still going to see a few new ball plays, too. That’s a Spurrier staple.

“We’ll still hit some balls. We hit some last year,” Spurrier said. “We finished fourth in the conference in total offense, which is the highest we ever have here.

“It just may look a little different.”

Hitting the SEC links on a Thursday.

• Georgia safety Bacarri Rambo's high school coach says that Rambo's suspension stems from him eating food "laced with marijuana."
• Roster attrition is occurring at Georgia at an alarming rate.
• Arkansas is looking to impress Sooner State prospects.
• Tenarius Wright is living the dream by working out at linebacker this spring for the Razorbacks.
• Florida tight end A.C. Leonard returns to practice following arrest.
• Jesse Williams is looking to create his own identity at nose guard for Alabama.
• New coordinators bring a fresh style that Auburn players and assistants are endorsing.
• Missouri is accelerating its offer process with online help.
• Linebacker A.J. Johnson likes Tennessee's defense.
• Former South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia has regrets about his past, but hopes for the future.
• The SEC denies Texas A&M's waiver request to have its band and students sit behind the opposing team's bench at Kyle Field.
• Austyn Carta-Samuels is looking to make Vanderbilt's quarterback battle cloudy this fall.

Links to go with those vending machine snacks some of us have had to call "lunch" before.

• Tennessee running back Tauren Poole has a lot to prove at the NFL combine.
• SEC commissioner Mike Slive talks a little Missouri and Texas A&M.
• Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin is set to be the first Aggie head coach to start his career on the road.
• Don't get too comfortable with the 2012 SEC football scheduling format because it could change after 2012.
• Arkansas is still recruiting for its 2012 class.
• Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News writes that players deserve benefits from a future college playoff, too.
• Auburn was the only school in the state of Alabama to support multiyear scholarships.
• The Atlanta Falcons are apparently showing interest in dismissed South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia.
• Georgia punishes cornerback Sanders Commings with probation, community service and he has to attend both an alcohol education class and an anger management class.
• LSU safety Brandon Taylor is eager to make an impression at the NFL combine.

The Gamecocks lost their starting quarterback and running back, but still managed to get 10 wins for only the second time in school history:

OFFENSE: C+

South Carolina's offense was hard to watch for most of the year. There were times when the Gamecocks really moved the ball down field, but had a tendency to shoot themselves in the foot with mistakes that cost them points. They scored less than 20 points in four SEC games, including 13 to Auburn, which ranked near the bottom of the SEC in every major defensive category. The Gamecocks entered the year with one of the best one-two punches in running back Marcus Lattimore and wide receiver Alshon Jeffery. They even had a seasoned quarterback in Stephen Garcia. But Garcia's troubles on and off the field caught up with him at the beginning of the year. Garcia passed for just 844 yards with four touchdowns and nine interceptions before being dismissed from the program after Week 6. Shortly after, Lattimore went down with a season-ending knee injury. Before his injury, Lattimore was among the nation's best with 818 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Jeffery rarely looked like his old self, grabbing just 614 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, and South Carolina never found a consistent secondary receiver. It did, however, find replacements in quarterback Connor Shaw and running back Brandon Wilds. Shaw struggled here and there, especially throwing, but recorded just one loss as a starter, while Wilds, who was a redshirt candidate, rushed for 100-plus yards in three of his five starts. The Gamecocks' inconsistency hurt, as South Carolina averaged 25 points in conference games, but led the league with 21 turnovers in league play.

DEFENSE: A

All it took was some quiet encouragement from defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson after the Navy game to jump start this unit. Players acknowledged that their play during the first three games wasn't up to par, but after that, South Carolina's defense was one of the best in the country. Up front, the Gamecocks got a ton of production out of veterans Melvin Ingram, an All-American, and Travian Robertson, and freshmen Jadeveon Clowney and Kelcy Quarles blossomed. Antonio Allen quietly had one of the most productive seasons in the league, recording 81 tackles, three interceptions, defended five passes and scored two touchdowns. Opposing backfields were constantly harassed, as South Carolina totaled 25 sacks and was sixth in the SEC in rushing defense. Against the pass, the Gamecocks were even better, ranking second nationally and tied for first in the SEC in interceptions (18) and takeaways (30). South Carolina currently ranks fourth nationally in total defense and is allowing 4.2 yards per play.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C-

The Gamecocks were rarely ever a threat in the kicking game. South Carolina was last in the league in kickoff coverage, with a net average of 40.1 yards. Jay Wooten also recorded just six touchbacks on his kicks. While Ace Sanders scored on a punt return, the Gamecocks have averaged just 7.6 yards per punt return. Wooten missed six total kicks (three field goals and extra points), while Joey Scribner-Howard was near the bottom of the SEC in punting, averaging 38.9 yards per punt. He pinned 10 punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line.

COACHING: A

Steve Spurrier led a South Carolina team to 10 wins for only the second time in school history even after losing his starting quarterback and one of the nation's best running backs. Spurrier made the right adjustments, put a lot of trust in Wilds and slowly turned Shaw into more of the right passer for his offense. It also helped that Johnson did a tremendous job with his defense. Yes, the Gamecocks were loaded with athletes on that side of the ball, but he helped create a new mentality after the first three games of the season. For a second straight year, South Carolina was a legit SEC East contender.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Record: 10-2, 6-2 SEC

It’s not often that you start the year with South Carolina being the overwhelming favorite to win the SEC Eastern Division. Well, that’s exactly what happened after the Gamecocks won the East for the first time in 2010. With game-changers on offense and defense returning, South Carolina also fit into the category of being a dark horse for the national championship.

Things didn’t go as planned. Troubled quarterback Stephen Garcia didn’t last long and was dismissed after six games. When he was in, he wasn’t great. The mistakes that plagued him during his career returned and he was benched in favor of Connor Shaw after a 16-13 loss to Auburn. Garcia’s dismissal came a week later.

Shaw won six games, but South Carolina suffered a major loss when early Heisman Trophy candidate Marcus Lattimore went down with an ACL tear in the middle of October. Before his injury, he was the SEC’s top rusher. Former redshirt candidate Brandon Wilds filled in and was a pleasant surprise.

South Carolina’s offense struggled for most of the sason, but the defense stayed pretty consistent after a rough start. Defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson called his defense out before the Vanderbilt game, and from then on, the Gamecocks defense turned stout, finishing the year fourth in the SEC in total defense.

Steve Spurrier did one of his finest coaching jobs, as the Gamecocks won 10 games for only the second time in school history and beat rival Clemson for the third consecutive year.

Offensive MVP: Shaw. The Gamecocks won six of their last seven games with Shaw starting. With top receiver Alshon Jeffery blanketed most of the time, Shaw usually turned to his feet, finishing the year with 483 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. He threw for 1,218 yards and 12 scores.

Defensive MVP: Defensive end Melvin Ingram. He was a scoring machine to start the year, recording three touchdowns, including a 68-yard run on a fake punt. He also had 44 tackles, including 13.5 for loss, 8.5 sacks, and three takeaways.

Turning point: The Gamecocks’ loss to Auburn on Oct. 1 might have cost South Carolina the SEC East. That was a game the Gamecocks should have won, but the offensive held them back. That was also the last time we saw Garcia, ushering in the Shaw era.

What’s next: The ninth-ranked Gamecocks are headed to the Capital One Bowl to play No. 20 Nebraska. South Carolina’s offense ended the season with momentum and the Gamecocks hope to keep it going against the Cornhuskers’ 36th-ranked defense.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-3) vs. South Carolina Gamecocks (10-2)

Jan. 2, 1 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Nebraska take by Big Ten blogger Adam Rittenberg: After having very different results in the same bowl (Holiday) the past two seasons, Nebraska heads to a new destination looking for its 10th victory.

The Big Ten’s newest member endured some ups and downs in its first season in the conference. Nebraska had two really bad days, getting blown out by both Wisconsin and Michigan on the road, but the Huskers also crushed Legends Division champion Michigan State and looked good in their regular-season finale against Iowa. In many ways, Nebraska has been two different teams in 2011.

If the defense plays to its potential, Nebraska is very tough to beat. Linebacker Lavonte David and cornerback Alfonzo Dennard are two of the best in the country at their respective positions. But depth has been an issue at times, and Nebraska struggled to contain Big Ten offensive stars like Russell Wilson, Montee Ball and Denard Robinson. The Blackshirts will need a strong effort against a South Carolina team that plays a little defense of its own.

Nebraska’s young offensive line will be tested by Gamecocks star defensive ends Melvin Ingram and Jadeveon Clowney, although a run-heavy scheme will limit their pass-rushing prowess. While South Carolina ranks fourth nationally in total defense, it ranks just 45th nationally against the run, an area Nebraska will try to exploit with junior I-back Rex Burkhead, one of the nation’s most consistent ball carriers, and sophomore quarterback Taylor Martinez.

A victory gives Nebraska its third consecutive 10-win season, something the Huskers haven’t done since 1999-2001.

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South Carolina take from SEC blogger Chris Low: The Gamecocks and bowl games have historically not mixed very well. They’ve lost four of their past five bowl games, including their past three. They’re just 4-12 all time in bowl games.

This season, though, South Carolina heads into the postseason with some real momentum. They ended the regular season winning six of their final seven games and saved their most complete performance for the finale, a 34-13 beatdown of archrival Clemson.

It’s a season that could have easily gone the other way when you consider that star running back Marcus Lattimore went down with a season-ending knee injury in the seventh game and fifth-year senior quarterback Stephen Garcia was booted from the team a couple of weeks earlier.

The Gamecocks, though, persevered, and won 10 games for only the second time in school history. They were edged out by Georgia for the Eastern Division championship.

Sophomore Connor Shaw took over at quarterback in Week 6, and South Carolina adjusted its offense to Shaw’s dual-purpose talents. The defense has been a force for most of the season. The Gamecocks are ranked fourth nationally in total defense, holding opponents to an average of 268.9 yards per game, and gave up more than 13 points only twice in their final nine contests.

South Carolina will play Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando on Jan. 2.

The Gamecocks have come a long way since losing starting quarterback Stephen Garcia and starting running back Marcus Lattimore. The offense sputtered along for most of the season, but has picked it up in the last two weeks of the season.

The Gamecocks defense has been solid all year and should have fun with that nifty Nebraska offense.

Fortunately for Spurrier, it won't look anything like the one the Huskers showed in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl. Spurrier watched as Nebraska dropped 62 on his Gators in the national championship.

There were so many things to like about Marcus Lattimore as a football player.

But without a doubt, his most endearing quality was how team-oriented he was despite being such an incredible talent.

Now that Lattimore is out for the rest of the season after suffering ligament and cartilage damage to his left knee in South Carolina’s 14-12 win over Mississippi State on Saturday, the Gamecocks will need Lattimore’s team-first mentality more than ever.

They’ll need it from every player and need it for every game.

Losing Lattimore was a huge blow, no doubt. But championship teams find a way to overcome, and they also learn to lean on each other when the breaks don’t go their way.

Lattimore won’t be on the field to help the Gamecocks get back to the SEC championship game, but he’s provided a road map with his infectious spirit.

It figures that Lattimore would get hurt on a play where he was blocking for somebody else.

Already, some have questioned why South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier would have his franchise running back out on the perimeter blocking on a play where he was suspect to getting rolled up from behind or the side.

It was a nasty looking injury when it happened, but those things unfortunately happen in football.

Lattimore was doing everything he could to wall off his man, the same way he would bull over a defender at the goal line or accelerate through a hole on his way to a 50-yard touchdown run.

That’s what makes him so special, and it’s why he’ll be back better than ever.

Nobody will work harder in rehabilitating that knee than Lattimore.

As the Gamecocks go forward, they have to embrace that same attitude.

It might be the defense that saves them in some games. It might be Alshon Jeffery in other games. There will also be games where players who’ve languished in the shadows need to stand up and be counted.

The Gamecocks’ margin for error the rest of the way is razor thin. With Stephen Garcia gone, sophomore Connor Shaw is the only quarterback on the team with any experience.

The depth behind Lattimore has also been evaporating all season. True freshman Brandon Wilds is now the backup after starting the season fifth on the depth chart at tailback.

There’s a chance juniors Kenny Miles (wrist) and Eric Baker (ankle) could be back in time for the Tennessee game on Oct. 29. Spurrier also said Bruce Ellington could get some snaps at tailback.

Regardless of who’s available, we’ll find out a lot about this South Carolina team over the next few weeks.

The Gamecocks (6-1, 4-1) still control their own destiny in the Eastern Division race, but two of their remaining three SEC games are on the road.

They rode Lattimore down the stretch a year ago to make their first-ever appearance in the SEC championship game. He carried the ball 80 times for 426 yards in the Gamecocks’ last three SEC games. They won’t have that luxury this season.

But thanks to Lattimore’s shining example, they should certainly have his deep-rooted sense of team.

We're at the halfway point in the college football season, so teams will be a little more on edge from here on out.

Conference races are really heating up and things will only get more and more exciting.

We start the second half in the SEC with the countdown to the Nov. 5 slugfest between Alabama and LSU, but we also start with some quarterback controversy lurking within the league.

Exciting stuff.

Here is some more exciting stuff to keep an eye on this weekend:

1. Musical quarterbacks: Outside of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia and LSU, there are quarterback issues in this league. Florida and Tennessee are playing without their starters (John Brantley and Tyler Bray, respectively) due to injuries, while Mississippi State and Vanderbilt have opened up their quarterback competitions. South Carolina benched Stephen Garcia for Connor Shaw, then officially said goodbye to Garcia earlier this week. Shaw showed off last week against Kentucky, but the depth behind him is beyond worrisome. Auburn will play both Barrett Trotter and Kiehl Frazier against Florida, but the more athletic Frazier has been getting more and more snaps with each game and coach Gene Chizik is having to answer more questions about Trotter's status as the starter. And Ole Miss is hoping that Randall Mackey is the guy from here on out. But wasn't Barry Brunetti the guy before Zack Stoudt was?

2. Mr. 100: I guess Trent Richardson really was ready to take over as Alabama's workhorse in the backfield. The junior running back has had his hat thrown into the Heisman ring and it doesn't look like it will be coming out anytime soon. That makes sense, considering the tear he's currently on. Richardson has rushed for 100-plus yards in five straight games and he's looking to get to six straight this weekend. Well, Alabama faces an Ole Miss defense that is giving up 193 rushing yards per game, so things appear to be in Richardson's favor this weekend.

3. More Jefferson: While LSU coach Les Miles continues to say that there is absolutely no quarterback controversy in Baton Rouge, Jordan Jefferson will continue to get more snaps behind Jarrett Lee. As he should. Jefferson brings another element to the offense that Lee doesn't -- his feet. Jefferson's touches went up from four in his first game back to eight in his second and his numbers should increase this weekend against Tennessee. But make no mistake about it, Lee is the starter until something unforeseen happens. Both players want to be the starter, but Lee has earned it and he deserves to keep it. The Tigers are just as successful with the Jefferson element on the field and having both play isn't hurting the team, so Jefferson's role should continue to expand going forward.

4. Swing game on the Plains: Auburn and Florida will play a season-defining game this weekend. A win for either team could be the difference between a winning record and a .500 record. Auburn's youth has shown at times, but so has its heart, which has carried it to three close-call wins this season. The Tigers still have LSU and Georgia on the road before the Iron Bowl comes back to Auburn, so getting a win this weekend will definitely go a long way. As for Florida, the Gators will be equipped with two true freshmen -- Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel -- getting the snaps at quarterback until senior Brantley comes back. That could be for the Georgia game, but Saturday, it's up to the kids. A Florida win would keep the Gators in the East hunt and give them momentum going into the bye. A loss could send this team really scrambling.

5. Shaw's second go-round: Connor Shaw will make his second start in a row for South Carolina this weekend and he'll do so on the road against a tough Mississippi State secondary. This won't be easy by any means, and this will be the first chance we get to see the sophomore perform on the road this year. He was calm and composed against Kentucky, but he'll be going against a team desperate for a conference win and a fan base looking for some sort of hope this season. Can Shaw duplicate last week's outing? Can he at least be consistent for the Gamecocks for two weeks in a row? The team thinks so, but Davis Wade Stadium isn't the easiest place to maneuver if you're a young quarterback.

6. Simms begins the gantlet: Matt Simms was in this position last year when he had to start against Tennessee's toughest opponents before Bray took over for him. With Bray out for an extended period of time, Simms' number has been called yet again and his first opponent is the No. 1 team in the country in LSU. It's an LSU team carrying the league's second-rated defense and a host of defensive playmakers. It won't be easy for Simms, but he says he's ready. However, this is just the first step for the senior. He'll still face Alabama (on the road), South Carolina and Arkansas (on the road) in the next four weeks. That's tough for any quarterback. Starting off with an impressive debut will help the psyche of this team. He doesn't have to be perfect, but does have to be effective enough to inject some confidence into this team for the road ahead.

7. Like brother ... like brother? Vanderbilt quarterback Jordan Rodgers could make his first start for the Commodores this weekend against Georgia and if he's anything like his Super Bowl-winning older brother, Aaron, Vanderbilt's fan base should be stoked. Now, this wouldn't exactly be the best game for him to really kick off his Vandy career in, with Georgia giving up less than 180 passing yards a game, but if he does get the start, there will no doubt be a little more excitement in the air in Nashville. Larry Smith hasn't gotten the job done for the Commodores, so it might be time for a move. Vanderbilt needs to shake things up on offense and starting Rodgers could be a way to do that.

8. Mississippi State's lost offense: The Bulldogs have a mound of offensive problems. They haven't seen the dynamic duo of quarterback Chris Relf and Vick Ballard do much of anything since Week 2 and the offensive line is a mess. The execution has been lacking and this team is scrambling to figure things out when it has the ball. After Tyler Russell rescued an offense that went scoreless against UAB in the first half, he's in a battle with Relf for the starting spot. Would starting Russell provide a spark for this reeling offense? And would it matter against a revamped South Carolina defense? The Gamecocks love to bring a lot of pressure and could make either quarterback's day miserable Saturday.

9. Florida's rushing defense: If you're Auburn running back Michael Dyer, you have to be pretty happy with your odds of clearing the century mark against the Gators Saturday. Florida has given up a total of 464 rushing yards in the last two games and both Alabama's Trent Richardson (181) and LSU's Spencer Ware (109) went into triple digits in the rushing department. Dyer has rushed for more than 100 yards four times this season. We might have given Florida's front seven way more credit than it deserved to start the year, as the last two weeks have been far from nice for this unit. With Dyer's blend of power and speed, Florida's defense has yet another tough runner to keep in check this week.

10. More of the Honey Badger: The legend of LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu grows larger and more fantastic with each week. Those Honey Badger T-Shirts floating around LSU's campus are easily the best in the sport right now and he really does take what he wants. This weekend, he faces yet another backup quarterback making his starting debut for the season. Yes, Simms is experienced, but the Honey Badger doesn't care (or don't care). He will no doubt make Simms' day that much more frustrating because of his ability to somehow pop up wherever the ball is on the field. Just remember, he takes what he wants.

Never shy about unloading on Stephen Garcia publicly over the years, South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said Wednesday that Garcia's dismissal was an unfortunate situation.

Garcia, who had made it through five suspensions, was booted from the team Tuesday after failing a drug test.

"I don’t like it, don’t like it," Spurrier repeated when asked what his emotions were concerning Garcia's dismissal. "I wished he'd stayed and wished he could have finished his career here as a Gamecock, one way or another."

Before Spurrier found out about the positive drug test late Monday night, he'd had a conversation with Garcia earlier in the day and reminded him that he was just one injury away from being the Gamecocks' starter again.

Asked about the perception that maybe he was too hard on Garcia publicly and didn't praise him enough, Spurrier said, "I praise all players according to how they perform. It’s unfortunate what happened with Stephen. It’s all over now. We don’t need to rehash it. It’s an unfortunate situation."

Spurrier said pointedly that his rant at his weekly news conference Tuesday and refusal to talk if columnist Ron Morris of The State newspaper were in the room was not an attempt to deflect attention away from the Garcia news. Spurrier has been angry at Morris since the spring over a column Morris wrote concerning Bruce Ellington. Morris wrote that Spurrier "poached" Ellington from the basketball team.

"I was not [deflecting attention] and did not like doing that," Spurrier said. "I said what I needed to say yesterday and am not getting into that discussion anymore, and hopefully, that discussion is over."

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said the Gamecocks are ready to roll with sophomore quarterback Connor Shaw and it’s important that the team rally around Shaw.

"I guess the new word is, ‘We've got your back ... Hang in there. We’re going to block for you and give you a chance to be successful,'" Spurrier said Wednesday, just a day after Stephen Garcia's dismissal from the team was announced.

There's no turning back now for the No. 15-ranked Gamecocks. The enigmatic and oft-suspended Garcia is finally gone. It's Shaw's show the rest of the way, and the Head Ball Coach is the first to admit that they don't have anybody behind the 6-foot-1, 200-pound sophomore who's remotely ready to play against an SEC defense.

"We need to keep him healthy," Spurrier said. "But as a coach, you take the players you’ve got and get ready to go play, and that’s all you can do. We don’t want Connor to run a whole lot. He’s a good runner, so he’ll run a little bit here and there. But we need to think about his safety all the time out there."

The good thing for the Gamecocks is that Shaw at least has some SEC experience. He's coming off a four-touchdown performance last week at home in a 54-3 rout of Kentucky after being named the starter earlier in the week. He also opened this season as the starter against East Carolina, but was pulled after the first quarter. Last season, he went into the game late against Auburn (the regular-season contest) and moved the team into Auburn territory on two different occasions, but was intercepted both times.

He gets another shot at an SEC defense on the road this Saturday when South Carolina travels to Mississippi State. It's one of three SEC road games the Gamecocks have remaining as they try to get back to the SEC championship game for the second year in a row.

Whatever happens, Spurrier doesn't think any of it will be too big for Shaw, who by all accounts outplayed Garcia during preseason camp.

"Connor is from a football family," Spurrier said. "Connor was an all-state quarterback in Georgia a couple years ago. His brother is the starting quarterback at Georgia Southern. I think they’re undefeated. His dad is a head high school coach, so he’s grown up with football. I guess he’s what they call a football junkie. He needs to improve, and he knows that. He’s a pretty level-headed young man, and he’s our quarterback.

"We need to let him play and see what happens. He’s not going to be perfect, but he’s certainly capable of making the plays when they’re there."

Spurrier said he was still unsure who would go in at quarterback if something were to happen to Shaw. Sophomore Andrew Clifford and redshirt freshman Dylan Thompson are the two possibilities, although the Gamecocks would also run a lot of their Wildcat package with Bruce Ellington, Stephon Gilmore and Marcus Lattimore all factoring into the equation.

"Dylan and Andrew are pretty even," Spurrier said. "It may be who has the best warm-up in pregame practice, to tell you the truth. That’s what happened last Saturday. Dylan ran with the second team in pregame warm-ups and didn’t look very good. Clifford was a little better. That’s how close they are."

With every minute -- nay, second -- that passes, we are one step closer to the game of games.

The regular-season Super Bowl. Godzilla versus King Kong. Democrats versus Republicans.

Or simply put: Alabama-LSU.

The winner will be catapulted to the top of national championship talk, but we'll go to bed each night praying for a chance to see redemption down in New Orleans.

But there is so much more in store in the second half of the season. There are intriguing quarterback battles at Auburn, Florida, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt. There is an East race that might look shabby on the outside but will be full of excitement come mid-November.

And quarterback play will be as important as ever.

One team figuring out a new quarterback plan of action is South Carolina, which said goodbye to troubled passer Stephen Garcia on Tuesday. Garcia's dismissal officially makes this Connor Shaw's team. It's a team that was the heavy favorite in the East coming into the season but lost favor each week with a poor offense and a sluggish defense. Then, the defense perked up and starting playing with some fire, and Shaw replaced Garcia last week, torching Kentucky for 311 yards and four touchdowns.

Shaw proved he's the man for the job, but the depth behind him is ugly, meaning Shaw's health is key. If Shaw is healthy and consistent, this team could be right back in Atlanta in December.

Bold Prediction

Vanderbilt will make it to a bowl game in James Franklin’s debut. The first-year coach brought some much-needed energy and excitement to this program, and he now has the Commodores playing their best since 2008 -- the last time Vanderbilt made it to a bowl. The offense has had its fair share of bumps and bruises, but the defense is equipped with one of the best secondaries in the league. Vandy leads the conference in takeaways, including 14 interceptions, and has three wins. It should get three more with its remaining schedule.

What We’re Looking Forward To

• How about that running back race? For the first part of the season, South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore owned the ground game, but Alabama’s Trent Richardson might have momentarily supplanted him as the league’s best. But don’t count out Auburn’s Michael Dyer or Georgia’s Isaiah Crowell. Both have been solid in the past few weeks, and with the touches they are getting, each has a chance to win the rushing title.
• The East might be average, but it’s still going to be fun to watch this race. South Carolina owns the tiebreaker with Georgia, but the Bulldogs are riding a four-game winning streak and have a much easier road ahead. South Carolina’s offense seems to be better off with Shaw and the defense has really improved, but Arkansas and Florida still loom. Speaking of Florida, if the offense ever comes around and John Brantley returns, the Gators might squeak back into this race.
• We also wonder whether some of these SEC offenses can get it together. Can Randall Mackey at quarterback really help to improve a sluggish Ole Miss offense? Is it execution or the quarterback that needs to work at Mississippi State and Vanderbilt? Is there any hope for Kentucky at all? And can Tennessee and Florida overcome injuries to their starting quarterbacks to make some sort of second-half push?

Top Three Impactful Games

1. LSU at Alabama, Nov. 5: This one's a no-brainer. These are the two best teams in the country, and we’d be shocked to see either lose before this one. Can we just end the season after this game?

2. Arkansas at LSU, Nov. 25: Arkansas still could ruin the Tigers' season with an upset in Death Valley. A win could even propel the Hogs into the SEC title game, granted they don't have two losses and Alabama falls. We'll never hear the end of it from Razorbacks fans if the Hogs knock LSU and Alabama out of the SEC title game?

3. South Carolina at Arkansas, Nov. 5: The Gamecocks control their own destiny, but with Georgia's less-than-demanding second-half schedule, South Carolina can't afford another conference loss. This one won't be easy, either, with Arkansas's high-flying passing attack.

No player ever wants to end his career being remembered more for what he did off the field than what he did on the field.

But in the end, I’m afraid that will be Stephen Garcia's legacy at South Carolina.

The fact that he even made it to this point is surprising on a lot of fronts. Five suspensions is a lot for any player, and Steve Spurrier isn’t known for his patience.

Even so, the university was willing to give Garcia one more shot if he could adhere to certain guidelines. One of those guidelines was that he not drink alcohol.

So when the drug test results came back this week showing alcohol and marijuana in his system, according to sources with direct knowledge of the situation, Garcia was done.

There were those in and around the South Carolina program worried that something like this might happen after he was benched following the 16-13 loss to Auburn two weeks ago. It was a tough blow for the fifth-year senior, who simply hadn't thrown the ball with much confidence this season. No quarterback is going to keep his job very long when he throws four touchdown passes and nine interceptions.

The misnomer about Garcia is that he’s a malcontent who recklessly goes out looking for trouble. He’s really not that kind of guy.

If anything, he’s laid back and enjoys being one of the guys. Up until the very end, most of his teammates supported him.

He played hard, lived hard and partied hard, but didn’t always prepare and practice hard.

He certainly had his moments on the field and put up some respectable numbers: 7,597 career passing yards to go along with 47 touchdowns and 41 interceptions. He was 20-14 as a starter, and his finest hour came last season in the 35-21 upset of No. 1-ranked Alabama when he looked like he was finally on track to being the kind of quarterback you could trust on every play and in every game.

But that was just it with Garcia.

Every time you swore he was turning that proverbial corner, he’d do something to let you down.

He finished last season with five interceptions in his last two games, and in the last seven games he played in, he threw 14 interceptions.

There was the hotel incident with the girls in his room after curfew a few days before the bowl game last season. There was the incident at the life skills and leadership seminar this spring.

With Garcia, there were always incidents.

The frustrating part was that he competed hard on the field and was truly a warrior. He didn’t always play smart, but he never played scared.

His teammates respected him for that.

But his flimsy work ethic, his lack of focus and his inability to comprehend how he impacted everybody else around him in his role as the starting quarterback were all factors that ultimately led to his undoing.

Here’s hoping that Garcia, who already has his undergraduate degree, is able to conquer his demons and find some peace. He’s not a bad guy.

In some ways, the Gamecocks might be better off without Garcia, especially if he was just going to be watching from the sideline the rest of the season.

But they’re also razor-thin at the quarterback position. After Connor Shaw, sophomore Andrew Clifford would probably be the next guy in the game, and he’s never taken a meaningful college snap.

So in other words, Shaw better work on his sliding these next few games and not take a lot of unnecessary hits.

If something did happen to Shaw, the Gamecocks would also expand their Wildcat package with some combination of Bruce Ellington, Stephon Gilmore and Marcus Lattimore.

It would have been a feel-good story had Garcia come back, stayed on the straight and narrow, and led the Gamecocks to a big season.

He had a lot of people genuinely trying to help him.

What’s important now is that he commits to genuinely trying to help himself.

SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS

Record: 5-1 (3-1 SEC)

It wasn’t until Connor Shaw got his second chance that the Gamecocks finally found something outside of Marcus Lattimore that worked in its offense. Stephen Garcia just didn’t cut it as the starter and coach Steve Spurrier had to make a change. Apparently, it was the right one as Shaw passed for 314 yards and four touchdowns against Kentucky in his second start of the year. Shaw got a shot early in the season, but after struggling against East Carolina, Garcia replaced him. Now, the offense is his and the next step is staying consistent under center.

Having a real threat to throw the ball should open things up more for Lattimore, something the Gamecocks need to have happen in order to get to the SEC title game. South Carolina’s defense has finally shown up as well. The first couple of weeks were rough for the Gamecocks’ defense, but after giving up 274 rushing yards in an uncomfortably close game to Navy in Week 3, South Carolina has allowed just 177 total yards per game and 22 total points. If the defense continues to play at such a high level and Shaw can run the offense efficiently, South Carolina certainly has the chance to make it back to Atlanta.

Offensive MVP: RB Marcus Lattimore. He’s making most of everyone’s Heisman Trophy lists at this point with his SEC-leading 779 rushing yards. He also has nine rushing touchdowns and another receiving. Lattimore is South Carolina’s ultimate work horse and if he struggles, so do the Gamecocks.

Defensive MVP: DE Melvin Ingram. It’s not every day that a defensive lineman has more touchdowns than the receivers on his team, but that’s exactly what Ingram did through the first five games. He had three scores, including a special teams touchdown when he took a run on a fake punt for 68 yards. He also has 27 tackles, including 7.5 for loss and a league-high 5.5 sacks. Ingram has two interceptions as well.

If you’re looking for fall work, turn no further than the SEC.

There should be a slew of “Quarterbacks Wanted” signs on the locker room doors of most SEC facilities.

We’re halfway into the 2011 season and there are still a handful of teams in search of a consistent starting quarterback.

You can send your applications to just about anywhere outside of Tuscaloosa, Fayetteville and Athens.

We might be celebrating the year of the quarterback here at ESPN, but the SEC certainly is not.

Currently, only three quarterbacks -- Tyler Bray, Tyler Wilson and Aaron Murray -- are averaging more than 200 passing yards a game, and 72 interceptions have been thrown in the SEC. Eight teams have a team quarterback efficiency less than 150.

With teams preparing for the second-half stretch, some coaches should look at their quarterback situations and think about changes.

South Carolina is a perfect example. Senior Stephen Garcia disappointed for two straight weeks before coach Steve Spurrier benched him for sophomore Connor Shaw.

Shaw blew the doors off South Carolina’s offense against Kentucky, passing for 311 yards and four touchdowns. The offense clicked with him leading the way and actually looked alive. The question is if he can keep it going, because we know Spurrier prides himself on his quarterbacks’ play and won’t stand for more ineptitude at the position.

There are more teams that should consider following Spurrier’s lead.

Kentucky’s offense just can’t get anything going in general, but junior Morgan Newton has really regressed. The league’s coaches named him a SEC All-Freshman selection two years ago, but he looks nothing like his former self. Newton has thrown six touchdowns to seven interceptions, is averaging 110 yards a game and his passing efficiency is 86.5.

Yuck.

Backup Maxwell Smith hasn’t looked great by any means, but with the Wildcats sitting at 2-4 and winless in conference play, it might be time to use the bye week to prep the freshman more. Does Newton really give Kentucky that much more of a chance to win?

Mississippi State entered the year with senior Chris Relf riding a wave of hype that he surfed on late in the 2010 season. Viewed as one of the best dual-threats in the league, Relf has hit the wall. He’s averaging a paltry 115.8 yards in the past four games and has four interceptions compared to one touchdown. He also has just 73 rushing yards and zero scores on 45 carries in that span.

Tyler Russell replaced Relf at the half against UAB, throwing three touchdowns in a 21-3 comeback win.

Coach Dan Mullen didn’t say much about the quarterback situation, but Relf told reporters he expects to keep his job, for now.

"Coach Mullen said I'm still going to be the starting quarterback," Relf said. "It's just a matter of me going out there and playing hard. It's just a matter of them believing in me to throw the ball in the game. That's how I see it."

Vanderbilt’s offense is just trying to keep its head above water at this point. Quarterback Larry Smith has received a ton of criticism during his Commodore career and he’s hearing even more now. With bowl hopes on the line, it might be time to take this offense in a new direction.

Smith went down with a leg injury against Alabama, forcing Jordan Rodgers into the game. Rodgers wasn’t spectacular, but he did complete 11 of his 18 passes for 104 yards, but had two interceptions.

Smith has thrown for just 412 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. His season-high? Just 140 yards against Connecticut.

Then, you have schools like Florida and Tennessee, who have to deal with injuries to their starting quarterbacks. The Vols seem to be in a much better position with senior Matt Simms taking over for Bray, who was the league’s top passer before Saturday. The Gators are working with a trio of freshmen with John Brantley out. Jeff Driskel was supposed to be the No. 2, but he sprained his ankle against Alabama and missed the LSU game, giving Jacoby Brissett his first-career snaps and start.

Brissett wasn’t awful, but he didn’t look ready for LSU. However, none of Florida’s backups would have.

Florida needs Brantley more than ever, and Tennessee is hoping Simms can get through a five-week stretch that features LSU, Alabama, South Carolina and Arkansas.

Auburn and Ole Miss aren’t free from quarterback issues, either. The Rebels might have finally found their guy in Randall Mackey, but it took five weeks and three losses to do it. Mackey hasn’t been spectacular, but he has to be the best option, right?

The Tigers have started to use more of the two-quarterback system with Barrett Trotter and Kiehl Frazier. Trotter passes, Frazier runs, but neither did much against Arkansas over the weekend. The question is if Frazier starts throwing more, will he eventually get the majority of the snaps?

There is still time for teams to regroup from their quarterback problems, but for now, SEC quarterbacks have seen better days.

Much better.