Heading into spring practice, there was little doubt that Stephen Garcia would be South Carolina’s starting quarterback through the sessions and into the 2010 regular season.
Now? Not so much. Maybe.
A so-so performance thus far this spring, coupled with the emergence of redshirt freshman Andrew Clifford, has seemingly put Garcia’s starting in jeopardy if Steve Spurrier‘s words can be taken at face value. After watching Clifford throw for 86 yards on 10-of-13 passing, the head ball coach was asked if Clifford and Zac Brindise had made any headway in the battle to become the Gamecocks’ No. 2 QB.
“They were in contention for the starting job today,” Spurrier said. “They were the two best out here today.”
“Gulp!” Garcia said.
Of course, this could just be a way for Spurrier to publicly send a message and challenge his current starter to up his game. Or, in the worst-case scenario for Garcia, his starting job will indeed be on the line for the rest of spring and into summer camp.
Either way, it would behoove Garcia to step it up a notch or eight through the remaining sessions of the spring.