Barring some type of health setback between now and the beginning of September, any questions surrounding who would fill the rather large shoes left by Connor Shaw‘s departure have already been answered.
Speaking at a South Carolina men’s basketball game Saturday, head coach Steve Spurrier left no doubt who will be under center when the Gamecocks take the field for the Sept. 6 opener against East Carolina. In fact, aside from an injury you can’t predict, the Ol’ Ball Coach left absolutely no wiggle room at the position.
"[Dylan Thompson] is without question going to be our quarterback unless he gets hurts,” Spurrier, who was recently on the receiving end of a contract extension and raise, said according to Josh Kendall of the Columbia State.
Tapping Thompson as his starter is far from surprising, even as it comes a couple of months ahead of the start of spring practice.
Thompson is the lone returning player at the position who has seen any type of meaningful action; the five other quarterbacks currently on the roster have combined to attempt five passes. Aside from the decided edge in experience, Thompson has also been very successful during the times he has seen the field.
In two starts in place of an injured Shaw last season, Thompson threw for more than 300 yards and three touchdowns in each game, both of which were wins. He also threw the game-winning touchdown in the Capital One Bowl win over Michigan that season. In the one game he started this season, the Gamecocks knocked off unbeaten and fifth-ranked Missouri in Columbia, although in fairness Shaw fueled the comeback win in overtime by limping off the bench and onto the field late in the third quarter.
In other words, Thompson has earned the immense confidence and faith Spurrier has placed in him, that the soon-to-be senior can extend what’s already a school record streak of 10-plus wins to four consecutive seasons.