South Carolina Football: 10 Things to Expect from the Spring Game

The South Carolina Gamecocks have been sweating it out long enough, and it's about that time to showcase what they've improved on throughout those spring practices. The spring game will take place on April 14, and it is a chance for every player to prove in a game-like atmosphere what they're capable of.

The spring game is just a warm-up for the team to see what they need to work on and where their strengths are. It's also a chance for players at the bottom of the depth chart to improve their ranking on the team. Overall, it should be very beneficial for everybody and should answer a few questions that head coach Steve Spurrier and company had going into it.

Here are 10 things to expect for the South Carolina Gamecocks' spring game.

Jared Shaw to Make a Name for Himself

Jared Shaw is a walk-on who hasn't done much yet, but he has been making some noise in practice. He returned an interception 38 yards for a touchdown in one scrimmage and then blocked a punt in the next one for a score. The play was so impressive that head coach Steve Spurrier later talked about it to the media (via Scout.com):

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Jared had a heck of a play. Hadn’t seen a play like that since I’ve been coach here. He came around the corner, stretched his hands out perfectly and blocked the punt, picked it up and ran for a touchdown. He’s certainly going to get every chance (to play).

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I'm not sure exactly how much time Shaw will see in the spring game, but he seems to have a knack for the big play. Don't be surprised if he ends up making a great play, earning a spot on this roster and seeing some playing time.

Kelcy Quarles to Fill in Nicely on the Defensive Line

South Carolina remains one of the more talented defenses in the country, but they do have a couple of holes to fill along that defensive line with Travian Robertson and Melvin Ingram no longer on the roster. That's where defensive tackle Kelcy Quarles steps in and helps fill one of those holes. According to defensive line coach Brad Lawing, Quarles has the talent to be one of the best in the country:

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I want him to be one of the best tackles in the SEC. He still plays with a high pad level from time to time. I have to keep reminding him, but he is conscientious and very humble. Kelcy needs to become one of the best in our league and he has that kind of ability.

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Quarles is only a sophomore, but he will likely become a starter on this defensive line. He finished his freshman season with 28 tackles and two tackles for a loss. Expect to see him make a play or two that makes forgetting about playmaker Ingram a little easier.

Bruce Ellington Makes a Couple of Incredible Plays

Just in case you haven't heard, wide receiver Bruce Ellington has decided to return the game of football, and he will play basketball as well (he was going to leave football all together before returning to football). Which is a great decision because he is one of the Gamecocks' biggest playmakers on the offensive side of the ball. He had over 300 total yards and even completed three of his four passes.

Now that he is back on the team full-time, you can expect him to have a big play in the spring game. He's capable of having a big year, and he needs to reward the South Carolina fans for putting them through a roller coaster of emotions the last month or so. 

Quarterback Battle to Be Undecided

We know quarterback Conner Shaw is going to be the starter for the Gamecocks by the time the season rolls around. But does anyone have an idea of who the backup will be? No? Well, me neither.

It, of course, will down to Dylan Thompson, Seth Strickland or Tanner McEvoy, but according to Steve Spurrier, neither has really impressed him. In fact, the passing game as a whole has really driven the head coach nuts.

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“I think we hit one out of 20 down there,” Spurrier said, via Scout.com “It was ugly. I guess that’s why you practice. We have to start throwing and catching it better and see if we can’t look like a better passing team."

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It appears that this is one of those battles that won't be decided in the spring.

Expect to See a Lot of Seth Strickland

While Spurrier said the quarterback competition has been lousy early on, he also said that he's liked what he's seen so far from Seth Strickland.

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“Seth Strickland needs to play more,” Spurrier said via Scout.com “He’s the only one that knows what to do all the time. He’ll get rid of the ball. Maybe we need to get him playing more.”

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Strickland is a senior quarterback who's only thrown two pass attempts in his career. He's 6'2", has a very high football IQ and makes smart decisions with the football. With the other quarterbacks struggling to get the job done, I'd expect to see a lot from Strickland when the spring game takes place.

Brandon Shell to Earn His Starting Spot

With a couple of holes on the offensive line, somebody will need to step up this season. And as the practices are beginning to fall, redshirt freshman Brandon Shell is really looking like he'll become the starting left tackle for this team.

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“We know he’s a heck of an athlete,” said offensive line coach Shawn Elliott. “Has huge upside. Now, he’s just got to develop into what we think he’s going to be. I have no idea about how good he could be at this point. He can really blossom into something special, I think.”

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Shell fits the bill at 6'6", 330 pounds and is picking up much-needed experience going up against the Gamecocks defensive line every practice. He was a 5-star recruit in the 2011 class and is an absolute beast in pass protection. The offensive line was terrible last season for South Carolina, and with a couple players leaving, expect to see Shell fix one of the major issues this team has. 

Kenny Miles to Earn Backup Running Role

Marcus Lattimore without question will be the starter in September as he continues to recover from last year's injury. Senior running back Kenny Miles should earn the backup role, as he's really tearing it up in practice. Miles was upset with the lack of carries he's gotten in his career, but with the way he's looked in practice, he may be helping his case for more touches.

“Kenny Miles is in great shape,” said USC coach Steve Spurrier. “He has no injuries. He is ready to go.”

Miles finished the season strong last year and is looking to build on that and have his best season to date. If he continues making progress, there's no doubt he'll receive over 100 carries this year and become a very successful back for the Gamecocks.

An Aggressive Defense

South Carolina had one of the top defenses in the country a year ago. Although they are missing five starters from that squad, they return six key players and have solid depth at most of the positions. One of the keys for them is the defensive line that picked up 31 sacks last season, which was good for third in the SEC.

In the spring game, if the game is anything like the spring practices, you should expect a very aggressive defense that lets it all hang out.

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“The bulk of the defense will stay the same but we’ll try and tweak it and make it even better. We’ll try and be a little bit more exciting and we’re probably going to blitz more than we’ve ever blitzed before. I want the word out and I’m sure it’s probably going to get out when I put it to the media, but we’re going to be more aggressive,” defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward said via Scout.com

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The players are on the roster to get the job done, and I'm sure you won't hear any complaints from the Gamecock fans.

You'll Forget About Alshon Jeffery

With Alshon Jeffery no longer on the roster, the Gamecocks are stuck trying to search for a replacement to step up and become the No. 1 guy. As of right now, it's looking like it's going to be Ace Sanders.

“Ace is our best receiver right now. There’s no question about it,” USC coach Steve Spurrier said. “He’s going to have a big year for us. I’m convinced of that.”

Sanders caught 29 passes for over 300 yards last season, but he will need to take his game to the next level for this passing game to be successful. If he continues to impress the head coach, there's simply no question he can become that go-to guy.

A Solid Spring Effort

Steve Spurrier may not like to admit it, but the fact is that this team is extremely talented. The defense is one of the best in the country. The quarterback is making strides, they have a fantastic running game and, overall, it is just a balanced team that could win the SEC this season.

Even the head coach himself had to give credit to his team and let everyone know that South Carolina is a team to pay attention to.

"Now we have some difference-makers who can win a ball game for us," he said. "We don't have as many as teams like Alabama or LSU, but we have enough of them."

I expect to see a sharp spring game, with the defense having several big plays. This is a team to watch out for in the SEC, and it all starts with a solid spring performance as the season inches one day closer.