Notes

10/12/13
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/STEPHEN B. THORNTON
South Carolina's leading rusher Mike Davis (28) pulls Arkansas' Braylon Mitchell downfield  in the third quarter  during their game Saturday afternoon in Fayetteville
10/12/13 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/STEPHEN B. THORNTON South Carolina's leading rusher Mike Davis (28) pulls Arkansas' Braylon Mitchell downfield in the third quarter during their game Saturday afternoon in Fayetteville

SOUTH CAROLINA

Davis questionable

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Steve Spurrier says 1,000-yard rusher Mike Davis hasn’t practiced this week and might not be ready when the ninth-ranked Gamecocks open the season against No. 21 Texas A&M in a week.

The teams play at Williams-Brice Stadium next Thursday night. Davis has been slowed by several injuries during camp, most recently a rib injury suffered last Saturday.

Davis rushed for 1,183 yards last season, the fourth best single-season total in school history. Davis joked about his status Thursday on Twitter, “Y”all really think I’m going to miss the first game?” followed by several grinning emoticons.

Davis was a second-team all-Southeastern Conference preseason selection.

If Davis is sidelined, Spurrier said the Gamecocks would be good relying on backups Brandon Wilds, Shon Carson and David Williams.

MISSOURI

RBs impress

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Russell Hansbrough had a 55-yard scoring run against the second-team defense at a scrimmage that ended Missouri’s training camp.

Running backs combined for 208 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns for the 24th-ranked Tigers on Thursday. Marcus Murphy, who started at wide receiver, had 54 yards on five carries. Freshman Trevon Walters had a 1-yard TD run and Ish Witters had 67 yards on seven carries.

Quarterback Maty Mauk was just 4 for 11 for 28 yards and lost a fumble returned for a touchdown by linebacker Eric Beisel. Tackle Harold Brantley had two sacks.

Starters generally played sparingly and coach Gary Pinkel said play was inconsistent overall.

Missouri opens at home Aug. 30 against South Dakota State.

AUBURN

Receivers draw buzz

AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn receivers coach Dameyune Craig set a goal for his players a year ago: Be the nation’s best group in 2014.

The sixth-ranked Tigers should at least have a more dangerous receiving corps this season with top junior college prospect D’haquille Williams joining speedy deep threat Sammie Coates and Ricardo Louis. Expectations are certainly higher going into the opener with Arkansas on Aug. 30.

“I planted a seed in their head,” Craig said. “The one thing I always talk about is how to handle success. These things have been planted in these guys’ heads a long time ago. The accolades that they’re receiving this preseason is something that I foreshadowed for these guys. Even when the season started last year, I said, ‘Once you start having success, how can you handle success?’”

It’s been awhile since Auburn receivers have drawn this much preseason buzz. The Tigers haven’t had a receiver picked in the NFL draft since Courtney Taylor was a sixth-rounder in 2007.

The combination of Williams, Coates & Co. with quarterback Nick Marshall’s offseason work on his passing creates more potential matchup headaches for opposing defenses.

The Tigers led the nation in rushing last season behind now-departed Heisman Trophy finalist Tre Mason but are seeking more balance.

Coates emerged as the go-to receiver last season, finishing third nationally with an average of 21.5 yards on 42 receptions, with 902 yards and seven touchdowns.

Rated the nation’s No. 1 JUCO recruit by Rivals.com, Williams had 118 catches for 2,028 yards and 26 touchdowns in two seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

CLEMSON

Anthony transferring

CLEMSON, S.C. — Part-time starting offensive lineman Shaq Anthony is transferring from Clemson.

A release from the school stated that Anthony met with Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney on Thursday morning to discuss his decision.

Anthony played in 17 games for the Tigers, making five starts the past two seasons. The 6-foot-4, 280-pound Anthony was not projected as a starter heading into the season for No. 16 Clemson.

Anthony said in a statement he enjoyed his time at Clemson but needed a clean start somewhere he can become a starter.

Swinney says he supports Anthony’s choice and wished him well.

The Tigers open the season against No. 12 Georgia on Aug. 30th.

LOUISVILLE

Players shuffled

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville’s main defensive concern was finding playmakers to replace seven starters, particularly all-conference safeties Hakeem Smith and Calvin Pryor.

The Cardinals believe they have solved the problem.

Senior Terell Floyd moved over from cornerback while junior college transfer James Sample and underclassmen are developing there and on the edges, giving Floyd and junior CB Charles Gaines confidence that the Cardinals’ secondary will be strong.

Gaines says the youngsters “are coming along great.”

Floyd was asked to move this summer and Sample didn’t arrive at Louisville until the start of camp, but both have learned their new positions quickly and its role in the 3-4 defensive scheme. The range and versatility Gaines and Floyd showed while combining for nine of Louisville’s 16 interceptions last season allowed coaches to shuffle personnel.

RICE

Expectations high

HOUSTON — The standards are high at Rice, and that’s starting to go for the football team as well as the academics.

The Owls won their first solo conference championship in 57 years last year and finished 10-4, the second 10-victory season since 2008. The only other 10-victory season came in 1949.

Coach David Bailiff says conference championships and bowl games are no longer pipe dreams for a program that was known mostly for losing before Bailiff arrived in 2007. The Owls have won 15 of their last 19 games and played in two consecutive bowl games.

“We talked about being the hardest working and smartest team in the conference,” Bailiff said. “And then the messaging changed to where we now expect to make a bowl game. And then the messaging changed again to where we expect conference championships. We’ve been on nice progress, where the guys are excited about expectations.”

Rice is turning the offense over to Driphus Jackson, who backed up Taylor McHargue for the past two seasons. Jackson relieved McHargue late in the home opener last year, and guided the Owls for a touchdown in a 23-14 victory over Kansas. Jackson went 5 of 16 for 50 yards with an interception last season.

“He has patiently waiting his turn for three years,” Bailiff said of Jackson. “Every time we’ve put him into a game, he’s been ready, he’s performed. It’s really been a seamless transition. Driphus has a complete understanding of the offense, his leadership transcends this football team. He’s a total package for us.”

Jackson solidified the starting job in the spring and will have experienced receivers to help him along. Senior Jordan Taylor led the Owls with 55 catches for 848 yards in 2013 and Dennis Parks made 29 catches for 508 yards.

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