Zach Mettenberger isn’t the only SEC quarterback dealing with a recent arrest.  South Carolina backup Aramis Hillary was back at practice yesterday, reinstated to the Gamecock squad.

Hillary was arrested last week on charges of underage drinking and drunkeness.  Interestingly, even on something so seemingly small, Hillary has requested a trial by jury.

As for his return to the practice field, Steve Spurrier said, “He got cleared through the athletic director.”

If there’s one position that Steve Spurrier is tougher on, which is it?

That’s right, quarterback.

So if you’re in the battle for the #2 quarterback job on a Spurrier-coached team, it’s probably best that you not get arrested.  During spring practice.

Whoops.

South Carolina backup quarterback Aramis Hillary, 19, was arrested early this morning and charged with underage drinking and drunkeness.  Hillary’s 22-year-old brother CoCo (nice name) was also arrested and charged with driving under the influence.

Hillary will be suspended indefinitely pending a resolution to the charges.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — South Carolina coach Darrin Horn drew the play up for his senior in the huddle, and Devan Downey executed. To perfection.
(more)

COLUMBIA – In a season of evolving goals, South Carolina is left with very few options.

As star point guard Devan Downey said, it’s about pride.

This afternoon at Nashville, Tenn., against Vanderbilt, the slip-sliding Gamecocks (14-15 overall, 5-10 in the SEC) will try to avoid a losing regular-season record.

“It goes without saying that confidence is an issue right now,” USC coach Darrin Horn said, “but you go on the road and fight and battle and try to put your best foot forward.”

The problem: The Commodores (23-6, 12-3) are the league’s best team behind two-loss Kentucky. Plus it’s senior day for talented point guard Jermaine Beal, who is leading the squad at 14.5 points a game.
(more)

According to Chris Low of ESPN.com, South Carolina won’t have several of their top defensive players on the field this spring.

Cornerback Chris Culliver (shoulder), defensive end Cliff Matthews (shoulder), defensive tackle Travian Robertson (knee), linebacker Reggie Bowens (shoulder), defensive tackle Ladi Ajiboye (precautionary) and linebacker Rodney Paulk (knee) will all be sidelined for much — if not all — of spring drills.

The good news is that Carolina’s defensive staff remained in place this offseason.  Those players missing time aren’t having to learn a new system or new concepts.

The biggest concern should be Culliver who is being moved from safety to corner.  He could have used the time this spring to become more acclimated to his new position.

When Dominique Archie blew out his knee in November, it left South Carolina to become, in effect, a one-man team with little chance of reaching March Madness.

Now Archie is hoping to earn one more shot at the tourney… next year.

The senior forward said yesterday that he is planning to petition the NCAA for a sixth year of eligibility.  “I understand it’s 50-50; they can say yes or no.  I’m not getting high hopes or I’m not trying too put myself down.  I’m trying to get myself prepared for both outcomes.”

Archie might have a hard time getting his sixth year.  In most cases, a player needs to have lost two seasons to injuries — or been the victim of some other rare circumstances — to be granted a sixth shot by the NCAA.

In Archie’s case, he was simply redshirted as a freshman.  He then played as a redshirt freshman, sophomore and junior before injuring his knee early this season.

You never say never, but the odds seem long against Archie.

“Every case is different,” said Darrin Horn.  “I think what we’re looking for is, based on what the guidelines are, is there anything that fits with his?  Because the reality of that is most of the decisions are based on medical things.”

Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts

COLUMBIA — From the NCAA bubble to the NIT bubble in three weeks. The precipitous fall of South Carolina’s basketball team continues. Every time the Gamecocks ask themselves if they’ve reached the bottom, another little bit is drilled to create a deeper hole.
(more)

COLUMBIA — South Carolina’s slipping and sliding basketball team faced one team with something to prove Thursday night. Less than 48 hours later, it’ll see another this evening. Kentucky desperately wanted to avenge its only loss of the season. (It did.)
(more)

COLUMBIA — South Carolina’s goal was to hang with No. 20 Tennessee, to remain within eyeshot with five minutes to play. So, in that regard, it was a successful Saturday. Then there was that whole business of the last five minutes and the final score. That didn’t go as well.
(more)

The past three years have seen some big moments for USC men’s basketball: three straight wins against Kentucky, a buzzer-beater against Florida and wins against nearly everyone in the SEC.

But then there’s Tennessee.

Not only have the Gamecocks lost six straight to the Volunteers, but the average margin of defeat has been 17 points, with three games decided by 24 points or more.

Tennessee is one of only two SEC teams that South Carolina star Devan Downey has never beaten. (The other is Mississippi State, which visits Columbia next week.)

It was Feb. 2007 when USC last beat their Eastern Division rival.
(more)

COLUMBIA — Just a week ago, the NCAA Tournament was very much in the discussion for South Carolina. Fueled by Devan Downey and somewhat steady play, fans were figuring out exactly which wins the Gamecocks would need to make their first NCAA appearance since 2004. And now?
(more)

ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia, the last-place team in the SEC East, is first in the Southeastern Conference in free-throw shooting.

That strength made the difference for the Bulldogs against South Carolina.

Georgia made nine straight free throws in the final 2:09, Jeremy Price scored 16 points in his first start of the season, including the go-ahead points with 1:09 remaining, and Georgia rallied to beat South Carolina, 66-61, on Saturday.
(more)

COLUMBIA — Darrin Horn got the team effort Wednesday he wanted from South Carolina. The lingering question is, Can he get it again today? And can he get it on the road? Consistency will be the key for USC in the final seven SEC games.
(more)

When you think of potentially dumb moves, I would guess that a high school student deciding to take liquor to his school would rank pretty highly.

But that’s just what South Carolina signee Victor Hampton did just two days after national signing day.

The 17-year-old took brandy to his school, mixed it with Pepsi (yum?), got caught, and was arrested — as we told you at the time — for underage drinking.  At school. 

Now that’s just asking for it, isn’t it?

Hampton has been suspended from school.  If a board rules that he be removed from his current high school and placed in Darlington County Intervention School, he could still receive his diploma.

But it’s interesting to note if he’s forced to move, Hampton would be going to his fifth different school in four years. 

Then there’s the legal charges which could result in fines, up to 30 days in jail and the loss of his driver’s license.

Hampton has been in trouble numerous times before.  South Carolina knew this and recruited him anyway.

Florida had recruited him, but backed off as signing day neared due to academic (test scores) and character concerns. 

To date, Steve Spurrier has made no comment regarding why he would recruit a player who’s covered in more question marks than Frank Gorshin’s old Riddler costume.

The State’s Joe Person believes that Carolina will ultimately stand beside Hampton and allow him to join the Gamecock team.  If he gets his test scores.  And if he doesn’t get tossed out of yet another school.

Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts

National signing day came and went Wednesday, proving again the myth that parity exists in college football. The same programs that dominate the recruiting rankings are the same ones who have controlled the game’s power for what seems like forever.

(more)

Tennessee held South Carolina to its worst shooting effort of the season, beating the Gamecocks 79-53 Saturday in Knoxville.

(more)

Incoming South Carolina defensive back Victor Hampton was arrested after taking alcohol to Darlington High on Friday, two days after signing with the Gamecocks.

(more)

Devan Downey’s scoring output has been equaled only by the ways the opposition has tried to stop him – at least according to a teammate.

“I’ve seen everything. I’ve seen probably 30 different defenses,” South Carolina senior guard Brandis Raley-Ross said. “I’ve seen teams try to put a taller guy on him, try to run two at him.”

And yet, Downey is still on an incredible tear, scoring 30 or more points in five of seven SEC games entering tonight’s game at Tennessee.

The run has created national buzz for Downey. For opposing coaches, it has brought more headaches and a classic dilemma:

When a player scores no matter what you do, do you still focus on him? Or do you assume he will get his points and focus on preventing his supporting cast from beating you?
(more)

COLUMBIA — The reality of today’s South Carolina-Tennessee game is that it could rather easily go either way. The reality is most Southeastern Conference games can. “We can play with or beat anybody,” USC second-year coach Darrin Horn said.
(more)

COLUMBIA — Lou didn’t want to do it. Lou didn’t want him. Assistants pleaded with him to take a look, just a look, at the kid. But he had already made up his mind. Gaffney High’s Sidney Rice was too slow. End of story. Finally, there was a reprieve.
(more)

Like the rest of the college football world, David Reaves was as surprised as anyone when Lane Kiffin bolted from Tennessee after one year to go to Southern Cal.

The only difference: Reaves is Kiffin’s brother-in-law and had an office down the hall from Kiffin in Tennessee’s football building.

But Reaves will not be joining his brother-in-law in Los Angeles. While Kiffin finishes assembling his Southern Cal staff, Reaves is stuck in coaching limbo in Knoxville after new Vols coach Derek Dooley chose not to retain the former South Carolina assistant.

Three weeks after Kiffin left Tennessee after one turbulent year, Reaves admits being stunned – both by Kiffin’s abrupt departure and the fact that Kiffin never told his brother-in-law of his intentions.

“The disappointment was more of me not knowing about the situation. You would think that I would have some kind of heads-up on the situation. But that’s how it works out sometimes,” Reaves said during a recent phone interview.
(more)

COLUMBIA — Logically, you’d think South Carolina would be due a horrific hangover after taking down No. 1 Kentucky on Tuesday night.

The Gamecocks have a different take on that.

Yeah, that kind of a win is enough to send you skyward. But here’s gravity for the team, to return it to the turf: South Carolina is 12-8 overall, 3-3 in the SEC.
(more)

As fans spilled onto the court at the Colonial Life Arena to celebrate South Carolina’s win over #1 Kentucky last night, most SEC fans probably knew what the result would be.  A fine.

In 2004, the SEC implemented a policy aimed at creating a safer environment for student-athletes, coaches, cheerleaders and fans.  If fans storm a league football field or basketball court, the host school will face a fine as the penalty.

The first offense is a $5,000 fine.  Carolina used that one up when it beat Kentucky in basketball in 2005. 

The second offense is a $25,000 fine.  That’s what the Gamecocks will have to cough up this time around.

A third offense would carrry a $50,000 fine.

While these types of fines might seem “un-fun,” they do serve a good purpose.  Let an injury befall a student during a celebration and you’ll have lawyers beating a quick path to his or her dorm room.

And, since the league put the policy — which was approved by all 12 member institutions — to work, there have been fewer court- and field-rushes.

All the same, knocking off an undefeated, top-ranked Kentucky team is reason to celebrate.  And it’s unlikely that USC officials will be too upset about having to cut this check to the league office.

The bar for defensive coordinators’ salaries just keeps rising and rising in the SEC.  And that appears to be good news for South Carolina’s Ellis Johnson.

Johnson and Gamecock officials have discussed a contract extension for the Palmetto State native that would double his current salary.  The proposed deal would pay Johnson an average of $700,000 per year over four seasons.

The contract has to be approved by the board of trustees executive committee next month.

Georgia’s Todd Grantham just received a $750,000 deal to join the Bulldogs.  Tennessee reportedly offered $750,000 to Kevin Steele, but he chose to remain at Clemson (after a bump moved him to $575,000 a year).

John Chavis is getting raise at LSU that will push him over the $500,000 mark and Kirby Smart at Alabama is in large for nice jump in pay, too.

Johnson — whose actual title is assistant head coach for defense — has been mentioned in connection with the Georgia and Tennessee jobs as well as the head coaching position at Louisiana Tech.

The big upshot of this story?  I get to use my favorite “Slingblade-esque” photo of Johnson.  $750,000 can buy a man a lot of french fried potaters.

Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts

Tight end Weslye Saunders has been reinstated to the South Carolina football team… little over a week after he landed in Steve Spurrier’s doghouse.  (Or would that be “chicken coop” in Columbia?)

Saunders was suspended for missing Carolina’s first team meeting of the spring semester and for “an indifferent attitude.”

Saunders considered leaving for the NFL before deciding to return for his senior year at Williams-Brice Stadium.