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Garcia saves his best for last
Stephen Garcia passes against N.C. State in the Gamecocks' 2009 season opener.
Gerry Melendez@gmelendez@thestate.com
Written by SETH EMERSON
semerson@thestate.com
Posted on 09.04.09
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RALEIGH — It was a strange fact for a quarterback who was sitting on a lead late in the game: Stephen Garcia’s best and longest throw was his last.
Rolling right, Garcia found Moe Brown on the right side for a 33-yard completion to ice USC’s 7-3 victory against North Carolina State.
“Thank God it was completed, because if it wasn’t, I might’ve been kicked off the team for throwing that,” Garcia said.
Up until then, Garcia had his good moments and bad. His third-quarter interception led to N.C. State’s lone score, and he ran the ball a little too much for his coaches’ liking.
Otherwise, the redshirt sophomore was largely mistake-free. And that was enough — for now.
“We’ve gotta get him playing better,” USC coach Steve Spurrier said. “He did take care of the ball. He didn’t fumble, he just had the one interception.”
Spurrier added that Garcia “can scramble and get open.” The quarterback finished as the Gamecocks’ third-leading rusher, with 16 yards on eight attempts, which included three sacks.
But Garcia said the coaches told him after a few scrambles that he should have hung in the pocket a moment or two longer to let a play develop.
“And that’s just gonna come with game experience, you know, staying there and making the throws,” Garcia said. “But I’m getting used to it.”
Garcia was making his fourth career start, and his first after a full spring practice and an offseason of preparing as the starter.
The Gamecocks appeared content to run a ball-control offense, with the defense holding the Wolfpack in check. Garcia complied, not turning the ball over until he threw the ball to N.C. State’s Michael Lemon. The defensive end had fallen into coverage, apparently unnoticed by Garcia.
It wasn’t the only time the Wolfpack surprised Garcia.
“They ran some stuff that we weren’t ready for, I guess. They blitzed a lot more than we were assuming they would,” he said.
After the interception, the Gamecocks called five consecutive passes. Garcia completed the first two for first downs, showing an ability to shake off a mistake.
“It’s a tough game out there; I guess that’s what I learned,” Garcia said. “But that’s the same thing from last year.”
Reach Emerson at (803) 771-8676.
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