USC’s Hurst won’t test NFL waters; Skai Moore on track to be back

South Carolina coach Will Muschamp had a little fun when he got asked after Thursday’s Birmingham Bowl loss if former All-SEC linebacker Skai Moore will be with the team when preseason practice starts in August.

“Yes,” Muschamp said. “Well, January will be first, and then August.”

Moore wasn’t with the team for the bowl trip, as he hasn’t yet been cleared for full contact following back surgery. He led the team in tackles his first three seasons and interceptions twice, but came back last offseason after declaring for the draft.

Staying tight

One Gamecock who said he won’t be testing the NFL waters is tight end Hayden Hurst, who blossomed into a top receiving threat in his first year of college football.

“I’m 100 percent committed to coming back,” Hurst said.

Hurst set school records for his position as he hauled in 48 catches for 616 yards. That’s notable because the 23-year-old sophomore didn’t have a position a season ago and was playing a different spot a few years prior.

After trying his hand at minor-league baseball, Hurst walked on in Columbia. At 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, he started as a tight end, was moved to wide receiver by the last staff and slotted in perfectly for what Muschamp’s staff wanted in its tight end.

Return threat

There was a point in the middle of the season when South Carolina was rolling through punt returnees, just hoping to find someone to hold onto the ball. Thursday against South Florida, Chris Lammons did far more than that.

He set up the game-tying score late in the fourth with a return that went 39 yards and but for one foot on the sideline would have been a touchdown in itself. He also set up a field goal late in the third quarter with a 14 yard return to inside the USF 30.

Notes

▪  Freshman receiver Bryan Edwards had one of the more understated plays of the game when he twice batted a tipped ball to prevent a likely interception.

▪  First-year defensive back Steven Montac forced a fumble and recovered another.

▪  The Gamecocks broke out their all-black uniforms.

▪  Attendance was 31,229.

▪  South Carolina had eight players start all 13 games this year: OG Zack Bailey, DE Darius English, OG Cory Helms, TE Hayden Hurst, CB Chris Lammons, DE Marquavius Lewis, DT Taylor Stallworth, OT Mason Zandi. Five will return next season.

▪  Freshman punter Michael Almond filled in for senior Sean Kelly.

▪  The game set 15 offensive records for the Birmingham Bowl.

This story was originally published December 29, 2016 at 8:44 PM with the headline "USC’s Hurst won’t test NFL waters; Skai Moore on track to be back."