Notebook: Perry Orth very familiar with USC-UGA series
Throughout his high school playing days, Perry Orth always found himself drawn to the South Carolina-Georgia game each fall for some reason.
“I don’t know why I always watched it, but I always did,” the Gamecocks junior quarterback said Tuesday. “It’s pretty awesome I’m going to get a chance to go against them.”
Orth is expected to start against the Bulldogs in Sanford Stadium at 6 p.m. Saturday.
“I hear it’s very, very exhilarating atmosphere,” he said. “I am excited to get the opportunity to play in place like that. Growing up in the South, you’re always watching and hearing about what it’s like to play ‘Between the Hedges,’ so it’ll be a great opportunity.”
Orth is 15-for-22 for 203 passing yards, with one touchdown and one interception this season.
“We probably moved the ball with Perry in there (in the second half against Kentucky) the best we have all year,” coach Steve Spurrier said. “He throws a nice pass, as you can see. If we can protect him and get some guys open, he’s very capable.”
Orth, who only had scholarship offers from Division II schools coming out of high school, seemed at ease with his promotion Tuesday.
“Two and a half years ago, I was the sixth-string quarterback as a walk-on here. It’s been quite a ride, and I am just so thankful for the opportunity,” he said. “It’s been a humbling experience and a blessing.”
Mitch update
Sophomore quarterback Connor Mitch was released from the hospital Tuesday and is “doing well,” according to a statement from team physician Dr. Jeffrey Guy.
Mitch was admitted to the hospital Saturday night to treat complications from a hip bruise he suffered against North Carolina on Sept. 3. Spurrier and quarterbacks coach G.A. Mangus visited Mitch on Sunday at the hospital.
“He’s in good spirits,” Spurrier said. “They had to get him some IVs for the bruise mainly, the bruise on his hip, his side, had some internal bleeding in there, so they had to keep him in a while. It could have been very serious.”
Mitch also separated his right shoulder Saturday against Kentucky and will be out 4-6 weeks, Spurrier said.
“If it were his left, maybe he could play in two or three weeks, I think, but since it’s his throwing arm, shoulder, it will take a little more time,” Spurrier said.
Orth and quarterback Michael Scarnecchia also visited Mitch in the hospital Sunday.
“First priority was going to make sure my friend was OK,” Orth said. “The first thing he said to me was he was proud of me the way I came in and played against Kentucky.”
Attention to detail
Only three teams in the SEC have been whistled for fewer penalties than the Gamecocks, but Spurrier still wants to see improvement in discipline.
“We’ve got to play without some really careless mistakes that hurt us last week,” Spurrier said. “We’ve got to do a better job on the field coaching our players.”
Junior center Alan Knott and senior safety Isaiah Johnson were each called for costly personal fouls in a 26-22 loss to Kentucky. Knott turned a first-and-goal at the Wildcats’ 2-yard line into a first-and-10 from the 17 when he pushed a Kentucky defensive lineman.
“Alan said the guy was giving some crap, and he gave him a little shove,”Spurrier said after the game. “That’s inexcusable. You can’t even shove a guy now. We know that.”
The Gamecocks have been called for 13 penalties worth 110 yards in two games.
“I’m talking about the penalties, and blocking assignments, and fitting the runs, things of that nature,” Spurrier said. “We didn’t do it very well last game. Obviously it was sort of a game of two halves, and we had a lot of chances, but we had some major breakdowns at crucial times.”
Depth chart change
Senior running back Shon Carson has jumped David Williams to take the No. 2 spot on the running back depth chart. Carson is second on the team with 111 rushing yards and is averaging a team-high 12.3 yards per carry.
“He has been productive when he gets the ball,” Spurrier said. “Sometimes there was nothing there and he was able to make yards, so he deserves to be second. If we went by yards per carry, he’d be first. But yeah, he had some nice runs again last week.”
Carson and quarterback Connor Mitch have the only rushing touchdowns this season.
Injury update
Cornerback Chris Lammons, who started the North Carolina, will miss his second straight game because of a knee sprain. Al Harris and Rico McWilliams started at cornerback against Kentucky. Junior cornerback Chaz Elder probably will play this week, defensive co-coordinator Lorenzo Ward said Tuesday.
Other players who were injured or wore yellow jerseys were: DT Dante Sawyer (shoulder), LB Sherrod Pittman (leg), TE Connor Redmond (back), QB Gage Pucci (knee), SS Antoine Wilder (right knee sprain) and C Cody Waldrop (ankle). WR Shaq Davidson (knee) and WR Jerad Washington (left leg) are out for the season.
Flashback
Orth is expected to become the first former walk-on to start at quarterback for Spurrier since Noah Brindise at Florida. Brindise played in nine games in 1997, completing 40-of-83 passes for 695 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions.
Big crowd
Spurrier took time Tuesday to thank the fans who were at the Kentucky game. Most of the sellout crowd at Williams-Brice stayed for the second half despite the fact the Gamecocks were down 17 points at halftime.
“Our fans were super, sensational, loud,” Spurrier said. “We had a bunch of recruits here, and I think even though we didn’t win the game, it was very impressive to those guys. The new stadium, all the beautification here, just adds to South Carolina, South Carolina football.”
This story was originally published September 15, 2015 at 12:52 PM with the headline "Notebook: Perry Orth very familiar with USC-UGA series."