Perry Orth will start at QB vs. LSU

South Carolina is making another change at quarterback, this time going back junior Perry Orth to replace injured freshman Lorenzo Nunez.

“Perry will be the starter,” Gamecocks head coach Steve Spurrier said after Thursday’s practice. “He’s had a good week of practice. Zo is still a little gimpy so we’ll see how he feels Saturday.”

South Carolina (2-3 overall, 0-3 SEC) takes on No. 7 LSU (4-0, 2-0 SEC) on Saturday in a game that originally scheduled for Williams-Brice Stadium but that was moved to Baton Rouge, La., due to flooding in South Carolina. It will be Orth’s second career start.

“Hopefully, we can get some protection, get some balls out and run the running backs, but (Nunez) could be back in there running some, too,” Spurrier said.

Orth, a former walk-on who was awarded a scholarship in August, started against Georgia and was 6-for-17 for 66 yards, one interception and no touchdowns. He is 23-for-47 for 283 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions this season.

Nunez rotated with Orth throughout the Georgia game and took over the starting job the next week against UCF, a game in which he completed 12-for-22 passes for 184 yards and also rushed for 123 yards. However, last week against Missouri, he threw three third quarter interceptions and also suffered a shoulder injury while scrambling.

Nunez hasn’t practiced with the team this week due to the shoulder injury. He will travel with the team to Baton Rouge, Spurrier said.

“If he’s ready to play, he may give it a go (at some point in the game),” Spurrier said Thursday night on “Carolina Calls.”

South Carolina has used three starting quarterbacks this season. Junior Connor Mitch, who won the starting job in fall camp but suffered a separated shoulder against Kentucky in the second game of the season, could be back in “two or three weeks,” Spurrier said this week.

Redshirt freshman Michael Scarnecchia, who hasn’t played this season, will be “next in line” after Orth, Spurrier said.

“Write it down, I’m going to put him in for some plays this week,” Spurrier said.

The Gamecocks are No. 12 in the league in total offense with 353.4 yards per game and are last in scoring offense with 20 points per game. LSU is third in the league in total defense, allowing 293.5 yards per game, and eighth in scoring defense, allowing 21.5 points per game.

This story was originally published October 8, 2015 at 3:20 PM with the headline "Perry Orth will start at QB vs. LSU."