Practice report: Shaw takes aim at home-state rival

South Carolina junior quarterback Connor Shaw has started 13 games — 12 of them wins — but Saturday’s game will be his first start against his home-state school.

Shaw, who hails from Flowery Branch, Ga., likes that his first start against the Bulldogs means so much.

“I’m excited for this one,” he said. “It’s also two Top 10 teams with a lot riding on this game, an SEC East game. Obviously, it’s a big one with (ESPN) ‘College GameDay,’ and I’m from Georgia, so, yeah, it’s pretty exciting. I just know it’s going to be an intense game. It always is every year. We’ve just got to come out, play smart and take care of the ball.”

In the past two wins for No. 6 USC (5-0), Shaw has completed 35-of-39 passes for 397 yards and four touchdowns, but he knows the No. 5 Bulldogs (5-0) will present his toughest challenge yet, especially with linebacker Jarvis Jones leading an active group of defenders.

“Their whole defense flies around, so we’ve got to play sound football,” Shaw said.

Georgia, however, gave up 44 points in last week’s win over Tennessee.

“We’ve been watching all the tapes, and we’ve got our plays ready for them that we think can hurt them,” Shaw said. “Of course, we’ve got to come out and execute.”

Shaw expects the offense to heavily incorporate tailback Marcus Lattimore, who has gained 358 yards in his two games against the Bulldogs.

“We’ve got to get him involved early and we know that. He steps up on big stages, and we expect him to (do that) this game,” Shaw said.

Total excitement

All of the players have an extra spring into their step in practice. It’s arguably the top matchup in the nation and the winner will get a leg up in the SEC East race. The Gamecocks have won two straight from their neighbors.

“Of course, there’s more energy,” USC receiver Ace Sanders said. “You’ve got two undefeated Top 10 teams playing against each other. We know we’ve got to come and play because I know they’re going to be ready to come and play. We just want to be at the top of our game Saturday.”

Quarterbacks coach G.A. Mangus likes the high level of energy that he sees, but he also knows the coaches want the players to keep emotions in check at the right times.

“You don’t want to ever get too high or too low,” Mangus said. “The best teams that last and get better and finish the year are the ones that don’t get up and down.”

Tight end Rory Anderson, a Powder Spring, Ga., native, notes that the proximity of the programs helps fuel the rivalry.

“It’s business as usual, but we’ve got a lot of Georgia guys on the team,” Anderson said. “When we play a home team, everybody comes ready to play. There’s a little extra fire.”

Shut out

Linebacker Shaq Wilson came into last week’s game against Kentucky leading the team with 25 tackles, but the senior didn’t register a tackle against the Wildcats, despite plenty of inside run plays.

“It was just one of those things, one of those games,” linebackers coach Kirk Botkin said. “Everybody was talking about DeVonte Holloman not making many tackles early on. Do your job. Just do your job as a defense and your plays will come. This week DeVonte had a great game. The first couple weeks Shaq had a great game. Each week, if you’re just doing your job, your plays will come.”

Bulletin board

South Carolina is getting motivation from what some Gamecocks feel is a premature celebration by Georgia.

After last week’s 51-44 win over Tennessee, “a couple dudes” wrote “Beasts of the East” on a towel and flashed it for cameras, South Carolina’s Akeem Auguste said.

A picture of that scene is in the South Carolina locker room this week, Auguste said.

“A little bulletin board work, nothing too serious,” Auguste said. “We know what we are going into and I know Georgia knows the same thing when they come on the field against us. It’s going to be a good one, man.”

Quotable

“He’s getting more and more confidence. Every day he’s getting a little bit stronger,” running backs coach Everette Sands said of Lattimore. “A big thing is he got his carries (in the second half last week against Kentucky). As he gets his carries and gets rolling, one of the things he does a great job of is getting stronger as the game goes on.”

This story was originally published October 3, 2012 at 10:08 PM.