Bowl notebook: J.T. Surratt has stomach problem, won’t play

Senior defensive tackle J.T. Surratt will not play Saturday due to a stomach ailment that hospitalized him here Thursday night.

Surratt joined the team for a Thursday afternoon bowling trip but spent that night in the hospital.

“Some kind of stomach ailment,” Steve Spurrier said Friday as part of the Duck Commander Independence Bowl press conference.

Surratt had started 25 straight games for the Gamecocks.

Starting defensive end David Johnson (concussion) and offensive lineman Cody Waldrop (knee) also are out for Saturday’s game.

Moving on

Spurrier wished junior running back Mike Davis well on early entry into the NFL Draft.

On Thursday, Davis confirmed he will skip his final collegiate season to enter next year’s draft.

“Mike has made it pretty much known that he was going to play three years and go to the NFL, which is fine,” Spurrier said. “That’s been his plan. He’s had a good career here.”

Davis has 2,385 yards in three seasons at South Carolina.

“I completely leave (the decision to turn pro) up the player, it’s their decision,” Spurrier said. “Whether they get drafted or don’t get drafted, I still think they have to make the call. I think Mike certainly will be drafted, but you don’t know until it all comes around. We believe he will be, and hopefully a high pick. Certainly, we think he can play in the NFL. With the risk of injury nowadays I understand players that do leave early.”

That being said, Spurrier also thinks some players need to make better decisions.

“I think some of the players who left early and did not get drafted wish they were playing on our team this year, but they are sitting on somebody’s practice squad and not playing,” he said. “So it goes both ways. Why would a player give up a year of college football unless he definitely knows he is going to make a team and get paid? There are some unknowns in there.”Cornerback Victor Hampton and defensive tackle Kelcy Quarles both left school early after the 2013 season and neither was selected in the NFL Draft.

Last chance

Miami wants to prove its not the team that ended the regular season with three straight losses, running back Duke Johnson said Friday.

“It’s not fun, it’s now what kind of team we know we are, but it’s the team we have been,” he said. “We are trying to come out the way we started the season. We are trying to come out this game and play the way we know we can play. Everything else will take care of itself.”

Rain, rain go away

Saturday’s forecast calls for 90 percent chance of rain.

“We haven’t had a real rainy game (this year),” Spurrier said. “You hope your ball boys keep the ball as dry as possible. You just try be as careful as you can. Footing wise you want to cut off the right foot. If you cut off the wrong foot, you’re going to fall on your fanny. We’ll just remind our guys of that and go play.”

This story was originally published December 27, 2014 at 1:45 PM with the headline "Bowl notebook: J.T. Surratt has stomach problem, won’t play."