Connor Shaw: This year's Gamecocks will 'shock a lot of people'

Coming off a bowl win and with several key players returning, South Carolina fans are expecting big things from this year’s team.

You can add Connor Shaw to that group. The former Gamecock quarterback and current Furman assistant coach is hoping for a big season from his alma mater, which went 9-4 including a win over Michigan in the Outback Bowl last year.

“I think they will shock a lot of people,” Shaw said Saturday. “We had high expectations in the four years we were there and that is what is supposed to be. Hopefully, they will build on that. Coach Muschamp has done a great job of getting the right people in the building to do that.”

Shaw was back at USC on Saturday as part of the All-Pro Dad event at the Jerri and Steve Spurrier practice facility. USC starting quarterback Jake Bentley was one of the volunteers at the event.

Shaw reiterated his praise for Bentley, who he talked about last week on the Paul Finebaum Show. The winningest QB in USC history raved about Bentley’s maturity and leadership skills in his first two years as the team’s signal caller.

Shaw also had high praise for the USC receiving group around Bentley, which includes a healthy Deebo Samuel, Bryan Edwards, Shi and OrTre Smith. He said the group is probably the Gamecocks’ best since when he played at the school with the likes of Alshon Jeffery, Bruce Ellington, Ace Sanders and Damiere Byrd.

“There was a lot of guys around me that are all over the NFL field right now that made me look a lot better than I was,” Shaw said. “B-Mac (offensive coordinator) and coach Muschamp will do a great job of getting the ball in theright people’s hands and they will execute it well.

“Coach Muschamp is a great person who values, people and relationships and obviously is a quality football coach. He has done a great job in the transition and building the culture of South Carolina football.”

This story was originally published June 30, 2018 at 12:51 PM.