What Muschamp said about USC’s QBs, Joyner’s new role after 3 days of practice
So far, so good.
South Carolina is three days into it spring football practice, and in coach Will Muschamp’s eyes the quarterback position with Ryan Hilinski and Luke Doty is performing well.
“Ryan was player of the day the first day,” Muschamp said Sunday evening. “Mike (Bobo) has been very pleased with Ryan and Luke and what they’ve done. Jay Urich has done some nice things, but Ryan has done a really nice job offensively with the things we’re doing. Some different things.”
The coach added that his staff is still tinkering, trying to figure out what this particular group can do and what it can do well.
Hilinski was thrown into the fire as an 11-game starter last season, his true freshman year. He struggled with injuries throughout and needed a knee procedure following the season. The coach also said Hilinski was throwing the ball “extremely well” thus far.
Doty won the state’s Mr. Football award after throwing for more than 2,000 yards in 10 games.
The pair account for two-thirds of the scholarship quarterbacks available to the team, as grad transfer Collin Hill is still recovering from a torn ACL. Urich moved to QB full time after splitting between there and wide receiver last season.
“Those guys have worked extremely hard,” Muschamp said. “Mike has been really impressed with them in terms of the meeting room, the amount of time they’re spending over here. They understand it takes a lot of time.”
Hilinski is learning a new offense, with the change in coordinator from Bryan McClendon to Mike Bobo. A season ago, he was in the same shoes as Doty, an early enrollee going through all this for the first time.
“Luke’s done some nice things,” Muschamp said. “Obviously he reacts well. The moment has not been too big in the first three days. Coach Bobo and I laughed about his first day of practice at Georgia. I think he fumbled six snaps. Luke didn’t fumble any.
“There’s a lot of positives to build on. He’s very intelligent. He reacts well in the pocket. Obviously, he’s got the right kind of athleticism and we’re looking for, and he’s been effective throwing the ball.”
A new old spot
Former Gamecocks quarterback Dakereon Joyner had not played any wide receiver before the start of last season. He got all of one week to work there before an injury to Jake Bentley had him taking backup quarterback snaps.
Muschamp said Joyner is working in the slot thus far, a position where the team should have some options. The explosive athlete did a little of everything last season, including going behind center with a bad hamstring to lead the Gamecocks to a win against Georgia.
“He’s done a nice job at receiver,” Muschamp said. “Had a big third down conversion on Friday. Continues to do a good job. It’s all new for him. That’s the frustrating part about last fall. We made that move, he could have had the entire fall to go through and be a receiver and learn all the different things you’ve got to learn the new position. It’s all new for him and he’s doing a nice job with it.
“It’s good to see him smiling and enjoying it.”
Notes:
▪ Muschamp said no one new joined the injury list.
▪ None of the quarterbacks will be live this spring, i.e., defenders will not be able to tackle them. Joyner and Urich had been live in springs past.
▪ The Gamecocks are running out an array of punters and the staff doesn’t expect to have that spot settled until August. Muschamp couldn’t say it, but scholarship punter Kai Kroeger will enroll in the summer and count toward the 2021 class.
This story was originally published March 1, 2020 at 6:33 PM.
