South Carolina quarterback job is wide open after Texas A&M loss, Muschamp says
South Carolina no longer has a starting quarterback. After the poor performance against Texas A&M, the job is wide open, Gamecocks coach Will Muschamp announced Sunday night.
Colorado State graduate transfer Collin Hill started the first six games of the 2020 season.
“We need a spark,” Muschamp said. “We need to change some things up. That’s a position that can certainly change some things up.”
The contenders are Hill, former starter Ryan Hilinski and four-star freshman Luke Doty.
The expectation is for reps to be split relatively evenly through this week of practice, a little like a training camp setting. The competition might go through the whole week, even into pregame work on Saturday.
“All three of those guys will have an opportunity to play this weekend,” Muschamp said. “Whoever practices the best, most productive person who is going to help us win football games, will have that opportunity.”
The staff met with the quarterbacks as a group and individually, Muschamp said.
For the season, Hill has thrown for 1,142 yards, five touchdowns and five interceptions. He struggled mightily against Texas A&M with only 66 yards on 8-for-21 passing with a pair of picks.
The Gamecocks offense overall had a brutal day Saturday, posting just 150 yards. Both Hilinski and Doty played when the game was out of reach.
Hilinski threw for 2,357 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions as a starter in 11 games last season. He played most of the year with a nagging knee issue after replacing Jake Bentley, who broke a bone in his foot at the end of the opening game.
Hilinski was a four-star recruit, the No. 64 player nationally in his class. He lost the quarterback battle over the summer to Hill, who had four years in first-year offensive coordinator Mike Bobo’s offense.
Through the offseason, the staff challenged Hilinski to improve his fundamentals, and Muschamp said Sunday he’s taken steps forward.
Doty was an Elite 11 passer and a high-level dual-threat player. He’s been used occasionally as a change-of-pace QB this season. He won Mr. Football in South Carolina after throwing for 25 touchdowns and only six interceptions as a senior at Myrtle Beach High School. His final season there was limited to less than 10 games because of a hand injury.
Asked about Doty, Muschamp said he’s seen progress and a growth in confidence. For the past month and a half, he’s taken a few receiver reps but mostly focused on quarterback.
The Gamecocks will face Ole Miss at 7:30 p.m. this Saturday in Oxford on SEC Network.
“We need to worry about us right now,” Muschamp said. “We need to take care of us and what we need to do to be successful. And that’s, No. 1, finding the best guy at that position that can help us — or the best two guys at that position that can help us or, shoot, the best three guys at that position that can help us. We need to do something.”
South Carolina (2-4) at Old Miss (2-4)
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss.
TV: SEC Network
Line: Ole Miss by 7
This story was originally published November 8, 2020 at 7:10 PM.
