South Carolina, like Missouri, dealing with roster number concerns, Mike Bobo says
The expectation was that the Missouri football team’s running COVID-19 issues might keep Saturday’s South Carolina game at Williams-Brice Stadium from being played.
But interim coach Mike Bobo said his own roster attrition puts the Gamecocks in a difficult spot as well. The Tigers are down to 56 available scholarship players, coach Eli Drinkwitz said, and USC isn’t far off.
“We’re close to that number ourselves with injuries and opt outs,” Bobo said on the SEC teleconference. “We’re close to his number.”
Bobo didn’t provide an exact number.
“You’re always thin as the year goes on because of injuries, but now you add opt-outs, it causes concern for you as a coach,” he said.
The minimum the SEC requires is 53. Missouri’s 56 number was before a player entered the transfer portal on Wednesday.
After four opt-outs on Monday and Tuesday, South Carolina is down to at most 71 scholarship players when season-ending injuries and roster departures are factored in. Three of the 71 — Jahmar Brown, Sherrod Greene and Rosendo Louis — haven’t played much this season because of injuries, and Bobo said wide receiver Xavier Legette, who missed last week’s game, has yet to practice this week.
That also doesn’t factor in some long-term injuries such as wide receiver Chad Terrell.
South Carolina tests for COVID on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, so Thursday would be the last hurdle the Gamecocks need to clear on that front.
Missouri already has a Vanderbilt game rescheduled for the week after the regular season. The Tigers also have a Georgia game to potentially make up, so it’s not clear if another moved game could be played.
This story was originally published November 18, 2020 at 12:35 PM.
