Shi Smith downgraded to doubtful, more join Gamecocks injury report
South Carolina football’s list of walking wounded is growing.
Gamecocks interim head coach Mike Bobo said top wide receiver Shi Smith is close to doubtful for this weekend’s Georgia game as he’s in concussion protocol. Fellow receiver Dakereon Joyner practiced in a limited capacity Tuesday, and Bobo sounded more optimistic about him.
But the injury list got long after that.
“Defensively, Keir Thomas is questionable,” Bobo said. “Tonka Hemingway is questionable, Jordan Burch is questionable, Jaylan Foster is questionable. We got a lot of issues. I think we’re down 16 scholarship players defensively, right now, from practice.
“Whoever is here, we’re going to play and coach them up. And whoever the training staff says can play, we’re going to coach them up.”
USC lost three defensive starters to opt-outs (Jaycee Horn, Israel Mukuamu and RJ Roderick) and one or two more to injury (Brad Johnson and Aaron Sterling). Johnson was listed on the depth chart as a starter, but only started one game and played the sparsely-used strongside linebacker position.
Smith was injured in the first quarter against Missouri at the end of a nine-yard reception, sandwiched between several defenders with what appeared to be some helmet-to-helmet contact. He is USC’s leading receiver on the year with 54 catches for 605 yards and four touchdowns.
South Carolina faces Georgia on Saturday evening.
Georgia (5-2) at South Carolina (2-6)
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC
TV: SEC Network
Line: Georgia by 19
This story was originally published November 24, 2020 at 1:14 PM.
