USC QB Watch: Connor Mitch inches ahead in scrimmage

South Carolina’s quarterback competition saw its first hint of separation Saturday.

“Connor Mitch probably played a little bit better than the other guys today,” head coach Steve Spurrier said after a two-hour practice that featured live, 11-on-11 scrimmage snaps.

Mitch, a 6-foot-3 redshirt sophomore, junior Perry Orth and redshirt freshman Michael Scarnecchia each led two drives. Freshman Lorenzo Nunez led one full drive and then threw the final pass of the practice. Mitch threw two interceptions but still impressed his coach at times.

“The ones he threw that were picked off were not his fault,” Spurrier said. “He threw it in the open area and some of our receivers, they can run (the routes) in practice and then you get out here with the defense on the field, they go somewhere else or don’t fight for the ball.”

Spurrier stopped short of saying Mitch had changed anything about the depth chart or the timing of naming a starter for the season opener Sept. 3 against North Carolina.

“We will keep going,” he said. “We don’t have to do anything today. We will let them keep playing. They are all doing pretty well.”