South Carolina quarterback race will remain open after Saturday

The news of the week wasn’t discussed, because it can’t be. As pleasing as it was to hear that highly regarded quarterback prospect Jake Bentley will be enrolling at South Carolina in the fall, cutting a year off his high school career and adding a lot more intrigue to the still undecided QB race, Bentley is still an unsigned recruit. Coaches can’t talk about him.

But there will be plenty of talk about him and how he’ll affect the QB race going forward, especially after fans can see all of the QBs during Saturday’s Garnet and Black Spring Game.

“I’ve said before, that decision will be made in the fall,” answered coach Will Muschamp, when asked if any potential new faces could impact the rotation. “Unfortunate situation with Perry Orth and the unfortunate situation with Lorenzo Nunez is the reason for that as much as anything.”

The Gamecocks will scrimmage offense vs. defense on Saturday with everyone receiving a chance to play, and it appears freshman Brandon McIlwain will get the first shot at QB. Connor Mitch, who started two games last year before hip and shoulder injuries ended his season, will most likely go second and Michael Scarnecchia third.

Orth, the eight-game starter from 2015 who was taking several first-team snaps in spring ball, will watch from the sideline after his collarbone injury, and Nunez hasn’t been cleared to play. “He’s moving around pretty good on (his injured knee), he’s throwing the ball well,” Muschamp said. “As far as the contact, the quarterbacks won’t be live Saturday, but, regardless, we’re not going to put him out there.”

The competition from Saturday and the reps from the other spring sessions will go into the evaluation for fall, telling the coaches how they’ll need to use those practices. Will everybody get the same shot? Will one or two be considered front-runners and take more reps?

And will Bentley, watching from the side like the rest of the fans on Saturday, know exactly what he’ll need to do to come in and challenge?

Co-offensive coordinator Bryan McClendon said the competition is open, which is the way the staff prefers it. “It’s tough to say who’s going to be behind or who’s going to be ahead by the time we get there,” he said on Tuesday. “I think, just like any other position, you’ve got to put the guy in that gives you the best chance to win on Saturdays. Whoever that is.”

McIlwain brings a calm demeanor to his first collegiate practices and is playing well in the absence of Orth and Nunez. He’ll get to do it in as live a game situation as possible on Saturday.

“He’s done an extremely good job,” McClendon said, citing the rookie’s poise and touch on his throws. “The one thing that Brandon is, he’s very coachable as well, and he does not get rattled very easily.”

But McIlwain’s glaring absence on his resume – experience – has Orth, Mitch and Nunez still bidding for the job. Mitch probably has the best tools, while Nunez brings a running threat to the position – but Orth immediately assumed command of a wounded team and, while it didn’t produce many wins, the Gamecocks made it clear they’d lay down in traffic for him.

All possess distinct advantages. Another big-time player joins the competition this summer.

Perhaps Saturday reveals a clear choice, but the competition might get re-started again once Orth, Nunez and Bentley are in uniform.

“We’re going to take the competition into fall and continue to look and do what’s best for South Carolina,” Muschamp said.

This story was originally published April 7, 2016 at 8:38 PM with the headline "South Carolina quarterback race will remain open after Saturday."