HOOVER, Ala. – As per usual, South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier took to the podium at Southeastern Conference Media Days like an experienced stand-up comedian to a center stage.
From quipping about Alabama coach Nick Saban heading to the NFL to receive a salary that, “would make that $7.2 million look paltry to him” to taking a steadfast stance on handling domestic violence situations, “if you ever hit a girl, you’re finished,” Spurrier retained his title as the King of Media Days.
Aside from the jokes and the denials that he ever considered retirement after he lost four of the games, Spurrier focused on the quarterback battle.
Heading into fall practice, redshirt sophomore Conner Mitch, redshirt junior Perry Orth and redshirt freshman Michael Scarnecchia are all competing for the starting role.
In the spring game, all three quarterbacks passed for at least 100 yards.
“We’ve had three quarterbacks that rotated around during spring practice, and statistically in the spring game, they’re very even,” Spurrier said. “ So we’re going to keep competing during preseason practice. We’ve got a month before the first game.”
Although Spurrier made it clear he would prefer for one quarterback to separate themselves, he noted that he had won games with two quarterbacks.
“There’s nothing in the rule book that says you have to have one,” Spurrier said. “So if we do play more than one, it will be because both of them are about the same ability-wise.”
No matter who takes the snaps, junior wide receiver Pharoh Cooper is looking forward to becoming the last in a long line of successful wideouts at South Carolina.
Cooper comes into his third season off a 1,000 yard season where he pulled in nine touchdowns, tied for fourth-best in the conference in 2014.
“I should be looked at as one of the nation’s elite at my position,” Cooper said. “As an athlete, I feel like I am one of the more versatile players in the nation. What I can do with the ball, on offense, that’s my mentality to go out there and score every time I touch the ball.”
