The skinny on Brown and Spurrier Jr.

A story from Birmingham that’s been making the rounds on message boards is that senior receiver and team captain Moe Brown took a swing at receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. in the locker room at Legion Field after the game.

From what I’ve been told by multiple sources, the two had a heated argument about Brown’s role in the offense, but no punches were thrown.

The incident supposedly began when Spurrier Jr. approached Brown in the locker room to congratulate him on a good career. But Brown was having none of it, and started yelling at Spurrier Jr., upset that he was not featured more prominently.

Brown only had a couple of passes his thrown his way against UConn, one of which he dropped. He finished with one catch for 12 yards against the Huskies, and was USC’s second-leading receiver on the season behind freshman Alshon Jeffery.

Brown has been one of the Gamecocks’ best leaders and a great ambassador for the university, volunteering at community service events and never turning down an interview request – and there were many – from the media.

I’m sure Brown – like everyone else affiliated with USC – was frustrated after what had been a long, cold day in Birmingham.

———————————————————————————-
Another little tidbit from the bowl game …

Last year Steve Spurrier was upset to learn that QB Stephen Garcia was playing video games – Call of Duty, as it turns out – the night before the Outback Bowl instead of reviewing the game plan and various checks and audibles.

Garcia left his video games behind this year for the Papajohns.com Bowl. But there was another situation the day before the game in Birmingham that had Spurrier questioning whether Garcia’s focus – and that of some other players – was where it was supposed to be.

Spurrier said Garcia and other players hung out in the lobby of the team hotel taking pictures and signing autographs with fans a little longer than Spurrier would have liked.

Spurrier didn’t bring it up as an excuse for what transpired the next day at Legion Field. I had asked him a question about Garcia’s leadership abilities, and he mentioned the scene in the lobby, where apparently as many as 100 autograph-seekers were camped out.

Coaches like routine, and this was a break from the Gamecocks’ normal Friday night routine.

“You don’t have that during the regular season,” Spurrier said.

Not a big deal. Just thought it was another telling example of the type of focus Spurrier expects from his starting quarterback.

———————————————————————————-

Lastly, I asked Spurrier about RB Jarvis Giles leaving the field early after he didn’t get in against the Huskies (at least not on offense, the official participation chart showed Giles getting in the game, could have been on special teams).

Spurrier said he understood Giles was frustrated, but that he would have a chance to compete for the starting tailback spot in the spring.