Garcia helmet-cam sees all

USC quarterback Stephen Garcia arrives to practice with a helmet cam, Tuesday, March 23, 2010. Gerry Melendez/gmelendez@thestate.com

The images captured by Stephen Garcia’s first day wearing helmet-cam might be a little disturbing.

With a small camera strapped to the top of his helmet, Garcia threw five interceptions during Tuesday’s practice, including three during the team period.

Garcia seemed to struggle in the windy conditions as several of his passes floated on him (although the wind didn’t bother backup Connor Shaw much).

At any rate, USC coach Steve Spurrier can go back and see exactly what Garcia was looking at when he made his throws (even if he often questions what Garcia was thinking about).

“It’s one of those training aids you put on the quarterback to see what he’s looking at,” Spurrier said. “We’re going to go back and review and see what Stephen is looking at on all the interceptions he threw in practice today, because he threw a handful of them.”

The Gamecocks are using helmet-cam on a trial basis. Quarterbacks coach G.A. Mangus said video coordinator Joe Lisle originally purchased the camera to get a unique look at the Gamecocks’ famed “2001” entrance at Williams-Brice Stadium.

If the device is helpful, Mangus said USC might purchase a couple more cameras for the other quarterbacks.

–On the topic of QBs, Shaw had his personal coach at practice today – his father Lee, who coached both of his sons at Flowery Branch High in north Georgia.

Lee Shaw brought his staff to Columbia to watch practice and meet with Spurrier and his assistants. He said he planned to pick up a couple of new plays to take back to Georgia.

Shaw’s oldest son, Jaybo, is a QB who is transferring from Georgia Tech to Georgia Southern in May to play for former Tech assistant Jeff Monken.

Other items from the Gamecocks’ sixth spring practice:

–Spurrier is adding some beef to the WildCock formation. Defensive tackle Melvin Ingram lined up at fullback when cornerback Stephon Gilmore was playing QB in the WildCock.

Ingram, who has previous cameo appearances in the backfield, even got to carry the ball Tuesday on a dive play.

As much as the Gamecocks are practicing it, I don’t think Spurrier’s going to wait until the Clemson game to break out the WildCock this season.

C.C. Whitlock’s growth at corner – he’s getting every snap opposite Gilmore this spring while Chris Culliver recovers from shoulder surgery – should give Spurrier more flexibility to use Gilmore more on offense.

–Lest anyone get too excited about tailback Jarvis Giles’ performance in the first scrimmage, Spurrier pointed out that much of the damage came against a second-team defense that included a couple of long-snappers filling in as defensive tackles along the Gamecocks’ injury-riddled D-line.

“Jarvis made a few runs, but it wasn’t against an SEC defensive front, that was for sure,” Spurrier said.

Sounds like no one will be winning the starting tailback job until Marcus Lattimore gets a crack at it in the fall.

–Left tackle Jarriel King took accountability for his slide out of the starting lineup last year.

King said he never felt comfortable after sustaining a concussion at Tennessee. But he did not blame former O-line coach Eric Wolford for benching him.

“I started questioning myself. It was nothing about him, nothing about the coaching staff,” King said. “It was all about me.”

Here’s betting the 6-foot-5, 310-pound King has a big year and becomes a wealthy NFL lineman.