Spurrier likes leadership on 2010 team

Steve Spurrier didn’t drop any bombshells, announce any big news or take any shots at Lane Kiffin on Sunday at South Carolina’s media day.

But it was an interesting half-hour or so, nonetheless.

The big buzz word for Spurrier on this day was accountability: players being accountable to one another, “coaches … trainers, equipment guys” – you get the point.

Spurrier said in past years the Gamecocks would routinely have four or five guys fail to show for mandatory breakfast. That was supposed to result in a punitive conditioning session on the Stairmaster.

The only problem: There were too many guilty players, not enough Stairmasters.

“We just had a heck of a mess,” Spurrier said.

By weeding out some bad apples and bringing in better ones, things have improved.

Through the first week of preseason drills, Spurrier said the Gamecocks had one player (freshman CB Victor Hampton) show up late for a meeting, which had been held at a different time in previous days.

“So one out of 105’s not too bad,” Spurrier said.

Someone also pointed out that Spurrier has not had to deal with the arrests that have plagued other SEC schools this offseason.

Spurrier’s response?

“They’re really just acting like they should. I don’t really think you should praise the guys for not getting arrested.”

Fair enough. And while Spurrier conceded that on-time arrivals at the breakfast bar do not guarantee success, he clearly is pleased with the attitude through the first week of practice.

He likes the senior leadership, and said he has “better recruiters” on this year’s staff evaluating talent.

Spurrier said these Gamecocks are “in position” to make some hay: They have the facilities to compete, the talent and players who are holding each other accountable.

Now, he said, they just have to win – and “win big.” …

Spurrier was asked about his decision to exclude QB Stephen Garcia from the cover of the media guide. He first mentioned having seniors on the cover until it was pointed out to him that sophomores Stephon Gilmore and Alshon Jeffery are among the five players featured on the cover.

“Maybe we thought Stephen didn’t belong on there. How’s that,” Spurrier said. “When he earns the right to get on there, we’ll put him on there.”

Day 5: Lattimore gets even

If Marcus Lattimore had his welcome-to-the-SEC moment during Thursday’s practice, the freshman tailback learned how sweet revenge can be during Saturday’s first full-pads practice.

Lattimore was knocked off his feet by safety D.J. Swearinger during a 7-on-7 (skeleton) drill Thursday, prompting a loud chorus of smack-talking from Swearinger’s defensive teammates.

On Saturday, Lattimore used all of his 6-foot frame and 218 pounds to exact a little payback.

Lattimore took a handoff, broke toward the goal line and didn’t let the fact that Swearinger was in his way stop him. The Parade All-American from Byrnes High bulled over the 5-11, 201-pound Swearinger – and this time it was the offense that was doing the celebrating.

Since neither player was available after practice, Steve Spurrier gave his rundown of the two biggest hits in the first week of preseason drills.

“D.J. said, ‘He got me, coach. I wasn’t quite ready for it.’ And I said, ‘Well, he wasn’t quite ready for yours the other day,’” Spurrier said. “He caught Marcus a little off-balance. Marcus went roaring up for the end zone and D.J., I don’t think, was expecting a full charge.”

“It was two good hits and no big deal and it’s all over with.”

There was no bad blood between the two players. But Saturday’s play could be the first big step in Lattimore’s transition from high school to the SEC.

And by the way, every day Kenny Miles continues to miss with a hamstring injury is another one when Lattimore is getting more carries than he would have otherwise. …

–Another group that took a step in the right direction Saturday – as opposed to going backward in 5-yard increments – was the offensive line.

Spurrier praised the group – or maybe it was damning with faint praise – for getting through the day without a false-start penalty after they were whistled for three in the first four plays of the team session Thursday.

“It might have been the first time we’ve had a complete practice without one of them false-starting,” he said. “So that was encouraging.” …

–The sight of defensive tackle Melvin Ingram limping off the field has become somewhat commonplace, so no one seemed too worried when Ingram hobbled off favoring his right foot. Spurrier said Ingram has a sprained ankle; it is not considered serious. …

–Left tackle Jarriel King (hamstring) returned to practice, but still had on a yellow jersey. Others in yellow: Miles, LBs Shaq Wilson and Qua Gilchrist and FB Matt Coffee. …

–USC will hold its media day Sunday, practice on Monday morning, and then hold its first scrimmage Tuesday morning. The remainder of the preseason practices are closed to the public, unless Spurrier decides differently.

USC coaches get their grades

South Carolina’s coaches had a pretty solid showing on the APR data for head coaches released by the NCAA on Thursday.

The NCAA has tracked APR (Academic Progress Rate) scores for schools since 2003-04, but this is the first time they have attached the data to specific coaches.

The idea is to make coaches more accountable, and create an online database to help recruits, administrators and the public keep tabs on how a coach stacks up academically. The scores will follow a coach who changes schools.

A perfect score is 1,000; teams scoring below 925 are subject to potential penalties. There are no penalties currently associated with the head coach APR scores, although the NCAA said it could do so in the future.

The first batch of single-year APR scores includes coaches from six sports: football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and women’s indoor and outdoor track. Next year’s data will include coaches from all sports.

As for the Gamecocks’ coaches, Steve Spurrier was above the average for Division I football teams in two of his first four full years at USC. Spurrier’s worst score was an 895 in 2004-05, when he had to boot several players and lost others to attrition after taking over for Lou Holtz.

Darrin Horn had an 848 in 2003-04 at Western Kentucky, but his only other year below 950 was 2007-08. That was another ‘lost in transition’ situation when the Gamecocks had a single-year APR of 917 as Horn replaced Dave Odom.

Second day observations, Garcia edition

Throwing from a distance of about 25 to 30 yards, it took Stephen Garcia only 10 tries to drop a spiral into a trash bucket Wednesday night long after most of the other position groups had cleared out.

That drill, performed with the team’s other quarterbacks, followed a new conditioning regimen in which players go through different stations at the close of practice.

Doing conditioning drills after a two hour-plus practice isn’t generally greeted with a lot of enthusiasm, whether you’re talking about a Pop Warner team or an SEC squad.

But USC players act like they’re enjoying the stations, or else they’re doing a good job faking it. Garcia complimented his teammates on all the “yelling and screaming” they did as they went through the drills.

It turns out they were taking a cue from their coach.

“Coach Spurrier said before (Tuesday) night’s practice he wants us to just have fun and be enthusiastic the whole night,” Garcia said.

Garcia seems to be having as much fun as anyone. After hearing and reading all spring about what Spurrier expected of him, Garcia met with his coach in May before the summer conditioning and passing workouts started.

Garcia said Spurrier told him the public comments were just a way to “light a fire” under him.

Garcia used that fire to help melt 10 pounds off his 6-2 frame, as he dropped to about 225 by running harder and cutting back on a certain adult beverage

“There’s a few things that I didn’t take. I’m sure you guys know what I’m talking about,” Garcia said. “You can edit that out if you want to.”

Beer bellies are out. New conditioning stations are in.

Sounds like a plan.

First practice observations

They say you never forget your first … practice?

At least Steve Spurrier hasn’t.

Surveying the Bluff Road practice fields Tuesday night, Spurrier spotted freshman WR and Tampa native Ace Sanders zipping through the defense and was reminded of O.J. Murdock, the highly-regarded Tampa WR in Spurrier’s first season at South Carolina.

Murdock never did much at USC and was gone after two years. He has taken a circuitous route to Division II Fort Hays State, where he plays football and runs track.

Spurrier is hopeful Sanders will be the next Kenny McKinley, and not the next Murdock. The 5-7, 166-pounder got off to a good start Tuesday, getting in and out of his routes quickly and turning heads in the skeleton and team drills.

Marcus Lattimore, whom Rivals ranked as the nation’s top tailback prospect, drew the loudest cheer of the night (a crowd of close to 1,000 turned out) when he caught a pass from Stephen Garcia along the sideline and went in for a score in the team portion of practice.

It’s tough to draw too many conclusions from one practice in shorts and helmets. Garcia had a pretty good night, but fluttered a deep pass toward D.L. Moore that Chris Culliver tipped and Antonio Allen picked off.

Defensive tackle Byron Jerideau, a junior college transfer, looked every bit as big as his listed height (6-0) and weight (339 pounds). That’s not necessarily a good thing.

The Gamecocks had a couple of JUCOs who showed up out of shape last summer, and neither has yet to make an impact. One of them – offensive lineman Rokevious Watkins – sat out Tuesday’s first practice with a stomach virus.

Guys like Watkins and No. 2 Ryan Broadhead need to have good camps or risk falling behind the freshman linemen – Ronald Patrick, A.J. Cann and Tramell Williams – who Spurrier keeps raving about.