The South Carolina football team will return to Williams-Brice Stadium after its bye week to welcome the Florida Gators into town for each team's third SEC game of 2023.
In his Tuesday press conference, head coach Shane Beamer said the bye week allowed several players on the injury report to make significant progress toward returning. Beamer said redshirt freshman offensive lineman Cason Henry will be out this week, but he expects him back 鈥渉opefully by the end of the 尘辞苍迟丑,鈥� while redshirt senior offensive lineman Jakai Moore will be back on the field on Saturday.
The return of senior wide receiver Antwane 鈥淛uice鈥� Wells Jr. is doubtful, according to Beamer, which marks his third consecutive game missed due to a foot injury he sustained against Georgia.
鈥淭he injury is really healing well,鈥� Beamer said. 鈥淐ertainly don鈥檛 want to put Juice out there before he鈥檚 ready and don鈥檛 want Juice going out there without the right mindset as 飞别濒濒.鈥�
On the defensive side, redshirt senior defensive back David Spaulding was a full practice participant, as well as redshirt sophomore defensive lineman T.J. Sanders, who brought home Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week honors earlier this 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒. Additionally, graduate student edge rusher Drew Tuazama is back with the team after missing the last game for a 鈥�personal reason.鈥�
Besides recovery time, the bye week provided the players and coaches with an important opportunity for a mental "reset," according to Beamer. The team practiced Monday to Wednesday last week but took the rest of the week off until late Sunday.
Beamer said that, with no opponent to prepare for at the beginning of the month, the coaching staff was able to re-evaluate personnel and schemes, including how they intend to play more guys on defense. They particularly focused on the linebacker rotation and creating opportunities for more snaps for redshirt senior Bam Martin-Scott and freshman Grayson 鈥淧up鈥� Howard.
Offensively, Beamer addressed the offensive line concerns and said the team spent the bye week looking for the right personnel for the unit.
鈥淚t may be an adjustment, but let鈥檚 just get the five guys out there and get some continuity,鈥� Beamer said.
The team hasn鈥檛 spent any time talking over its previous loss to Tennessee and didn鈥檛 get in-depth with the game plan against Florida over the bye week, according to Beamer.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e college students just like everybody else, and they have problems just like everybody else,鈥� Beamer said. 鈥淭he off-weekend was good for 别惫别谤测辞苍别.鈥�
Heading into Saturday鈥檚 game against Florida, Beamer said the team is excited to get back into Williams-Brice Stadium after two weeks without a home game. South Carolina has yet to lose after a bye week since Beamer took the reins as head coach, with defiant wins against Florida in 2021 and Texas A&M in 2022.
Beamer said the team will look for a better result than that of last 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒, when the Gators took a 38-6 victory in Gainesville.
鈥淲e鈥檒l have to play really, really well on Saturday,鈥� Beamer said. "But (I) like our team, and I liked the way we've worked today in practice."
South Carolina will host Florida in its second SEC home game of the 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 on Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium at 3:30 p.m. The game will be available to watch on the SEC Network.