Final injury report before Charlotte game
South Carolina goes into this week’s game against Charlotte with two players out and a laundry list of injured players still questionable.
Shane Beamer, speaking on his weekly call-in show, said Darius Rush and David Spaulding will not play Saturday against Charlotte. The rest of the Gamecocks’ banged-up players are all considered questionable, Beamer said.
He said the Gamecocks are “optimistic” Cam Smith, Boogie Huntley, RJ Roderick, Corey Rucker, Devonni Reed and Stone Blanton will play but it’s still to be determined.
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The Gamecocks were without a host of players last week, mostly defensively.
Smith, RJ Roderick and Spaulding all were out in the secondary while starting defensive tackle Boogie Huntley didn’t play up front with a leg injury.
Starting left tackle Jaylen Nichols missed time with an injury as well. During the Georgia game both Reed (hip) and Rush (hamstring) went out.
Corey Rucker, who hasn’t played yet this year, practiced Tuesday and could see his first action this week against the 49ers.
Rucker hasn’t been limited since early in camp, limiting his ability to ingratiate himself into the offense.
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“I think he’s a guy with some athleticism and twitch. I’ll be honest with you, a lot of that I’m basing off what I saw at Arkansas State. He got banged up as we literally started practice,” Beamer said after the Georgia game.
“We haven’t seen a lot of him on the practice field, All of a sudden to think he’s going to go out there on game and be as good as he’s ever been is probably not realistic. He gives us more depth at the position and was a very productive receiver at Arkansas State.”
Jordan Strachan, Chad Terrell and Mohamed Kaba are all out for the rest of the year with ACL injuries.
South Carolina hosts Charlotte Saturday night (7:30 p.m., ESPNU). The Gamecocks have dropped their last two games to Arkansas on the road and at home to Georgia.
Charlotte marks the second of three straight home games and the first of consecutive non-conference games before the bulk of SEC play.
