The quarterback battle between last year’s starter Ryan Hilinksi and graduate transfer Collin Hill continues into South Carolina’s third scrimmage of fall camp with a decision potentially coming soon.

With fall camp reaching its halfway point this week, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo acknowledged that he likes to have his starter solidified before the team starts game-planning for their first opponent.

“I think that’s either 11 or 12 days before we start working on Tennessee. Obviously, we’re gonna get through this scrimmage tomorrow night at 7:30 and then we’ll meet on Sunday and we’ll discuss things and if we’re ready we’ll announce something, and if we’re not we might go another week,” Bobo said.

“You'd like to start making some decisions after the second scrimmage but this is a different year where every man needs to be ready at every position with what we’re dealing with, with COVID. We’re going to sit down as a staff, sit down with coach after the scrimmage Sunday, and put together a more definite plan on when we’re going to say something.”

The competition right now is centering around incumbent sophomore Ryan Hilinski and graduate transfer Collin Hill, who have been splitting first-team reps so far through camp.

Hilinski and Hill weren’t worried about decision days or reps they were getting in practice or scrimmages, saying they don't focus on much of that, if at all.

“I really don’t try and read into too much. I can only control what I can control so whether I’m going first or I’m going with the two’s, whatever the situation might be, I’ve just gotta make the most of my opportunity,” Hill said. “I can control my effort and attitude...that’s it. I don’t control who gets what reps or who goes first so I just try to prepare and when it’s my turn, be ready to go.”

Hilinski echoed that sentiment.

“When we think of competition, a lot of people think “Who’s the number one? Who’s number two?' Right now Collin and I are just competing and making each other better every single day on and off the field. We’re doing devotions in the quarterback room and then on the field I’m helping him with footwork or he’s helping me with certain stuff. Right now it’s just back and forth, iron sharpening iron,” Hilisnki said.

“When it comes to a specific date (of choosing a starter), coach hasn’t really specified anything like that but we know we’re just going to keep working and when the time comes we trust coach and we trust the best guy is going to play for this team.”

Bobo also didn’t hesitate when asked what he was looking from that position.

“I want a guy that plays that position that is able to move our offense up and down the football field,” he said.

Both quarterbacks repeated the mantra “control what you can control” and are taking that attitude into tomorrow’s scrimmage.

Even while they are competing for playing time, Hilinski and Hill haven’t let that get in the way of being teammates and friends. “We have a really good relationship, he’s been really welcoming ever since I showed up in January and I think that relationship has continued to grow,” Hill said.

“I’ve grown very fond of Collin and I think it’s really cool to see in the quarterback room we’re all really close,” Hilinski said.

The Gamecocks scrimmage tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. for the third time, going under the lights at Williams-Brice to try and mimic the home opener against Tennessee as much as possible.