SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS FOOTBALL

Throughout the first few weeks of camp, reps were coming pretty frequently for two of the Gamecocks’ youngest quarterbacks but things soon changed.

As South Carolina got deeper into the season, reps for Jake Bentley and Michael Scarnecchia increased as the top two quarterbacks needed to prepare for that weekend’s games.

That changed this week with the team starting bowl practice and devoting the first two days to developing younger players.

“The unfortunate thing is when you get into the season and you’re not in that first or second group, it’s hard to gain reps. We spent a lot of time with both Dakereon (Joyner) and Jay (Urich) the past two days. I don’t know if Jake Bentley took a team rep the last two days,” head coach Will Muschamp said. “That was on purpose. We wanted to get those guys the bulk of the reps and thought they did some nice things and continue to improve.”

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Both Joyner and Urich played in one game this season, a beat down of UT-Chattanooga late in the season, but didn’t get much run other than that over the other 11 games.

When bowl practice started, though, that changed.

The Gamecocks had two training camp style practices before starting on preparations for Virginia.

It served as another chance for the game to slow down for guys like Joyner and Urich, almost like another spring practice session for the young players.

Urich’s been on campus for two spring football sessions while Joyner enrolled early this January to go through spring practice as well.

“I think the more and more snaps these guys have—whether it’s the quarterback position or whatever position it is—the more command you have and the game continues to slow down,” Muschamp said. “It’s like drinking water out of a fire hose that first spring as far as how fast the game’s coming.”

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For Joyner, he’s made a lot of progress in his first full calendar year at South Carolina, as the lone quarterback in the Gamecocks’ 2018 class.

A four-star dual threat passer, Joyner amassed 10,000 yards in four seasons at Fort Dorchester and came in needing to learn how to throw at the college level.

At this point in his development, Muschamp said Joyner’s doing a lot better and is coming along learning the playbook and throwing receivers open.

“He has better anticipation in the route game,” he said. “That all comes with reps. That all comes with turns and reps.”

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The Gamecocks (7-5) take on Virginia Saturday in the Belk Bowl. Kick off is scheduled for noon on ABC.