Muschamp had a message for Rico Dowdle after spring practice

Will Muschamp has exit interviews with everyone on the team, but he got a head start this week with Rico Dowdle.

Dowdle, who missed the majority of spring practice with a hamstring injury, sat down with the head coach to see what he can do to get healthy and stay healthy his junior season.

“Rico and I had a long conversation today,” Muschamp said. “A lot of the soft tissue issues go back to hydration, they go back to continuing to strain the muscle all the time. Him and I had a very productive conversation today.”

Also see: Five-star defensive back really impressed after South Carolina visit

The Gamecock coaching staff puts an added emphasis under Muschamp on hydration and putting good strain on muscles to keep them from ripping or getting pulled.

Muschamp explained putting strain on a muscle is just working out on hit and using those muscles every day so they don’t lock up come time for practice or games.

It worked for Deebo Samuel, who didn’t have any soft tissue issues last season before fracturing his fibula after being hampered by those his first two years on campus.

Dowdle will now have to follow in Samuel’s footsteps and work on drinking more water and stressing his legs more.

“Rico agrees. He’s a mature guy,” Muschamp said. “He’s a guy that understands that. He practices extremely hard when he’s there. He pushes himself extremely hard. He’s got to continue to be there.”

Also see: What are the Gamecocks getting in Ryan Hilinski?

Through two seasons in Columbia, Dowdle’s had his fair share of injuries. He was limited his freshman year with a groin problem before bursting onto the scene the last half of a 6-7 season.

“He came to campus with a groin issue, and that was before he ever got to South Carolina. He really struggled with that early on and was very healthy and productive for us his first year.”

After fracturing his fibula and missing the last five games of the regular season, he came back fully healthy before tweaking his hamstring in bowl practice.

He’d play in the Outback Bowl, scoring a game-changing touchdown, but the hamstring wasn’t fully healthy and that injury has lingered into the spring.

Also see: Inside Ryan Hilinski's commitment

Missing almost all of spring practice, including Saturday’s spring game, A.J. Turner and Ty’Son Williams are taking all of the first-team reps in practice.

While Muschamp said he’s impressed with Dowdle when he can practice, but it’s about playing the guys who coaches have seen on the practice field that week.

“At the end of the day,” Muschamp said. “We’re going to play the guys that practice.”