Why both freshmen quarterbacks were live in the spring game

It’s not something that fans are used to seeing in spring games, but South Carolina did it Saturday.

While the top two quarterbacks wore the standard non-contact yellow jerseys, the two freshmen quarterbacks—Jay Urich, who redshirted last year, and Dakereon Joyner—were both live and were able to take hits.

That’s because, Muschamp said, it helps them get used to timing inside the pocket.

“I think first thing as a young quarterback the first thing is the time clock: when do you get rid of the football?” Muschamp said. “Because you can get into a comfort zone and think you have time but you don’t have time.”

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The two combined to go 4-for-13 for 45 yards. Joyner was sacked twice and threw one interception in fans’ first look at the four-star prospect.

Muschamp thinks making the young signal callers live helped, and thinks it can only be beneficial with two young arms still trying to develop, especially helping the freshmen’s timing and understanding there’s not a whole lot of time in the pocket.

“That’s something I noticed early in spring ball—they felt like they had more time,” Muschamp said. “Both guys are really good athletes. Both guys can use their legs to extend plays.”

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The other reason is because of both quarterbacks’ abilities to run the football and make plays with their feet.

They combined for minus-one yard rushing, with the negative yardage coming on sacks. Both showed abilities to extend plays in Saturday’s spring game.

With the quarterbacks live, it gives them the ability to see what, in a real game would could as a sack or tackle.

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In a yellow jersey, that may not always be the case, but running the ball is going to be important in South Carolina’s new up-tempo offense.

“If they’re our quarterback, they’re going to be used in the run game,” he said. “That’s going to be part of what we do.”