Muschamp will give Roper carte blanche to run Gamecock offense

HOOVER, Ala. – Throughout his coaching career, Steve Spurrier was well-known for giving his defensive coordinator total freedom to run that side of the ball with minimal interference from the HBC.

Will Muschamp plots the exact opposite course as South Carolina coach.

Muschamp said Thursday at SEC Media Days that he has given Gamecocks offensive coordinator Kurt Roper virtual carte blanche to direct and guide the USC offense in 2016.

“My role with the offense is to philosophically be on the same page and from week-to-week understand what we need to do to win the game," Muschamp said Thursday at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham - The Wynfrey Hotel. “I spend 98 percent of my time in the defensive meeting room and special teams and recruiting. I try to play to my strengths as a coach. Those three things are what I’ve done and what I feel comfortable doing.”

Roper’s first responsibility as offensive coordinator? Select a starting quarterback among senior Perry Orth and a pair of true freshmen: Brandon McIlwain and Jake Bentley. Connor Mitch’s post-spring decision to transfer to FCS power James Madison reduced the battle by one.

“Kurt Roper makes the decisions about the quarterback,” Muschamp contended. “I’ve always turned (the offense) over to the offensive coordinator. I did that at Florida as well, so that is nothing new.”

Lorenzo Nunez is set to fill a hybrid “slash” role at three different positions (QB, WR and RB) as Muschamp seeks to take advantage of the sophomore’s multi-dimensional skills.

“He is still going to have his hand in the quarterback position,” Muschamp said. “Whether we play one quarterback or two and who it will be, I don’t know right now. We’re not going to put a timetable on that. But at some point in camp we have to narrow things down and get the guys the snaps they need.”

Muschamp reiterated Orth and McIlwain “distanced themselves” from the rest of the competition during spring practice.

Even though he has spent just a few weeks on campus, Bentley was the most frequently asked about signal caller Thursday during Muschamp’s various appearances. Bentley gave up his senior season in high school to enroll early at USC.

“Jake is a hard worker and he has had an opportunity through the summer to be exposed to what we do offensively,” Muschamp said.

How realistic is it to believe Bentley will be a legitimate contender for the starting quarterback job when preseason camp opens August 2?

“Any freshman coming in is going to have every opportunity to compete for a job and contribute to our football team,” Muschamp said. “Jake is one of those freshmen. We’ll find out what the realistic expectations are after about two weeks of camp in terms of where he is within our offense and where he is as far as our roster at the quarterback position. But that is true for every freshman.”

NOTES

-- Muschamp said LB Skai Moore’s neck surgery went well and he should be able to engage in physical activity again in December. Moore will redshirt in 2016 with an eye on returning to the Gamecocks in 2017 as a fifth year senior. Moore will begin rising a bike in early August and start lifting weight in September. “His spirits are good,” Muschamp said. “I text him just about every day to check on him. He is going through a tough time because this is the first time in his life something really important to me has been taken away.”

-- Muschamp said Moore started complaining about a “tingling” sensation down his arms around the start of winter workouts, evidence the neck injury occurred late last season. “Obviously, this is a pre-existing injury,” Muschamp said. “We wanted to calm it down and gave him some injections. The herniated disk grew a little bit and it became cumbersome for him to be able to move around. That’s when they decided to have surgery.”

-- With Moore sidelined, Muschamp said the senior trio of T.J. Holloman, Jonathan Walton and Larenz Bryant, along with junior Bryson Allen-Williams, redshirt freshman Sherrod Pittman and true freshman T.J. Brunson must step up. USC plans to utilize nickel coverage extensively to counter today’s spread offenses, so just two linebackers will usually be on the field.

-- Muschamp stressed the importance of WR Deebo Samuel staying healthy. Samuel redshirted in 2014 and appeared in just five games a year ago due to injuries. He caught 12 passes for 161 yards and is USC’s top returning receiver. “When he has been able to stay healthy, he has been a very productive player,” Muschamp said. “We need to keep him healthy. For us to play well offensively, he needs to have a good year. He caught my eye in the offseason program with how he worked and went about his business."

-- Muschamp said only one 2016 signee has not arrived on campus – JUCO transfer Akeem Cooperwood. The 6-foot-7, 359-pound offensive lineman from Knoxville, Tenn., is completing a class at Georgia Military College and should report August 1 with the rest of the team.

-- The Gamecocks coaching staff has been on vacation and reports back to Columbia on Monday. “I hope they have enjoyed themselves because we are going to start working (immediately),” Muschamp said. “It’s going to be awesome.”

-- Muschamp said Richland County sheriff Leon Lott met with the football team last night and talked about recent national events “from a policemen’s point of view.” Muschamp also showed the team a video of Robert Kennedy’s speech the night of Martin Luther King’s assassination in Memphis. “I wanted to show them this country has been through some tough times before,” Muschamp said. “We have to band together and come together. I think our players enjoyed seeing that part of history of our country.”

-- Muschamp on the national media picking the Gamecocks to finish in the bottom half of the SEC East: “You guys are wrong every year. It doesn’t even matter. At the end of the day, if you’re not motivated coming off a 3-9 season, something is wrong with you.”