Gamecocks' Brandon Shell treated for heat-related illness

COLUMBIA -- South Carolina freshman offensive lineman Brandon Shell, from Goose Creek, was treated for a heat-related illness following the Gamecocks' practice Saturday morning.

Shell looked weary and fatigued as he approached a first aid tent set up at the Bluff Road practice fields. He was administered fluids intravenously -- and appeared to perk up after the IV treatment -- but he was still transported by ambulance to an area hospital as a precaution.

Shell remained hospitalized for a couple of hours, but was eventually released. He even felt well enough to attend team meetings Saturday afternoon, head trainer Clint Haggard said.

Tight end Justice Cunningham and defensive end Chaz Sutton were also treated for heat-related fatigue after the roughly two-hour practice in 90-plus degree temperatures and humidity.

Spurrier has moved about half of the team's preseason practices to the morning -- in part to avoid the heat. The other half of the practices, at least until school starts at the end of the month, are 7:30 p.m. starts. today's practice is set for 7:30 p.m.

Shell was one of the prizes of the 2011 recruiting class, a player coveted by a number of schools, including Alabama and coach Nick Saban.

"The good Lord blessed him," said Goose Creek coach Chuck Reedy, a former Clemson and USC assistant coach. "If you were going to draw up an offensive lineman, you'd pretty much draw up Brandon Shell."

Spring shoulder surgery has prevented Shell from being able to fully participate in summer workouts and now preseason camp. He has been restricted to conditioning and drills that do not affect the healing area.

When the 6-6, 316-pound Shell signed, Spurrier said he would have a chance to play immediately at left tackle. The shoulder recovery time, though, could cause Shell to redshirt this fall and wait until 2012 to be a factor.

Note

The school said freshman offensive lineman Cody Gibson sprained his right knee Friday. He is on crutches and will be "evaluated on a weekly basis," a release said.

Gibson made a lot of progress in the spring and was expected to compete for time at the tackle positions, where the leaders are Kyle Nunn and Rok Watkins. Both Nunn and Watkins were coaches' preseason all-conference selections.