Open auditions at USC

COLUMBIA — South Carolina might go through the motions this morning to hand out a depth chart for this week's Alabama-Birmingham game. It would be superfluous, coach Steve Spurrier said Monday night.

In a move he says he hasn't made since he's been at USC, Spurrier says all 11 offensive positions are open this week. As the Gamecocks (2-2) head toward their fifth game, the practice field will be the auditioning stage for starting jobs.

"There might be some new starters this week, all over the offense," Spurrier said. "We're opening up all spots. ... No one has played so well on offense that he deserves to say, 'Hey, I'm the starter.' You all see any all-conference offensive performers out there?"

Presented with tight end Jared Cook as a possibility, Spurrier found fault with even the junior who has 17 catches for 246 yards and a score this year.

"Yeah, he dropped one last week," Spurrier said.

Spurrier has grown increasingly ill of his offense, which has often scuffled in the first four games.

South Carolina is 11th in the SEC in scoring offense (20.2 points a game), eighth in total offense (339.8 yards a game) and tied for last in rushing offense (113.2 yards a game).

"I'm tired of watching the way we play. Everybody's tired of watching the way we play," Spurrier said. "We just keep going along with it, and the same guys keep playing and playing. If we have to play a whole bunch of freshmen and walk-ons, I will do it. We're going to see how the guys compete in practice this week, shake it up, see what happens."

Left tackle Jarriel King firmly sided with Spurrier, saying there shouldn't be a set "default" starting lineup.

"No one man should be able to say, 'Oh, I've got my spot the rest of the year,'" said King, the North Charleston native who's started two games at left tackle. "I agree with coach on that. I don't know if it's awkward or if it's different to say something like that, but I agree with him. Every week— every day — should be like that."

Talkin' QBs

The hot-button position of those 11 offensive positions, of course, is quarterback.

Chris Smelley and Stephen Garcia split the reps Monday. Spurrier said one of those players will be named the starter Thursday.

Smelley played well at times, poor at others, Saturday against Wofford. Spurrier said after the game it might be Garcia's time to give it a go.

"(Garcia) looked OK (Monday)," Spurrier said. "He needs to make better decisions on where to throw it all the time, but so does Chris Smelley. We're just not well off at quarterback. We're not as well off in the offensive line. We're not well off anywhere, really."

Missing persons

The four academic-related suspensions for the UAB game have something to do with this week's auditions. Two of the players, running back Mike Davis and right guard Heath Batchelor, are starters. The others are Chris Hail, who was moved Monday to receiver, and defensive end Jordin Lindsey.

Also factoring in is receiver Kenny McKinley's leading hamstring injury. Spurrier called McKinley, who did not dress Monday, "very, very doubtful" for the UAB game. He didn't address McKinley's availability for the Oct. 4 Ole Miss game.

Also, linebacker Rodney Paulk might not play against UAB because of a nagging left knee injury.

Position change

Receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. had big plans for freshman C.C. Whitlock, but Whitlock moved Monday to the defensive side of the ball.

Whitlock will play a combination of corner and safety. Whitlock's high school coach, in Chester, said this spring he thinks Whitlock has NFL-level talent at defensive back.

He said he thought that's eventually where he'd wind up at USC. Spurrier tried to get him on the field a couple of times early this season, but he's struggled to pick up many of the team's plays.

Off the air

Kickoff for South Carolina's Oct. 4 trip to Ole Miss will be at 2 p.m., the league announced Monday afternoon.

The game, at 1 p.m. local time, will not be televised. At least that's the plan for now.

Unlike South Carolina, Ole Miss historically hasn't paved the way for pay-per-view games. Especially if games aren't sold out, and there are currently several thousand tickets remaining for the USC game.

When last season's USC-Arkansas game was first announced as a no-TV contest, Gamecocks fans inundated TV network and Arkansas' phone lines and e-mail inboxes.

Eventually, ESPN picked up the game.