Receiver LeCorn suffers leg injury

COLUMBIA — South Carolina had avoided injuries all afternoon Saturday in its spring game. Until the final play.

Freshman Jarvis Giles scooted in for his second touchdown of the day with 55 seconds to go, but he clipped receiver Dion LeCorn's leg from behind in the process.

LeCorn remained down on the field for a few minutes, before the rest of the scrimmage was called off.

Coach Steve Spurrier said later that he was hopeful LeCorn had only a cracked bone in his leg and not some sort of knee injury.

Regardless, it wasn't the best time to lose someone penciled in as a starter.

"That's not good. That's never good," quarterback Stephen Garcia said. "He's a pretty important guy on our team."

The only other real injury of the day came when running back Kenny Miles collided pad-to-pad with linebacker Josh Straughter. Straugher had to be helped off the field with a shoulder bruise, but he should be fine by the summer.

Lowcountry connection

Summerville's Reid McCollum hit Mount Pleasant's Stephen Flint for a 70-yard touchdown in the second half. Well, sort of.

In what's become a rite of spring, Flint came in for the old receiver-running-in-from-the-sideline trick. Scotty Spurrier had been part of the play the past three years, hauling in a touchdown last spring.

"That was about all I've got," McCollum said of how far he had to throw it to find Flint. "I felt like he had to wait five minutes for the ball to get there."

The play was ultimately — and comically — called back for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

In other Charleston-area news, walk-on Ryan Stonaker, a West Ashley product, kicked and made an extra point. North Charleston's Jarriel King, who had heart surgery in January, started for the Garnet team at left tackle.

Grading Gilmore

It was worth a chuckle that Stephon Gilmore, who'd only been on campus since January, won the spring's most improved defensive back award.

But defensive head coach Ellis Johnson says that's just evidence of how much talent Gilmore has at the position, an incredibly thin one for the Gamecocks.

Saturday, he nearly jumped a screen route for an interception.

Spurrier also thinks a lot of Gilmore. He wants the versatile freshman at quarterback from time to time.

He played a few snaps there Saturday, turning heads on a third-down option keeper that he whipped upfield for a first down.

"We've got to find a way to get him the ball more," Spurrier said.

A new position?

A move that Johnson said was to "just get through the scrimmage" might provide some defensive end depth for the fall.

Third-string center Ryan Broadhead played at end Saturday, collecting a couple of tackles.

He expects to make the move later this summer. "(Defensive line) coach (Brad) Lawing said I made some good plays," said the 6-5, 261-pounder. "I just want to help this team any way I can."

If anything, Broadhead showed too much exuberance. He sacked third-team quarterback Aramis Hillary by literally tackling him. (You're not supposed to hit the QBs in the spring.)

"I just got too focused," he said.

Injured list

Among those who didn't participate, due to various injuries: WR Matt Clements, S Chris Culliver, DT Nate Pepper, CB Jay Spearman, S Darian Stewart.

Reach Travis Haney at thaney@postandcourier.com.