USC's Johnson sounds call for S.C.'s top talent to stay

COLUMBIA -- Among a handful of coaches who've been on both sides of the Clemson-South Carolina rivalry, Gamecocks defensive head coach Ellis Johnson said he'd like to see both schools succeed by keeping in-state talent at home.

"It starts to irritate me when we don't take the pride in our high school state football," said Johnson, who started his career coaching at Gaffney and Spartanburg high schools. "We let kids go out of state when there are two great universities here they can go to.

"Guys will run and fall all over themselves to let (Southern Cal coach) Pete Carroll out of the car but they won't grant the same courtesy to coaches that come from in-state."

Johnson, who was at Clemson in 1995 and '96, said he thinks there's "a lack of self-respect" among high school and college coaches in South Carolina.

"I want to see it reach a point (when we), not to mention the (FCS) programs, are playing on a level where we get some national respect," he said. "I think that's going to happen when we, as South Carolina coaches, take the pride in ourselves in what we have and what we've always had."

Johnson, who grew up in Winnsboro, has worked so long as a coach in South Carolina that he'll be in line to receive state retirement.

Ties to Tigers

There are a lot of coaching ties in this game, and the roots seem to get deeper by the year. Johnson has worked with a number of the Tigers' coaches.

"It's gotten to the point that, after 36 years, no matter who we play I've got relationships with somebody on the other side," he said. "You have a harder time enjoying it, knowing you've got friends on the other side that are having to suffer through it."

That's especially the case this week with Charlie Harbison, who's in his first year working with Clemson's defensive backs.

They've worked together at four different stops. Johnson named his youngest son after Harbison and Harbison was the best man in Johnson's wedding. "It's a relationship that's way beyond football and having coached together," Johnson said.

Quiet quarterback

Quarterback Stephen Garcia hasn't met with reporters since the Nov. 14 loss to Florida. Spurrier has denied mid-week requests -- including one each Wednesday from The Post and Courier -- all season.

"He's been off limits all year," Spurrier said. "Nothing different this week."

He has wanted to keep attention away from his redshirt sophomore leader. "We put all guys off limits that we think don't need to be talking to the media. Simple as that, I guess."

Extra points

Hutch Eckerson (shoulder) and Quintin Richardson are both expected to play at right tackle. Jarriel King and Kyle Nunn could both play at left tackle. ... Special teams coordinator Shane Beamer was named Thursday one of 34 nominees for the Broyles Award for the nation's top assistant coach. Beamer, in this third year at USC, also coaches the team's strong safeties and spur linebackers.

The Gamecocks visited Epworth Children's Home in Columbia on Thursday. The team practiced after that.