Coach, university officials to decide senior quarterback's fate
While waiting on a tee time Wednesday, USC coach Steve Spurrier reiterated that a decision on Stephen Garcia’s future will not be made in the immediate future.
Speaking on a Southeastern Conference teleconference before celebrating his 66th birthday by playing with PGA Tour professional Boo Weekley in The Heritage Pro-Am on Hilton Head Island, Spurrier said he, Athletics Director Eric Hyman and President Harris Pastides will make a decision on the quarterback’s reinstatement in the summer.
Garcia was suspended indefinitely on April 6 following an incident at a SEC-mandated life skills seminar, the fifth time the soon-to-be-fifth-year senior has been suspended during his time in Columbia.
“It’ll be a university decision and probably happen sometime during the summer,” Spurrier said. “Sort of check his progress and see how he’s reacting to some certain issues that the athletic director, the president and I have sort of given him some guidelines [on]. We’ll see how he follows those.”
Spurrier also reinforced the fact Garcia could opt to finish his collegiate career at another Football Bowl Subdivision school. An NCAA rule allows for student-athletes to transfer within divisions and remain immediately eligible for competition so long as they have completed their undergraduate degree and are enrolled in a graduate program not offered by their original institution.
The most famous benefactor of this rule is Jeremiah Masoli, who was dismissed from the Oregon program but completed his degree then successfully transferred to Ole Miss for his final year of eligibility this past season, appearing in all 12 games for the Rebels.
“He’s also set to graduate here in May, as long as he passes one or two courses he’s taking now,” Spurrier said. “With his degree in hand, obviously he’s eligible to play anywhere in the country, and he’s got another year [of eligibility] remaining.”
Despite Spurrier leaving that possibility on the table, it is believed Garcia has no inclination to leave USC. Quarterbacks coach G.A. Mangus told the Charleston Post and Courier at a Gamecock Club Meeting in Mt. Pleasant on Tuesday he is “assuming [Garcia’s] plans are to come back,” given that the Lutz, Fla., native has continued to work out with teammates since the suspension.
“I talk to him on a daily basis,” Mangus told the crowd at the event. “Hopefully he’ll do the things he’s got to do, to get back.”
Spurrier also expressed hope Garcia will return to the Gamecocks in 2011, and do so with a changed outlook.
“Hopefully it will work out that he will be back with us,” Spurrier said, “with maybe a lot better attitude than he ever had.”
If Garcia doesn’t return, Spurrier said he is prepared to hand the starting job over to Connor Shaw. Shaw saw a good deal of time as a true freshman last fall, appearing in nine games. Spurrier said he feels Shaw is almost ready to fully handle the rigors of being a quarterback in the SEC, as long as he follows the summer workout plans the coaching staff has devised for him.
“Certainly if Stephen doesn’t make it back, we have complete confidence Connor Shaw can run this offense and be a very good quarterback,” Spurrier said. “We just think he needs a lot of playing time, a lot of experience, just a lot of snaps. Hopefully he’ll do that this summer.”