FAYETTEVILLE - Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema and South Carolina Coach Steve Spurrier share the same sentiment about Gamecocks All-American defensive end Jadeveon Clowney: They both hope he plays against the Razorbacks on Saturday.
Spurrier’s feelings about Clowney’s availability are understandable after he missed South Carolina’s 35-28 victory over Kentucky last Saturday because of a rib injury.
But Bielema?
Arkansas’ coach said he wants to face Clowney for the same reason he wanted to go against Texas A&M’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel after there was speculation in the preseason the NCAA might suspend Manziel when reports surfaced he accepted payments for signing autographs.
Manziel and A&M beat Arkansas 45-33 on Sept. 28 in Fayetteville.
“If you’re truly a competitor, you engage in what the SEC is always about,” Bielema said. “You definitely want somebody at full strength.
“I think that’s just human nature. That’s how I’m wired, and hopefully that’s how our team is wired.”
Bielema said he’s “sure” Clowney will play against Arkansas, but Spurrier didn’t sound convinced during his Sunday media teleconference.
“We’ll have to wait through the week to see if he can play,” Spurrier said. “Obviously, he doesn’t have a broken leg or anything that would keep him out two to three weeks. He has a muscle strain around the rib area and it just depends on how long it keeps him out.”
Spurrier sounded frustrated with Clowney, a junior who is projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, when addressing the media after Saturday’s Kentucky game.
“I will just say he told me he couldn’t play,” Spurrier said. “That his ribs hurt, couldn’t run.
“I said, ‘That’s fine, you don’t have to play.’ We’ll move on. … We’re not going to worry about it, I can assure you that. If he wants to play, we’ll welcome him to come play for the team if he wants to.
“If he doesn’t want to play, he doesn’t have to play, simple as that.”
Spurrier said on Sunday that his frustration Saturday stemmed from him not finding about Clowney’s status until just before the game.
“Usually the trainer or doctor comes and tells you ‘This guy’s out,’ ” Spurrier said. “That did not happen [Saturday] night. But on the other side, if a player’s in pain and can’t play, I don’t want him to play.”
South Carolina (4-1, 2-1 SEC) is ranked No. 14 nationally despite Clowney not playing to the level that elevated him to a sixth-place finish in the Heisman Trophy voting last year when he had 23½ tackles for losses totaling 113 yards, including 13 sacks.
Clowney has 12 tackles this season, with 3 tackles for losses of 17 yards, including 2 sacks. In addition to his rib injury, he’s been slowed by the flu and bone spurs in his right foot. Plus, teams also have been game-planning to stay away from his side of the line.
The Gamecocks rank 10th in the SEC in scoring defense (25.8 points per game), but are sixth in total defense (365.0 yards) with former Arkansas assistant Lorenzo Ward in his second season as defensive coordinator.
Spurrier seemed to turn defensive when asked about Ward’s performance this season.
“Well, I tell you what kind of job he’s doing,” Spurrier said, his voice rising. “We were 11-2 last year, and he won the bowl game the year before [30-13 against Nebraska] as defensive coordinator, so his record as defensive coordinator is 16-3.
“If you check the history of South Carolina football, he’s the winningest defensive coordinator percentage-wise in the history of this school. So, that’s how he’s doing? OK?”
Offensively, South Carolina is led by senior quarterback Connor Shaw and sophomore tailback Mike Davis. Shaw has completed 66 of 96 passes for 927 yards and 7 touchdowns without an interception and rushed 60 times for 282 yards and 1 touchdown. Davis is averaging 122.8 rushing yards to lead the SEC and has scored eight touchdowns.
“The offense has to play well,” Spurrier said. “We’re just not as dominant a defense as we’ve been here in the past.”
A healthy Clowney might change that.
At a glance SOUTH CAROLINA (4-1, 2-1 SEC) DATE OPPONENT Aug. 29 North Carolina, W 27-10 Sept. 7 at Georgia, L 41-30 Sept. 14 Vanderbilt, W 35-25 Sept. 28 at Central Florida, W 28-25 Oct. 5 Kentucky, W 25-28 Oct. 12 at Arkansas Oct. 19 at Tennessee Oct. 26 at Missouri Nov. 2 Mississippi State Nov. 16 Florida Nov. 23 Coastal Carolina Nov. 30 Clemson
Up next South Carolina at Arkansas WHEN 11:21 a.m. Saturday WHERE Reynolds Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville RECORDS Arkansas 3-3, 0-2 SEC; South Carolina 4-1, 2-1 TV KATV, channel 7, in Little Rock; KHBS/KHOG, channels 40/29, in Northwest Arkansas; KAIT, channel 8, in Jonesboro
Sports, Pages 17 on 10/08/2013