COLUMBIA, S.C. - Injured South Carolina All-American Jadeveon Clowney made it clear Tuesday that he hopes to play Saturday against the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Clowney, a 6-6, 274-pound defensive end, did not practice Tuesday but said he is receiving treatment several times a day on the strained muscle near his rib cage so he might return in time to face Arkansas at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.
“Am I fully committed? Always,” Clowney said. “I could’ve sat out. I’m not looking to sit out. I’m not that type of guy. I’m here for the team.”
He wasn’t there for the Gamecocks last Saturday against Kentucky, raising questions about his commitment to 14th-ranked South Carolina. Clowney said shortly before the Kentucky game that he couldn’t go, saying he was in too much pain to play.
The Gamecocks beat Kentucky 35-28 without him, but Coach Steve Spurrier was noticeably upset after the game and said if Clowney didn’t want to play he didn’t have to and that the program would move on. Spurrier mellowed his tone some Sunday, saying he was frustrated that the proper injury protocol - Clowney telling trainers or medical staff and that information being forwarded to the coaches - was not followed.
“Obviously, we all handled it poorly,” Spurrier said earlier Tuesday. “All of us did.”
Spurrier went on to defend the reigning SEC defensive player of the year, reminding Clowney’s critics that even if he never plays again for South Carolina how valuable he has been to the program’s recent rise.
“If he never plays another snap, we all should be thankful and appreciative that he came to South Carolina,” Spurrier said. “We’ve won 26 games, two 11-2 years, the greatest seasons we’ve had in 120 years. So none of us need to be upset at Jadeveon. None of us.”
Clowney assured fans he hadn’t played his final game at South Carolina (4-1, 2-1 SEC).
“When I get back healthy, I’m going to play and do my job and take care of business on the field,” he said.
It’s still uncertain when that will happen.
Clowney said he felt the pain in his chest early last week and trainers brushed it off as the typical bumps and bruises that come with football. He said things grew worse last Wednesday, and he missed the following day’s practice to get ready for Kentucky. Clowney knew on Saturday, though, he couldn’t make fast cuts or run without pain and opted to sit out.
He said he wasn’t upset about Spurrier’s post game comments.
“He’s really competitive,” Clowney said. “He was just saying stuff. It’s all right.”
Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema isn’t counting on Clowney being out of the lineup Saturday against the Razorbacks (3-3, 0-2).
“As is the case any time that you’re in this type of situation, I’m sure he’s going to play, Bielema said. “I think it’s competitive nature.”
Clowney hasn’t had the type of season most expected out of the SEC’s reigning defensive player of the year.He has just two sacks and 12 tackles and only three stops behind the line of scrimmage this season after setting a school mark with 23 ½ tackles for loss last season.
He was one of the most talked about players in college football after finishing last season with his helmet-popping hit on Michigan’s Vincent Smith in the Outback Bowl. Some analysts projected that Clowney would have been the top pick in last year’s NFL draft as a sophomore, prompting talk that he should sit out this year instead of risking an injury. Clowney eventually purchased $5 million worth of NCAA-allowed insurance.
Clowney spent a summer in the spotlight. “The Hit” won the ESPY Award for best play while Clowney met with LeBron James and other celebrities.
Feeling the demands and attention were getting out of control, Spurrier cut off access to Clowney once fall camp began. Five games into the season, the distractions have continued to surface, but Gamecocks quarterback Connor Shaw said the latest situation has not created a problem in the locker room.
“All I know is Clowney’s helped us win a lot of games,” Shaw said. “It’s more of a big deal to everyone else instead of us.”
Sports, Pages 19 on 10/09/2013