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FOOTBALL NEWS & NOTES Pinkins out at least 4 weeks after injuring ankle BY KYLE ALMOND THE liAMECOCK Dondrial Pinkins, who looked to go into next Saturday’s season opener as the Gamecocks’ backup quarterback, fractured his left an kle this past Sunday in the team’s second preseason scrimmage. The redshirt sophomore, who head coach Lou Holtz praised throughout pre season practice, underwent surgery Sunday evening and is ex pected to be out for at least four weeks. Another quar terback, true Pinkins freshman Bennett Swygert, also suf fered a serious injury in the scrim mage, reinjuring the ACL in his left knee. He was expected to chal lenge for the No. 3 spot behind Pinkins and starter Corey Jenkins. The two injuries leave the coach ing staff with little options if Jenkins were to go down as well. Offensive coordinator Skip Holtz said senior Erik Kimrey is the back up for the time being, but he said that the staff was exploring other options at the position, including wide receiver Mikal Goodman and spur Rod Wilson. Both Goodman and Wilson have taken snaps at quarterback in past seasons. Despite the blow to the depth chart, Lou Holtz tried to remain positive. “I don’t know if I’ve ever been involved in a scrimmage that had so many serious injuries,” he said. “But, as I told the team after the scrimmage, God works in funny ways. All of this will make us stronger as a team. “I’ve never been through a cri sis that didn’t make me stronger. I told the team before camp started that we would have a minimum of three crisis we would go through as a team. I suppose the good news is that we only have two left.” Brewer’s ankle better Providing the USC offense with some good news on the injury front is that Ryan Brewer’s ankle, which was operated on in the spring, is improving more and more each day. Brewer, a senior wide receiv er/tailback who missed most of the offseason drills and the team’s first preseason scrimmage, took part in Sunday’s scrim mage and looked good,according to Lou Holtz. “The ankle is getting stronger,” Brewer said. “I spoke with Dr. (James) Andrews, and he said it Brewer should only be get ting better from here on out. The doctors said I’m on schedule and maybe even a little ahead of sched ule. Last week, I had some pain, but the past couple of days, it has felt fine.” Brewer hopes to be on course to start in the season opener, but his head coach isn’t so sure yet. “I’m not sure how much we are going to be able to get out of Ryan Brewer,” Holtz said. “Serious an kle injuries are hard to come back from, especially in a short period of time. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone come back before six months from an ankle injury.” Receivers struggling Both Lou and Skip Holtz are still worried about the progress of the receiving corps. Skip Holtz said there were nine drops in Sunday’s scrimmage. “Right now, the receivers are not playing to the level that they need to,” Skip Holtz said. “They haven’t been blocking like they need to, and there have been too many dropped passes.” Both Holtzes have acknowl edged the talent and ability of their receivers, but they say the group is just not coming together as fast as they’d like. “We’re trying hard there, but we’re not blocking well and we’re not catching the ball well,” Lou Holtz said. “We’ve got to get that resolved.” New faces make impact Defensive coordinator Charlie Strong is impressed with many of his new players, and he expects them to make an immediate im pact. “I think just about every young player we signed on defense is go ing to help us,” Strong said. “We’re starting to develop two units on defense. We weren’t able to do that last year.” Strong said he likes what he sees out of linebackers Ricardo Hurley and Darel Slay and that both should receive playing time. Hurley is a freshman who Was regarded by many last season as the No. 1 linebacker prospect in the nation. Slay was a junior college standout. Strong also likes two of his new linemen: freshman Moe Thompson, last year’s “Mr. Football” in South Carolina, and Junior College All-American Randy Jackson. “Both of these guys are athlet-. ic players who can rush the pass er,” Strong said. “That’s one thing we need to do a better job of this year... putting pressure on the quarterback.” Lou Holtz has consistently praised the new class of newcom ers, on both sides of the ball, throughout the preseason. ' “It was difficult to pick out who was a freshman,” Holtz said after he first saw them. “They have blended in well with the returning varsity.” * « Pinnock learns lesson Andrew Pinnock, a power run ning back who looks to get the ma jority of the team’s carries this season, fumbled the first time he touched the hall in USC’s first pre season scrimmage. He didn’t play another down. “We cannot tol erate fumbles by our backs,” Skip Holtz said. Pinnock made no excuse for his mistake and Pinnock vowed to come back stronger. “We know what the standards are,” he said. “You learn from things like that. I learn, and the younger players learn.” Comments on this story?E-mail gamecocksports(ahotma il.com Football CONTINUED FROM PAGE B6 “I’m anxious to see Corey Jenkins,” he said. “He’s an un known, but, based on what I have seen, I’m anxious to see him.” Jenkins, a Columbia native, came to Carolina last season after playing two years at Garden City Community College in Kansas. For four years prior to that, he played minor league baseball. He saw a good share of snaps last season as a change of pace from Petty and rushed for 313 yards and three touchdowns. His last touchdown of the season was the game-winning score against Clemson. Until Jenkins gets settled, look for a lot of the offense to flow through power running back Andrew Pinnock, who should get more carries with Watson out of the way. Pinnock, a senior who has been compared by many to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Jerome Bettis, bruised his way to 622 rushing yards last season and 12 touch downs. “Andrew Pinnock is as good a back as you’ll find,” Holtz said. Senior Rashad Faison will try to compensate for all of the de fense’s departures from his spur position, a hybrid of linebacker and strong safety. He’s only 5-foot 9, but he makes up for his lack of size with his hard-hitting, aggres sive style of play. Linebacker Jermaine Lemon and linemen Langston Moore and Dennis Quinn will also be expected to lead as seniors. “This is the fastest defense I have ever been associated with, top to bottom,” Holtz said. “The big thing is going to be depth. ” Even with the question marks, the Gamecocks are ranked No. 22 in both preseason polls, a testa ment to the team’s recent success. But Holtz is quick to point out that doesn’t mean anything now. “Like I tell the players, I believe they are going to vote again,” Holtz joked. “We’ve been in (the polls) for most of the past two years, and it’s a compliment. It’s not an evalua tion of your program; it’s just one poll. The question is - ‘are you sat isfied with where you are?’ I don’t believe the team is, and I know I’m not.” USC kicks off its season Aug. 31, at home against New Mexico State. The team has 12 games on the schedule this season, half of which will be played at Williams Brice Stadium. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecocksports@hotmail.com use Football 2002 Schedule 8/31 NEW MEXICO STATE 7 p.m. 9/7 at Virginia 7:30 p.m. 9/14 GEORGIA 3:30 p.m. 9/21 TEMPLE 7 p.m. 9/28 at Vanderbilt 7 p.m. 10/5 MISSISSIPPI STATE 1 p.m. 10/12 at Kentucky 7 p.m. 10/19 atLSU 7 p.m. 11/2 TENNESSEE 1p.m. 11/9 ARKANSAS 1p.m. 11/16 at Florida 1p.m. 11/23 atClemson 1p.m. ___ ■ FOOTBALL Season starts early, so get yourself ready Student Distribution Schedule Block Seating Schedule New Mexico State Aug. 26,27,28 Georgia & Temple Sept. 3,4,9,10 Geor9ia Sept. 3,4,9,10,11,12 Mississippi State Sept. 23,24,25,30,0ct.1 Temple Sept. 3,4,9,10,11 Arklsas & Tennessee Oct. 21,22, 23, 28,29 Mississippi State Sept. 23,24,25,30, Oct. 1,2 Arkansas Oct. 21,22,23,28,29,30 Students must have yourl.D. Card with you to get Tennessee Oct. 21,22,23,28,29,30 into the Stadium with a Student Ticket. The Student Section is located in the North Section of the Stadium Sections 21 -34. Monday, September 2 - Labor Day - No Classes Monday, Tuesday October 14,15 - Fall Break - No Classes Date Coupon Book Sales - Aug. 26,27, 28 For more complete information about student tickets, pick up a copy of the Student Football Information Book at the Russell House lobby information Desk. Student Tickets will be distributed at the Russell House, room 205 9am - 4pm Students are not guaranteed a student ticket to each game, only Handicapped or disabled students can get assistance by calling the right to a ticket as long as student tickets are available. 777-6742.