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South Carolina Gamecocks TE Jerell Adams doubtful for opener

By Danny Jaillet

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Steve Spurrier announced on Monday tight end Jerell Adams is doubtful for the opener against North Carolina.

A starter for the South Carolina Gamecocks may not be in that position come Saturday. Head coach Steve Spurrier told the media following practice Monday that senior tight end Jerell Adams is doubtful for the season opener against North Carolina per a report from John Whittle of 247Sports.

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“I doubt if Jerell will start now,” Spurrier said. “We’ll see how he feels on Thursday night. (The freshmen) are going to play the whole ball game on Thursday night, probably. And they’ll play their ass off. They’re good ones; they’re good players.”

Adams has been a dependable target for the Gamecocks over the past three campaigns, catching 38 passes for 556 yards and four touchdowns. He put up his best numbers to date in the 2014 campaign, snagging 21 passes for 279 yards and a touchdown with his best game coming in a 41-10 victory over Furman where he caught three passes for 91 yards and a touchdown.

Ranking No. 6 on the team in receptions and receiving yards, he was part of a Gamecock team that went 3-5 in conference play and 7-6 overall. The wideouts were a big part of the offense ranking No. 23 in the country with 277 receptions for 3,661 yards and 28 touchdowns. For the math gurus out there, the passing yards amounted to 281.6 yards per game.

This is a big loss for South Carolina because it takes away a 6-foot-6, 231-pound red zone threat that is both a weapon in terms of blocking and receiving. As Spurrier alluded to, this will give the freshmen an opportunity to shine and show him and his staff that they are able to make a valuable contribution to the program.

As  the challenges of the season begin to unfold, the Gamecocks face yet another one with this news, one that may prove to be costly in what should be a grind-it-out type of opener.

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