COLUMBIA — When South Carolina returned to practice Tuesday after its most difficult loss of the season so far, receiver Terry Googer saw the same Brandon McIlwain he’s seen all year: a freshman quarterback who remained energetic, motivated, and ready with advice for others.
“He’s a very high-spirited guy,” said Googer, a sophomore. “He’s always positive, even when the coaches are getting on him. He always keeps his head high, saying, ‘Yes sir, no sir.’ When he has a bad play, he picks himself up. We didn’t really need to pick him up. He’s doing very well.”
Gamecocks head coach Will Muschamp has not allowed reporters to interview McIlwain, making it difficult for those outside the program to gauge how the freshman is handling the most trying period of his tenure as starting quarterback.