South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney will play Saturday against Coastal Carolina despite missing practice Thursday, but defensive tackle Kelcy Quarles will not.
Clowney is in pain this week with bone spurs in his foot that will require surgery after the season. Defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward indicated it's less an issue of healing for the star junior, who is expected to be a prized first-round draft pick if he declares early NFL draft eligibility, and more an issue of pain management.
"His foot is bothering him. We practiced him yesterday and I (let) him off again today because it got real sore on him," said Ward, according to gogamecocks.com. "It's going to bother him the rest of the season. I have to do a good job of resting him. We are going into the 11th game of the season, if he doesn't know what we're doing now, he never will."
Neither player practiced Thursday.
Quarles, whose father indicated recently that the junior will enter the NFL draft early, is out with a concussion. Quarles has been the Gamecocks' most productive defensive lineman this season.
Against an outmanned Coastal Carolina team, South Carolina is in a good position to rest starters with minor injuries before facing rival Clemson the following week. However, with Coastal Carolina at 10-1 at the FCS level, Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier indicated earlier in the week that he would not treat the game any differently in terms of resting injured players.
South Carolina ranks second in the SEC East, but can win the division title and play in the SEC title game if Missouri loses to either Ole Miss or Texas A&M.
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