COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina quarterback Corey Jenkins knows time is running out, both for him and the Gamecocks' season. <br>
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Jenkins, 26, had the highest hopes that his only year as a starter would be another magic one in the Lou Holtz era for South Carolina (5-4, 3-3 Southeastern Conference). Instead, the Gamecocks have struggled to find an offense and, with three difficult games remaining, might struggle to make their historic third-straight bowl game. <br>
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``I couldn't wait for the season to get here and now it's just about done,'' said Jenkins, a former first-round pick of the Boston Red Sox. ``I'm not feeling pressure, I'm just feeling like, you've got three games to get out and play. ... You just got to make the most of it.'' <br>
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Jenkins and the Gamecocks can qualify for a bowl - the first time in school history they would make three straight postseasons - with a win over Arkansas (5-3, 2-3) at Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday. <br>
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But Jenkins and South Carolina haven't exactly been clicking on offense the past couple of games. <br>
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The Gamecocks needed a second-half rally and a miracle-recovery in the end zone of Jenkins' fumble to beat Kentucky 16-10 on Oct. 12. The next week, Jenkins threw two interceptions in the final two quarters as LSU overcame a 14-3 lead to win 38-14. And last week, Jenkins threw for 45 yards - that's right, 45 yards - as South Carolina fell to Tennessee 18-10. <br>
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A team that averaged more than 26 points and 365 yards in its first six games, has produced only 40 points and 854 yards combined in its last three. <br>
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Much of the fan displeasure has centered on Jenkins, a Columbia native who grew up selling Cokes at Williams-Brice and who was a fan favorite ever since he first signed to play for South Carolina in 1995. <br>
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``If you want to criticize someone, criticize me,'' coach Holtz said. ``But let's not get to the point where we're picking on players.'' <br>
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Jenkins has endured long minor-league bus rides during his four-year baseball career and a sleazy agent who bilked him of his $575,000 bonus money. Critics won't get him down as he heads to his final college home game. <br>
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``We're 5-4 and, of course, there's a lot of negatives out there, a lot of people talking trash,'' Jenkins said. ``But this game's fun, man. It's not fun to lose, nobody likes losing but unfortunately somebody has to.'' <br>
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The Razorbacks typically control things with their SEC-leading ground game, which averages 246.9 yards. Fred Talley is the main threat with 702 yards on the ground. <br>
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But Jenkins, ninth in both league rushing and passing, can also give South Carolina extended drives with his playmaking ability. <br>
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``They use him in the option, power plays and isolations. Getting ready to face him is a full-time job,'' Arkansas coach Houston Nutt says of Jenkins. <br>
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The Razorbacks are second in the league in stopping the run. Their pass defense, though, is dead last in the SEC - and 97th in the country. <br>
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Sounds like just the game for a good throwing quarterback. <br>
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That looked to be Jenkins earlier this season. He threw for 180 yards and a touchdown two months ago in a 13-7 loss to Georgia, then did the same two games later in beating Vanderbilt. His best showing came against Kentucky when he passed for 199 yards and rallied the Gamecocks to a second-half victory, 16-10. <br>
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Jenkins is both blessed and cursed by his speedy feet. He's a wonderful ground weapon and leads the Gamecocks with 611 yards rushing. But he also bolts too quickly at times, Holtz said, before receivers spring open. <br>
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``It's not that I'm making bad reads. Sometimes, I'm not going to sit in the pocket five, six seconds, that's not one of my strengths,'' Jenkins said. ``I'll sit back there as long as I can, but as soon as I feel something's not going right, I'm going to let my instincts take over.'' <br>
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Jenkins hopes the right instincts kick in for his final few games at South Carolina.
