Gamecocks prepare for Tennessee minus triple-threat Newton

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Posted 9:30PM on Tuesday, October 25, 2005

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) South Carolina triple-threat Syvelle Newton said Tuesday he might not be back next season because of his torn Achilles' tendon. If his doctors ``get me ready to go by next year, I'll be ready to go,'' Newton said. ``But if not, I mean, I still got a redshirt year. If I have to redshirt one year and come back the next year, I mean, I'm going to give it one more shot no matter what.'' Newton tore the tendon running for a touchdown in Saturday's 35-28 win against Vanderbilt. He also threw two touchdowns before he was hurt. ``I'm going to do all I can to get back,'' he said. ``I'm not going to try to kill myself to do it. But I'm going to work hard as I can.'' The Gamecocks will miss Newton as they head to Neyland Stadium on Saturday to take on No. 23 Tennessee. ``We'll miss Syvelle, but there's nothing we can do about it,'' head coach Steve Spurrier said Tuesday. ``Syvelle last week juked a guy here or there and made yards really when there was not much there. ``We're looking for a running back now that can make somebody miss.'' That could be a tall order. The Volunteers have the best rushing defense in the Southeastern Conference, while South Carolina has the conference's worst rushing offense. ``No one has really run the ball very well against those guys,'' Spurrier said. ``It's going to be tough. But maybe we can get in the shotgun and throw it quickly here and there, make a few yards and see what happens.'' Spurrier said he plans to use freshmen Mike Davis and Bobby Wallace and senior Daccus Turman to move the ball on the ground. Whoever is carrying the ball will need a solid performance from an offensive line whose makeup has been different each game. ``No matter who is behind us, we got to do a little bit better job on the offensive line,'' said senior lineman Na'Shan Goddard. ``You can't replace a Syvelle Newton. We got some players whose style is kind of the same and hope they step up and do a good job in there.'' The Volunteers are nursing some wounds of their own as top running back Gerald Riggs is out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury he got in Saturday's 6-3 loss to Alabama. Riggs ranks seventh in the Southeastern Conference, averaging better than 88 yards rushing a game. Saturday's game was the second-consecutive loss for Tennessee. And next week the Volunteers travel to No. 9 Notre Dame. But Spurrier said he doesn't expect Tennessee to be looking ahead. ``Coach (Phillip) Fulmer hasn't won 10 and 11 games every year by overlooking anybody,'' Spurrier said. ``So they play them one at a time just like all of us try to do. ``Some of their guys may not even know who they play next week.'' According to their records, the teams look evenly matched, but the Volunteers have history on their side: South Carolina has never won in Neyland Stadium and the Gamecocks have lost 12 in a row to Tennessee, including a 23-20 overtime loss two years ago in Knoxville. ``I think we're smart enough to understand that they may be bigger, stronger and faster at most positions, but that not always determines the winner,'' Spurrier said. ``If we play with extreme effort and smarts and get a few bounces, we've got to believe we have a chance.'' CHICKEN NUGGETS: The South Carolina-Tennessee game will be televised on ESPN2. The Gamecocks have not done particularly well on television this year, losing 17-15 to Georgia on ESPN, 37-14 to Alabama on CBS and 48-7 to Auburn on ESPN2. ``The last time we were on TV we sort of stunk it up pretty good against Auburn,'' Gamecocks head coach Steve Spurrier said Tuesday. ``So hopefully we can play a more competitive game this Saturday night.'' ... Spurrier said he expects Tremaine Tyler and Chris Hampton to return Saturday from ankle injuries. ... Sophomore Travis Lee has dropped out of school because of academic problems, Spurrier said, putting freshman Carlos Thomas back in the wide receiver rotation. (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)