Spurrier makes it official: Mitchell will start at QB

COLUMBIA - South Carolina senior Blake Mitchell will return to his starting quarterback spot against Number 11 Georgia this weekend.

Coach Steve Spurrier said after today's practice that Mitchell, in his fifth season with the Gamecocks (1-0), would be back under center at Sanford Stadium on Saturday evening. Mitchell missed South Carolina's opener last week, a 28-14 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette, because of a one-game academic suspension he got for missing too many classes during summer school.

Freshman Chris Smelley and sophomore Tommy Beecher shared playing time against the Ragin' Cajuns, each throwing a touchdown pass in the win.

Spurrier played coy with his quarterback decision all week because he thought it might keep the Bulldogs' staff guessing a few extra days. But he had few other options heading into the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.

Mitchell, a 6-foot-3, 211-pounder from LaGrange, Georga, has started 17 of Spurrier's 25 games at South Carolina. He's thrown 27 TDs during that span compared with a combined three from Smelley and Beecher.

A sprained right shoulder will Smelley out of this week's game. Beecher will back Mitchell up, and freshman Stephen Garcia has been moved up to third string.