Morning links from Gamecock Nation

Practice is heating up and so is the news cycle in all of Gamecock-dom. The Gamecocks are facing questions about their secondary and receiving corps, and Steve Spurrier says Jadeveon Clowney will spend time at middle linebacker this year. But that’s not all.

The Herald Online has a great story about Melvin Ingram’s influence on Jadeveon Clowney: “Ingram is gone now, enjoying the sunny climes of San Diego after the Chargers selected him 18th overall in April’s draft. That’s put the Gamecocks’ defensive limelight squarely on the former South Pointe High School standout, Clowney. He earned the glaring attention after a rookie campaign where he was named SEC Freshman of the Year, second team All-SEC and Freshman All-American.”

South Carolina recently named its 2012 athletics Hall of Fame class, which includes a few historic members of the school’s football program. “The class includes Thomas Dendy (football), Paul Dietzel (football coach/athletics director), Jay Lynn Hodgin (football), Heather Larkin (volleyball), John LeHeup (football), Steve Liebler (men’s golf), and Warren Lipka (men’s soccer).”

Gamecocks beat writer Darryl Slater of the Post & Courier has five questions for the team as it heads into fall practice: “It’s remarkable to see how expectations have increased among USC’s fans, considering that between the Gamecocks’ 8-4 season in 1988 and 9-5 in 2010, they had just three eight-win seasons — 2000, 2001 and 2006. Now, plenty would consider eight wins a flop of sorts.”

Defensive back Victor Hampton has a message for everyone who doesn’t know about his football team:

Finally, you’ve probably seen this already, but it’s Carolina produced and it’s almost football season and it’s getting me pumped up!