Who Will Be The Starting QB For The Gamecocks?

There is a different feeling in the air for the Gamecocks as this years fall practice has begun. Since 2010, South Carolina has had a good idea of the identity of the team and who our starters would be, specifically for this conversation regarding the starter at quarterback. Stephen Garcia, Connor Shaw and Dylan Thompson were all players that we knew would get the starting job when the guy in front of them left.

This year we have four quarterbacks taking relatively equal amount of snaps, although I’m putting my money on this being a two man race between Connor Mitch and Lorenzo Nunez. Some fans are ready to throw the starting job over to Connor Mitch, and they have good reason for a guy who was number one on the depth chart for the spring game and a guy who was rated a four-star prospect and No. 226 on the ESPN300 coming out of high school. But last year when Mitch played against Furman, throwing 2-of-4 passes for 19 yards and only attempting two passes against South Alabama, it raised my suspicion on not being able to be sold on him yet.

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Then we come to my next quarterback choice who some fans agree with me on who should be the starting quarterback come game day against North Carolina, Lorenzo Nunez. The true freshman quarterback was also a four-star coming out of high school, but with Nunez we get a way different quarterback compared to Mitch and the other two. Nunez has incredible athleticism running a 4.55 in the 40. Do I think Nunez has a better understanding of the playbook than Mitch? Of course not, I believe Mitch has the advantage especially with the Head Ball Coach reportedly already liking Mitch as the starter come opening kick off. I do see a player as similar to Connor Shaw as we’ve had since him graduating, and how can you not want a guy similar to Connor Shaw playing again?

What I see happening is a lot similar to what happen last time the Gamecocks were in Charlotte against ECU. Connor Shaw struggled, and just like that we had a new starter at quarterback. I think Mitch will struggle with North Carolina and then Steve Spurrier will put in Nunez, with the Gamecocks beating North Carolina.

Now there is still just as many questions with Nunez as there is with Mitch, so I could be totally wrong, and if neither can really pull away as the favorite, expect a two quarterback system or even newly scholarship quarterback Perry Orth to get a shot as the starter if things really go south.