Injury report: Quartet of potential starters still questionable

The status of South Carolina’s quartet of injured potential starters remains up in the air for South Carolina’s SEC matchup with Oklahoma.

“I’m sure you’ll ask about injuries, I’d say all of those guys that you want to know about, they’re all questionable,” head coach Shane Beamer said Tuesday during his weekly press conference, referring to offensive linemen Cason Henry, Nolan Hay, and Shed Sarratt and defensive back Brandon Cisse.

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Sarratt went down with an ankle injury in the first quarter during Matthew Fuller’s 72-yard touchdown run that gave the Gamecocks their only lead of the night at LSU this past weekend. While the players were celebrating the score, Sarratt lay on the ground until the training staff came over to attend to him.

Cisse suffered a knee injury at the beginning of the second quarter. It took a few minutes before he came up off the ground after being tended to by the trainers. Beamer and a few players came over to check on him during that time before he got up. When he eventually did, he had to be helped off the field.

Sarratt was spotted using crutches after his injury. Cisse sported a brace/wrap around his left leg, though he didn’t have crutches.

Henry and Hay both missed the Kentucky game, but Beamer was hoping that both would be back for the LSU game.

Henry went down early in the Vanderbilt game with a shoulder injury, looked good to go for Missouri, but then exited after just one play.

Hay made his first career start with South Carolina against Missouri but exited with a knee injury.

“I hate that for them and for us but hopefully we can get those guys back soon,” Beamer said last Thursday during his call-in show.

“Hopefully it won’t be long term,” Beamer added on Henry. “He did some tests this week and still waiting to hear back the plan of attack for him but hopefully it won’t be long term.”

The first SEC availability report of the week will be released on Wednesday at around 8 p.m., followed by updates on Thursday and Friday, and a final report 90 minutes before kickoff on Saturday.

Beamer also typically provides an injury update on his Thursday night call-in show.

Last season, the SEC approved a player availability injury report system for football, men’s and women’s basketball and baseball.

SEC school personnel must submit availability reports three days before each football game, with daily updates leading to a final report 90 minutes before game time. For basketball and baseball, reports are filed the night before, with an update on game day.

According to the SEC, penalties for inaccurate or late reports will range from $25,000 to $100,000 for football and anywhere from $15,000 to $25,000 for basketball and baseball.

When schools submit injury reports, players will be designated as available, probable, doubtful, and questionable before game day. On game day, designations will be available, game-time decision or out. The model follows injury reports similar to the NFL.

The Gamecocks (3-3, 1-3 SEC) will host the Oklahoma Sooners (5-1, 1-1 SEC) at 12:45 pm ET on Saturday, Oct. 18. The game will be televised on SEC Network.

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