Shane Beamer updates status of Juice Wells, Trey Knox
Wide receiver Juice Wells and tight end Trey Knox — two of South Carolina football’s projected impact players this season — were conspicuously absent Friday afternoon during the media viewing window of the Gamecocks’ preseason practice.
Saturday following South Carolina’s first scrimmage of preseason camp, head coach Shane Beamer gave the latest on both players as well as a complete injury report.
“Juice Wells didn’t scrimmage today,” Beamer said. “He won’t be back next week but optimistic he’ll be back for Game 1 right now the way Juice attacks things. He’s got a little bit of a lower-body injury that he’s dealing with right now. Nothing long-term, just some things that he’s got to get ahold of, and he assures me he’s playing Game 1, and knowing him, he will.”
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In addition to the update on Wells, Beamer provided the latest on the whole team, including Knox who is expected to return on Monday.
“Injury-wise, we’re in decent shape,” Beamer said. “We had some guys that got banged up today but they all came back and finished, so that was good to see. Unless something changes between tonight and tomorrow morning, we came out of the scrimmage in good shape. The only guys that didn’t scrimmage today were: Terrell Dawkins, expect him back, all of the guys I’m about to name, we expect back next week. Kelton Henderson, the freshman receiver, he didn’t scrimmage today, he’s got a little bit of a hamstring, no issues as well. Pup (Howard) didn’t scrimmage today; we expect him back next week. Trey Knox didn’t scrimmage today, we expect him back Monday. Reid Mikeska, he’s dealing with a little bit of a lower-body injury. He may be a few more weeks. David Spaulding didn’t scrimmage today; expect him back next week.”
Beamer reiterated that despite some bumps and bruises, it’s not time to panic.
“But other than that, like I said, everybody (else) should be back next week except Reid Mikeska. He may be a couple of more weeks. But as it stands through eight practices, we’re in good shape. It’s not DEFCON 3 like supposedly it’s been on social media the last couple of days. We’ve got some injuries out there. But, my God, It’s football fellas, there’s injuries, there’s things that happen in practice, guys get banged up and come back, they’re tough. It’s called football. Like where we are as a team and toughness, mental and physical, and got a lot to improve on but it’s a good start through eight practices.”
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Prior to Friday, Wells had participated in each South Carolina practice but had not been on the field for the full-team periods.
A preseason All-SEC selection, the Richmond native emerged as quarterback Spencer Rattler’s top target last season, collecting a team-high 68 catches for 928 yards and six touchdowns. Wells elected in January to return to Columbia for another season after considering leaving for the NFL.
Knox joined the Gamecocks in January after four years at Arkansas where he caught 81 passes for 892 yards and nine TDs in 45 games with 29 starts.
The Gamecocks and North Carolina are set for a 7:30 kickoff on Sept. 2 on ABC in the Duke’s Mayo Classic at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium.
South Carolina returns to the practice fields Monday morning at 9:40.
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