'It’s as clean an injury report as we’ve had in a long time'

South Carolina should be a much healthier football team with Alabama coming to town this weekend than it was last week against Oklahoma.

The Gamecocks will continue to be without starting offensive tackle Cason Henry, who is lost for the season, but are otherwise close to full health.

That’s the picture Wednesday night’s SEC availability report painted, and head coach Shane Beamer added to it with Thursday’s update on his call-in show.

“In regards to everyone else, they’re good,” Beamer said. “The Prisma Health Injury Report (is) believe it or not, when the SEC thing comes out, there will be no one on it other than Cason Henry, who will be season-ending. And then Caleb Williams, who has not played in a game but as a defensive tackle was going to play in the game last week, and then he broke his leg in practice last week on Thursday unfortunately, we have to list him, just because he’s a part of that list. But no one is going to be on there that we’re playing with right now”

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EDGE Dylan Stewart, who exited the Oklahoma game with a hip injury, was not listed on Wednesday’s report, meaning he’s expected to be available for this week’s matchup with Alabama.

Offensive lineman Shed Sarratt Jr. missed the Oklahoma game, while Nick Sharpe, Trovon Baugh, and Tree Babalade all went down during the game with undisclosed issues, but all have been cleared for this weekend too.

Offensive tackle Jatavius Shivers was listed as questionable on Wednesday, while center Nolan Hay and defensive tackle Monkell Goodwine were listed as probable. But according to Beamer on Thursday, all are now good to go.

“It’s as clean an injury report as we’ve had in a long time,” Beamer said. “?And wish Cason was healthy, wish Caleb was healthy. But we’ve had a great week and give kudos to those players that have fought to get healthy and get back into the fight and then Clint Haggard and our training staff for getting those guys back out there and ready to roll. And Chip Morton, Luke Day, and everyone in our strength and conditioning program.

“It definitely wasn’t pretty all the time Saturday, to say the least, but no one can question the want-to of our guys. They’re fighting their rear ends off to get healthy and stay in the fight or get back in the fight of this season that we’re in right now.”

Henry went down early in the Vanderbilt game with a shoulder injury. He looked good to go for Missouri, but then exited after just one play, and has not played since. He is now officially out for the season.

“Going back to Cason, hate it for him,” Beamer said. “He dislocated his shoulder on the first play of the Missouri game, which wasn’t the best way to start that game. And I know he’s as frustrated as anybody with that shoulder, so he’s going to have surgery this upcoming week. It will be season-ending, but it will be a surgery that will allow him to not have to deal with this going forward. So we wish him well and he’s eager to get back.”

The next update will be later on Thursday at just after 8 p.m., followed by another on Friday, and a final report 90 minutes before kickoff on Saturday.

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

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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.

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.

South Carolina hosts Alabama at Williams-Brice Stadium with a 3:30 p.m. kickoff on ABC.

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