Gamecocks veteran tears his ACL, another suffered unusual injury
South Carolina’s football team lost one defender last week to an unusual injury and lost another in the Auburn game for the season.
Linebacker Spencer Eason-Riddle suffered a torn ACL for the second consecutive season in Saturday’s game, Gamecocks coach Will Muschamp announced Sunday. The former walk-on earned a scholarship and was a key special-teamer.
Redshirt freshman corner Cam Smith missed the game Saturday and actually spent time in the hospital after getting a cleated on the heel. The staff was worried he might have an infection, Muschamp said.
Eason-Riddle worked his way back from injuring his knee against Texas A&M last season. He’s played both linebacker and fullback, and has been in the two-deep for part of this season because of injuries.
“I’ve already talked to him about coming back next year,” Muschamp said. “It’s something he’s gonna explore. Considering the situation we’re in, I hope he does, because he’s been a very valuable member of our organization.”
Eason-Riddle already has his degree and is working on his master’s of public health. He’s one of the most active players on the team in terms of community service, having started his own foundation to pair Gamecocks with children with cancer.
Muschamp said Smith’s injury suffered in practice was unusual, and the staff wanted to take extra precautions. Last season, an infection after surgery forced veteran Keir Thomas to take a redshirt.
“He was covering a deep ball, and he got tangled up with the receiver,” Muschamp said. “And it turns out he got cleated in the back of the heel and he’s got about an inch gash in his heel.”
The second-year freshman and product of Westwood High School is out of the hospital after getting stitches. Muschamp said he could possibly play this week against LSU.
A former four-star recruit, Smith redshirted last year while gaining weight and was going through some growing pains as a young corner early in the season.
The Eason-Riddle injury means the Gamecocks are down to three healthy scholarship linebackers, one a true freshman, until Jahmar Brown and Sherrod Greene get back. Muschamp had said he expected Brown to play vs. Auburn, but the South Florida product did not.
Muschamp also said the staff is hoping to get injured linebacker Rosendo Louis back after the bye week, but he didn’t want to make any promises.
This story was originally published October 18, 2020 at 7:17 PM with the headline "Gamecocks veteran tears his ACL, another suffered unusual injury."
