Sports

South Carolina's Spurrier: Clowney situation handled poorly, DE working to return this weekend

Associated Press
Published | Updated

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier waits for an NCAA college football game against Kentucky, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt) (The Associated Press)

South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw throws during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Kentucky, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt) (The Associated Press)

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier says injured All-American Jadeveon Clowney is working hard so he can play against Arkansas on Saturday.

Spurrier said Tuesday he will know later in the week if Clowney has recovered enough from a strained muscle to Saturday.

Spurrier says if Clowney doesn't play another down for the 14th-ranked Gamecocks, the junior has made a tremendous impact on the program.

Since the 6-foot-6, 274-pound defensive end said shortly before kickoff last Saturday against Kentucky that he was in too much pain to play, there have been questions about whether the potential No. 1 pick in next year's NFL draft was shutting it down for the season.

Spurrier says he, Clowney and the training staff all handled things poorly after the Gamecocks (4-1, 2-1) beat Kentucky 35-28.