PANTHERS-WILLIAMS
Injured Panthers RB Williams ‘ready to roll’
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) β Panthers coach Ron Rivera says running back DeAngelo Williams has informed him he’s “ready to roll” for Thursday night’s home game against the New Orleans Saints.
Williams has missed six games this season due to injuries, including Carolina’s 13-9 loss to Seattle on Sunday.
The franchise’s all-time leading rusher had 72 yards on 14 carries in the season opener against Tampa Bay, but missed the next two games with a hamstring injury. He returned in Week 4 against Baltimore but suffered a high ankle sprain the first half and hasn’t played since.
Williams has 106 yards rushing on 26 carries.
Ron Rivera says “it’ll be a nice boost” pairing Williams with running back Jonathan Stewart, who has been starting in his place and leads the team with 217 yards rushing.
T25-CLEMSON-SWINNEY
Clemson’s Swinney grateful for bye week
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) β Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said the 22nd-ranked Tigers will use their bye week to recharge a defense already one of the country’s best and rehab several players in hopes of improving an offense struggling to score points.
Clemson (6-2, 5-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) won its fifth straight game this past Saturday in a 16-6 victory over Syracuse, it’s No. 3 defense holding the Orange to 170 yards.
Swinney’s grateful for the time off, especially on offense where the Tigers have lost their starting quarterback Deshaun Watson, their leading rusher in Adam Choice and two top receivers in Charone Peake and Jordan Leggett to injuries the past month.
Swinney expects all but Choice back for the final month, which starts with a Thursday night game at Wake Forest on Nov. 6.
TENNESSEE-QUARTERBACKS
Vols waiting to decide on starting quarterback
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) β Tennessee’s depth chart reflects the uncertain status of its quarterback situation heading into Saturday’s game with South Carolina.
The Volunteers’ starting quarterback is listed as senior Justin Worley or sophomore Nathan Peterman or sophomore Joshua Dobbs. Peterman started last week’s 34-20 loss to Alabama in place of an injured Worley. Dobbs entered the game on Tennessee’s third series and remained in the rest of the way.
Tennessee coach Butch Jones said that, “We’ll name a starter when we need to, but we’re in no rush.”
Part of the issue is whether Worley is ready to return after a shoulder injury prevented him from playing against Alabama. Even if Worley is cleared, Jones said there’s no guarantee the senior would start when Tennessee (3-5, 0-4 SEC) faces South Carolina (4-4, 2-4).
CLEMSON PREVIEW
Clemson coach confident Tigers can win this year
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) β Clemson coach Brad Brownell didn’t think last year’s team was as bad as its next-to-last preseason projection in the Atlantic Coast Conference. And he doesn’t believe the bottom will drop out for his 23-win Tigers this season with the early departure of star K.J. McDaniels for the NBA.
They’ll need to develop in many areas to make up for McDaniels, the ACC’s defensive player of the year now with the Philadelphia 76ers. He led the Tigers, who improved from 13-18 in 2012-13 to 23-13 last season, with 17 points and seven rebounds a game. He had 100 blocks to lead the ACC and a team-best 41 steals.
Brownell is counting on senior guards Rod Hall and Demarcus Harrison, plus junior center Landry Nnoko to pick up some of McDaniels’ production.
S CAROLINA-INJURIES
Gamecocks men’s hoop team loses 2 guards to injury
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) β South Carolina guards TeMarcus Blanton and Austin Constable are out for the season after injuries at practice last week.
Gamecocks coach Frank Martin said Blanton injured his left hip and had surgery this past Friday. Martin said reserve Constable tore an ACL and will have surgery in a couple of weeks once swelling goes down.
Blanton is a 6-foot-5 freshman who was expected to add depth in the back court. He’s the third of South Carolina’s four-member freshman class lost for the year. Forward Shamiek Sheppard tore a right knee ligament in June and is rehabbing from surgery. Forward James Thompson did not enroll after an arrest in Louisiana for charges of aggravated battery and domestic abuse by battery.
Guard Marcus Stroman is Martin’s lone newcomer left on the roster.
