Jatius Geer, Bam Martin-Scott, Connor Cox all remain questionable, per Shane Beamer

The South Carolina football team will be close to full health when it takes on North Carolina on Saturday in the season opener in Charlotte, but a few players remain questionable.

Coach Shane Beamer provided an injury update on Wednesday on an SEC teleconference call, one day after he noted edge defender Jatius Geer, linebacker Bam Martin-Scott and tight end Connor Cox are questionable for the game.

“I would say they’re still questionable,” Beamer said.

The third-year head coach hasn’t yet revealed what their particular ailments are.

But the news that they remain questionable is the only real bad news for the Gamecocks, who otherwise look pretty positive on the injury front. After injuries sidelined key receivers Antwane Wells and Nyckoles Harbor for portions of fall camp, both have returned to practice and are cleared to play on Saturday.

So too is Arkansas transfer Trey Knox at tight end.

That should give South Carolina plenty to work with in the passing game, as quarterback Spencer Rattler sets out in his second season as the starter. Expectations are high for the Gamecocks following back-to-back top-10 wins to close out the regular season in 2022.

Beamer wants better effort in practice

While the South Carolina injury report was positive despite a trio that remains questionable, Beamer’s report from the team’s practice on Tuesday was decidedly less rosy.

He got on the Gamecocks for not bringing the proper sense of urgency to things.

“Practiced today like we just assumed things are going to happen a certain way on Saturday night,” Beamer. “Frankly the way we practiced at a lot of positions today will get our absolute butts kicked on Saturday night if we practice like we did today at some certain spots. That’s players and coaches.

“I’ll always shoot you guys straight. Disappointed with the way we practiced today. We did not practice today like it was game week, which was disappointing. Thought there would be a lot more urgency out there today. And it wasn’t terrible and it wasn’t everyone, but we had too many groups, too many individuals that practiced today like everything is just going to be OK on Saturday night.”

The Gamecocks kick off against the Tar Heels on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET with a national broadcast on ABC.

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