ATHENS, GA. – Brandon Shell was caught by surprise Saturday night early in the third quarter of South Carolina’s predominantly awful 52-20 SEC loss at No. 7 Georgia. The senior left tackle from Goose Creek took an instinctive step toward the sideline after the Gamecocks failed to convert a third down on its own side of the field at Sanford Stadium with the Bulldogs ahead, 38-13.
Shell did an about face when head coach Steve Spurrier opted to go for it on fourth-and-1 from the 31.
Welcome to the necessarily brave new Gamecock world, where freshman quarterback Lorenzo Nunez might convert on fourth down (as he did this time).