He was involved in a five-man battle for the job with Connor Mitch, Lorenzo Nunez, Michael Scarnecchia and true freshman Brandon McIlwain. Orth is the second one to be injured; Nunez suffered a hyperextended knee last week but is set to return this week.
Orth, a former walk-on, started eight games for the Gamecocks last season, and his experience was seen as a big positive, even if the Gamecocks are installing a new offensive system this spring with coordinator Kurt Roper. Orth had taken first-team snaps in the open portion of all the practices, with McIlwain – a four-star dual-threat prospect who enrolled in January – taking the second-team snaps.