STARS OF 2008:

CB Captain Munnerlyn -- A good cover man with star potential, he's being held out of spring action.

LB Jasper Brinkley -- On the field for a portion of spring drills, Brinkley is bouncing back from knee surgery. He's a tackle machine and the team's top playmaker. If he's not healthy, neither is the defense.

DE-OLB Eric Norwood -- Norwood was an All-SEC defensive end but has worked at outside linebacker in spring drills. He won't play exclusively with his hand down this season but won't move full-time to the LB corps.

TOP NEWCOMERS

ATH C.C. Whitlock, Chester, S.C. -- South Carolina didn't clean up in-state, by any means, but Whitlock is certainly a versatile prospect who could help immediately. Spurrier wasn't left blown away by his stellar 2007 class of receivers, so he might look to Whitlock for help there. But don't surprised if, like his prep coach says, the fleet-footed Whitlock winds up at cornerback. He could be a return-game factor immediately.

QB Aramis Hillary, Johnston -- Spurrier has gotten on a recent kick about the need for a mobile quarterback in today's beep-beep level of speed in the SEC. Hillary could wind up being a revision of recent USC passer Syvelle Newton. At 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, Hillary's got a big-time arm, too. The problem for Hillary is that South Carolina's quarterbacks are all pretty young. Those who'll be battling for the job, Stephen Garcia and Chris Smelley, are underclassmen.

RB Eric Baker, Jacksonville, Fla. -- One of the talented trio of prep-schoolers who're joining the team, Baker could help fill an immediate need for the Gamecocks. Fifth-year senior Cory Boyd is gone. Rising senior Mike Davis might be suspended early in the year for missing too many classes. Baker to the rescue? He had 800 yards and 10 touchdowns, despite a nagging ankle injury, at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia.

DE Chaz Sutton, Savannah, Ga. -- Florida coveted him greatly but dropped him when it didn't look as if he'd have the grades to be a Gator. Enter Spurrier. South Carolina signed him, and Spurrier said Wednesday he thought Sutton would qualify. Worst case scenario, Sutton follows the path of Baker and others at Fork Union. The Gamecocks are loaded on the D-line, so a year away wouldn't be too much of a detriment.

ROSTER REPORT

--WRs Chris Culliver and Mark Barnes moved from wide receiver to defensive back.

--Senior Yvan Banag moved from linebacker to fullback. Clark Gaston shifted to tight end from fullback.

--Run-stopping DL Kenrick Ellis will miss the first three games for violating a university policy. He'd made a stride forward in the season-ending Clemson game.

--Jordin and Dustin Lindsey are on probation for violations of academic and behavioral team rules.

--WRs Dion Lecorn and Matt Clements practiced with the team despite off-the-field trouble in the offseason. Lecorn was charged in January with marijuana possession.

--DB Carlos Thomas was suspended in early March for violating team rules, but Spurrier indicated he would practice before the spring session ended. He had 20 starts in the past three seasons.

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