South Carolina Boots Former Starting Quarterback Stephen Garcia

Stephen Garcia had quite a few highs and lows while serving as the quarterback for the South Carolina Gamecocks so it isn't exactly surprising that the reaction from those affected is a bit conflicted regarding the news that Garcia was dismissed from the South Carolina football program. After all, it's always difficult to see a talented player lose an on-field opportunity due to off-field issues.

Garnet And Black Attack, SB Nation's blog covering the Gamecocks, put the Garcia Era into perspective quite well.

For me Garcia was captivating for the myth he became. He was quintessentially Gamecock. His boundless potential always seemed to be stalled by some imperceptible impediment. His highs were Everestian, but his lows were Marianastian. He was alternatingly bold and humbled. He was heroic, and he was tragic. 

In Garcia I saw someone who could have achieved everything that my mind's eye was convinced he would do. He should have played Perseus to my Zeus, but he fancied himself an Achilles. Ultimately, we had to let him go. 

Over at Team Speed Kills, a blog covering the SEC for SB Nation, they also look back at Garcia's time as a Gamecock with conflicting thoughts.

Which brings us back to the real reason for Spurrier's outburst, on some level: Stephen Garcia. And a whole range of emotions that I really don't know what to do with.

On the one hand, it's kind of a relief. There's a certain amount of mental energy that you expend cheering for a guy like Garcia -- accepting his mistakes both on and off the field, in part because you know that there is likely a great moment just around the corner.

But it's also so incredibly sad to see someone with so much talent basically throw it away. People forget just how earth-shattering it was for a highly touted recruit from Florida to come to South Carolina to play college football. This was before Alshon Jeffery and Marcus Lattimore and Jadeveon Clowney. Those kinds of players from inside South Carolina didn't come to Columbia, let alone a guy from another state with several high-profile BCS schools inside its borders.

And I wonder if the hype that accompanied that in some way helped to create Stephen Garcia, contributed to the sense of invincibility that was his undoing both on and off the field. Both that invincibility, or fearlessness if you prefer, was part of what made Garcia so great and so unforgettable.

In the end, the time Garcia spent in college football will be remembered. Whether it's the good or bad parts remembered, though, is going to be dependent on the person.

In a text message to the Associated Press, former South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Stephen Garcia said that he is "shocked and completely flabbergasted to be honest" by the decision of head coach Steve Spurrier to kick the fifth-year senior off the team.

Garcia plans to make a full statement regarding his dismissal later in the week.

Suspended indefinitely in April, Garcia was fully reinstated for a fifth time in August after agreeing to undergo periodic tests for alcohol usage. A failed alcohol test led to his dismissal from the program on Tuesday.

"Being a student-athlete at the University of South Carolina is a privilege, not a right and we remind all of our student-athletes that there are consequences for their actions," South Carolina Athletic Director Eric Hyman said in a statement released by the university.

After completing nearly 65 percent of his pass attempts for 3,059 and 20 touchdowns in 2010, Garcia regressed in the early part of the 2011 season, completing just 51.7 percent of his passes with more twice as many interceptions (nine) than touchdowns (four). Garcia lost the starting job to Connor Shaw earlier this month.

For more, visit South Carolina blog Garnet And Black Attack and SEC blog Team Speed Kills.

The father of former South Carolina Gamecocks QB Stephen Garcia told CBSSports.com that his son was dismissed from the program Tuesday for "having a couple of beers." Doing so violated the zero tolerance policy that he agreed to abide by as a part of the team.

"Obviously, he’s responsible for his own actions, which we’ve told him from the beginning," Gary Garcia told The Tampa Tribune. "The stuff he did in the beginning, he should’ve known better than that. He should’ve made better decisions. We understand that.

"I don’t hold the university responsible for it. Stephen did it. He should be responsible. You only get so many chances."

As for whether or not Stephen will be transferring to a new school to play football, Gary Garcia said "We have a lot of decisions to make right now."

Garcia's father said he plans to contact former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden, as well as others, in asking for guidance on behalf of his son.

For more, visit South Carolina blog Garnet And Black Attack and SEC blog Team Speed Kills.

It had been reported that the South Carolina Gamecocks let go of quarterback Stephen Garcia upon his failure of an alcohol test. That was apparently a violation of the terms of his reinstatement, which coach Steve Spurrier and athletic director Eric Hyman mentioned but didn't address in specifics.

Now a new report adds marijuana to the list of reported mistakes. Here's Jenn Brown sharing news obtained by Chris Low, one of ESPN's SEC bloggers:

And, yeah, we're starting to see exactly why Spurrier let a nearby newspaper columnist have it during a standard weekly press conference. Despite the coach's frustrations with Garcia, he clearly had a sort of stubborn affection for the quarterback. Seeing a young man throw away his last opportunity to use his talents for good would cause anybody to snap.

For more, visit South Carolina blog Garnet And Black Attack and SEC blog Team Speed Kills.

Former (as of right now) South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Stephen Garcia was not one to shy away from a good time during his tenure in Columbia. Both Steve Spurrier and Eric Hyman commented on Garcia's struggles with staying out of trouble during his post-suspension reinstatement period, which followed a rash of suspensions that marred some amazing on-field contributions to the historically blah program.

So it wouldn't be surprising to find out Garcia's latest trouble is once again due to partying. Here's highly regarded former South Carolina beat writer Travis Haney:

Again, that wouldn't surprise anybody. 

For more, visit South Carolina blog Garnet And Black Attack and SEC blog Team Speed Kills.

Steve Spurrier has already decided that Connor Shaw would replace Stephen Garcia as the starting quarterback for the South Carolina Gamecocks. Turns out he might not have had a choice anyway.

Spurrier told the media Thursday that Garcia is currently in Tampa, FL for his grandfather's funeral.

He has mentioned that Garcia has a "minor elbow injury" and his status as the backup quarterback for this Saturday against Kentucky.

Garcia is 61-of-118 for 4 touchdowns and 9 interceptions on the year. Shaw is 4-of-11 for 29 yards. He will be making the first start of his career.

The tipping point for Spurrier's decision to start Shaw moving forward seems to be last week's 16-13 loss to Auburn, in which Garcia went completed nine of his 23 passes for just 160 yards and two picks. The Tigers' defense entered the contest with the worst pass defense in the SEC.

For more on the Gamecocks, check out South Carolina blog Garnet & Black Attack.

Be glad you're reading this instead of watching the Auburn Tigers and South Carolina Gamecocks play football against each other. South Carolina leads, 13-9, heading into the fourth quarter, but that's really nothing to be all that proud of.

Stephen Garcia has thrown two interceptions, Marcus Lattimore has fumbled twice, Barrett Trotter threw an interception that was then fumbled back into Auburn's hands, Trotter threw another pick in the end zone and two non-quarterback Tigers have thrown picks.

A field goal was also blocked.

The only capable players may be Auburn running back Michael Dyer (120 yards rushing, one touchdown) and South Carolina defensive end Melvin Ingram (three sacks, one interception).

For more on this game, if you think you can handle it, visit Auburn blog Track Em Tigers and South Carolina blog Garnet & Black Attack. Here’s this week’s college football TV schedule, and stay tuned to SB Nation’s college football news hub for more.

Normally, if a quarterback throws four interceptions his team is likely to be losing. But that's not always the case when the opposing team is Vanderbilt. South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Stephen Garcia threw four interceptions but led his team to a 21-3 victory.

Garcia threw two interceptions in the first quarter, but Vanderbilt was only able to convert the second one into points, a 33-yard field goal. His third one didn't turn out to be detrimental. Freshman Jadeveon Clowney sacked Vanderbilt quarterback Larry Smith on the following drive, stripped the ball and then saw his teammates take it to the end zone. Actually, it was more like watching it roll into the end zone as Antonio Allen lost possession of it before Melvin Ingram covered it up for the score.

After that, this was all South Carolina's game. Stephen Garcia found running back Marcus Lattimore for a 52-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter to put the score at 14-3. Lattimore found the end zone on the ground with a 22-yard score midway through the third quarter.

Vanderbilt intercepted Garcia for the fourth time at the start of the fourth quarter, but the Gamecocks defense held strong and forced a three-and-out.

Vanderbilt (3-1) has next week off before they face the Alabama Crimson Tide. South Carolina (4-0) hosts Auburn next week.

For more news, notes and coverage of this game, visit our Vanderbilt blog Anchor of Gold and our South Carolina blog Garnet and Black Attack.

We're all of five minutes into South Carolina's matchup with Vanderbilt and Steve Spurrier's blood pressure has already risen to dangerous levels. Not sure what caused him to take his anger out on his headset, but Stephen Garcia seems like a good guess.

via gif.mocksession.com

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Surprise! The South Carolina Gamecocks have looked like much less of an embarrassing mess with Stephen Garcia in at quarterback. After a terrible start by Connor Shaw, Steve Spurrier elected to put in his senior, and the decision has paid off. After going down 17-0 in the middle of the second quarter, South Carolina rallied back to bring the score back to 17-14. However, the Gamecocks defense is still struggling. East Carolina scored another touchdown just before the half, and the Pirates lead 24-14.

Dominique Davis has been fantastic for ECU, passing 17-24 for 138 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Reggie Bullock has been effective running the ball for the Pirates as well, averaging over four yards per carry.

With no disrespect intended to ECU, if this is what South Carolina's defense is doing against the Pirates, they're going to be in serious trouble when they get into their SEC schedule. Steve Spurrier's decision to start Connor Shaw over Stephen Garcia put his team in a hole, but the defense has not helped Garcia dig his team out of said hole.   

For more on the Gamecocks, visit Garnet and Black Attack. For coverage of Week 1 in college football, please stick with this StoryStream. Stay tuned to the opening Saturday of college football with SB Nation's huge assortment of college football blogs and SB Nation's college football news hub.

Though he started over Stephen Garcia at quarterback for South Carolina, Connor Shaw isn't sitting comfortably in that position right now. Sure, it's still early in the game, but Shaw is just 2-of-8 for 18 yards in almost one quarter of play. He also fumbled on the opening drive of the game, which ECU was unable to take advantage of on the ensuing drive.

Gamecocks running back Marcus Lattimore had the costlier fumble with just over five minutes left in the first quarter. On South Carolina's 43-yard line, ECU quarterback Dominique Davis found Justin Hardy for a 25-yard touchdown pass.

It may only be a matter of time until Stephen Garcia enters the game, but the Pirates are already threatening for another score with just seconds left to play in the first quarter.

For more on the Gamecocks, visit Garnet and Black Attack. For coverage of Week 1 in college football, please stick with this StoryStream.

Waiting for South Carolina Gamecocks QB Stephen Garcia to be reinstated has been kind of like knowing months in advance what you're getting for Christmas, but only if Christmas comes on a random date. Wait no longer: Garcia is back.

Garcia was originally suspended an entire calendar season ago, leading to instant Steve Spurrier insight that lasted through SEC Media Days. HBC's famously hate-love-hate relationship with all of his non-Heisman quarterbacks flourished throughout the endeavor. Garcia returned on a probationary basis in May, but then radio Columbia went dark on the matter.  

With their star (yes, actually!) quarterback at the helm, the Cocks will be favored to win the SEC East. Wait, you say they already were favored to win the SEC East? It's almost like everybody knew this day would come here sooner rather than later.

Stephen Garcia's brief suspension from South Carolina football spring practice apparently didn't do the trick. Despite coach Steve Spurrier's admission that he just can't stay mad at the young pup, athletic director Eric Hyman has announced Garcia will be suspended indefinitely from the football program. 

No specifics yet on whether this is explicitly related to the previous charge of cavorting before the 2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl, as Hyman terms Garcia's misdeeds as having "exhibited behavior that is unacceptable for one of our student-athletes." Well, all right then.

While Garcia has made a habit of being excused from spring practice for one reason or another, this is a whole new level. South Carolina was already expected to go through something of a QB controversy this spring with Connor Shaw also in the running, but the 2011 starter may have just been named.

For more on the Cocks, visit Garnet And Black Attack and Team Speed Kills.