COLUMBIA - The scene isn’t one Reid McCollum would necessarily want you to see. But it’s reality. This is the way it is.

It’s late into a Saturday night. He’s standing in a dark parking lot, the moon the only light to make his face known. Practice ended minutes earlier, and he’s still got his football pants on.

South Carolina’s redshirt freshman quarterback has this blank, expressionless look on his face. He looks like someone who just received awful news.

Stunned, shocked. Those are words to explain his appearance.

Surrounding him are his parents and his sister. They’re leaning on a vehicle about 10 feet away from him, waiting for him to say something.

They’re not getting too close to him. But they’re close enough to understand his world’s just been rocked. Again.

They’ve seen this scene before, just like the one that played out in the shadows of Williams-Brice Stadium in early August. And they’ll see this scene again.

McCollum’s just been dumped on his rear by Steve Spurrier.

A bad practice drew Spurrier’s full-on ire. And that irritation dripped into Spurrier’s post-practice media session.

Spurrier was so miffed that he demoted McCollum, the Summerville native who’s yet to take his first college snap, to the third team.

All right, enough of that. Now go forward four days to Wednesday.

McCollum is walking away from the stadium with a broad smile across his face. His family’s there again, grinning and laughing with him.

Things, clearly, are drastically different than they were Saturday.

Spurrier has just praised McCollum during and after a camp scrimmage. He says he had one of his better practices since he arrived on campus a year ago.

The highs of being a Spurrier quarterback send you soaring above the clouds.

And the lows provide a feeling of tripping and faceplanting onto concrete.

It’s a ride, to play for Spurrier. It’s one hell of a ride.

“It’s been up and down, but I kind of feel like I’ve responded,” McCollum said days after those two scenarios played out. “That’s all I can do, is try to respond. That’s his way of motivating. I can only do my best and see what happens.”

McCollum is the backup to Stephen Garcia, who has no doubt experienced similar ups and downs in his three seasons working with Spurrier.

His off-the-field wounds have been mostly self-inflicted, mind you. But, beyond that, there’s also such a mercurial relationship between Garcia and Spurrier.

One way it plays out is how long Garcia’s leash is with the media.

Presently, it’s not existent. Despite another request Monday, Garcia hasn’t spoken with reporters in more than two weeks. And he will not before Thursday’s opener at North Carolina State.

About that kind of thing, Spurrier often says, “Oh, he hadn’t done anything yet.”

And, so, he shields the media attention.

Meanwhile, Garcia gets plenty of attention from Spurrier.

It’s only logical to say that Spurrier is tough on Garcia because he sees the untapped potential that could one day make him special.

Spurrier might even see a little of himself in Garcia, a remotely rebellious, rough-around-the-edges soul in a naturally talented body.

Spurrier honed himself into a Heisman Trophy winner. He, too, wants Garcia to reach his college pinnacle, whatever it might be.

Right now, every compliment of Garcia comes with a corresponding disclaimer.

In his most honest moments, Spurrier says he just isn’t quite sure what to expect.

“He should be ready,” Spurrier said this past weekend, “but I’ve said that before.”

Earlier in the week, Spurrier talked to ESPN about his expectations for Garcia. He’s done this before, but he said he’d like to see Garcia thinking and acting more like 1996 Heisman winner Danny Wuerrfel.

Spurrier has also said he wishes Garcia, a third-year sophomore who played in parts of eight games last season, would adopt some of current Gators quarterback Tim Tebow’s toughness and attitude.

“Danny Wuerffel was often asked if he got nervous before a big game. He would always say I have too much to think about,” Spurrier told ESPN.com.

“The plays were always going through his mind the night before the game. He wasn’t playing video games like some of our guys do the night before the game.

“Hopefully, Stephen will say one day ‘I have too much to think about.’

Playing quarterback, that’s what it’s all about. You’re constantly thinking what ‘I’m going to do if this happens.’”

Asked last week a very general question about his quarterbacks - if he thought it’s tough to play the position for him - Spurrier sort of bristled.

Even though it wasn’t, Spurrier thought it was a dig at the fact that the “next great Spurrier QB” hasn’t yet emerged at USC.

“I’ve got a track record. I’ve been doing it since 1978,” Spurrier said.

“But I’ve had trouble coaching these guys, I’ll tell you that. I don’t have the answer to why. I’ve coached them just like I’ve coached all the rest of them, that’s for sure.”

As for McCollum, he wasn’t even on the radar for playing time a year ago.

With Tommy Beecher and Chris Smelley expected back this season, McCollum figured to again be buried on the depth chart.

But both Beecher and Smelley transferred, opening the door for Garcia and someone to back him up.

McCollum has shown a strong arm and even some mobility to suggest that he could play at this high level.

And, really, what are the odds of Garcia playing every down of all 12 (or

13) games this season?

Chances are, you’ll see the John McKissick and Louis Mulkey pupil on the field this fall.

“I’ve thought about that plenty of times, every night and every day,” he said. “I know there’s a time coming when, sooner or later, I’ll get thrown in there. Hopefully I’m prepared to go out and make some plays and lead the team down the field.

“I’ve got to be ready. I’ve done a lot to get my mind and body that way.”

Really, it’s Spurrier who’s done a lot of work with the mind. That’s the game within the game.

But here’s the question: Is it possible to get used to Spurrier’s style of coaching and those oh-so-high demands?

“You do. But the expectations keep rising,” he said. “If he sees you make a play, he wants you to make it every time.”

You can imagine how wide-eyed and excitable Garcia and McCollum were as high school products, visions of playing for the Ball Coach dancing through their heads.

But how does perception compare with reality? Is there even a comparison?

“It’s demanding. I mean, really demanding,” McCollum said. “He really expects a lot out of his quarterbacks. He expects us to be the smartest guy on the field. He thinks the quarterback should make the right decision every time.

“You can’t take a play off. Some positions you could get away with it, but not at quarterback. It’s demanding, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.

It’s just making us better.”

Reach Travis Haney at thaney@postandcourier.com and check out the South Carolina blog at www.postandcourier.com/weblogs/gamecocks.

You must be logged in to comment.