Want to make sure your surgically repaired left foot is good to go for the upcoming football season? What better way to test the healing powers of the human body than jumping out of an airplane.
South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw did just that, according to an interview with The State's Josh Kendall, and the foot is feeling great:
"I don’t think (the coaches) know yet," Shaw said Tuesday in an interview with GoGamecocks.com, "so we’ll see how that goes."
Regardless, Shaw is ready to jump again as soon as he gets a chance.
"It was an incredible rush," he said. "I think we jumped out at 17,000 feet and opened our chute at 5,000. It happened so fast. It felt like you were just floating up in the air. I would absolutely do it again."Shaw participated in a tandem jump (a requirement for first-time jumpers) on a trip with friends to Skydive Carolina in Chester on Saturday.
"I want to go by myself next time," he said.
Shaw suffered a stress fracture and injured two ligaments late in the game against Tennessee in November, and after gutting through wins against Arkansas and Wofford he had to sit out the season finale against Clemson. He returned to action in the Outback Bowl, splitting time at quarterback with Dylan Thompson and throwing for two touchdowns in the Gamecocks' win over Michigan.
"I was wondering how rusty I would be because I couldn’t drop back and throw (while rehabbing his foot injury)," Shaw told The State. "But more than anything I had a fresh arm. I felt great. I was slinging it around. It felt really good."
Shaw had surgery after that game and missed out on all of spring practice. He accounted for over 2,000 yards of offense and 20 touchdowns in 2012, going 9-2 as a starter.
Shaw start the season as QB1, but the Ol' Ball Coach is planning on indulging his affinity for quarterback carousels throughout the fall.
"I think Connor [Shaw] will definitely be our starter, and we'll get Dylan [Thompson] in some every game," South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier said at the SEC spring meetings, per CBS Sports. "I don't know how it's going to play out. If one guy plays a whole bunch better than the other, then he'll be playing more than the other. They're both very qualified and excellent leaders. I can see them both playing a lot."
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