By JEFFREY COLLINS

Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Coach Steve Spurrier has made it clear that South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia will play the whole game against North Carolina State unless he gets injured.

What isn't clear is what happens across the rest of the field on the verge of the season opener in Raleigh on Thursday night.

Chief among the concerns is right behind Garcia. If the Gamecocks want to improve on last year's 7-6 season, they will have to find a running game. South Carolina finished last in the SEC last season, running for just 94 yards a game.

"All the good teams run the ball. Even if they throw it, well, they've still got to run," Spurrier said. "We hope to be a much improved running team."

Spurrier's career shows how important running the ball has been to a coach best known for his passing game. South Carolina has been 11th or last in the SEC in rushing in three of the coach's four seasons and has averaged just under 112 yards a game, compared to 140 yards rushing per game for Spurrier's Florida teams.

Brian Maddox will get the start at tailback Thursday. The junior is the team's leading returning rusher at just 17.3 yards a game. But he may not stay in for long. Spurrier said he wants to see at least five different guys get carries so he can figure out who should get the most work.

"We want to give everyone a chance in the real games as much as we can and after that, we'll go figure out who the best is -- who's making yards, who makes guys miss, who can take care of the ball and all that," Spurrier said.

There also will be new people at plenty of other spots as South Carolina loses 12 starters and needs to fill holes at wide receiver, linebacker and the defensive backfield.

"I tell people we're sort of an unknown team just because we have a lot of new faces," Spurrier said.

But even if the Gamecocks can run the ball, the tenor of this year may hang with Garcia. Spurrier is making sure everyone knows the sophomore is different from the player who last season would take off running too quickly and make bad decisions.

"We know he's going to make some mistakes here and there. But if it's a mistake, I hope it's a 6-yard sack instead of a wildly tossed interception.," Spurrier said. "Keep your mistakes to non-crucial mistakes and we'll be fine."

Wide receiver Moe Brown said the team has noticed a change in Garcia too.

"I think he's gotten to the point where he can understand he can't just rely on his talent," Brown said. "He has to understand the mental part of the game and he's definitely put the time in."

Spurrier has praised Garcia's game for much of fall practice and gave no indication he would even consider turning to the bench unlike last year, when the coach gave two quarterbacks significant time in at least half of South Carolina's games.

There may be one exception. Spurrier is thinking about letting cornerback Stephon Gilmore take a few snaps behind center. The true freshman passed and ran for more than 1,000 yards leading South Pointe High in Rock Hill to a state title last season. Both Gilmore and Garcia wear No. 5, meaning they can't be on the field at the same time.

"He is such a good runner with the ball, and he can pass pretty good also," Spurrier said. "We're trying to utilize our players the best we can to win the game.

The game also gives Spurrier his first chance to see if an offseason push to bring his team closer together works. During fall practice, players have had impromptu pizza parties to watch film and steak dinners to get to know each other better, Brown said.

"At the end of summer workouts we all went and played paintball," Brown said. "That's one of the most fun days I've had as a Gamecock -- getting to shoot coach as he's there hiding."