Is Spurrier Calling Clowney Soft?

Steve Spurrier isn't a guy who bites his tongue when giving a comment, and boy, did he have a few for his star linebacker Jadeveon Clowney.

Clowney asked out out -- yes, asked out -- of yesterday's game against Kentucky to the dismay of the Ol' Ball Coach.

Which made me, along with several others, question what the heck is going on in Gamecock land?

Spurrier gave a few clues to reporters afterward.

"I will just say he told me he couldn't play, that his ribs hurt, couldn't run," Spurrier commented. "Said, 'I can't play.' I said, 'That's fine, you don't have to play. We'll move on.' He may not be able to play next week, I don't know. We're not going to worry about it. I can assure you that if he wants to play, we'll welcome him to come play for the team if he wants to.

"If he doesn't want to play, he doesn't have to play; simple as that. We were thinking he was going to suit up and play. He did not practice Thursday. Couldn't run. Said he couldn't play. Any time a player says he's hurt, can't play, who are we to question? He doesn't play."

Spurrier didn't call Clowney soft, but the hint was heavier than a ton of, well ...

Quarterback Connor Shaw, who had a shoulder injury the week before, played yesterday, and no one expected him to be able to, including Spurrier.

A growing number of people are starting to question Clowney's toughness. You have to wonder if this is all having an effect on this draft status for next year.

This guy was supposed to be the No 1 player on the board, but right now, he's playing and acting like a third-string face in the crowd.

What's going to happen when he decides to take a game off for the Giants next year? (The G-Men haven't won a game and could well be in the Clowney sweepstakes next April). You think New York fans won't eat him alive?

Or even worse, he could land in a town like Philly, where they definitely won't have mercy. 

Maybe Clowney is doing this on purpose so he'll drop in the draft and land at a better spot. If so, that doesn't say much for his responsibility to the Gamecocks.

Whatever his reasoning, it's obviously not going well with his current head coach, and it won't go over well in the NFL either.