NASHVILLE ? On a night when he broke a school record for longevity, South Carolina receiver found himself in an unusual position ? on the bench.
The All-SEC senior caught a pass on the Gamecocks? first offensive play Thursday against Vanderbilt, giving him at least one reception in 35 consecutive games and moving him past Sterling Sharpe and Jermale Kelly to No. 1 on the school?s all-time list.
By the end of the first quarter, however, McKinley was sidelined with a pulled right hamstring. McKinley tried to come back into the game at one point, but he was called back to the sideline.
McKinley watched the rest of the game in street clothes. USC coach Steve Spurrier said he did not know whether McKinley would be available against Georgia on Sept. 13.
McKinley had three catches for 23 yards and a touchdown, taking him farther up the Gamecocks? receiving charts. His 162 receptions are seven shy of Sharpe?s mark, and his 16 touchdown catches are seven behind Sidney Rice?s 23.
McKinley moved past Kelly into fifth place in career receiving yardage with 2,199.
Spurrier said the gameplan changed ?a little bit? with McKinley out.
?But still, we got a lot of guys ready to play. They didn?t get many balls coming at them,? said Spurrier. ?We?ve got to start throwing at those other players. If Kenny?s out next week, we?ll find somebody to throw it to.?
Tight end Jared Cook set career highs with eight catches for 111 yards.
Not so fast. Steve Spurrier made good on his promise to try to embarrass the first USC player who jumped offsides.
Angered at the Gamecocks? four false-start penalties last week against N.C. State, Spurrier said he would replace any offenders during the nationally televised game.
Sure enough, when tight end Jared Cook moved before the snap midway through the first quarter, Weslye Saunders came in for him.
However, when Jarriel King, making his first career start at left tackle, committed a false-start penalty on third-and-10 the next series, the Georgia Military transfer stayed in the game.
But Spurrier yanked King when he picked up his second false start in the third quarter, replacing him with Hutch Eckerson.
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McKinley needs to ride the pine Saturday afternoon.
Hamstrings take a long time to heal. Ask Chipper Jones.