HOOVER, Ala. (AP) -- Plenty of college football observers are curious to see if South Carolina can keep up its recent success. Count Lou Holtz among them.

"As long as I've been in this game, I have not had a team I know less about and less about what to expect," the Gamecocks' coach said.

That's because South Carolina is returning only five starters on offense and four on defense, losing such players as All-SEC linebacker Kalimba Edwards and quarterback Phil Petty.

"This is going to be an important year because, 'Are we going to be able to make the transition after losing all those athletes?"' Holtz said.

The Gamecocks have won 17 games the past two seasons, but he hastens to point out that they're 0-4 against Tennessee and Florida.

Holtz doesn't think attitude will be a problem on this team.

"I have no idea what to expect, but I think we will be very competitive," he said.

"This football team is going to make the people of South Carolina very proud, because I think they're going to come closer to reaching their potential than any team I've coached."

Holtz said he's trying to be realistic. He still likes the enthusiasm the past two years have created among fans who had endured 1-10 and 0-11 seasons.

"It's great for season ticket sales, bad for tenure," Holtz said.

'Dawgs to Employ Two-QB System
Georgia's quarterback situation is pretty straightforward: David Greene will start and D.J. Shockley will play early and often.

"David Greene is without question our starting quarterback," coach Mark Richt said. "He did a fantastic job as a freshman, and he deserves to be the starter."

Nevertheless, Richt wants to get Shockley plenty of chances.

The Bulldogs redshirted the highly touted Shockley last season but Richt said he was going to play against Houston before the game was called off due to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"D.J. Shockley's a guy that proved to me and the staff throughout practice that he's a very talented guy and a guy who has a chance to do some things for us," Richt said.

Offensive lineman Jon Stinchcomb thinks the two-quarterback system will be an asset, particularly since Shockley is a mobile quarterback and Greene more of a drop-back passer.

"We're in a situation where we've got two of the best quarterbacks in the SEC and maybe the nation," Stinchcomb said.

Richt has experience with talented quarterbacks who go through most of their careers competing with each other, including Brad Johnson and Casey Weldon at Florida State.

"I think if you get a couple of guys that like each other and respect each other's ability, it goes a long, long way toward keeping the camp from getting divided," Richt said.

Toefield Eager to Test Repaired Knee
The second time was easier for LaBrandon Toefield. The LSU tailback missed his high school state championship game with a torn ligament in his right knee.

He suffered a similar injury to his left knee in the first half of the SEC championship game against Tennessee, but this time he was able to walk off the field.

"The first time, I couldn't move. Probably that was because I was just being a baby in high school," Toefield said.

Toefield rushed for 992 yards and tied a league record with 19 rushing touchdowns before his injury.

"He's been full-speed for probably two months now, he can change direction and do everything," coach Nick Saban said.

Toefield said he's eager to see how his knee holds up when he starts taking hits again in practice, but isn't worried about putting it out of his mind when the season starts.

"I'm just going to go out and play the game like nothing ever happened," he said.

SEC Aids Education
The league will launch the SEC Kid's Education Initiative in September, placing educational software in every elementary school and public library across the nine-state SEC region.

Commissioner Mike Slive said the CD-ROM, designed for kids aged 4-11, covers "the core educational essentials" and addresses character and sportsmanship.

The SEC said it is the first conference to introduce such a program.

Quote of the Day
"I think we have a better chance of winning a championship than we do of getting the slow drivers in South Carolina to drive in the right lane."
-- South Carolina coach Lou Holtz