A week ago, South Carolina star defensive end Jadeveon Clowney revealed that bone spurs in his foot have been causing him problems, but that he will play with the pain and have them surgically removed after the season.
Now, the Gamecocks' other starting defensive end -- an NFL draft prospect himself -- is playing through pain, as well. Chaz Sutton has been dealing with a slow-healing foot sprain since before the season began, according to gamecockcentral.com.
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"It's getting better as the weeks go on, you've just got to take it one week at a time," said Sutton. "It's just something I've got to deal with if I want to keep playing on this team."
It certainly hasn't stopped the senior from being productive. He's made 11 stops in three games, seven of them unassisted, and four of them for losses. Sutton registered 1.5 sacks against Vanderbilt on Sept. 14, and got to rest the foot this past weekend with South Carolina being idle. Sutton said improvement has been steady, but conceded he doesn't believe he'll be 100 percent by the time the Gamecocks play host to Central Florida on Sept. 28.
"It's going to always have stress on it, so as long as it's getting better than it was when I was starting out, I'll be okay," Sutton said. "As far as the UCF game, I hope its 100 percent, but I know and the doctors and trainers know its not going to be 100 percent by then."
Sutton (6-foot-5, 263 pounds) made five sacks last season for the Gamecocks, with four of them coming in Southeastern Conference play. He has been projected as a late-round pick in 2014.
Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter @ChaseGoodbread.