COLUMBIA - South Carolina fans, particularly on social media, are known for using the extended pinkie-and-thumb hand symbol, which is also an emoji, as a non-verbal way of saying "Go Gamecocks".
This year, a different hand symbol is their rallying cry: three fingers raised, with the forefinger and thumb touching, a salute to freshman starting quarterback Ryan Hilinski and so, so much more.
It's the jersey number of Hilinski, and of his brother Tyler, the Washington State quarterback who died by suicide Jan. 16, 2018. The Hilinski family, which made public an autopsy of Tyler found his brain showed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), also created the foundation Hilinski's Hope following their son's death.
"With H3H we have created a non-profit foundation with the goal of keeping Tyler's memory alive and generating the funding necessary to support programs that will help destigmatize mental illness," the site's mission statement reads. "We will provide the funding and practical tools for the schools with student athletes to implement the change necessary to bring parity to mental health in line with all other illnesses and injuries these student athletes face."
Hilinski's Hope has raised more than $400,000 of its $1-million goal, and the family's story was covered in a segment during ESPN's College GameDay last week.
Ryan Hilinski took over the starting quarterback spot at South Carolina after Jake Bentley needed season-ending foot surgery following the Gamecocks' loss to North Carolina. Fans at Williams-Bryce Stadium in Columbia, S.C., organized a gesture before last week's Alabama game to hold the three-finger gesture at the start of the third quarter to honor Tyler's memory and the goals of Hilinski's Hope.
Missouri will honor the foundation in its own way this week, ahead of the Mayor's Cup game played at 3 p.m. Saturday at Faurot Field.
Missouri's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee set up a banner in the Missouri Athletic Training Center's dining hall for athletes to sign, tweeting "Join SAAC in raising awareness and breaking down the stigma behind mental illness by signing the banner throughout all dining hall hours this week."
Hilinski, who retweeted the message, has been playing very well for the Gamecocks. He was named Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week after throwing for 324 yards and completing 36-of-57 passes for two touchdowns and an interception against No. 2 Alabama in his first career SEC start.
III
Missouri has a position battle, or rather two position battles, on the offensive line for the first time in more than a year.
At left guard and right tackle, Larry Borom and Hyrin White, respectively, started the first two games. Both were announced as starters on the depth chart Tuesday and on the video board before Saturday's game as starters, but Case Cook started at left guard and Bobby Lawrence started at right tackle.
Odom said following the Southeast Missouri State game it was a matter of Cook and Lawrence practicing better, and practice would determine the starter going forward. Coaches often say this, but starters on the offensive line, and really across the entire offense, have been consistent under Odom.
"Right now, we've got seven guys that we feel like can help us go win, and those seven are going to continue to play," Odom said. "And at some point, one of those guys in either of the spots will take the lead and go run with it. Case and Larry are still battling, Hyrin and Bobby at the tackle spot, but I think it's important that if we can get to the ability, the level that you feel like you can play seven or eight guys, I think that's beneficial down the stretch.
"But I'd rather one of 'em step up and say, 'I'm the guy,' and take it, but also we're in a position right now where both (sets) are playing pretty well."
In 2018, the Tigers swapped starters on the depth chart at just four positions, and two were because of injury: tight end, where Kendall Blanton and Daniel Parker Jr. started after Albert Okwuegbunam was injured at Florida and Richaud Floyd and Kam Scott started in the place of an injured Emanuel Hall, at running back, where Damarea Crockett and Larry Rountree III were both listed as potential starters, and at another wide receiver position, where Jalen Knox beat out Nate Brown and Alex Ofodile.
In 2017, it also happened four times: Emanuel Hall moved up to starting wide receiver after Dimetrios Mason was dismissed from the program, Ish Witter moved up to starting running back after Crockett was injured, Yasir Durant beat out Tyler Howell at left tackle, and Adam Ploudre started at left guard once in place of Kevin Pendleton, who was injured on the first play of Missouri's game against Auburn.
"It's rare to have the same five (offensive linemen) play all season, where you don't have either competition or injuries," offensive coordinator Derek Dooley said. "So we were fortunate. Hopefully, we'll stay healthy up front, and sometimes it's a good thing when you got a little competition.
"One of the reasons could have been we didn't have anybody pushing those guys, not necessarily that they were so good, it was just who was behind them not pushing them. So we've got more guys who can compete, and more guys, if a guy's not getting it done, put another guy in."
Notes: Odom said Tuesday the team has "no new injuries to even comment on, which is good at this point in the year." Starting left tackle Durant, who exited the SEMO blowout with a neck injury, will start Saturday against the Gamecocks, Odom said. Defensive lineman Trajan Jeffcoat (elbow) will get another check on his elbow mid-week and will likely be back after Missouri's bye week if he doesn't play against South Carolina.