Quin Smith turns his palms up and traces the scars, barely visible now, that begin at his wrist and don't stop until they approach his armpits. 

Smith has a story to tell, one that few people know about, and one that makes the senior from Lenoir, N.C., grateful every day that he can buckle a chinstrap. 

"I pretty much had a near-death experience," Smith said.

Instead, Smith has made the most of his final season, tying for 2nd on the team in tackles (20).  His 10 tackles against Missouri set a new career high.

But that strong, sure-handed tackling may never have happened had things turned out differently when Quin (short for Jocquin) was 8 years old.  He and a friend were playing outside after school, chasing each other around.  Smith's friend ran through the family's side glass door, slamming it behind him.  Smith, following closely behind, couldn't stop his momentum.  He stuck his arms out to brace himself.

"My hands went right through the glass door," he said.  "It took a chunk of meat out of my wrist.  The glass came within an inch of cutting my main artery."

The broken glass still sliced dangerously along his left wrist, right elbow, and other areas.  Had it punctured any closer to the main artery, Smith could have bled to death.  His friend's family, hearing him "crying hysterically," wrapped his arms in towels to stop the bleeding. 

Smith says his family rushed him to the emergency room at 3 p.m.  It took doctors until 8 p.m. to finish his stitches.

"The doctors and my Dad stopped counting at 68," Smith said. 

As grave as the situation could have been, Smith only missed a week of school.  The biggest hardship, he said, was that he couldn't write for a month (he's left-handed).  Time has faded most of his scars, which now wrap around sturdy biceps and thick, blacksmith's forearms.  Clearly, the injury was no impediment to Smith growing into a 6'1" 239-pound SEC linebacker.  

But in a game that glorifies inches - the inches between a first down and a punt, the inches between a win and a loss - Smith hasn't forgotten that an inch separated his life from death.

"That's why I never try to take a day for granted."

Other notes as we begin our prep for Kentucky:

More on Quin:  A political science major, the soft-spoken Smith is thinking about applying to law school.  "I've always been a good arguer," he told me.

Protect At All Costs:  Kentucky's offense may not inspire sonnets, but the Wildcats have done a secretly superb job of protecting their quarterbacks.  UK has thrown 178 passes, the 7th highest total in a nation.  Yet the Wildcats offensive line, led by Outland Trophy Watch List guard Larry Warford, has only allowed 4.0 sacks - an average of one sack every 45.5 passing plays. 

The Gamecock defense has racked up 15.0 sacks through 4 games.

The Gamecocks defensive line has given opposing quarterbacks headaches (and judging by some sacks, far worse).  Their 15.0 sacks in 188 pass attempts comes out to an average of one sack every 13.5 passing plays. 

Kentucky's record (1-3, 0-1 SEC), may not suggest it, but South Carolina's pass rush could receive its toughest test Saturday.

                                          Sacks                          Pass Attempts                       Sacks/Passing Plays

UK Offensive Line             4.0  (allowed)             178                                         1/45.5

USC Defensive Line          15.0                             188                                         1/13.5

False Start: Will there be an opportunity to pounce on the Wildcats early?  Kentucky has been outscored 21-0 in the first quarter.  Carolina has outscored opponents 28-3 in the opening quarter.

(No) Drops & Give Me 20:  Connor Shaw earned his first-ever SEC Offensive Player of the Week award last year following a career-high 311 passing yards in Carolina's 54-3 rout of Kentucky.  He enters this year's Kentucky matchup with another SEC Offensive Player of the Week honor, thanks to a 20-for-21, 249-yard performance against Missouri.

Where does Shaw's 20 straight completions (and counting) rank among some other records?  I did the research.

Record         Player                  Completions         Year                Opponent

Ball Coach         Steve Spurrier*          16                                  1966                       Florida St. (9), N.C. State (7)

S. Carolina       Connor Shaw              20-                                2012                       Missouri (20), at UK 9/29

SEC                    Tee Martin                      23                                 1998                       South Carolina

NFL                    Donovan McNabb           24                                 2004                       NYG (10), Green Bay (14)

NCAA                Dominique Davis             36                                  2011                      Memphis (10), Navy (26)

* - Even the Head Ball Coach couldn't remember his highest consecutive completions streak at Florida.  In fact, his record stood for 39 years under Chris Leak broke it in 2005.

All He Does Is Catch Touchdowns:  Believe it or not, the NCAA keeps records on this.  The NCAA record for highest percentage of passes caught for touchdowns (min. 20 TD) is 35.3% by Southern Cal's Kevin Williams (24 of 68, 1977-80).

Here's something to think about.  Rory Anderson:  6 touchdowns, 14 career touchdowns, 42.3%.  The sophomore added to his total Saturday with a 13-yard haul against Missouri.

Yes, it's a long ways away... but....

Join us Friday for our final "Pre-Snap Reads" before the Gamecocks descend into Bluegrass country.  --AD--