Former Florida quarterback Shane Matthews led the Gators to their first SEC championship, was a three-time All-SEC selection and finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting as a junior in 1991.

What's another accomplishment that stands out in Matthews' mind as one of his finest?

Steve Spurrier is known for his short leash with QBs, but Stephen Garcia has put that patience to the test during his time at South Carolina. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

"A lot of people say I was the only quarterback Steve Spurrier never pulled because of poor play," said Matthews, who now hosts a sports-talk radio show in Gainesville, Fla.

Perhaps more than any other quarterback who ever played for Spurrier, Matthews understood how his coach ticked. Spurrier pulled Matthews from the second half of a 45-3 loss at Tennessee in 1990, but it wasn't for poor play. Spurrier yanked his quarterback because the score was getting out of hand. When the score got worse, Spurrier pulled Matthews to the side.

"He told me he'd never pull me again," Matthews said.

And Spurrier didn't, although Matthews now knows it wasn't because he always performed well.

"There wasn't another guy behind me," Matthews said.

As No. 12 South Carolina prepares for Saturday's SEC opener at Georgia, Spurrier is again playing a game of quarterback musical chairs. In a surprising move, Spurrier started Connor Shaw over returning starter Stephen Garcia in last week's opener against East Carolina in Charlotte, N.C.

Shaw, a sophomore from Flowery Branch, Ga., was largely ineffective against the Pirates, completing 3 of 9 passes for 21 yards. Garcia, a senior from Lutz, Fla., came off the bench in the second quarter, with the Gamecocks trailing 17-0. Garcia guided South Carolina to a 56-37 victory, completing 7 of 15 passes for 110 yards with one touchdown, while running five times for 56 yards with two scores.

Garcia, whose streak of 28 consecutive starts ended with last week's benching, will start against Georgia in a game that usually decides which team will battle for the SEC East title.