COLUMBIA, S.C. — Steve Spurrier says South Carolina is focused and ready to play Southern Miss, no matter how often he’s asked about potential NCAA problems.

“Those issues are not as big as a distraction as some people think,” Spurrier said.

Although they have dogged Spurrier, his staff and players throughout the summer.

The Gamecocks already enter Thursday night’s opener against Southern Miss minus suspended standout tight end Weslye Saunders, who’s been at the center of NCAA inquiries for possible agent contact. He was among several South Carolina players asked by Spurrier to move out of a local hotel.

Golden Eagles coach Larry Fedora said he hears all the time from people speculating on who his team may or may not face at Williams-Brice Stadium.

But “it’s one of those things that I have no control over and it’s probably not going to affect anything that we do,” Fedora said. “We’ve had our work cut out for us getting ourselves ready and prepared.”

Spurrier has said Saunders told him he did not violate NCAA rules. The coach also said that Saunders’ suspension was not connected to the NCAA probe. Still, it’s been a humbling experience for Spurrier — famous for jabbing at colleagues over rule breaking.

“It is the first time in my coaching career that we have had sort of these kind of issues,” Spurrier said. “I realize now how they can happen.”

Spurrier said last week that the NCAA typically suspends a player a game or two for such extra-benefit violations. The Gamecocks will accept any penalties, he said, and move on.

Right now, Spurrier’s expecting everyone to play as he attempts to add to opening week win streak of 17 straight seasons starting 1-0. Throw in his 2-0 mark with the NFL’s Washington Redskins and Spurrier hasn’t lost a regular-season opener since falling to South Carolina, 27-21, to start his last season at Duke in 1989.

Even if the faces on the field change, the Gamecocks mission won’t.

“I don’t believe in distractions,” Spurrier said. “A guy gets hurt, we’re not going to sit around and mope and cry. Next guy has to go play. That’s part of all sports.”

At tight end, South Carolina would likely go with senior captain Pat DiMarco who has moved over from fullback. Untested backups Justice Cunningham and Mike Triglia are next on the depth chart.

South Carolina’s defense will be without its leading tackler from a year ago in injured Shaq Wilson, who has not fully recovered from a hamstring injury. Quin Smith and Tony Straughter are Wilson’s replacements.

Spurrier did bring some clarity to one issue Wednesday — junior Stephen Garcia will open at quarterback. Spurrier has spent the offseason touting freshman Connor Shaw and his chance of supplanting Garcia for the No. 1 job. Garcia started all 13 games a year ago and was second to Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett in passing yards among returning SEC quarterbacks.

South Carolina might need Garcia’s passing skills if it can’t contain Fedora’s high-flying Golden Eagles.

Fedora was Florida’s offensive coordinator under Ron Zook after Spurrier left the Gators for the NFL and has Southern Miss attacking on offense. The Golden Eagles set a school record with 5,636 yards of offense in Fedora’s debut season of 2008 and nearly matched it last year.

In South Carolina’s perfect world, its stout defense — the Gamecocks were third in the SEC last season — would corral Southern Miss and an improved run game featuring touted freshman Marcus Lattimore would keep the Golden Eagles’ attack off the field.

“With this getting closer, I feel confident,” Lattimore said. “The whole running back group feels confident. I know we’re going to produce.”

Spurrier and Fedora may share more than leading Florida’s offense.

Fedora channeled Spurrier a bit this summer when telling a Southern Miss fan gathering that the country will watch the Golden Eagles beat South Carolina and he’d already counseled his players to shake hands like they expected the upset. Fedora has since tempered that stance, saying he never promised a win and that his players always take the field thinking of victory.

No matter who’s in South Carolina’s lineup, Fedora knows Southern Miss will have its hands full to end an eight-game losing streak to SEC opponents.

“Coach Spurrier, it doesn’t matter where he’s been in the past, his team’s are going to be well prepared,” Fedora said. Spurrier has “proven year in and year out, he knows how to score points. But we’re looking forward to rolling the ball out there and find out what we’re made of.”