South Carolina’s Brandon McIlwain is a two-sport athlete, but this spring he’ll only be focusing on baseball.

“It’s definitely nice to be able to focus on one (sport),” McIlwain told reporters Friday. “There’s a lot that goes into being a college athlete. And being able to really focus and figure out a schedule and a good schedule for baseball. To help myself find the time that I need to excel in baseball is going to be really good for me this semester.”

According to Ben Breiner at The State, McIlwain’s full focus on baseball this spring was not only endorsed by Will Muschamp, but suggested by the coach. McIlwain’s spring away from the gridiron makes one wonder what the dual-threat quarterback’s future looks like with the Gamecocks football team, and what Muschamp’s plan is at the quarterback position.

McIlwain wants to continue to play both sports.

“I’ve always wanted to play both sports, and that’s what I came here to do,” he said. “As long as I can do both, I’m going to do both.”

Last season, McIlwain and Perry Orth were considered the team’s top two quarterbacks to begin the season. After a bye in Week 7, however, Muschamp opted to go with Jake Bentley, who jump-started the South Carolina offense. Bentley was obviously the starter for 2017, but without McIlwain, there will be major questions as to who will be the backup.

The Gamecocks had six quarterbacks on their roster in 2016, including McIlwain and Orth, who has graduated. The other three behind Bentley were Michael Scarnecchia, Bailey Hart and Danny Gordon. Scarnecchia originally signed with South Carolina in 2014 and redshirted. He was a backup in 2015, but missed the 2016 season due to a torn labrum suffered in the offseason. Hart walked on as a freshman in 2016 and Gordon walked on at Miami (Ohio) before transferring to South Carolina in 2015.

Muschamp is familiar with the need to have a backup ready to step in at any given moment. In Muschamp’s four seasons at Florida (2011-14), his starting quarterbacks twice suffered season-ending injuries (2011, 2013). Multi-season starter Jeff Driskel missed a start due to injury in 2012 and was benched in 2014.

If Bentley has to miss time this fall, Muschamp may wish McIlwain had been taking snaps this spring.