The million-dollar question in Columbia right now is which quarterback will be the first to start in Mike Bobo’s offense.

So far in the race, Collin Hill and Ryan Hilinski have been battling it out for the starting duties but with an upcoming scrimmage set to take place in Columbia, that could likely change in a hurry.

When asked to discuss a timeline for naming a starting signal-caller in Columbia, here is what the South Carolina’s offensive coordinator had to say on Friday.

“I always think it’s good that you have your number one quarterback before you start your game got your game plan, not your game plan but your practicing on your first opponent — Tennessee,” Bobo said. “Right now, talking with Coach, I think it’s either 11 or 12 days, somewhere around there, before the first game – that we start working on Tennessee.

“Obviously, we’ve got to get through this scrimmage tomorrow night at 7:30. And then we’ll meet on Sunday have will discuss things. And if we’re ready, we’ll announce something. If we’re not, we might go another week. But you’ve got to really scrimmages that you got to have, one more that’ll probably be really light physicality, but none of them are physical for the quarterback because they’re wearing a different jersey, but you’d like to start usually trying to start making some decisions after the second scrimmage.”

Whenever South Carolina decides to name a starter, the coaching staff doesn’t want to see the competing between the team’s QBs to stop, however.

“But this is a different year, this is a different year where you know every man needs to be ready at every position with what we’re dealing with COVID,” Bobo added. “So, we’re gonna say sit down as a staff, with Coach, on Sunday and probably put together a more definite plan on when we are going to say something.”

While that comment may be easy to brush off as typical coach-speak, given the uncertain nature of this year, Bobo’s desire to see multiple quarterbacks prepared to play could be key to the Gamecocks having a bounce-back season this fall.