At South Carolina, 2015 has not been a banner year.

Season-ending injuries at quarterback and coach Steve Spurrier’s midseason resignation added gloom to what was already a disappointing season for the South Carolina Gamecocks.

After beginning the season by dealing North Carolina its only defeat, South Carolina suffered consecutive losses to Kentucky and Georgia. The Gamecocks (3-6, 1-6 SEC), who have little chance at qualifying for a bowl game, face a stiff challenge at home Saturday against East Division champion Florida.

While at Florida, Spurrier won six SEC titles and a national championship. He remains the winningest coach in the school’s history. But this year was no party for the Head Ball Coach. Following a disappointing 6-6 regular season last year, Spurrier said he was energized by a bowl victory against the Miami Hurricanes.

But after starting QB Connor Mitch reinjured his separated shoulder, which he initially hurt in the season opener, the Gamecocks were forced to plug the hole with former walk-on Perry Orth and true freshman Lorenzo Nunez.

Nunez started and played well in a win against Central Florida. With the potential to be a dangerous dual-threat, spread option player, he could be the future of the Gamecocks’ program. Orth, while he has filled in admirably and shown mental toughness to hang in through a difficult situation, is not nearly as dynamic.

In the win, Nunez went 12 for 22 for 184 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He also was effective on the ground, rushing 18 times for 123 yards.

But as is typical of young, inexperienced players, Nunez was shaky the next week at Missouri when he threw three interceptions. With more game experience he likely will improve.

Orth played well in a close loss to Tennessee last week when he threw for 233 yards and three TDs with no interceptions. However, he’s also been inconsistent. On October 31 at Texas A&M, he threw for only 192 yards and was picked off twice with no TDs.

He had his best overall game the week before in a triumph over Vanderbilt. Against the Commodores, he threw for 272 yards, one TD and one interception. Though Orth provides a nice insurance policy, he is not the future of the program.

The Gamecocks must decide between sophomore Mitch, the most polished of their quarterbacks, or Nunez, who offers a dangerous running threat and potential as a passer.

The quarterback puzzle will likely be figured out by Spurrier’s eventual successor. How each of the trio of contenders performs this season should make an initial impression.

The Gamecocks know what they have in Orth, a competent backup with little potential to develop into a star. If Nunez is healthy, it might help future Gamecocks teams if he had the rest of the season to audition.

Of course, interim coach Shawn Elliott and the rest of the Gamecocks coaching staff have their jobs only until the end of the season. Elliott’s only real chance to get the position on a full-time basis is to get the most out of his team now.

So for the current coaching staff, finding a quarterback for another future coach isn’t a priority.