Dylan Thompson hopes South Carolina fans are patient with new QB Connor Mitch

Currently vying for an NFL roster spot in San Francisco, the 2014 Gamecocks captain told TheState.com's Matt Connolly that he wants USC fans to temper their expectations this week.

"Thompson said he has confidence that Connor Mitch can lead USC to a strong season," Connolly wrote, "but he hopes fans will be patient with the redshirt sophomore quarterback, especially early on."

Mitch, a redshirt sophomore, was named the starter by coach Steve Spurrier on Aug. 25. He completed two passes in six attempts for 19 yards last season, and outshone Perry Orth, Michael Scarnecchia and Lorenzo Nunez in camp.

He's connected with former Gamecocks star Stephen Garcia on Twitter, but hasn't been in touch with Thompson thus far.

“I haven’t talked to him yet but I’m excited for him,” Thompson told TheState.com. “It’ll be good. I think it’ll definitely be a learning experience just because your first time on the field in real action against a team that’s going to be fired up, you know, first game of the season, all that stuff, it’s going to take some getting used to.

“But I think he’s got a good demeanor about him. If he can just stay calm and trust what he knows, what the staff’s given him, I think he’ll be fine.”

Mitch made national headlines this past weekend when he revealed that a man has been pretending to be him at Columbia bars.