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COLUMBIA (WACH) - On Monday The University of South Carolina's 2010 spring football practice dates were announced.

The Gamecocks are slated to open their spring drills on Thursday, March 4, and conclude with the annual Garnet & Black Spring Game on Saturday, April 10.

All 15 of the spring practice sessions are open to the public. Most practices will take place at the Bluff Road practice fields. Scrimmages will take place at Williams-Brice Stadium.

Persons with cameras will be permitted to shoot the first 15 minutes of each practice. After that, no still or video photography will be allowed during the practice sessions.

The Garnet & Black Spring Game will be held Saturday, April 10, beginning at 4 p.m. at Williams-Brice Stadium. Admission to the spring game is free.

The Gamecocks, under sixth-year head coach Steve Spurrier will return 54 lettermen, including 17 starters (eight on offense, seven on defense and the punter and placekicker) from a squad that went 7-6 in 2009.

Here are the practice dates and times currently scheduled (all dates and times subject to change):

 -Practice No. 1: Thursday, March 4, 3:30 p.m.

- Practice No. 2: Tuesday, March 16, 7 p.m.

- Practice No. 3: Friday, March 19, 4 p.m.

- Practice No. 4: Saturday, March 20, 10 a.m. (Scrimmage)

- Practice No. 5: Tuesday, March 23, 7 p.m.

- Practice No. 6: Thursday, March 25, 7 p.m.

- Practice No. 7: Friday, March 26, 4 p.m.

- Practice No. 8: Saturday, March 27, 10 a.m. (Scrimmage)

- Practice No. 9: Tuesday, March 30, 7 p.m.

- Practice No. 10: Thursday, April 1, 7 p.m.

- Practice No. 11: Friday, April 2, 4 p.m.

- Practice No. 12: Tuesday, April 6, 7 p.m.

- Practice No. 13: Wednesday, April 7, 7 p.m.

- Practice No. 14: Friday, April 9, 4 p.m.

- Practice No. 15: Saturday, April 10 (Garnet & Black Spring Game); 4 p.m.