[Tuck4Bama]

Chris Smelley figured he would receive increased attention when he was named South Carolina’s starting quarterback.

Who would have guessed it would be on late-night television?

Jimmy Kimmel, host of ABC’s late-night show, joked about the last names of Smelley and Gamecocks kicker Ryan Succop during his Tuesday monologue. The bit included video clips from the LSU game, with CBS announcer Verne Lundquist repeating their names.

“That’s pretty funny,” said Smelley, a redshirt freshman from Tuscaloosa, Ala. “I figured that would start happening every once in a while.”

Not that Smelley has heard much of that humor lately.

“I think overall it kind of stopped in about third grade. Every once in a while it pops up,” he said. “It’s a pretty common name in Alabama. Once you get out of there it’s kind of unusual. But people like to jab at it sometimes.”

Smelley, who will make his second career start against Mississippi State, hoped to find the clip on the Internet.

“I’m going to have to go to YouTube and check that one out.”

Brinkley has surgery. Middle linebacker Jasper Brinkley underwent successful surgery Wednesday, four days after the all-SEC player tore a ligament in his right knee at LSU.

USC names make late-night highlights