South
Carolina Gamecocks
Preview 2008
By
Pete Fiutak
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2008 CFN South Carolina Preview |
2008 South Carolina
Offense
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2008 South Carolina
Defense |
2008 South Carolina
Depth Chart
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2007 CFN South Carolina Preview |
2006 CFN South
Carolina
Preview
14-11 and
also-ran status over the last two seasons isn’t exactly what everyone had in
mind when Steve Spurrier took over the job three years ago, and now
it’s make-or-break time with the rest of the SEC getting better and
better.
After a rough collapse over the second half of last year losing the
final five games, the pressure is on Spurrier to finally show off
some of the magic that made him such a legend in the first place. On
the plus side, this should be his best Gamecock team yet by far.
Head coach: Steve Spurrier
4th year: 21-15
18th year overall: 155-51-2
Returning Lettermen:
Off. 26, Def. 26, ST 2
Lettermen Lost: 18 |
Ten
Best USC Players
1. LB Jasper Brinkley, Sr.
2. WR Kenny McKinley, Sr.
3. CB Captain Munnerlyn, Jr.
4. LB Eric Norwood, Jr.
5. TE Jared Cook, Jr.
6. SS Emanuel Cook, Jr.
7. DT Ladi Ajiboye, Soph.
8. PK/P Ryan Succop, Sr.
9. OT Jamon Meredith, Sr.
10. CB Carlos Thomas, Sr. |
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2008 Schedule
CFN Prediction: 8-4
2008 Record: 0-0
Aug. 30
NC State
Sept. 4 at Vanderbilt
Sept. 13 Georgia
Sept. 20 Wofford
Sept. 27 UAB
Oct. 4 at Ole Miss
Oct. 11 at Kentucky
Oct. 18 LSU
Oct. 25 OPEN DATE
Nov. 1 Tennessee
Nov. 8 Arkansas
Nov. 15 at Florida
Nov. 22 OPEN DATE
Nov. 29 at Clemson
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2007 Schedule
CFN Prediction: 8-4
2007 Record: 6-6
Sept. 1
UL Lafayette
W 28-14
Sept. 8 at
Georgia W 16-12
Sept. 15
S Carolina
St
W 38-3
Sept. 22 at
LSU L 28-16
Sept. 29
Miss St
W 38-21
Oct.
4
Kentucky
W 38-23
Oct.
13
at No Carolina
W 21-15
Oct.
20
Vanderbilt
L 17-6
Oct.
27 at Tenn. L 27-24 OT
Nov.
3 at
Arkansas L 48-36
Nov.
10
Florida
L 51-31
Nov.
24
Clemson
L 23-21 |
If everyone stays
healthy (not a given considering this was a major problem last season),
this could be a sleeper in the SEC race with solid replacements for the
losses on offense and a loaded defense helped by LB Jasper Brinkley, who
chose to return for his senior year after suffering a knee injury that
cost him all of last year.
And now Spurrier has to be Spurrier.
There's already talk about retirement, at least by the media, while
Spurrier says he'll be around for a while, the play-calling duties have
been delegated to Steve Spurrier Jr., the equivalent of hearing Frank
Sinatra Jr. sing My Way, and there's a general sense that if
doesn't start happening now, the Spurrier era could start to go down as
a big disappointment.
The recruiting has been strong, but it hasn't been as good as other SEC
teams. The margin for error is lower at South Carolina, every one who is
supposed to produce, needs to, but the biggest key will be to get
everything settled.
There can't be the normal game of musical quarterbacks that Spurrier
normally likes to play, but on the flip side, someone has to step up and
take the job. The offensive line has to stay healthy and there has to be
the same starting lineup from one game to the next. A number two wide
receiver has to show up, more of a pass rush has to come from the D
line, the run defense has to be better, and the moves around the
defensive front seven need to work.
Even if everything goes USC's way and all the questions are answered,
will it be enough to beat the Floridas and Georgias of the SEC world?
Gamecock fans would like to find out.
What to watch for on offense: The
quarterbacks. What would a Spurrier-led team be without a quarterback
controversy, and the Gamecocks have a doozy. Tommy Beecher is the safe,
steady option coming out of spring ball, but almost no one believes
he'll be the sure-thing starter come opening day. Chris Smelley has the
talent, but he can't produce on a regular basis. Stephen Garcia is the
best of the three options, but he can't stay out of off-the-field
trouble. True freshman Aramis Hillary might get a shot at a little time
to throw his athleticism into the mix, while excellent recruit Reid
McCollum will redshirt. Get all that?
What to watch for on defense: The swap. Eric Norwood turned into
a whale of an all-around defensive end last season finishing second on
the team in tackles while growing into an elite pass rusher. Now he'll
move to linebacker, while Cliff Matthews, an outside linebacker last
season, will move to the end. Potentially a special pass rusher,
Matthews should shine in the new role, while Norwood will have more room
to move on the weakside.
The team will be far better if … it stays healthy. The
defense lost heart-and-soul LB Jasper Brinkley to a knee injury,
everyone in the secondary was (or is) banged up, and the O line
struggled to have the same starting lineup two weeks in a row. There are
enough next-level caliber talents to build around, and good speed and
athleticism in most spots, to battle with anyone in the SEC. But if
there's an injury problem again, things could go into the tank like they
did last year.
The Schedule:
The Gamecocks had better win early or it could be an ugly year with a
brutal finishing kick. It's very possible LSU, Tennessee, Florida and
Clemson will all be in the top ten at some point, with the Tigers and
Gators likely to hang around the top five for most of the season, and
USC gets all four of those teams, along with Arkansas, in the final five
games. Outside of the trip to The Swamp, the SEC road slate is a
relative breeze going to Vanderbilt, Ole Miss and Kentucky, but taking
advantage of the home game against Georgia is a must.
Best Offensive Player:
Senior WR Kenny McKinley. Woe to the receiving corps if McKinley goes
down. He caught 77 passes for 968 yards and nine touchdowns last year,
which where 50 more catches, 653 more yards, and six more touchdowns
than any other wide receiver. There are some good options to help the
cause, but McKinley is the star the offense will need to work around.
Best Defensive Player:
Senior LB
Jasper Brinkley. Coming off the knee injury, the jury is still out on
whether or not he can be the same sort of big-time All-America
playmaker. Even so, a banged up, lesser Brinkley would still be one of
the SEC's better linebackers. CB Captain Munnerlyn, LB Eric Norwood, and
DT Ladi Ajiboye will all be in the mix for first-team All-SEC honors,
too.
Key player to a
successful season:
Junior QB Tommy Beecher ... or Smelley, or Garcia, or Hillary. No team
coached by Steve Spurrier should be 71st in the nation in passing
efficiency. The offense needs a leader and someone to be the steady hand
through the rough SEC waters, and he can't be constantly looking over
his shoulder. Good luck with that.
The season will be a
success if
... the Gamecocks win nine games. They won eight in 2006, and now they
have to show that things are moving forward under Spurrier. It'll take a
few upsets to get to nine wins and no slip ups, but if everyone healthy,
the team is good enough to beat Georgia or Tennessee at home. It's time
to make a statement, and nine wins would do it.
Key game:
Sept. 13 vs. Georgia.
Beating the Dawgs between the hedges last year was nice, and it led to a
nice 6-1 start and plenty of excitement before the bottom dropped out,
but winning this year would be even bigger. After starting out with NC
State and at Vanderbilt, there's a realistic chance to start out 7-0 if
USC can pull off a second straight win over Mark Richt's boys. And then
comes the home game against LSU to kick off a brutal second half of the
year.
2007 Fun Stats:
- Rushing yards: Opponents 209.2 – South Carolina 113.7
- Third quarter scoring: South Carolina 79 – Opponents 47
- Sacks: Opponents 31 for 216 yards – South Carolina 21 for 152 yards