 "Photo:")
 "Photo:")
 "Photo:")
 "Photo:")
 "Photo:")
 "Photo:")
Week 1 USC 34, N.C. State 0 Baumann Two things, really. First of all, the Gamecock defense, often a liability under Tyrone Nix (see: first-and-35 vs. Clemson, 2005 and 2007 Heisman Trophy ceremony highlight reels), was going to be a different animal under new coordinator Ellis Johnson. The mild-mannered, grandfatherly coach returned to South Carolina (he had previously coached at Clemson and The Citadel) from Mississippi State and turned the sieve-like Gamecock unit into a buzzsaw. In the first half of his first game, Johnson already broke Nix's record for most opposing quarterbacks carted off on a stretcher. Second, Tommy Beecher seems like a great guy, but after four interceptions against an awful N.C. State team, he seems like a lousy SEC quarterback. Aguilar I'm not really sure that I learned this, because I believed it all along, but I do think that many Carolina fans learned that Blake Mitchell was not all that bad. While I'll never try and defend Mitchell's actions off the field, I will say that he was possibly the second-best Gamecock quarterback of all time. Certainly if you run by the numbers he ranks ahead of big names such as Phil Petty and Todd Ellis. Carolina fans quickly realized that it does indeed take a quarterback to run a good offense. That scary fact is something that the Gamecocks are still dealing with as neither Chris Smelley nor Stephen Garcia has yet to consistently prove that they are the quarterback that USC desperately needs.
Week 2 Vanderbilt 24, USC 17 Baumann The importance of gamebreaking players. USC faced a fourth-quarter deficit against a Vanderbilt team that turned out to be better than everyone thought at the time, and its two best offensive players, seniors Mike Davis and Kenny McKinley, were sitting on the sideline nursing injuries. Predictably, the comeback fell short. Every other team in the SEC, it seemed, had a player on offense or special teams who could change the game in one snap. The biggest difference between this offense and the offenses in the first couple years of Steve Spurrier's tenure is that USC lacks a Sidney Rice or Syvelle Newton or (at the risk of reopening old wounds) a Demetris Summers to keep opposing defenders up at night. Aguilar Turnovers. Turnovers. Turnovers. There is not any way to overstress the importance of turnovers in college football. A turnover takes away a score from the offense and potentially gives it to the defense. The Gamecocks had three turnovers that amounted to a total of 10 Vandy points. In case you missed the final score, the Gamecocks lost by less than 10 points. For one of the first times last Saturday against Ole Miss, USC won the turnover battle and it showed. Both of Carolina's two losses featured key turnovers that either allowed the opponent to score or took away the Gamecocks' chance to score. With an offense that does not have the firepower to score at will, losing a chance to score is backbreaking.
Week 3 Georgia 14, USC 7 Baumann The USC defense really is that good. Ignore all that Heisman hype surrounding Georgia's star quarterback Matthew Stafford. The Gamecocks absolutely own him. Stafford - who, by the way, has exactly zero 300-yard passing games in his career - has never thrown a touchdown in three games, two of them starts, against USC. Because he spent more time dodging blitzing linebackers and defensive backs than looking downfield for receivers, Stafford was unable to put the Gamecocks to bed early, as many expected him to do. This allowed the Carolina offense to rumble, stumble and fumble its way in and out of several opportunities to pull off one of the biggest upsets in the program's history. Aguilar Despite the many heartbreaks that come along with being a Gamecock fan, this season there are many encouraging things as well. This game is the perfect example. While it has been some time since USC was the true doormat of the SEC East, this game proves that the Gamecocks are far from being at the bottom now. The Bulldogs were a favorite to go to the national championship this year and many thought, after a loss to Vanderbilt, UGA would march all over Carolina. However, USC was a mere fumble in the endzone away from at least tying the game and having a chance to win in overtime. Even though the immediate results may not have been what all Carolina fans wanted, it wasn't all bad.
Week 4 USC 23, Wofford 13 Baumann Darn, isn't that option offense a doozy? Every time USC faces an offense built on quarterback runs, the Gamecocks look lost. See the games against Florida and Arkansas last year, or Wofford the season before. Here's an indication of how bad it got: look at a replay of Wofford quarterback Ben Widmyer's touchdown run. Sophomore cornerback Addison Williams missed his read and Widmyer ran past him untouched for 50 yards to score. If you look really closely, you can see junior safety Emanuel Cook chase Williams down and slap him upside the head before Widmyer even scored. If nothing else, Gamecock football never ceases to entertain. Aguilar I miss a run game. It's my fourth year as a Carolina fan and the Gamecocks have yet to put forward a strong running attack. Even last season, when Carolina featured Mike Davis and Cory Boyd, two experienced SEC tailbacks, the Gamecocks rarely dominated other teams on the ground. Wofford's ground attack controls the ball on offense and keeps the defense fresh and off the field. Both of those aspects make the Terriers' ground attack something to be jealous of. It is also something that one would think is very attainable for USC, considering I walked by multiple Wofford receivers no bigger around then I am. With that gap in talent, it should be expected for Carolina to field a running game that can at least dominate the likes of Wofford, N.C. State and UAB.
Week 5 USC 26, UAB 13 Baumann The important distinction between a 6-yard run and an incomplete pass. Gamecock fans, against UAB, finally got their wish - redshirt freshman quarterback Stephen Garcia finally saw extended playing time. The verdict? He was okay. The kid's got an absolute cannon for an arm, and managed to make mostly good decisions in what was, essentially, his first collegiate game. He might be the quarterback of the future, but, for now, this still appears to be Chris Smelley's team. Garcia is not particularly bigger, stronger or faster than Smelley, but the oft-maligned freshman has one major advantage: when nobody's open and the pocket collapses, Garcia tucks and runs, gaining a couple yards, while Smelley gets outside the pocket and throws it away. Those couple yards for Garcia added up - to 86 yards and a touchdown in this case. Aguilar A penny saved is a penny earned. Stephen Garcia lived that mantra against UAB. By running any time he wasn't ready to throw, Garcia avoided turnovers (for the most part) and managed to move the ball down the field relatively effectively. However, it appears that Spurrier lived up to the old cliché as well. By determining that Garcia wasn't ready to lead the team against SEC competition Spurrier gave Smelley another chance to prove his worth. Smelley responded against Ole Miss and Carolina fans must wait a little longer to see Garcia. Which, provided he stays out of trouble now that he isn't seeing the playing time, may be well worth the wait.
Week 6 USC 31, Ole Miss 24 Baumann Anyone who says he knows anything about Carolina football is a liar. After five ACC-quality outings, the Gamecocks seemed like a mortal lock to miss the postseason again. But after the previously moribund Carolina offense came to life and the defense started forcing turnovers, USC beat Ole Miss on the road, a week after Ole Miss beat Florida on the road. With a 4-2 record and an SEC win on their resume, the Gamecocks might now wonder if those remaining SEC games against Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas really look that tough after all. Who knows, with a lucky bounce here and there against Florida or LSU. Aguilar Spurrier's recruiting may finally be paying dividends. While in the last two years Carolina fans have seen the talent shine through in names like Norwood, Cook and McKinley this year is the first time that solely Spurrier's players were on the field making plays. From Moe Brown to Jason Barnes, from Chris Culliver to Akeem Auguste, Spurrier's legendary recruiting prowess and sway have finally shown up at USC. If Spurrier can continue to get production like this from his young talent it may not be long before the Gamecocks are finally making splashes in the SEC. Who knows, it may not be too long before Carolina is making waves around the nation.
Be the first to comment on this article!