Slotback gaining comfort in offense as role expands
Whenever Bruce Ellington makes a big play, it sounds like the thousands of fans inside Williams-Brice Stadium are booing him.
But Ellington knows better. When the receiver scored his first collegiate touchdown in South Carolina's 54-3 win over Kentucky, it was the low rumble from the crowd that stood out most for him, because he knew that it was praise from fans actually calling his name.
"It was great," Ellington said. "The exciting part was when the stands started saying, 'Bruuuce.' I love that."
It's not the first time Ellington has heard the deep roar of his name as approval, though in the past it has come in the more cozy confines of Colonial Life Arena. Ellington, a two-sport star who was the starting point guard and leading scorer for the USC men's basketball team last season, is now starting to hear his name chanted more and more often on the football field as he has emerged as a staple of an offense still in its building stages.
Just four days after fifth-year quarterback Stephen Garcia was dismissed from the team, the Gamecocks lost star tailback Marcus Lattimore to ligament and cartilage damage in his left knee against Mississippi State. Getting carries out of the wildcat formation as well as playing at slotback, Ellington is looking to become a greater factor in an offense that will be without Lattimore.
"It has been a tough season, but we're just going to fight through it," Ellington said. "We're going to go through adversity — every team does. We lost one of our best players — everybody knows that — but we're just going to have to step up and make plays as players."
Despite a slow start, Ellington has done just that. The redshirt freshman earned SEC co-Freshman of the Week honors, the first to do so in both football and basketball, after his performance at Mississippi State, in which he did a little bit of everything on offense. He was 2-for-3 passing for 24 yards, rushed for 25 yards on four carries, and tallied four catches for 32 yards. He also returned a kickoff for 17 yards.
"I've been out for two years not playing football," Ellington said. "Of course, I had to get used to it. Now I'm feeling comfortable."
Ellington has not only has the support of his football teammates, but his basketball teammates as well. While practice for the basketball team has started without Ellington, he's still on his teammates' minds.
"I'm unbelievably proud of Bruce Ellington," said basketball coach Darrin Horn. "I think the job that he's doing is outstanding and I think it's really been challenging and difficult to do that. Nobody is cheering harder for that kid, except for maybe his mom and his brother, Ashley. I teased him with a text that it took him long enough to score, but we're cheering for him and we're pulling for him. We look forward to getting him back whenever that is."
Ellington and senior forward Malik Cooke had discussed what it would be like for Ellington to score his first collegiate touchdown.
"I was proud of him and I was excited for him," Cooke said. "We've been talking about him getting in the end zone since the season started, so I'm happy that he got to do it."
Ellington will have more chances to return to the end zone with the injury Lattimore sustained. Football coach Steve Spurrier indicated it is unlikely Ellington will be utilized in that position, but said he will have an expanded role in the offense.
"It is more involved than just sticking him back there right now," Spurrier said. "He's not going to be a running back per se. We won't ask him to pick up the blitzing linebackers and such which is what running backs do nowadays. He'll be in there in the wildcat. As we know he can throw it, so we'll have some passes for him — more than last week."
Just as it took him several weeks to score on the field this season, Ellington got off to a sluggish start on the hardwood last season as well. He only scored two points in the Gamecocks' 94-79 defeat of Elon in their opening game last November. However, Ellington continued to improve, ending the season with a 12.8 points-per-game average.
As USC comes off its bye week and prepares to travel to Tennessee, the Gamecocks are aware it's going to be an uphill battle going forward, especially without Lattimore. However, one upward climb USC would like to see continue is that of Ellington's improvement.
Whether as a quarterback in the wildcat formation or as a point guard for the basketball team, Ellington knows as long as the low, sustained booing sound of his first name is echoing through the stadium or arena, his pass is right on target.