Lattimore and company may be key to help Shaw get acquainted
South Carolina may have a quarterback situation that could eventually make or break its season, but there are no questions at running back.
Marcus Lattimore has been a consistent part of an offense that's been largely inconsistent all season. When USC handed it off to him just 17 times last week, it suffered its first loss of the season.
"We did what we had to do," Lattimore said after the loss. "We were going against a tough defensive line and linebackers. It was kind of hard to get some holes. I just stuck to the game plan and trusted coach (Steve) Spurrier and coach (G.A.) Mangus calling plays."
Lattimore rushed for just 69 yards, averaging 3.9 yards per carry. When Lattimore carried the ball for 27 times against Georgia, he averaged 6.5 yards per carry. Against Navy when he had the ball 37 times, he averaged 6.6 yards per carry.
Both UGA and Navy allowed fewer rushing yards per game than Auburn did coming into Columbia, but the Gamecocks did not have success rushing the ball against the Tigers. USC had been averaging 214.5 yards in the run game entering into the matchup with Auburn, which had allowed 226.5 rushing yards per game on defense, and yet the Gamecocks finished with a mere 129 yards on the ground.
The regression in the running game has partly been a result of teams defending the run better since the passing attack has struggled, but also has to do with the offensive line not creating enough space.
"We're trying to get our guys to block better," Spurrier said. "We're trying to get a little more stout in the middle of the line. As we all know, what stops running teams is penetration by the D-line. We've had one or two of our guys knocked backwards about every play. We're going to try to not get backwards and get at least a stalemate every play. Run inside and run outside, we have to mix it up. We can't run in the middle every play."
Part of the struggle for the offensive line has been the back injury to left tackle Kyle Nunn, who will likely be out again this week. Cody Gibson will start at right tackle, while Rokevious Watkins will move to left tackle.
"We got it together this week," Gibson said. "We're just trying to get everyone working in a grove so we can pick up every block the right way and everything."
With Connor Shaw playing quarterback against Kentucky, the running game will likely get more action this week. Aside from shifting to a proven running game with a largely unproven quarterback under center, the offense has seen Shaw take off for sizable runs in his few outings as quarterback — in the Vanderbilt game, Shaw had 14 yards on just two carries.
Furthermore, Spurrier will look to get more players involved in the running game; Brandon Wilds and Eric Baker will likely get some carries against Kentucky. USC might also disguise the running game with a wildcat formation.
"There's always some thoughts of how to run the ball better," Spurrier said. "We've done a little bit of [wildcat]. Whether or not that's the way to go, we'll have to wait and see. Almost every team has it available."
The Wildcats are giving up 198.8 rushing yards per game and are ranked No. 60 in the country on defense. With a favorable defensive matchup for the second straight week, the Gamecocks should run rampant on offense.
The operative word being "should."