Road trip to LSU, Clemson highlights Gamecocks' schedule
Week 1: @VANDERBILT (6-7, 2-6 SEC in 2011)
Head Coach: James Franklin (6-7 record in one season at Vanderbilt, 6-7 career coaching record)
In Franklin’s first season, the Commodores won six games, which was two more than the previous two seasons combined. Despite shaky quarterback play, Vanderbilt still averaged 26.7 points per game and returns most of its firepower this season. Senior running back Zac Stacy returns after rushing for 1,193 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. The top returning wide receiver is Jordan Matthews, who caught 41 passes for 778 yards and five touchdowns last season. The quarterback position should be a little bit more stable this year as Jordan Rodgers, brother of Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers, is expected to be the No. 1 guy for the season. Rodgers passed for 1,524 yards and nine touchdowns to go along with 10 interceptions in limited playing time in 2011. The Commodores do lose the services of cornerback Casey Heyward, who picked off seven passes a season ago; however, Trey Wilson returns for his senior season after intercepting three passes his junior campaign. A big reason for the turnaround last season was the Commodores’ ability to score in the red zone. Vandy scored 77 percent of the time when inside its opponents’ 20-yard line, and 58 percent of those possessions went for touchdowns. With a year of coaching experience under his belt, Franklin’s team should only improve this season. Expect the Commodores to put up a tough fight when the Gamecocks come to town on the first night of college football.
Week 2: East Carolina (5-7, 4-4 c-usa in 2011)
Head Coach: Ruffin McNeill (11-14 in two seasons at ECU, 12-14 in two-plus seasons overall)
The Gamecocks opened their 2011 season against the Pirates, and after a tight first half, USC pulled away for a 56-37 victory. ECU isn’t expected to be as formidable this season after the graduation of All-Conference quarterback Dominique Davis, who torched USC for 260 yards and four touchdowns in the game last year. Expect the Pirates to still toss the ball around in their spread offense. Last season, ECU threw it 524 times in 12 games. Rio Johnson, Shane Carden and Cody Keith are all battling it out to take over the quarterbacking duties. However, the Pirates return all of their top receivers from 2011, so whoever takes over the signal calling duties will be in good shape. Sophomore Justin Hardy is the top returning receiver after hauling in 64 catches for 658 yards and six touchdowns last season. Overall, the Pirates return four receivers who caught more than 40 passes last year. In addition, ECU returns its top three tacklers from a year ago. Sophomore linebacker Jeremy Grove, who racked up 122 tackles as a freshman in 2011, returns along with junior safety Damon Magazu (80 tackles in 2011) and senior linebacker Daniel Drake (74 tackles). ECU has a 5-11 career record against the Gamecocks.
Week 3: Alabama-Birmingham (3-9, 2-6 c-usa in 2011)
Head Coach: Garrick McGee (first season as head coach)
McGee takes over a Blazer team that got off to an 0-6 start last year and one that has struggled mightily recently. McGee spent the last two seasons as offensive coordinator for the Arkansas Razorbacks, where he helped the Hogs torch the Gamecocks two years in a row. USC should be careful with UAB because the Blazers return a lot of talent from last year’s — albeit unsuccessful — team. The Blazers return a junior quarterback in Jonathan Perry, who made eight starts as a freshman. In those eight starts, Perry completed 58 percent of his passes for 2,042 yards and 10 touchdowns, and he also rushed for 294 yards and three touchdowns. In a game against Memphis last season, Perry threw for 410 yards and four touchdowns. Perry’s top three receiving targets return, including junior Jackie Williams, the leading returning wideout with 58 catches and 607 yards last year. Williams did not catch a touchdown last season but rushed for three. The Blazer’s also return an experienced defense where 10 of the 12 projected starters are upperclassmen. Senior safety Jamie Bender has racked up 213 tackles in his two years at UAB, including 119 in 2011. Bender’s 9.92 tackles per game were good enough for 24th in the nation. UAB is looking for a resurgence under the offensive-minded McGee and has the weapons to give USC a run for its money.
Week 4: Missouri (8-5, 5-4 big 12 in 2011)
Head Coach: Gary Pinkel (85-51 in 11 years at Missouri, 158-91-3 in 21 seasons overall)
The Tigers are entering their first season of SEC play, joining Texas A&M as the other Big 12 school to figuratively move east. Missouri is expected to compete right away as they return one of the top quarterbacks in the country in junior James Franklin. In 2011, the dual-threat quarterback rushed for 981 yards and 15 touchdowns while passing for 2,865 more yards and 21 touchdowns. In addition, Franklin completed 63 percent of his passes and threw just 11 interceptions in 13 games. Pinkel is entering his 12th season as coach of the Tigers and his team is returning a lot of talent from the Independence Bowl-winning team from last year. Junior running back Henry Josey is back after a sophomore campaign where he rushed for 1,168 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging a whopping 8.1 yards per carry. Also, the top four receivers from a year ago return for the Tigers, with senior T.J. Moe as the top returnee, with 54 catches 649 yards and four touchdowns in 2011. Not only is the offense stacked, but Missouri’s top five tacklers and top two sack leaders from last season are back in uniform.
Week 5: @KENTUCKY (5-7, 2-6 SEC in 2011)
Head Coach: Joker Phillips (11-14 in two seasons at Kentucky and overall)
A year after earning a bowl appearance, Phillips’s team took a step back with a 5-7 campaign in 2011. The downfall of the 2011 Wildcat team was inconsistency at the quarterback position. Sophomore Maxwell Smith has been named the starter for 2012 after a freshman season that saw him complete 55 percent of his passes for 819 yards and four touchdowns and four interceptions in eight games played. Smith is looking to improve on last year and will have a little help as the top two receivers, La’Rod King and Matt Roark, return. King was one of the SEC leaders with seven touchdown catches to go along with 40 receptions and 598 yards, and is the most dynamic returning player for the Wildcats. The defense lost its top three tacklers from a year ago, including All-SEC linebacker Danny Trevathan, who had 143. Senior linebacker Ronnie Sneed returns, however, after compiling 71 tackles and picking off two passes in 2011. A little more pressure will be placed on Phillips as he is expected to finally carry the Wildcats over the .500 mark. With relative inexperience at the quarterback position, Phillips will likely rely on the running game more this year, with sophomore back Josh Clemons returning after compiling 279 yards and two touchdowns last year. The Wildcats hope to better against the Gamecocks this year, as last year they were blown out in Columbia, 54-3, in quarterback Connor Shaw’s coming out party.
Week 6: Georgia (10-4, 7-1 sec in 2011)
Head Coach: Mark Richt (106-38 in 11 seasons at Georgia and overall)
After a 0-2 start last season (losses to Boise State and South Carolina), Bulldog fans were calling for Richt’s departure; however, UGA proceeded to win 10 games in a row en route to an SEC Eastern Division championship. After the strong finish to 2011, expectations are once again sky-high for the Bulldogs, reflected by their No. 6 ranking in the AP preseason poll. However, spirits were dampened a bit when highly touted returning running back Isaiah Crowell was kicked off the team earlier in the summer. Despite that, UGA does return a sure 2013 National Football League first-rounder in junior quarterback Aaron Murray. Murray passed for 3,149 yards with 35 touchdowns and just 14 interceptions while completing 59 percent of his passes last year. He will get his top-two wide receiver prospects back in senior Tavarres King (705 yards, eight touchdowns in 2011) and sophomore Malcolm Mitchell (665 yards, four touchdowns). While Murray did lose tight end Orson Charles to the NFL, the Tampa native is talented enough to do without him. On defense, the Bulldogs return safety Bacarri Rambo, who had eight interceptions last fall, and outside linebacker Jarvis Jones, who had an impressive 13.5 sacks last season. The game will likely be the most important one of the season for the Gamecocks as the two teams are favorites in the SEC East.
Week 7: @LSU (13-1, 8-0 sec in 2011)
Head Coach: Les Miles (75-18 in seven seasons at LSU, 103-39 in 11 seasons overall)
After looking like one of the best teams in the history of college football through 13 games last year, the Tigers were beaten by conference rival Alabama 21-0 in the BCS National Championship game to end the season on a sour note. The Tigers have had an interesting offseason starting with the dismissal of Heisman finalist cornerback Tyrann Mathieu, who had 76 tackles, two interceptions and two defensive touchdowns last year while also being a force on special teams. LSU did receive some good news when former Penn State quarterback Rob Bolden announced his transfer to the Tigers. The move was great for LSU as both Jarret Lee and Jordan Jefferson, who flip-flopped at quarterback last year, are gone. Bolden and junior Zach Mettenberger are expected to compete for the starting job. The Tigers lost star receiver Reuben Randle to the NFL, taking out a big chunk of receiving yards, touchdowns and receptions. LSU does return its top tackler and sack leader from a year ago in senior safety Eric Reid (76 tackles, two interceptions) and junior defensive end Sam Montgomery (49 tackles, 13.5 for loss, nine sacks)
Week 8: @FLORIDA (7-6, 3-5 SEC in 2011)
Head Coach: Will Muschamp (7-6 in one year at Florida and overall)
In Muschamp’s first year as head coach, the Gators went through a lackluster season that UF fans are not used to seeing. Florida averaged just 25.5 points per game in 2011, a low for its standards, and its leading receiver was running back Chris Rainey with 381 yards. Both Rainey and speedster Jeffery Demps are gone, leaving the Gators with a depleted backfield. Senior Mike Gillislee is the leading returning rusher with 328 yards and two touchdowns last season. Meanwhile, tight end Jordan Reed is the leading returning receiver with 307 yards and two touchdowns last season. At the quarterback position, sophomores Jeff Driskel and Jacoby Brissett are still in a tight competition for the starting spot. Whoever comes out on top will need to improve on the 13 passing touchdowns in 13 games last year if the Gators hope to have more checks in the win column. UF does return quite a bit of talent on defense, with senior linebacker Jon Bostic back after a 94-tackle, three-sack season last year. In addition, junior linebacker Jelani Jenkins returns after racking up 75 tackles in 2011.
Week 9: TENNESSEE (5-7, 1-7 SEC in 2011)
Head Coach: Derek Dooley (12-13 in two seasons at Tennessee and overall)
After a successful first season as the Volunteers’ coach, Dooley’s team took a step back last season, winning just one SEC game. Injuries played a huge role in the decline as UT lost both its top receiver and quarterback in a matter of weeks. Overall, the Volunteer team is extremely young, having played 47 freshmen in Dooley’s two years on campus. In a game against Memphis, seven true freshmen started. The good news for the Vols is that those freshmen have now grown up and will play important roles on the 2012 team. On the most recent depth chart for UT, 16 upperclassmen are slated to start. Quarterback Tyler Bray is one of the top junior signal callers in the nation. Before suffering an injury in the eighth week of 2011, Bray led the SEC in total offense. The California native returned against Vanderbilt and finished 2011 with 1983 yards to go with 17 touchdowns and six interceptions in seven games. Junior receiver Justin Hunter also returns from a third-week injury that sidelined him for the rest of the 2011 season. Through those three games, Hunter had 314 receiving yards; however, junior wideout Da’Rick Rogers, who had 1,040 yards receiving and nine touchdowns last year, is suspended indefinitely to start the season. On defense, the Vols do lose the services of defensive back Austin Johnson, who had 81 tackles and four interceptions last season. They return sophomore linebacker A.J. Johnson, who notched 80 tackles a season ago.
Week 10: Bye
Week 11: ARKANSAS (11-2, 6-2 sec in 2011)
Head Coach: John L. Smith (first season as Arkansas head coach, 132-86 career record in 19 seasons)
The Razorbacks have had a rather interesting offseason. Former head coach Bobby Petrino, who led the Hogs to a Sugar Bowl in 2010 and a Cotton Bowl victory last season, was fired after an extramarital affair was exposed. While that puts a damper on the 2012 Razorback season, the Hogs still return a lot of talent. Senior quarterback Tyler Wilson returns after a huge junior season where he passed for 3,638 yards, 24 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 13 games. In addition, Wilson completed 63 percent of his passes in 2011. Junior running back Knile Davis also returns after missing all of last season with a knee injury. In 2010, Davis rushed for 1,322 yards and 12 touchdowns and averaged six yards a carry. Arkansas does lose its top two receivers from a year ago. While losing their top two tacklers from 2011, the Hogs do return senior linebacker Alonzo Highsmith, who had 80 total tackles, 12.5 for loss and 4.5 sacks last year. There is no telling how the departure of Petrino will affect the team, but the good news is that Smith has plenty of coaching experience. The Razorbacks have dominated the Gamecocks of late, winning three straight in the series.
Week 12: WOFFORD (8-4, 6-2 sec in 2011)
Head Coach: Mike Ayers (162-111-1 in 24 years at Wofford and overall)
Ayers leads a team that, since 2002, has had the second-highest winning percentage in the FCS, behind perennial national power Appalachian State. The last time the Terriers visited Columbia, in 2008, the Gamecocks just squeaked by, 23-13. The Terriers ran a successful triple-option attack that produced 365 rushing yards and 32 points per game last year. Senior fullback Eric Breitenstein returns after rushing for 1,474 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2011. Over the last two years, the 5-foot-11-inch, 230-pound bruiser has accounted for 41 touchdowns. Junior half back Donovan Johnson also returns after a 967-yard, nine-touchdown season in 2011. The Terriers do return little experience at the quarterback position with junior Brian Kass, the most experienced player after seeing action in six games last year. Three freshmen and one sophomore make up the rest of the signal callers. On defense, Wofford returns junior linebacker Alvin Scioneaux, who terrorized defenses last season for 85 total tackles, 17 for loss and 8.5 sacks in 12 games.
Week 13: @Clemson (10-4, 6-2 ACC in 2011)
Head Coach: Dabo Swinney (29-19 in four years at Clemson and overall)
The Tigers got off to an 8-0 start last season before losing four of their final six games, including a 70-33 loss to West Virginia in the Orange Bowl to cap off the season. Clemson returns virtually all of its firepower from a team that averaged 441 total yards and 34 points a game last season. Junior quarterback Tajh Boyd burst onto the scene last year, throwing for 3,828 yards to go along with 33 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 14 games. Boyd gets two of his favorite receiving targets back, including All-American Sammy Watkins, who had 82 catches for 1,219 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, and DeAndre Hopkins (72 catches, 978 yards, five touchdowns in 2011). Senior running back Andre Ellington is also back after rushing for 1,178 yards and 11 touchdowns despite missing a game to injury. On defense, the tackles leader from last season, safety Rashard Hall, is back after amassing 89 tackles in 2011; however, the Tigers do lose the services of Andre Branch and have a very inexperienced offensive and defensive line.