Clowney ready to go this weekend
In the first half of the season, South Carolina’s defense gained a reputation for blowing leads and giving up yards in chunks. But the unit has made strides to repair its image by stringing together several consecutive solid outings.
“I think our defense has improved, obviously, as we’ve gone through the year,” coach Steve Spurrier said. “We have played better lately.”
After allowing 17 points at Missouri before the offense even got on the board, the Gamecock defense held the Tigers scoreless for the rest of regulation, resulting in an overtime victory for South Carolina. The following week, the defense kept Mississippi State to 16 points.
Spurrier specifically pointed to the linebackers as a much-improved group, and perhaps no one in the unit has seen more success recently than redshirt junior linebacker Sharrod Golightly.
After leading the team in tackles against Mississippi State before the bye week, Golightly said he sees Saturday’s meeting with Florida as a chance to expand on his strong play.
“Throughout the season, I think I just got better every day and every game we had,” Golightly said. “I think this game is just another stepping stone.”
It is uncertain which quarterback Golightly will line up across from this weekend, as quarterback Tyler Murphy is questionable for the game with a sore throwing shoulder.
If Murphy can’t play Saturday, he will be the second signal caller that Florida has lost to an injury this year. Jeff Driskel started the season at quarterback after leading the Gators to an 11-1 record and a Sugar Bowl appearance a season ago, but the junior broke his leg in September.
No matter who is under center for Florida come Saturday, South Carolina defensive line coach Deke Adams said one key that making a concerted effort to get into the backfield would be a key to winning.
In Adams’ first year with the Gamecocks, he has received much attention for his high-aggression philosophy. But if you ask Adams, his system is nothing new.
“A lot of people are making it out like it’s this special deal that I’ve done and this special system that we’ve come up with,” Adams said. “It’s football. There is no coach in the country that doesn’t want their defensive player to be aggressive.”
Adams’ teachings have resonated with at least one Gamecock, as junior defensive tackle Kelcy Quarles has found his way to the quarterback enough to register the third-highest sack total in the SEC.
South Carolina’s most notorious defensive lineman, junior Jadeveon Clowney, missed most of the team’s practices over the bye week, but Spurrier assured the Gamecock faithful that Clowney was just resting up and that he would suit up against the Gators.
Clowney has had an uncharacteristically quiet year, recording just two sacks on the season, but Adams argues that the defensive end has done all that can be expected of him with the amount of attention he has received.
“Nobody would have thought that people would put two and three people on him on a consistent basis,” Adams said. “But he’s playing hard, and we’re winning, and that’s the thing that he wants, that he’s worried about right now.”
When the Gators come to Williams-Brice Saturday, they will bring with them a losing record — 4-5 — for the first time in recent memory.
But despite a surprising down year for Florida, Golightly insists South Carolina won’t overlook the Gators, if for no other reason than to avenge last year’s loss to Florida that kept the Gamecocks out of contention for the SEC East title.
“I think it was understood,” he said. “Nothing had to be said,”