Gamecocks rally from early deficit for first win of the season, Spurrier’s 200th win
Saturday night at Williams-Brice Stadium, South Carolina’s game against East Carolina began in ominous fashion when the Pirates marched down the field, uncontested, on their first two drives.
But those possessions would end in field goals and one thing after another would begin to click for the Gamecocks, leading to their 33-23 first win of the season.
“Our guys had more fire tonight,” head coach Steve Spurrier said. “We were a dead bunch last week, and it took some deep soul-searching really for these guys to say ‘Hey, let’s go. Let’s pull this thing out.’”
Despite ECU entering the game from a decidedly inferior conference, anyone who watched these two teams’ week one results knew Saturday’s game would be no cakewalk for South Carolina.
The Gamecocks were fresh off a record-breakingly bad performance against Texas A&M and East Carolina brought with it a high-powered offense that outscored its week-one opponent by 45 points.
The Pirates lived up to their billing, amassing 453 yards of total offense behind a 321-yard performance from quarterback Shane Carden. His weapon of choice, wide out Justin Hardy, hauled in 11 balls for 133 yards in the game.
“They’re going to beat a lot of people. No question about that,” Spurrier said. “They’re a good quality opponent, they really are.”
In the first game of the season, South Carolina lived and died by the big play. But Saturday night the Gamecocks managed to find an offensive rhythm that had been so elusive in their first 60 minutes of play.
South Carolina put together two offensive drives that lasted more than four minutes in the third quarter, and with roughly 12 minutes to go in the fourth the Gamecocks milked the clock for 10 minutes to effectively put the nail in the coffin of the Pirates.
Redshirt senior quarterback Dylan Thompson managed to complete 25 passes for 266 yards and a touchdown, but the passing game is not how you run 10 minutes off the clock. That kind of possession control comes via the run game, and Saturday it came via Mike Davis.
The junior tailback had a resurgence against ECU, running for 101 yards on just 18 carries and scoring two touchdowns a week after his 15-yard performance against the Aggies.
Redshirt junior Brandon Wilds was the starting back against the Pirates, earning 14 carries for 53 yards of his own in committee with Davis.
“I think everybody in the stadium knew where the ball was going, and you still have success with it.” Thompson said. “And that shows you just the power that those guys have and the ability they have.”
Due to nagging injuries, Davis has not started either of South Carolina’s first two games. But next week’s clash with Georgia is setting up to be a battle of the backs, with the Bulldogs’ bruising runner Todd Gurley playing opposite Davis.
And whether or not the scenario dictates it, Davis said he won’t be pushing the coaches for more carries next week.
“That’s not up to me. That’s the coaches’ decision,” he said. “Whatever game plan we have, I’m down for.”
South Carolina’s comprehensive performance against the Pirates that earned Spurrier his 200th win as an SEC coach will serve as a confidence booster heading into what very well could be the biggest game of the season.
But with Georgia looming, the Gamecocks are out of the frying pan and into the fire.
“I’m really proud of the entire team, all of them,” Spurrier said. “We’re not quite as talented as some of our teams in the past, but the kids hung in there and they played their hearts out.”