Bulldogs bring dynamic backfield to meeting with Gamecocks in Columbia
After showing improvement in the second half against East Carolina last Saturday, the Gamecock defense undoubtedly spent the week thinking one of the most chilling notions in college football:
“We have to prepare for Todd Gurley.”
Georgia’s star junior running back, Gurley looked unstoppable against Clemson two weeks ago after he ran for 198 yards on just 15 carries and scored three touchdowns. He also took a kickoff 100 yards for another score.
“Todd Gurley’s an outstanding running back (and) a great player,” redshirt sophomore spur Jordan Diggs said. “It’s on us to do our job and execute what our coaches tell us to do. I feel like if we fly around and have 11 hats to the ball, our defense can be really good.”
The idea of 11 players flying towards Gurley certainly isn’t a bad one because in one-on-one situations it appears nobody can bring the Heisman front-runner down. If a defender tries to arm tackle him high, he runs through it without a problem. And if you go low on Gurley by yourself, he could trample you or give you a powerful knee to the face.
Gamecock junior safety T.J. Gurley, no relation, said Todd Gurley’s running style is more downhill and doesn’t make too many moves. Todd’s goal is to make defenders fear tackling him, T.J. said
The Bulldogs are stacked at the running back position. South Carolina defensive line coach Deke Adams said Georgia has four backs that could probably start for any team in the conference.
Sharing the load in the backfield with Gurley will likely be junior Keith Marshall and freshman Nick Chubb, who had 70 yards and a touchdown against Clemson.
Georgia has an offense built more on pounding the run game as opposed to the spread offenses that East Carolina and Texas A&M used. Perhaps a change in style will be kinder to the Gamecock defense.
South Carolina has not allowed 20 or more points at home against the Bulldogs since 2004, and with how the Gamecocks have played recently, it would be a shock if the streak continued on Saturday.
Through two games, South Carolina is 114th out of 120 teams in yards allowed per games, with a 566.5 average. The defense has been particularly abysmal on third down, with opponents converting 62 percent of their chances. Head coach Steve Spurrier pointed out the statistic as a key to Saturday’s contest, saying if his team can’t get off the field on third down, it will be a long day.
One positive note for the Gamecocks is that Georgia is dealing with a depleted receiving corps — Bulldogs’ senior Jonathan Rumph and junior Malcolm Mitchell have been ruled out for the game.
Junior Justin Scott-Wesley was doubtful, according to Georgia head coach Mark Richt earlier in the week but practiced the last couple of days and should be set to catch passes from senior quarterback Hutson Mason.
Mason, a first-year starter, has shown he can manage the game effectively and let workhorses like Gurley, Marshall and Chubb take over.
Adams said he plans to keep rotating players along the defensive line throughout the game to keep everyone fresh. He added that against East Carolina, no lineman played more than 35 snaps, which paid off in the second half.
Members of the Gamecock defensive line believe the battle in the trenches will be a major factor in the game.
“It’s going to be old school football,” redshirt junior defensive tackle Gerald Dixon Jr. said. “The front is going to determine a win or loss of the game.”
Diggs, who just moved into the starting lineup with T.J. Gurley, said the defense was glad to see improvement against East Carolina, but the players know they have to keep improving to beat the Bulldogs.
“As a defense, we’re not satisfied,” Diggs said. “We’re just working hard, just tried to put this win behind us and focus on this week. Everybody’s still hungry, and our goals are still in front of us. And this definitely is a big week for us.”