South Carolina pass defense ranks 103rd nationally
Like waking up on Christmas Day as a kid, college football routinely brings unforeseen surprises in the wake of uncontrollable excitement.
The Southeastern Conference is typically reliable for a surprise present or two — see Auburn’s 2013 squad if you don't believe me.
While South Carolina has received a couple of giant lumps of coal from Kenny Hill and Maty Mauk, Kentucky has yet to unwrap its present from Aunt Marge that every year seems to contains hand-woven socks.
The Wildcats are riding high during the young season and are halfway to bowl eligibility with a 3-1 record. The team’s lone loss, which came at Florida and took three overtimes to decide, could — at worst — be described as a moral victory. Kentucky then made Vanderbilt look like Vanderbilt last weekend to secure the team’s first SEC win under head coach Mark Stoops.
But what has been overwhelmingly impressive thus far is the team’s ability to move the ball and put points on the scoreboard. The Wildcats have yet to play an imposing defense and most likely won’t until they visit LSU in a couple of weeks. Even still, Kentucky was able to put up 30 points on the solid defense of Florida. It’s also worth noting that 369 of Kentucky’s 450 total yards came through the air, the highest passing total in an SEC game for the school since Andre Woodson passed for 430 yards in a 52-50 loss to Tennessee in 2007.
Kentucky’s 473 yards per game is the seventh-highest average in the SEC, but it's the largest figure in the SEC East. Second to Kentucky’s total is Georgia, which is averaging 462.5 yards per game.
Just two years ago, the Wildcats finished the season ranked 113th in the nation in total offense, averaging a measly 315 yards each time they played.
However, that was before both Stoops and sophomore quarterback Patrick Towles arrived in Lexington, Kentucky.
“Mark [Stoops], his background is defense, but what they’ve done a good job of is the strength and conditioning of their team,” head coach Steve Spurrier said. “They’ve had some nice recruiting years, and their team looks good.”
Towles won the quarterback job after last year’s starter, Jalen Whitlow, transferred to Eastern Illinois. Since taking over as the No. 1 QB, Towles has yet to disappoint.
He has passed for 300 yards twice this season, and he'll face a Gamecock defense that showed signs of improvement against Missouri but still ranks 103rd in passing yards allowed per game.
“They’re good up front,” Towles said of South Carolina’s defense. “Kind of an inexperienced secondary, but still talented. No matter who runs out there, they’re going to be an experienced player.”
The Gamecocks will not have to deal with freshman running back Stanley Williams and freshman wide receiver Dorian Baker, as they have been suspended from the team along with two other freshmen for violating team rules. Without Williams, the Wildcats still house three running backs that have rushed for at least 100 yards this year.
Kentucky’s offense is similar to South Carolina’s in that the quarterback takes most of his snaps out of the shotgun and likes to spread defenses out. The Gamecocks have progressed in defending the spread offense and are further along than when they were against Texas A&M to start the season, but secondary coach Grady Brown knows the defense is not yet where it needs to be.
“I have no comfort level with anything [that we’re doing] right now,” Brown said. “We’re getting better, but maybe you could rephrase it. I don’t have a comfort level with anything that we’re doing because we’re not playing as well as we need to play.”