When I last wrote an article for this publication, Joe Morrison was the head coach and Todd Ellis was throwing spirals to Sterling Sharpe and Ryan Bethea.
Now, 28 years later, I have been asked to write once again regarding my thoughts on this week’s game against UCF and my prediction for the remainder of the season.
While I wish I could be more positive, I must also be objective.
This week’s opponent couldn’t come at a better time for the Gamecocks. I fully expect the Garnet and Black to take care of business this week. It was announced earlier in the week that true freshman Lorenzo Nunez would be the new starter at QB. This should provide a spark to an offense that has sputtered most of the year. Nunez’s athletic ability will allow the Head Ball Coach (Steve Spurrier) to open up the playbook and be more aggressive in his play calling. This should lead to more scoring.
The defense, which has struggled to stop the run in its first three games, will not have to contend with UCF’s leading rusher William Stanback, who was dismissed from the team this week, nor the Knights’ leading receiver, Jordan Akins, who tore his ACL in practice.
The Gamecocks win this game 28-17. After the UCF game, things get more difficult for the Gamecocks as they move into the meat of their SEC schedule. The next five games are all conference games, three of which are on the road against Missouri, Texas A&M and Tennessee. Sandwiched in between are both LSU and Vanderbilt. Winning on the road proves to be too much. The Gamecocks drop all three. They split at home, losing to LSU and defeating Vanderbilt.
Closing out the season are three home games against Florida, The Citadel and bitter rival Clemson. The boys get it done in a nail-biter with Florida and get a win over The Citadel. The much anticipated Clemson matchup gets ugly, and the Tigers roll to end the Gamecock season at 5-7.
I must confess that putting my thoughts to paper is much more difficult today than it was years ago.
What hasn’t changed is my love for the University of South Carolina. Win or lose, I will always be a Gamecock.