Behind enemy lines
By Nick Gray | Oct. 3, 20131. What do Kentucky fans think of Mark Stoops so far this season? I imagine most fans understood that the team would struggle, but is there still positive energy surrounding the team?
1. What do Kentucky fans think of Mark Stoops so far this season? I imagine most fans understood that the team would struggle, but is there still positive energy surrounding the team?
Volleyball coach Scott Swanson has made his expectations of his players abundantly clear to them throughout the season. “You go out there and compete your butt off for however long it takes and see what happens,” Swanson said. “We’re just trying to preach to our kids, ‘Do the best you can, and if you walk away and that best wasn’t good enough, you still have to hold your head up high.’”
The lights were on, students stood in a line that ran outside the gate, and the Gamecock men’s soccer team took care of business, winning 3-0 Tuesday night against Presbyterian. South Carolina (4-4-2) jumped out to an early lead in 20th minute when sophomore midfielder Ryan Arambula assisted junior defender Mahamoudou Kaba off a corner kick that connected at the far post.
With the squeaks of sneakers on hardwood and the swish of the ball hitting the net, the women’s basketball team hit the court Tuesday for its first practice of the year.
If you watched Steve Spurrier’s press conference without seeing the game Saturday, you’d probably have thought that the Gamecocks had just suffered a loss. Spurrier was frustrated that his team let the Knights get back into the game in the fourth quarter. It was the second game in a row in which the defense allowed an opponent to fight its way back.
Entering the men’s basketball team’s first practice of the preseason Monday, second-year Gamecock coach Frank Martin did not know what to expect.
South Carolina continued its success this season by defeating the Arkansas Razorbacks on Sunday by a score of 1-0.
The South Carolina men’s soccer team will try and improve the team’s record by going up against Presbyterian tonight at home at 7 p.m.
Before South Carolina’s first official team practice of the 2013-14 season Monday, coach Frank Martin was asked about his concern about the overall youth of his team this season.
At halftime of South Carolina’s game at Central Florida, the Gamecocks were trailing 10-0 and had 45 rushing yards. Sophomore tailback Mike Davis had 17 yards on five attempts. On the first drive of the second half, Davis had 70 yards on three carries, including a 53-yard touchdown run that woke the Gamecocks up.
One of the most polarizing topics in South Carolina football this year has been coach Steve Spurrier’s use of junior quarterback Dylan Thompson. While senior Connor Shaw has started all four games under center this season with Thompson occupying the backup role, some fans have called for the younger of the two to see more playing time.
South Carolina’s dynamic duo of sophomore running backs Mike Davis and Brandon Wilds took a hit on Saturday after Wilds dislocated his elbow in the third quarter. Head coach Steve Spurrier said Wilds is expected to miss two to three weeks. The injury occurred on a third-and-seven where Wilds actually picked up the first down off a running play but fumbled. The injury seemed to happen after the fumble, when a Central Florida defender nailed Wilds as the running back was reaching for the loose ball. The Knights recovered the ball at the USC 47-yard line, but were unable to cash in, going three-and-out.
Everyone on the South Carolina football team will understand how important Saturday’s game between the No. 12 Gamecocks and Central Florida is once kickoff comes around, coach Steve Spurrier said.
1. How much hype is surrounding this game? UCF will be on ABC for the first time, and they will be playing at home, so I imagine a lot of people are excited for this game.
South Carolina running backs coach Everette Sands mentioned a key statistic after Wednesday’s practice: Central Florida’s defense has allowed just a 33-percent conversion rate on third down this season.
After South Carolina raced out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter of its game against Vanderbilt, the Gamecocks were outscored 25-14 in the remaining three quarters.
With South Carolina traveling to Orlando to take on UCF, here are five things to look out for when watching the game.