A Few Thoughts From The Weekend That Was
posted by Scott Hood, 3/31/2008 01:04:00 PM
FOOTBALL: Yeah, Steve Spurrier has concerns about the offensive line, quarterback and wide receiver, but here’s the key question concerning the Gamecock offense right now:
How does USC get the ball to sophomore tight end Weslye Saunders?
You could even throw Jared Cook into the mix. It’s apparent to me that the duo of Saunders and Cook could become USC’s second and third best receiving threats next season behind WR Kenny McKinley. Yes, they’re that good. It’s not a coincidence that all three TD tosses in Saturday’s scrimmage went to Cook and Saunders.
Saunders, in particular, is a beast. He catches absolutely everything. He rarely, if ever, drops a catchable pass. I’ve seen him make some jaw-dropping receptions in practice during the 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills. Of course, he has to improve his blocking, but I think that will come in time.
Cook is the same way. He’s fast enough to give defensive backs all they can handle. But, being a tight end, he just has to outrun linebackers. If Cook masters the art of blocking, he has the ability to become an all-conference player.
Saunders and Cook combined for 42 receptions in 2007, 30 by Cook. I can see the duo totaling 60 to 70 catches this season, provided they remain healthy, learn to block and hang on to the ball.
If they do, they could make life a lot easier for McKinley and the other USC wide receivers, not to mention Spurrier and the quarterbacks.
BASEBALL: I thought the USC baseball team showed an incredible amount of mental toughness recovering from Friday’s 15-3 shellacking to win the final two games of their SEC series against Kentucky. But, it should have come as no surprise to USC fans considering they accomplished the same thing last season against Auburn following a 16-1 loss in the first game of the series.
Believe it or not, we’re still not finished with March yet and the 2008 regular season is approaching the halfway mark. Obviously, the most important question is how the bullpen will perform over the second half of the season with the loss of Curtis Johnson.
However, Brandon Todd showed signs this weekend that he’s ready to take over Johnson’s role. If you don’t know much about Todd, you’re not alone. But you should, since he may hold the key to USC’s season in the second half.
Todd, a senior from Ocala, Fla., picked up his first career win Sunday’s 6-2 victory over UK. He has 16 strikeouts in 10.0 innings this season, nearly two per inning, but he’s not a fireballer like Sam Dyson.
Right now, there’s no question USC will come close to or exceed 40 regular season wins again. They have a big three-game series in Athens next weekend against Georgia. It’s very important because the Gamecocks and the Bulldogs could be battling for the right to host a NCAA Regional when it’s time for the all-holy, all-powerful organization that runs collegiate athletics to determine such things.
But you can’t help but look ahead to the potential showdown series against Florida May 2-4 at Sarge Frye Field. It looks like the Gators have a pretty good team this year. They lead the SEC East with a 7-2 conference mark, one game ahead of USC (6-3) and Georgia. Buckle in, because it looks like it's going to be an exciting race in the SEC East.
BASKETBALL: Right now, I’m 95 percent certain Darrin Horn will become the next basketball coach at USC. I wrote yesterday that USC A.D. Eric Hyman and the Western Kentucky coach were close to finalizing a contract. I still believe that’s the case. However, you have to understand that contracts for Div. I head coaches in BCS conferences are incredibly complicated with dozens and dozens of provisions. The parties try to account for every possible scenario. The key question is always what happens if things don’t work out.
In addition, the Western Kentucky A.D. will likely try to make a last-minute bid to retain Horn. Remember, Horn and his wife are both graduates of WKU, so don’t be surprised if the AD plays the loyalty card and puts a major league guilt trip on Horn. Remember, Arkansas was burned last year by a coach that turned tail and ran back to his former school after being introduced as the Razorbacks’ new coach. And I don’t think I have to remind USC fans about Bobby Cremins.
Once all the minute details are worked out, Hyman will formally offer Horn the job, he’ll accept and there will be a festive press conference introducing him to Gamecock Nation. When will that happen? Likely later this week, possibly as soon as Tuesday or Wednesday.
Is Horn a good hire? Yes. He’s exactly what USC needed – an energetic young coach with the charisma to breathe life into a program that hasn’t been over .500 in the SEC in a decade (1997-1998).
But let’s be realistic. Is Horn the first choice of Hyman? No. That honor, if you want to call it that, goes to Anthony Grant, Jeff Capel, Sean Miller, or possibly someone else whose name hasn’t been discussed in public.
But it’s important to remember schools rarely, if ever, get their top target. Hey, it just happened to Indiana, one of the top college basketball programs in the country.
They were snubbed over the weekend by Washington State head coach Tony Bennett, who rejected the Hoosiers’ overtures to stay in Pullman, Wash. That means the perception is Indiana will have to “settle” for their second choice or someone else further down the list. So, it happens to everybody.
Nevertheless, in the end, I think Hyman snagged a good one. I look for Horn to enjoy a lot of success in Columbia.
After watching two football practices, including a scrimmage, three baseball games and trying to monitor closely the search for a new basketball coach this past weekend, here are a few meandering thoughts.
FOOTBALL: Yeah, Steve Spurrier has concerns about the offensive line, quarterback and wide receiver, but here’s the key question concerning the Gamecock offense right now:
How does USC get the ball to sophomore tight end Weslye Saunders?
You could even throw Jared Cook into the mix. It’s apparent to me that the duo of Saunders and Cook could become USC’s second and third best receiving threats next season behind WR Kenny McKinley. Yes, they’re that good. It’s not a coincidence that all three TD tosses in Saturday’s scrimmage went to Cook and Saunders.
Saunders, in particular, is a beast. He catches absolutely everything. He rarely, if ever, drops a catchable pass. I’ve seen him make some jaw-dropping receptions in practice during the 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills. Of course, he has to improve his blocking, but I think that will come in time.
Cook is the same way. He’s fast enough to give defensive backs all they can handle. But, being a tight end, he just has to outrun linebackers. If Cook masters the art of blocking, he has the ability to become an all-conference player.
Saunders and Cook combined for 42 receptions in 2007, 30 by Cook. I can see the duo totaling 60 to 70 catches this season, provided they remain healthy, learn to block and hang on to the ball.
If they do, they could make life a lot easier for McKinley and the other USC wide receivers, not to mention Spurrier and the quarterbacks.
BASEBALL: I thought the USC baseball team showed an incredible amount of mental toughness recovering from Friday’s 15-3 shellacking to win the final two games of their SEC series against Kentucky. But, it should have come as no surprise to USC fans considering they accomplished the same thing last season against Auburn following a 16-1 loss in the first game of the series.
Believe it or not, we’re still not finished with March yet and the 2008 regular season is approaching the halfway mark. Obviously, the most important question is how the bullpen will perform over the second half of the season with the loss of Curtis Johnson.
However, Brandon Todd showed signs this weekend that he’s ready to take over Johnson’s role. If you don’t know much about Todd, you’re not alone. But you should, since he may hold the key to USC’s season in the second half.
Todd, a senior from Ocala, Fla., picked up his first career win Sunday’s 6-2 victory over UK. He has 16 strikeouts in 10.0 innings this season, nearly two per inning, but he’s not a fireballer like Sam Dyson.
Right now, there’s no question USC will come close to or exceed 40 regular season wins again. They have a big three-game series in Athens next weekend against Georgia. It’s very important because the Gamecocks and the Bulldogs could be battling for the right to host a NCAA Regional when it’s time for the all-holy, all-powerful organization that runs collegiate athletics to determine such things.
But you can’t help but look ahead to the potential showdown series against Florida May 2-4 at Sarge Frye Field. It looks like the Gators have a pretty good team this year. They lead the SEC East with a 7-2 conference mark, one game ahead of USC (6-3) and Georgia. Buckle in, because it looks like it's going to be an exciting race in the SEC East.
BASKETBALL: Right now, I’m 95 percent certain Darrin Horn will become the next basketball coach at USC. I wrote yesterday that USC A.D. Eric Hyman and the Western Kentucky coach were close to finalizing a contract. I still believe that’s the case. However, you have to understand that contracts for Div. I head coaches in BCS conferences are incredibly complicated with dozens and dozens of provisions. The parties try to account for every possible scenario. The key question is always what happens if things don’t work out.
In addition, the Western Kentucky A.D. will likely try to make a last-minute bid to retain Horn. Remember, Horn and his wife are both graduates of WKU, so don’t be surprised if the AD plays the loyalty card and puts a major league guilt trip on Horn. Remember, Arkansas was burned last year by a coach that turned tail and ran back to his former school after being introduced as the Razorbacks’ new coach. And I don’t think I have to remind USC fans about Bobby Cremins.
Once all the minute details are worked out, Hyman will formally offer Horn the job, he’ll accept and there will be a festive press conference introducing him to Gamecock Nation. When will that happen? Likely later this week, possibly as soon as Tuesday or Wednesday.
Is Horn a good hire? Yes. He’s exactly what USC needed – an energetic young coach with the charisma to breathe life into a program that hasn’t been over .500 in the SEC in a decade (1997-1998).
But let’s be realistic. Is Horn the first choice of Hyman? No. That honor, if you want to call it that, goes to Anthony Grant, Jeff Capel, Sean Miller, or possibly someone else whose name hasn’t been discussed in public.
But it’s important to remember schools rarely, if ever, get their top target. Hey, it just happened to Indiana, one of the top college basketball programs in the country.
They were snubbed over the weekend by Washington State head coach Tony Bennett, who rejected the Hoosiers’ overtures to stay in Pullman, Wash. That means the perception is Indiana will have to “settle” for their second choice or someone else further down the list. So, it happens to everybody.
Nevertheless, in the end, I think Hyman snagged a good one. I look for Horn to enjoy a lot of success in Columbia.
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