Finding A Way To Win The Close Games
posted by Scott Hood, 3/04/2008 11:58:00 PM
It’s time for South Carolina to start winning close football games.
You could tell from the tone of his voice and his mannerisms that the three-point and two-point losses to Tennessee and Clemson, respectively, still bothered Spurrier 3-1/2 months later.
And for good reason.
USC had victory within its grasp in both games, but let the “orange teams”, as Spurrier called them, wiggle free. In the end, those two losses, along with the Vanderbilt loss, cost USC a bowl game, a winning record and possibly a few recruits.
What does USC have to do to start winning close games? Make plays when they count.
What does it take to accomplish that? Confidence and a refuse to lose attitude.
In other words, believing you’re going to find a way to get the job done no matter the score or the circumstances.
“We have to win our close games,” Spurrier said Monday night. “When Florida won the national championship (in 2006), they won about six close games that could have gone the other way. We lost a 17-16 game. We have to get into the habit of playing well in the close games. When there’s a loose fumble, we have to fall on it. You have to make plays when the game is on the line.”
Over the last two seasons, USC is 5-6 in games decided by seven points or less, 1-3 in games decided by three points or less.
That’s not good enough.
Spurrier knows those percentages must improve considerably if USC wants to take the next step and become a consistent eight or nine win program.
In the Tennessee loss, USC had plenty of chances to win the game in the final two minutes. But they failed to recover a critical fumble and then botched the overtime badly.
And I won’t even talk about the third-and-18 late in the Clemson game that USC couldn’t stop.
When I spoke with Ray Rychleski a week or so ago, he made the argument that special teams will be absolutely critical in 2008 because every single game is going to be close.
I believe him.
Take a look at USC’s 2008 schedule. I see very few games that I can say right now will be blowouts by either team. Even the Wofford game might be close.
It certainly was in 2006 when USC had no clue how to stop the Terrier’s multiple option attack. Thankfully, Wofford goes off the schedule after this season until 2012.
So, USC must find a way to minimize mistakes in the final minutes of games. Some teams have figured it out. But the Gamecocks are still in the learning stages.
USC let the Tennessee game slip away largely because of a major blunder by the kickoff coverage team following the go-ahead field goal that allowed the Vols returner to race all the way across the field and nearly cross midfield before he was finally tackled.
Against Clemson, while most people focus on the final drive by the Tigers, it was the two blocked punts earlier in the game that ultimately proved the difference. As you recall, one of them was recovered for a touchdown.
Unfortunately, the failure to make plays down the stretch (“in the clutch” might be a better term) has haunted USC for a long time, and cost the Gamecocks more than a few victories over the years.
That’s why I’ve always said the Gamecocks’ biggest ongoing need isn’t any particular position, it’s playmakers. Over the years, USC simply hasn’t had enough of those type of players to equal the top teams in the SEC.
Frankly, until they do, it will always be a struggle to finish above .500 in the league.
And that, as I said before, is no longer good enough.
Steve Spurrier made one very good point during his 15-minute speech Monday night to the Orangeburg County Gamecock Club.
It’s time for South Carolina to start winning close football games.
You could tell from the tone of his voice and his mannerisms that the three-point and two-point losses to Tennessee and Clemson, respectively, still bothered Spurrier 3-1/2 months later.
And for good reason.
USC had victory within its grasp in both games, but let the “orange teams”, as Spurrier called them, wiggle free. In the end, those two losses, along with the Vanderbilt loss, cost USC a bowl game, a winning record and possibly a few recruits.
What does USC have to do to start winning close games? Make plays when they count.
What does it take to accomplish that? Confidence and a refuse to lose attitude.
In other words, believing you’re going to find a way to get the job done no matter the score or the circumstances.
“We have to win our close games,” Spurrier said Monday night. “When Florida won the national championship (in 2006), they won about six close games that could have gone the other way. We lost a 17-16 game. We have to get into the habit of playing well in the close games. When there’s a loose fumble, we have to fall on it. You have to make plays when the game is on the line.”
Over the last two seasons, USC is 5-6 in games decided by seven points or less, 1-3 in games decided by three points or less.
That’s not good enough.
Spurrier knows those percentages must improve considerably if USC wants to take the next step and become a consistent eight or nine win program.
In the Tennessee loss, USC had plenty of chances to win the game in the final two minutes. But they failed to recover a critical fumble and then botched the overtime badly.
And I won’t even talk about the third-and-18 late in the Clemson game that USC couldn’t stop.
When I spoke with Ray Rychleski a week or so ago, he made the argument that special teams will be absolutely critical in 2008 because every single game is going to be close.
I believe him.
Take a look at USC’s 2008 schedule. I see very few games that I can say right now will be blowouts by either team. Even the Wofford game might be close.
It certainly was in 2006 when USC had no clue how to stop the Terrier’s multiple option attack. Thankfully, Wofford goes off the schedule after this season until 2012.
So, USC must find a way to minimize mistakes in the final minutes of games. Some teams have figured it out. But the Gamecocks are still in the learning stages.
USC let the Tennessee game slip away largely because of a major blunder by the kickoff coverage team following the go-ahead field goal that allowed the Vols returner to race all the way across the field and nearly cross midfield before he was finally tackled.
Against Clemson, while most people focus on the final drive by the Tigers, it was the two blocked punts earlier in the game that ultimately proved the difference. As you recall, one of them was recovered for a touchdown.
Unfortunately, the failure to make plays down the stretch (“in the clutch” might be a better term) has haunted USC for a long time, and cost the Gamecocks more than a few victories over the years.
That’s why I’ve always said the Gamecocks’ biggest ongoing need isn’t any particular position, it’s playmakers. Over the years, USC simply hasn’t had enough of those type of players to equal the top teams in the SEC.
Frankly, until they do, it will always be a struggle to finish above .500 in the league.
And that, as I said before, is no longer good enough.
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