Rambling Thoughts From The Weekend That Was
posted by Scott Hood, 4/07/2008 12:38:00 AM
FOOTBALL: Some of you might have been surprised by Steve Spurrier’s statement Friday that he’ll turn over some of the play-calling to his son, Steve Spurrier, Jr., this upcoming season.
I wasn’t. Why? Spurrier said on several occasions prior to the start of spring practice that he intended to become more involved with other positions on the team besides quarterback, thre offensive line being the most prominently mentioned.
Spurrier discovered there’s simply not enough hours in the day to do everything a head coach has to do. Mark Richt of Georgia yielded the play-calling responsibility to his offensive coordinator a few years ago. As Spurrier remarked, play-calling is something you have to grind out every day. Putting together a game plan – offensive or defensive – is a lot of work.
I give Spurrier credit for recognizing that he simply can’t be one-dimensional anymore when it comes to his coaching responsibilities. Previously, he concerned himself with the quarterbacks and that was it.
If the USC program is going to grow and compete in the SEC, Spurrier’s influence and legendary competitiveness must be felt everywhere on the team.
Why Spurrier, Jr.? He’s been coaching with his father for 11 years, from Florida to the Washington Redskins to USC, so they should be on the same wave-length by now.
I can assure you, though, Spurrier wasn’t going to hand off his beloved play-calling to just anybody, including his son. In addition, it’s clear Spurrier, Jr. will call some or even most of the plays, but not all. The HBC won’t be afraid to stick his nose in there when he thinks it’s warranted.
The intriguing question, of course, is whether Spurrier is already thinking about his successor. Of course, that won’t come for another four or five years, at least. Spurrier has a million reasons (that’s the total amount of his annuity) to stick around through the 2011 season.
In the meantime, is this sort of a tryout for Spurrier, Jr., a chance for him to show the top brass at USC that he has head coaching ability? Hmmm.
Well, at least Spurrier is showing more confidence in his son that Lou Holtz ever did in his while he was here.
BASEBALL: Losing a series to Georgia on their home field is one thing. But getting swept and looking pathetic at the plate is quite another. USC had just 19 hits in the three-game series. I’ve seen the Gamecocks get more than that in one conference game. All five runs came on solo homers. Yes, Georgia has good pitching, but not THAT good.
I’m sure Ray Tanner didn’t sleep a second after Saturday night’s doubleheader loss or Sunday night when USC returned to Columbia following Sunday’s 4-2 loss.
1-0?!? Are you kidding? Sorry, but a college baseball team with Justin Smoak, James Darnell, Reese Havens and Phil Disher in its lineup should never lose a game by that score. But somehow they did.
The poor showing the plate wasted three outstanding pitching performances by Mike Cisco, Will Atwood and Blake Cooper. All three pitched well enough to win. Last week, Tanner said USC should have three or four more wins due to the outstanding pitching. Now you can take that five or six.
If you’re one of those people who still think pitching coach Mark Calvi is the problem with the Gamecocks, you need to get real.
Through four SEC series, USC is now 1-5 on the road at Vanderbilt and Georgia. Yes, two good teams. But the Gamecocks should have at least two or three more conference wins. Rather than being buried in fifth place with a 6-6 conference mark, they should be in the thick of the fight for first. But they’re not.
Obviously, Tanner and staff must figure out quickly what’s wrong with the hitting. Clemson comes to Columbia Wednesday night before the Gamecocks hit the road again for another SEC series next weekend at Auburn.
BASKETBALL: In my opinion, South Carolina got some good news on Sunday. Western Kentucky AD Wood Selig, possibly the most moronic leader of any Division I athletic department in the country, selected Texas assistant Ken McDonald as the Hilltoppers’ new head coach. I feel your pain, Ken.
How is that good news for USC? It means two of Darrin Horn’s most trusted assistants, Scott Cherry and Cypheus Bunton, should be free to join him in Columbia. If they do, it will provide the entire Gamecock basketball program with a major boost.
In my opinion, a staff of Cherry, Bunton and current USC assistant Ken Potosnak would, along with Horn, accomplish great things on the recruiting trail, which is where it all begins.
Hopefully, an announcement will come within the next few days that Cherry and/or Bunton are on their way to USC. Stay tuned.
Some rambling thoughts from a rain-drenched weekend:
FOOTBALL: Some of you might have been surprised by Steve Spurrier’s statement Friday that he’ll turn over some of the play-calling to his son, Steve Spurrier, Jr., this upcoming season.
I wasn’t. Why? Spurrier said on several occasions prior to the start of spring practice that he intended to become more involved with other positions on the team besides quarterback, thre offensive line being the most prominently mentioned.
Spurrier discovered there’s simply not enough hours in the day to do everything a head coach has to do. Mark Richt of Georgia yielded the play-calling responsibility to his offensive coordinator a few years ago. As Spurrier remarked, play-calling is something you have to grind out every day. Putting together a game plan – offensive or defensive – is a lot of work.
I give Spurrier credit for recognizing that he simply can’t be one-dimensional anymore when it comes to his coaching responsibilities. Previously, he concerned himself with the quarterbacks and that was it.
If the USC program is going to grow and compete in the SEC, Spurrier’s influence and legendary competitiveness must be felt everywhere on the team.
Why Spurrier, Jr.? He’s been coaching with his father for 11 years, from Florida to the Washington Redskins to USC, so they should be on the same wave-length by now.
I can assure you, though, Spurrier wasn’t going to hand off his beloved play-calling to just anybody, including his son. In addition, it’s clear Spurrier, Jr. will call some or even most of the plays, but not all. The HBC won’t be afraid to stick his nose in there when he thinks it’s warranted.
The intriguing question, of course, is whether Spurrier is already thinking about his successor. Of course, that won’t come for another four or five years, at least. Spurrier has a million reasons (that’s the total amount of his annuity) to stick around through the 2011 season.
In the meantime, is this sort of a tryout for Spurrier, Jr., a chance for him to show the top brass at USC that he has head coaching ability? Hmmm.
Well, at least Spurrier is showing more confidence in his son that Lou Holtz ever did in his while he was here.
BASEBALL: Losing a series to Georgia on their home field is one thing. But getting swept and looking pathetic at the plate is quite another. USC had just 19 hits in the three-game series. I’ve seen the Gamecocks get more than that in one conference game. All five runs came on solo homers. Yes, Georgia has good pitching, but not THAT good.
I’m sure Ray Tanner didn’t sleep a second after Saturday night’s doubleheader loss or Sunday night when USC returned to Columbia following Sunday’s 4-2 loss.
1-0?!? Are you kidding? Sorry, but a college baseball team with Justin Smoak, James Darnell, Reese Havens and Phil Disher in its lineup should never lose a game by that score. But somehow they did.
The poor showing the plate wasted three outstanding pitching performances by Mike Cisco, Will Atwood and Blake Cooper. All three pitched well enough to win. Last week, Tanner said USC should have three or four more wins due to the outstanding pitching. Now you can take that five or six.
If you’re one of those people who still think pitching coach Mark Calvi is the problem with the Gamecocks, you need to get real.
Through four SEC series, USC is now 1-5 on the road at Vanderbilt and Georgia. Yes, two good teams. But the Gamecocks should have at least two or three more conference wins. Rather than being buried in fifth place with a 6-6 conference mark, they should be in the thick of the fight for first. But they’re not.
Obviously, Tanner and staff must figure out quickly what’s wrong with the hitting. Clemson comes to Columbia Wednesday night before the Gamecocks hit the road again for another SEC series next weekend at Auburn.
BASKETBALL: In my opinion, South Carolina got some good news on Sunday. Western Kentucky AD Wood Selig, possibly the most moronic leader of any Division I athletic department in the country, selected Texas assistant Ken McDonald as the Hilltoppers’ new head coach. I feel your pain, Ken.
How is that good news for USC? It means two of Darrin Horn’s most trusted assistants, Scott Cherry and Cypheus Bunton, should be free to join him in Columbia. If they do, it will provide the entire Gamecock basketball program with a major boost.
In my opinion, a staff of Cherry, Bunton and current USC assistant Ken Potosnak would, along with Horn, accomplish great things on the recruiting trail, which is where it all begins.
Hopefully, an announcement will come within the next few days that Cherry and/or Bunton are on their way to USC. Stay tuned.
- Link to this entry, Discuss this entry, Blog home page, Contact author
Blog Archives