Five Things We Learned From The USC-Arkansas Game
posted by Scott Hood, Monday, November 10, 2008
1. USC REALLY DOES HAVE A RUNNING GAME: Through three quarters, it appeared Saturday would go like most of the previous games for the Gamecocks. USC had 64 rushing yards on 21 carries, an average of 3.05 yards per rush. But in the fourth quarter the ground game was resurrected. Spurrier didn’t call a single pass play during an 11-play, 72-yard touchdown drive that must have had USC fans rubbing their eyes to confirm what they were watching was real. I understand it was just one drive in one quarter of one football game - and USC is still 12th in the SEC in rushing offense - but it certainly offered a glimpse of hope that USC’s rushing attack is finally starting to make some progress. I dare say that even the offensive line is starting to block better. They certainly did an effective job on that one drive when USC had seven rushes of five or more yards. The 132 yards rushing were the most since the UAB game.
2. DREAMS OF A NEW YEAR’S DAY BOWL ARE STILL ALIVE: It’s been seven years since USC last played in a bowl game on the first day of the year. With Tennessee and Auburn suffering through painful seasons (moral of the story: don’t convert to a spread offense when you didn’t have the personnel to run it), the door is open for the Gamecocks to make a return to college football’s most celebrated day. With seven wins, USC is fourth on the SEC’s victory ladder behind Alabama (10), Florida (8) and Georgia (8). If the SEC puts two teams into the BCS, which at this point appears likely, USC becomes the odds-on favorite to play in the Outback Bowl in Tampa. Of course, another win would be nice to cement that bid. Over the last two weeks, USC has done what it had to do – beat inferior opponents at home. Tennessee is dreadful and Arkansas is a good but not great team, particularly on offense. Neither team should have walked into Williams-Brice Stadium and beaten the Gamecocks, and it didn’t happen.
3. TWO QUARTERBACKS ARE BETTER THAN ONE: Steve Spurrier’s philosophy has always been that if he has two quarterbacks that are similar in performance level, both will play. And so it goes with Stephen Garcia and Chris Smelley. It’s clear what Spurrier is thinking: neither QB is capable right now of ‘going the distance,’ as he likes to often say. Garcia had his chances against LSU and Tennessee but the offense ran out of gas in the second half against the Tigers and Spurrier contended the redshirt freshman was too quick to run out of the pocket against the Vols. Smelley put together a solid performance against Ole Miss (22 of 32 for career-high 327 yards), but has completed just 19-of-43 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns since then. Spurrier is waiting for one of the quarterbacks to assume a substantial advantage in the race before he firmly chooses one quarterback over the other. Until that happens, alternating quarterbacks every play will remain an option heading into each game.
4. THE USC DEFENSE WILL MISS JORDIN LINDSEY: Granted, DE Jordin Lindsey hasn’t always been a model citizen off the football field. He struggled academically throughout the early years of his career and he’ll be the first to tell you that he spent far too much time searching for a party rather than sticking to business. But something funny happened on the way to obscurity – he grew up. Lindsey, together with his brother Dustin, has always been a good, solid football player. Prior to this season, he was mostly remembered by USC fans for his Defensive MVP performance in the 2006 Liberty Bowl. But, after sitting out the 2007 season for academic reasons, he was largely an afterthought when this season began. But what a season it’s been for the senior from Mobile, Ala. Lindsey has made a number of big plays and earned multiple game balls for his outstanding performances this season. His leaping interception to kill a potential go-ahead drive by Arkansas Saturday may be the top defensive play this season. Is it a coincidence USC finished last in the SEC in rushing defense last season without Lindsey, and now ranks second after 10 games in that same category with him? Well, other players like Jasper Brinkley and Nathan Pepper factor as well into the answer to that question, but for the benefit of those scoring at home the correct response is no.
5. RYAN SUCCOP IS ON THE ROAD BACK: USC fans watched in horror when Succop missed four of five field goals against Kentucky a month ago, but Succop has steadily recovered over the last three games. He’s missed a couple like Saturday’s seemingly easy 25-yarder that could have given USC a 13-0 lead, but he also boomed a 54-yarder that had plenty of distance to spare when it sailed through the uprights. Since the poor outing in Lexington, Succop has connected on 5-of-7 field goals. For the season, he’s 17 of 26 (65.4 percent), a fairly good percentage all things considered. But Succop’s greatest contribution, in my opinion, has come on kickoffs. The senior has been lethal this season in that area. Saturday, five of his seven kickoffs sailed into the end zone for touchbacks. Conversely, none of Arkansas’ kickoffs went for a touchback. Succop’s ability to boom the ball into the end zone was a major factor in USC’s substantial advantage in field position. The Gamecocks’ average starting field position was its 40-yard line. Arkansas? It’s own 26. That's a 14-yard differential. In the SEC, where there’s as much parity as any conference in the country, that’s a huge advantage. For the season, a SEC-leading 24 of Succop’s 53 kickoffs have gone for touchbacks. No wonder USC leads the SEC in kickoff coverage.
USC-Arkansas Game Coverage:
• Gamecocks win; clinch definite bowl trip
Notebook: QB Twist Works Well
McKinley cements legacy as the best
Lindsey Has Knack For Making Big Plays
USC-Arkansas Photo Gallery No. 1
Postgame Video: Coaches, players
Link to this entry - Discuss this entry - Return to Blog Home
South Carolina built an early 10-point lead and never trailed in a 34-21 victory over Arkansas Saturday afternoon at Williams-Brice Stadium, erasing any leftover doubt the Gamecocks will go bowling this holiday season. Steve Spurrier surprised some people, and possibly the Razorbacks as well, by alternating quarterbacks on nearly every play. Here are five things we learned from that game:
1. USC REALLY DOES HAVE A RUNNING GAME: Through three quarters, it appeared Saturday would go like most of the previous games for the Gamecocks. USC had 64 rushing yards on 21 carries, an average of 3.05 yards per rush. But in the fourth quarter the ground game was resurrected. Spurrier didn’t call a single pass play during an 11-play, 72-yard touchdown drive that must have had USC fans rubbing their eyes to confirm what they were watching was real. I understand it was just one drive in one quarter of one football game - and USC is still 12th in the SEC in rushing offense - but it certainly offered a glimpse of hope that USC’s rushing attack is finally starting to make some progress. I dare say that even the offensive line is starting to block better. They certainly did an effective job on that one drive when USC had seven rushes of five or more yards. The 132 yards rushing were the most since the UAB game.
2. DREAMS OF A NEW YEAR’S DAY BOWL ARE STILL ALIVE: It’s been seven years since USC last played in a bowl game on the first day of the year. With Tennessee and Auburn suffering through painful seasons (moral of the story: don’t convert to a spread offense when you didn’t have the personnel to run it), the door is open for the Gamecocks to make a return to college football’s most celebrated day. With seven wins, USC is fourth on the SEC’s victory ladder behind Alabama (10), Florida (8) and Georgia (8). If the SEC puts two teams into the BCS, which at this point appears likely, USC becomes the odds-on favorite to play in the Outback Bowl in Tampa. Of course, another win would be nice to cement that bid. Over the last two weeks, USC has done what it had to do – beat inferior opponents at home. Tennessee is dreadful and Arkansas is a good but not great team, particularly on offense. Neither team should have walked into Williams-Brice Stadium and beaten the Gamecocks, and it didn’t happen.
3. TWO QUARTERBACKS ARE BETTER THAN ONE: Steve Spurrier’s philosophy has always been that if he has two quarterbacks that are similar in performance level, both will play. And so it goes with Stephen Garcia and Chris Smelley. It’s clear what Spurrier is thinking: neither QB is capable right now of ‘going the distance,’ as he likes to often say. Garcia had his chances against LSU and Tennessee but the offense ran out of gas in the second half against the Tigers and Spurrier contended the redshirt freshman was too quick to run out of the pocket against the Vols. Smelley put together a solid performance against Ole Miss (22 of 32 for career-high 327 yards), but has completed just 19-of-43 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns since then. Spurrier is waiting for one of the quarterbacks to assume a substantial advantage in the race before he firmly chooses one quarterback over the other. Until that happens, alternating quarterbacks every play will remain an option heading into each game.
4. THE USC DEFENSE WILL MISS JORDIN LINDSEY: Granted, DE Jordin Lindsey hasn’t always been a model citizen off the football field. He struggled academically throughout the early years of his career and he’ll be the first to tell you that he spent far too much time searching for a party rather than sticking to business. But something funny happened on the way to obscurity – he grew up. Lindsey, together with his brother Dustin, has always been a good, solid football player. Prior to this season, he was mostly remembered by USC fans for his Defensive MVP performance in the 2006 Liberty Bowl. But, after sitting out the 2007 season for academic reasons, he was largely an afterthought when this season began. But what a season it’s been for the senior from Mobile, Ala. Lindsey has made a number of big plays and earned multiple game balls for his outstanding performances this season. His leaping interception to kill a potential go-ahead drive by Arkansas Saturday may be the top defensive play this season. Is it a coincidence USC finished last in the SEC in rushing defense last season without Lindsey, and now ranks second after 10 games in that same category with him? Well, other players like Jasper Brinkley and Nathan Pepper factor as well into the answer to that question, but for the benefit of those scoring at home the correct response is no.
5. RYAN SUCCOP IS ON THE ROAD BACK: USC fans watched in horror when Succop missed four of five field goals against Kentucky a month ago, but Succop has steadily recovered over the last three games. He’s missed a couple like Saturday’s seemingly easy 25-yarder that could have given USC a 13-0 lead, but he also boomed a 54-yarder that had plenty of distance to spare when it sailed through the uprights. Since the poor outing in Lexington, Succop has connected on 5-of-7 field goals. For the season, he’s 17 of 26 (65.4 percent), a fairly good percentage all things considered. But Succop’s greatest contribution, in my opinion, has come on kickoffs. The senior has been lethal this season in that area. Saturday, five of his seven kickoffs sailed into the end zone for touchbacks. Conversely, none of Arkansas’ kickoffs went for a touchback. Succop’s ability to boom the ball into the end zone was a major factor in USC’s substantial advantage in field position. The Gamecocks’ average starting field position was its 40-yard line. Arkansas? It’s own 26. That's a 14-yard differential. In the SEC, where there’s as much parity as any conference in the country, that’s a huge advantage. For the season, a SEC-leading 24 of Succop’s 53 kickoffs have gone for touchbacks. No wonder USC leads the SEC in kickoff coverage.
USC-Arkansas Game Coverage:
• Gamecocks win; clinch definite bowl trip
Notebook: QB Twist Works Well McKinley cements legacy as the best Lindsey Has Knack For Making Big Plays USC-Arkansas Photo Gallery No. 1 Postgame Video: Coaches, playersLink to this entry - Discuss this entry - Return to Blog Home
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Scott Hood. Since February of 2005, Scott has covered the South Carolina football, men's basketball and baseball programs for GamecockCentral. He may be reached by email at scottblog(at)gamecockcentral.com. Replace (at) with @.