 Five Predictions For USC-Louisiana-Lafayette
posted by Scott Hood, 8/31/2007 06:10:00 PM
There are plenty of storylines entering Saturday’s 2007 season opening football game between South Carolina and Louisiana-Lafayette. By this point, everybody has heard of USC’s quarterback situation, Emanuel Cook, Jordin Lindsey and a host of other things that happened over the course of fall camp. Here’s my five predictions for Saturday’s game: 1. Cory Boyd and Mike Davis Will Combine For 200 Yards Rushing: I fully expect Steve Spurrier to come into this game with the mentality that USC will play smash-mouth football until Louisiana-Lafayette proves it can stop Boyd and Davis. This strategy serves two purposes: 1) it takes advantage of USC’s strength at running back. Spurrier loves Boyd and Davis and favorably compares them to any other RB duo in the nation. Yes, that includes Darren McFadden and Felix Jones at Arkansas. Add freshman Brian Maddox into the mix and Spurrier has three quality running backs at his disposal; and 2) it will allow quarterbacks Chris Smelley and Tommy Beecher to achieve a comfort level with the offense in the early stages of the game before USC goes to the passing game more frequently as the game goes on. As a result, Boyd and Davis should receive plenty of opportunities to carry the ball, especially in the first half. Maddox will make his presence felt in the second half. I just can’t see Spurrier relying on the passing game early. Once the running game is established, USC can turn to play-action passes. 2. Chris Smelley and Tommy Beecher Will Complete 60 Percent Of Their Passes: This will be more of a product of Spurrier’s conservative approach entering the game. Spurrier will not put either quarterback in a position to fail. I know Spurrier likes to air it down the field occasionally, and he may still do that. But it’s more likely he will have Smelley and Beecher throw safe passes to the running backs circling out of the backfield and medium range tosses to the wide receivers. As a result, I fully expect Smelley and Beecher to complete a high percentage of passes. Cory Boyd is outstanding catching the ball out of the backfield. He has 81 career receptions, the most of any Gamecock player entering the season. Davis has 26 receptions in his first two seasons. Don’t be surprised if either Boyd or Davis leads USC in receptions when Saturday’s game is over. 3. No USC Wide Receiver Will Have More Than 3 Receptions: This is a product of Spurrier and Spurrier, Jr.’s decision to play at least seven or eight wide receivers in this game. Right now, you can count on Kenny McKinley, Moe Brown, Freddie Brown, Larry Freeman, Jason Barnes, Chris Culliver, Matt Clements and Mark Barnes to play significant snaps. When you use that many receivers, together with a run-first philosophy, nobody is going to accumulate overwhelming statistics. 4. ULL’s Tyrell Fenroy Won’t Rush For 100 Yards: Don’t get me wrong. Fenroy is a good running back. You don’t rush for 1,000 yards in each of your first two seasons without some talent. But I’m sure he’ll figure out fairly early that trying to rush the ball against USC’s front seven is a little more difficult than Sun Belt conference rivals Florida International and Arkansas State. Fenroy has done most of his damage against Sun Belt Conference teams. Louisiana-Lafayette has faced three BCS schools in Fenroy’s first two seasons. He had 25 yards on seven carries against Texas in 2005. Last year, he had 52 yards on 12 carries in the season opener against LSU. The following week, he had just 17 yards on four carries against Texas A&M. Add it up and Fenroy has 94 yards on 23 carries in three games against BCS foes. That’s an average of 4.1 yards per rush, a respectable figure. But I believe the Ragin’ Cajuns will fall behind early, meaning they may be forced to throw the ball more than they like. 5. Some Gamecock Fans Will Immediately Call For Chris Smelley To Start Against Georgia Next Week: If starting quarterback Chris Smelley posts impressive numbers Saturday, you can bet the house and mortgage that some fans will call the post-game call-in radio shows and demand Smelley start next week’s crucial clash against Georgia in Athens. But, while Spurrier may give it about a second of thought, it won’t happen. The crowd at Sanford Stadium will be hostile, loud, obnoxious and antagonistic. Mitchell is a fifth-year senior and nearly led USC to victory there two years ago. Spurrier knows an experienced QB will give USC a better chance to win that game. Thus, Mitchell will start, even though it will mark his first appearance of the year. Granted, that’s not the best of circumstances, but, as coaches are fond of saying, it is what it is.
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Everybody Gets A Chance
posted by Scott Hood, 8/30/2007 10:22:00 AM
If Steve Spurrier was working for the federal government, there’s no question he’d be employed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency responsible for making sure everybody get a fair shake when it comes to obtaining a job. Saturday is “Equal Opportunity Night” at Williams-Brice Stadium, starting with the quarterbacks and extending to the offensive line, running back, wide receivers and tight ends. In other words, every position on the offensive side of the ball. In his own unique way, Spurrier cherishes providing opportunities to players to make their mark, not just in practice but in games as well. Some head coaches would cringe at Spurrier’s statements this week that “eight or nine” offensive linemen would line up at one time or another Saturday. More than any other, Spurrier believes in one simple rule as a head coach – if players are near equal in ability and have worked hard and done what they’re supposed to do, both will be given an opportunity to play in the game. Wednesday, Spurrier described quarterbacks Chris Smelley and Tommy Beecher as “both about the same.” But, rather than grumble about not having Blake Mitchell available, he proclaimed it will be “interesting to see” how his two underlings play. That’s why Smelley and Beecher should receive an approximately equal number of snaps against Louisiana-Lafayette. Smelley will start but by the end of the night, Beecher could actually take more snaps. That’s the way it works in Steve Spurrier’s kingdom. In a somewhat sly sort of way, Spurrier has appeared at peace with the decision of the athletic department to suspend Mitchell for the opening game due to excessive absences from a summer school class. Why? I don’t think he cares all that much about that stuff. Unlike his predecessor, Spurrier doesn’t micromanage. His philosophy has always been to allow people to do their jobs. He knows the pecking order, and the respect you must have for the policies of the company you work for. The prospect of having to play your backup quarterbacks in a season-opening game because your starter is suspended when you have a critically important conference game on tap the next week would give some head coaches a migraine headache. Not Spurrier. In fact, I would say with confidence he’s relishing the chance to call “ball plays” for Smelley and Beecher over an extended period of time, just to see how they do under pressure with the lights on and 80,000 fans in the stands. To Spurrier, it’s all about the journey. Also, Spurrier has supreme confidence in his own abilities to call plays against whatever look the defensive offers. Remember, this is the guy that coached Danny Wuerffel to the Heisman Trophy despite his less than stellar arm strength. While both young quarterbacks have shown remarkable progress on the football field since the start of spring practice, Spurrier’s philosophy has always been that it’s an entirely different deal when you get into the game. Spurrier has seen over the course of his 17 years as a college head coach dozens of players perform well in practice only to freeze up when the games start. That’s why he believes it’s meaningful for the players to scrimmage in front of large crowds during fall camp. While the quarterbacks will rotate, the same thing will be happening along the offensive line and at wide receiver. When we spoke with Kenny McKinley after Wednesday night’s practice, he was careful not to disclose what the specific plans were at the receiver spot. He would only say “Coach is ready to play all of them and see what everybody is made of.” You can be sure at least four of the freshman arrivals – Jason Barnes, Mark Barnes, Chris Culliver, Matt Clements - will have plenty of balls thrown their way to see how they handle playing in front of a big crowd and against real live defensive backs from another team for the first time. But Saturday will also present some veteran players with an opportunity to distance themselves from the freshmen. Moe Brown and Freddie Brown fall into that group. We also haven’t heard much about Larry Freeman during fall camp but he’s on the depth chart so he must be doing something right. The most fun, though, could be along the offensive line. Spurrier’s promise to play “eight or nine” linemen clashes with John Hunt’s philosophy of playing five guys almost exclusively. But, again, in Spurrier’s mind, few linemen have stepped up and taken a firm grasp of any position, especially at the two guard spots. Jamon Meredith and Justin Sorensen appear set at the tackle positions but even they’re not immune from the constant reshuffling we should see. The only advice I can offer as you enter Williams-Brice Stadium Saturday night is purchase a program and make sure it has a roster. You’ll need it.
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Five Goals For USC In 2007
posted by Scott Hood, 8/29/2007 04:13:00 PM
Steve Spurrier likes to set certain goals for his team before every season. Most of them relate to number of wins, final position in the standings, bowl game and other things. I’ll take Spurrier’s cue and talk about the five main goals for the 2007 South Carolina football team. Actually, the long title for this blog should be “Five Goals For USC In 2007 To Move the Program Forward.” Because that’s what it’s all about in the hyper-competitive SEC. Unless you’re making progress, you’re falling behind. If USC accomplishes these five objectives, I will consider it to be a successful season. 1. Win At Least Three More Games Than They Lose: Why three? USC’s all-time record is 515-517-44. I believe it’s imperative for the school to climb over the .500 mark for purposes of recruiting and perception. Gee, you think USC’s rivals use the school’s all-time record against it in recruiting? If you don’t, then you’re naïve. Well, don’t be naive. An eight or nine win season would also continue the momentum steadily built up in this decade. Since 2000, USC is 48-36, and already has seven more wins than it had for the entire decade of the 1990’s. With three seasons remaining in this decade, the Gamecocks are 15 wins shy of the school record (63) for victories in a decade (1980-89). Considering the direction of the USC program appears to be upward, it’s hardly far-fetched to say the Gamecocks will set a new standard for victories in a decade. If USC manages to win nine games in 2007, Spurrier would pass Brad Scott (23-32-1) and move into a tie with Sparky Woods for ninth place on the all-time USC coaching list for most wins with 24. 2. Play In a New Year's Day Bowl Game: I’m already on record as saying USC will win nine games and face an undetermined Big 10 opponent in the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla., on Jan. 1, 2008. But I think playing in a New Year's Day Bowl is necessary to establish in the minds of skeptics like ESPN’s Lee Corso that Spurrier has the program headed in the right direction. Only nine wins will accomplish that, considering the Gamecocks won eight games last season. Nine wins in the regular season will likely get USC into the Outback Bowl or, possibly, the Capital One Bowl game. 3. Beat Clemson: Establishing a stronghold in the Palmetto State is the prize up for grabs when USC and the Tigers meet on Nov. 24. Right now, the game could go either way. If you’re a hardcore USC fan, you already know it’s been 37 years (1969-70) since the Gamecocks won consecutive games against Clemson. Another win for USC this season on the heels of the ultra-thrilling 31-28 triumph in Death Valley last November would begin to tilt the balance of power inside the state towards the Gamecocks for the first time in a long time. While Spurrier doesn’t necessarily agree with those USC fans who claim beating Clemson in Job #1 of the Gamecock head coach, he clearly understands it’s still a big game. He knows beating your arch-rival is important from a psychologically standpoint. But it’s not an all-consuming thing with Spurrier. 4. Finish At Least .500 In The SEC: USC has finished at the break-even mark in the SEC just five times since joining the league in 1992. They’ve won five conference games three times, all in this decade (2000, 2001, 2005). In my opinion, finishing below .500 in the conference this year would be disastrous for the Gamecocks. First, it would mean USC would have no better than a 7-5 mark heading into bowl season, likely resulting in a bowl game in Memphis or Nashville. That would be disappointing. While the Peach Bowl would be OK, a New Years Day Bowl would be better for the program. Again, it comes down to the perception of progress. How would a 3-5 conference mark be received by the national media folks like ESPN? Not well, in my book. It would be a step back, in my book. 5. Defense Finishes In Top 6 In Three Major SEC Rankings: With Steve Spurrier calling the plays, I’m fully confident the Gamecocks will score enough points to meet the first four goals. So, it all comes down to the defense. USC finished ninth in the SEC in total defense and rushing defense, as well as eighth in passing defense, in 2006. All three of those rankings must improve this year. Here’s the key: Steve Spurrier isn’t just expecting improvement, he’s demanding it. USC gave up an average of 146.8 yards rushing per game. Sixth-place Auburn surrendered 124.2 yards per game. Accordingly, the Gamecocks must knock off at least 22 yards rushing by opponents this season. With the return of Marque Hall and the addition of five talented defensive linemen, it’s within reach. Overall, USC allowed opponents to total an average of 336.8 yards per game. That figure must decrease by a minimum of 40 yards per game to a figure below 300 yards per game. If USC is able to improve the rush defense and the overall team defense as indicated, eight or nine wins are probable.
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Spurrier Is Here For The Long Haul
posted by Scott Hood, 8/27/2007 02:02:00 PM
I find all this unwarranted speculation about Steve Spurrier leaving South Carolina in a huff over admissions, suspensions, facilities, etc. to be one part amusing and one part troubling at the same time. If you are one of those negative nellies promoting such idle talk, you’re underestimating Spurrier greatly from both a personal and professional perspective. Spurrier will not allow off-the-field issues to detract from the business at hand – winning football games. As far as he’s concerned, there’s no connection between the two. He’ll take what he has and go knock heads with Louisiana-Lafayette Saturday night. Spurrier said it best on a couple of occasions last week when the Blake Mitchell story was brewing – if he won the appeal, he’ll start. If not, he wouldn’t. Spurrier had options no matter the outcome. He also told Mitchell he’ll abide by whatever decision athletic director Eric Hyman made. That decision ended up going against Mitchell. So Chris Smelley and Tommy Beecher will now play against the Ragin’ Cajuns. Both quarterbacks in Spurrier’s view are ready to play. That pronouncement will be put to the test in five days. Spurrier fully expects the pair to play well. Spurrier doesn’t lessen his demands or expectations of a quarterbacks just because he’s inexperienced. When you’re out there, you’re out there. No excuses. All of this circles back to one major point: Spurrier is completely unfazed by all the off-the-field junk that’s happened the last few weeks. If anything, it’s made him more determined and dedicated to succeed here at USC. Erase from your mind any thought that Spurrier is at loggerheads with AD Eric Hyman or President Andrew Sorensen. Like all of us, Spurrier has a boss. He answers to Hyman and Sorensen. He also knows it’s best for an employee to get along with his boss, even when you’re earning three to five times more in salary. Of course, he can disagree with his boss occasionally, like he did three weeks when he called for the admissions procedure to be changed in the wake of the Arkee Smith and Michael Bowman denials. But, he didn’t interject himself into the process to determine if either player should be accepted by the university. In the end, Spurrier got what he wanted – the application review process for athletes has been modified to provide the coaching staff with quicker decisions. If you ever find yourself falling into the trap of thinking Spurrier will leave USC prematurely, just remember this one key fact: Steve Spurrier chose South Carolina. South Carolina didn’t choose Steve Spurrier.In other words, Spurrier wants to be here. As the HBC has said many times, the Gamecocks have everything he needs to be successful – a big stadium, loyal fans willing to spend money and a great university. I have spent a great deal of time around Spurrier over the last 2-1/2 years at all times on the football calendar - spring practice, Gamecock Club tour, fall camp, the actual season or some other time. I can assure you he remains steadfast in his commitment to build USC into a winning football program. In fact, I would say he relishes the challenge. After enduring Florida boosters who weren’t happy with 10-win seasons, and then putting up with egomaniacal Redskins owner Daniel Snyder for two years, Spurrier feels right at home in Columbia. He knows he has the opportunity to create his own legacy here with the Gamecocks by accomplishing things that have ever been done before. This season, USC can play in a bowl game for a third consecutive campaign, something that’s never been done before, and Spurrier can become the first USC coach to post winning seasons in each of his first three campaigns. It’s doing things for the first time that excites Spurrier. Remember, when Spurrier took the Florida job in 1990 the Gators had never won the SEC championship. He was advised by some people not to accept the Florida job because “he couldn’t win there.” You never, ever tell Spurrier that he can’t do something. He’ll take that as a personal challenge. And as a personal affront. That’s why I laughed at the rumors several months ago that had Spurrier heading to either Alabama or Miami. At the time, I conducted three or four interviews with radio stations in Alabama and was told each time that: a) the contract was a done deal and 2) Spurrier thinks he has a better chance to win the national title at Alabama. They were wrong on both counts. As far as Spurrier is concerned, everything is falling into place for USC to win the conference title. It might not happen this year but soon. Renovations to the athletic training facility will start after the 2007 season. Plans to expand Williams-Brice Stadium by 8,000 seats are in the preliminary stages. The much-needed academic enrichment center is in the design phase and should be ready by 2009. Spurrier has a long-term contract through the 2012 season. I have no doubt he’ll coach USC until then, possibly longer depending on how he feels at the time. You have decision to make. You can believe Spurrier is sincere when he states he hopes to coach here for many more seasons, or you can believe with every developing “crisis” that he’ll jump ship. Based on everything I’ve observed, Spurrier will finish what he has started.
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Mitchell Shouldn't Become Another Wally Pipp
posted by Scott Hood, 8/24/2007 12:13:00 PM
New York Yankees first baseman Wally Pipp had a headache and sought a day off. So, as the legend goes, he strode into his manager’s office on June 2, 1925, and requested to be removed from the lineup for that day’s game. He was replaced by a young rising star named Lou Gehrig. Pipp didn’t play another game for the Yankees, and would soon become a footnote in history when Gehrig proceeded to play in 2,130 consecutive games. With the news Thursday that starting quarterback Blake Mitchell had been suspended for the Sept. 1 season opener against Louisiana-Lafayette, and that redshirt freshman Chris Smelley would start in his place, the comparisons between Mitchell and Pipp are inviting. However, while intriguing, the possibility of Mitchell never getting back on the football field for South Carolina is slim to none. Why? Because Steve Spurrier remains firm in his belief that playing Mitchell at quarterback provides South Carolina with its best chance to win the biggest games, particularly that critical Sept. 8 match-up in Athens against Georgia. That’s why Spurrier proclaimed yesterday that if Mitchell wins his appeal, he’ll start next Saturday’s lid-lifter against the Ragin’ Cajuns. Mitchell is still USC’s No. 1 QB until his academic situation is definitively resolved. There’s a chance he could win his appeal on grounds he dropped the class in question. But entertaining the Wally Pipp scenario is interesting from the perspective that Spurrier has always been a coach who searches for and then sticks with the hot quarterback. He did it over and over and over again at Florida. It can drive quarterbacks batty but its something Spurrier strongly believes will produce the best overall performance from the quarterback position. In one game, he rotated quarterbacks every play when he suspected the opponent (Florida State) was trying to steal his signals. It worked, as Florida upset the Seminoles. What would Spurrier do if Smelley makes his first career start against Louisiana-Lafayette in eight days and proceeds to shred the Ragin’ Cajun defense? Could a strong performance by Smelley, or Tommy Beecher for that matter, make Spurrier hesitant about handing Mitchell his first start of the season in Sanford Stadium? The likely answer is no. Mitchell, as you probably know, is a fifth-year senior with plenty of battle scars on his body. He’s led USC to victory at hostile places like Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi State and Kentucky, and near-victories at Florida in 2006 and Georgia in 2005. It’s doubtful Spurrier would want to put Smelley or Beecher, both of whom remain largely untested, through the rigors of trying to direct the USC offense at a loud boisterous place like Sanford Stadium, especially with so much riding on the outcome. Once Mitchell gets back into the lineup, he’s got plenty to play for. Right now, he has a good chance to finish third on USC’s all-time passing yardage list and could leave Columbia as one of the winningest QB’s in school history. A great season could also set him up for a shot at the NFL. He may not get drafted but some team should sign him as a free agent and give him a chance to show off his skills. Smelly and Beecher will get their opportunities. If not this year, then next season and the next. Between Smelley, Beecher, heralded newcomer Stephen Garcia and Summerville QB Reid McCollum, who has verbally committed to USC for the 2008 signing class, the Gamecocks are in excellent shape at the quarterback position for at least the next five seasons. Right now, though, they all take a back seat to Mitchell. Which is why, regardless of the outcome of Mitchell’s appeal from his one-game suspension, he’ll likely be the starting quarterback against Georgia on Sept. 8.
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Another Good Idea For College Football
posted by Scott Hood, 8/22/2007 04:26:00 PM
If you watched the video of Steve Spurrier being interviewed by the media following Tuesday night’s practice, you saw your humble correspondent ask the HBC whether he favored allowing college teams to play a single pre-season game to help prepare for the season. Spurrier was fiercely against such an idea, citing the ‘risk of injury’ factor as the main reason for his opposition. Spurrier prefers relying upon intra-squad scrimmages exclusively. Sorry, but I have to disagree with the Head Ball Coach on this point. I see no harm allowing college teams to play one “pre-season” game against another school. If a true “game” is out of the question, what about a controlled scrimmage or even a situational scrimmage? Once you get beyond the alleged heightened risk of injury, I believe it will actually assist teams in tuning up for the season. What’s the drawback to having some Div. I-AA school like Coastal Carolina bus to Williams-Brice Stadium for a two-hour scrimmage? I see none. Would there be a risk of injury? Sure. But how much greater is that risk compared to a typical intra-squad scrimmage? I don’t think there would be much of a difference, if at all. Spurrier, like many head coaches, is probably afraid his starting quarterback would get seriously injured in a pre-season game environment. If so, then: 1) don’t play the starting quarterback; and/or 2) put rules into place to limit the amount of physical contact with the quarterback. They can finagle the rules anyway they want. Just let the kids play against somebody else. Expecting players to hit the same players over and over again for four or five weeks without some type of drop off in practice performance is a bit ludicrous. I would have thought college coaches would want to have a better idea of the strengths and weaknesses of their team before they run through the tunnel for real for the first time. But, as my wife reminds me everyday, I’m wrong again. The hacks that run college football constantly brag that one of the characteristics that makes their spot unique is the regular season still means something, unlike most professional sports and college basketball. I agree with that point. But, if every game counts, as a certain cable sports network likes to claim, wouldn’t it be fair to allow college football teams to play at least one “pre-season” contest before they strap on the helmets for real, knowing that one loss could be devastating to their season? I think so. In my opinion, there has to be a better way than holding your breath for three hours, fearful of the bizarre events that could unfold in a season opener. Essentially, the NCAA is telling the players they must go out and play in a pressure-packed environment, with their season on the line, on opening weekend without giving them the proper tools to prepare. Here’s the thing I don’t understand – college basketball teams are allowed to play up to two exhibition games before the start of the regular season, yet football teams are not. The NCAA and hypocrisy are like two lovers walking hand-in-hand in paradise. Frankly, I think the rule banning pre-season college football games is also unfair to the thousands of fans expected to shell out $40.00 or more for a game ticket, plus parking, concessions and souvenirs, when the regular season begins. Are they getting a water-downed product in the opening game? Absolutely. I know football fans frequently complain about the NFL having four exhibition (yes, that’s what they are) games before the start of the regular season. But, when pro football fanatics walk through the turnstiles into the stadium for the opening regular season game, they should feel somewhat comfortable every ‘t’ has been crossed and every ‘i’ has been dotted by their favorite team during their pre-season preparations. I don’t think college fans can share that feeling without their team having at least one August opportunity to hit somebody else. In the end, what do you get? The helpless feeling the opening game on the schedule is little more than a warm-up act. And that’s not a good thing for college football. If you want to contact Scott Hood with a comment or question regarding the Blog, please send an e-mail to scotthood@juno.com
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And We'll Have Run, Run, Run
posted by Scott Hood, 8/21/2007 05:17:00 PM
As I listened Monday night to Steve Spurrier describe South Carolina’s passing woes following practice, I was afraid he was going to metamorphosize into Chuck Knox before my eyes. Here’s the Reader’s Digest version of what Spurrier told the media – running game good, passing game bad. It’s not the first time, of course, Spurrier has spoken those words. He spent the entire Gamecock Club tour telling fans USC could be a run-dominated team in 2007. There are two reasons why: Cory Boyd and Mike Davis. Spurrier has high regard for his backfield duo, calling them one of the best tandems in the country. Heck, Boyd thinks he and Davis are pretty good, too, telling reporters at SEC Media Days four weeks ago that he could equal Darren McFadden’s numbers if he ran behind Arkansas’ offensive line. Now, does Spurrier wish USC’s offensive line was a little further along, and capable of blocking SEC quality defensive linemen on a consistent basis? Yes. But Spurrier isn’t stupid. Far from it. Instead, he’s quite pragmatic. He’ll play with the hand he’s dealt. So, if that means USC must run the ball to win games this season, he’ll do it. That’s because Spurrier is all about one thing and one thing only: winning. He’ll adapt to his environment. If the perception that Spurrier is a throw-first, run-second coach is dented a bit in the process, so be it. Spurrier doesn’t care. Here’s the bottom line: the offensive line has 11 days to find a solution to whatever’s plaguing it. Will it happen? I don’t know. Right now, I’m leaning towards the negative side. If the offensive line doesn’t get squared away, Spurrier will simply tell Boyd and Davis to fire up their engines. Although the season opener against Louisiana-Lafayette won’t be played until Sept. 1, I’m willing to predict right now that USC will run the ball about 70 percent of the time against the Ragin’ Cajuns, and most of the passing plays will be fairly conservative. That strategy would serve two purposes. First, Boyd and Davis are currently the two most productive players on USC’s offense. Second, Spurrier wants to save some of the best “ballplays” for Georgia on Sept. 8. Hey, you can’t offer the Bulldogs too much to look at, especially with a lot riding on the outcome of that game. Here’s the kicker: if Spurrier employs a run-first strategy early in the season, it won’t be out of character for the HBC. As you probably know, Florida ran the ball about 50 percent of the time during his 12-year tenure as the Gators head coach. That trend has continued with the Gamecocks. In 2005, with Boyd suspended and Davis just a freshman, USC ran the ball 365 times and attempted 355 passes. That means USC relied on the ground game nearly 51 percent of the time. The run-pass gap was even larger last season. With Boyd back in the fold, the Gamecocks ran the ball 414 times while attempting 389 passes, close to a 52%-48% margin in favor of the run game. Blake Mitchell grabbed most of the headlines over the last 18 quarters last season for his renaissance after being benched for seven games following the Georgia loss, and deservingly so considering his staggering numbers. However, one of the reasons Mitchell was able to become successful throwing the ball was an effective running game behind Boyd and Davis, along with superior protection from the offensive line. In the final four games, USC totaled 686 rushing yards on 132 attempts, an average of 171.5 yards per game and 5.2 yards per carry. That’s pretty good. With Boyd and Davis, and possibly even freshman Brian Maddox, showing the way, I expect USC will post similar rushing game numbers in the first part of this season until Spurrier gains greater confidence in the offensive line. Days before fall camp began, Spurrier put a priority on finding the right combination of offensive linemen as quickly as possible. Until that happens, the Gamecocks should take the advice of Pink Floyd and just run like hell.
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It's Good To Be A Little Cocky
posted by Scott Hood, 8/20/2007 03:28:00 PM
Playing Division I college football at the SEC level is not easy. It’s physically and mentally challenging. It takes talent, a willingness to work on and off the field and a healthy dose of self-discipline to succeed. Being just a little bit cocky doesn’t hurt either. Take Brian Maddox, for example. Maddox was, by all accounts, a fabulous running back at T.L. Anderson High School in Anderson. He rushed for 1,750 yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior and played in the Shrine Bowl and the Offense-Defense All-Star Game in Ft. Lauderdale. He had dozens of college recruiters on his doorstep trying to convince him to play football for their university. The praise, I’m sure, was flowing freely. When Maddox first stepped onto the South Carolina campus in July, he was absolutely sure of one thing – he wasn’t going to redshirt. Maddox feels he’s plenty good enough to play. Now. That’s why Maddox was horrified when the dreaded “r” word came up in an interview a week or so ago. Of course, the topic was relevant because Steve Spurrier had casually mentioned in a post-practice interview that Maddox could, you know, sit out a year to grow and develop. The response by Maddox a couple of days later was one for the ages: h-e-double hockey sticks no. Was Maddox being a little bit cocky? You bet. Dr. Phil would have been proud. But at this level you must be confident in yourself and your abilities in order to compete. The mentally weak fall by the wayside. As they say, only the strong survive. In my opinion, Maddox had proven he’s ready to play this season in the pair of scrimmages over the past two weekends. Maddox has shown the speed, agility, toughness and willingness to take on tacklers that a quality running backs needs in the SEC. With Bobby Wallace out until at least the third week of the season with a fractured clavicle and Taylor Rank sidelined with an injury, Maddox will likely start the season No. 3 on the running back depth chart behind Cory Boyd and Mike Davis. That should end all talk of a redshirt. Maddox is hardly alone in his positive feelings about himself. Most of the players in the last two recruiting classes have a swagger about them that suggests self-confidence. They didn’t come to South Carolina to lose. They believed Spurrier when he told them he was building a SEC championship contending team. If you think all of this is something new, forget it. When I spoke with former USC defensive back Rick Sanford recently, he told me he arrived at USC in the fall of 1975 convinced he could compete right away at the major college level. He was a good player, and he knew it. Maddox is merely the latest example of a player with that attitude. Where does all this talk of confidence and cocky attitudes lead us? The USC offensive line. Following Saturday’s scrimmage, Spurrier proclaimed that many of USC’s younger offensive linemen – four of whom are redshirt freshmen – had to learn to compete harder. His message was clear: some of these linemen simply weren’t tough enough or mean enough to compete consistently at the SEC level. Granted, the first-team offensive line appears to be in good shape and should play much better coming out of the gate than last season. But the second and third-team lines need a lot of work. What they need to do is get more cocky. They must say to themselves that no matter what, they’re going to smack the guy in front of them as hard as they can. Within the rules, of course. Right now, they’re too nice. Maybe in time, they’ll learn. But time is not on their side. You need two complete offensive lines to meander through the physically demanding SEC schedule, so some of them will have to play. So, these offensive linemen Spurrier was talking about have a choice: they can stay the course and be embarrassed in front of 82,000 fans and whoever is watching on TV when the season starts in less than two weeks or they can develop a nasty streak and start fighting back. My advice to them: get a little cocky. And please consult with Brian Maddox if you have any questions.
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Modern Realities of College Athletics Hit Home
posted by Scott Hood, 8/18/2007 03:09:00 PM
South Carolina has finally taken a seat at the table of big time college athletics. How do I know? The school and its officially recognized booster organization, the Gamecock Club, have been sued by a group of irate fans forced to pay for parking at the State Fairgrounds this season. When a school and its fans are fighting over money, that’s a strong signal the modern realities of college sports have finally come home to roost. No pun intended. It could be that Joseph B. Rosen, his father and niece are entitled under the written terms of their “lifetime membership contract” with the Gamecock Club to free parking in perpetuity at home football games. It all depends on what the contract says. The court will interpret the contract as written and render a ruling one way or the other. But that’s all legal mumbo jumbo. The more intriguing aspect of this case is that, in my opinion, it’s the first volley of gunfire in what could be a prolonged and expensive battle between the university and its multitude of fans over the highly charged and volatile issue of how much they should have to pay to attend Gamecock home football games at Williams-Brice Stadium. Not so long ago, the best way to obtain tickets to USC football games was joining the Gamecock Club. That membership typically entitled you to priority status in buying tickets. Most fans who wanted tickets got them. But now the Gamecock Club wants its members to pay handsomely for the right to park their vehicles. I’m sure most fans took a deep sigh when they got the bill, pulled out their checkbook and mailed it back, albeit reluctantly. Some fans probably took the time to call the Gamecock Club and complain. A few, like the Rosens, took matters into their own hands and filed a lawsuit. If fans are going to sue the school over parking, what’s going to happen in a couple of years when USC starts imposing seat licenses and changes the seating priority at Williams-Brice Stadium? I shudder to think. If nothing else, the lawsuit in a way represents a clash between the old world and the new world of college athletics. Many schools, not just USC, are facing the same challenges. Here’s the modern reality: Division I college athletics is a multi-million business run by CEO’s. The only difference is the NCAA likes the media to refer to them as athletic directors. So, think of the USC athletic department as a $60 million corporation. Because that’s exactly what it is. It’s not just a business, it’s big business. I sympathize with older fans who grew up watching the Gamecocks play in the 1950’s and 60’s when Williams-Brice Stadium was little more than a bowl and sat about 20,000 to 30,000 fans. Oh yeah, tickets cost just a few bucks too. Those were the innocent days when Johnny Athlete left his hometown and went off to play at USC for the love of the game and for his school, and to make his family proud. Those days are long gone. Today, Williams-Brice Stadium can squeeze nearly 85,000 fans into its cavernous surroundings. Fans pay $40 and up to watch the Gamecocks play. You do the math. Millions of dollars change hands for each and every USC home game. And that doesn’t even figure in the television rights fees paid by ESPN or one of the networks, merchandising, concessions, advertising and, yes, parking. When you calculate the amount of money involved, frankly there’s very little difference between major Division I college athletics and professional sports. The only difference is the players in college don’t get a paycheck every two weeks. Eric Hyman may not think of himself in this role, but he’s in the entertainment business. Because that’s what college sports at the SEC level is: mass entertainment. In a capitalistic system, businesses typically take a free market approach towards their product. They want to charge a price they think is fair in the marketplace. When it comes to Gamecock Club dues, tickets and parking, that’s the approach USC is using. And they’ll take the same approach when the time comes in the not too distant future when they start charging for seat licenses. Welcome to the 21st Century, college sports fans. In a sense, USC is playing a game of chicken with their fans. Hyman and others within the athletic department believe if a few fans drop out because of the higher prices, that’s OK because there are eager fans behind them ready to take their place and open their wallets. In my opinion, as long as the Gamecocks keep winning under Steve Spurrier, they’re probably right. If USC returns to its downtrodden ways, watch out. So, my best advice to USC fans is this: save your pennies. You’ll need them.
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Offensive line: An oasis or an ogre?
posted by Scott Hood, 8/16/2007 09:18:00 PM
It looks like you can forget all the bad things Steve Spurrier said about the offensive line following Wednesday night’s closed scrimmage. Well, not really. OK, Spurrier backtracked a bit after Thursday afternoon’s workout, saying the O-Line wasn’t as poor as he first thought, but the bottom line stayed the same – the offensive line is still a work in progress. The question is whether it will be ready to perform at an optimum level on Sept. 8 when South Carolina invades Sanford Stadium. Not Sept. 1, when USC starts the season against Louisiana-Lafayette. Spurrier knows USC has plenty of talent on hand to beat the Ragin’ Cajuns handily at home. The key is getting past that game without any major injuries and then starting preparations for the Bulldogs. Spurrier’s scathing criticism Wednesday night almost guarantees that thousand of eyeballs will be watching the offensive line on opening night. The wide receivers, with those five freshmen, should be a close second. Why? People don’t forget the original story. But they do ignore the retraction. And what a spicy original story we had. Once the media were allowed into Williams-Brice Stadium at the conclusion of the scrimmage, Spurrier promptly marched over to where we were assembled and launched into blistering attack of the apparently overwhelmed offensive line. The core of his message was that the line was atrocious. And those were the positive things he said. Hpwever, guard Garrett Anderson, one of the straightest shooters on the team, didn’t disagree with his head coach when he was questioned. He said simply the offensive line wasn’t ready to compete in the SEC. Based on some of the posts I’ve seen on TIF, some people have tried to explain away the offensive line’s mediocre performance by theorizing the second-team offensive line faced the first-team defensive line, and vice versa. If you’re one of those people, you’re not thinking the way Steve Spurrier thinks. And you need to stop making excuses for the players. Players are recruited by the coaches to perform well on the gridiron, both in practice and in games. It’s part of the deal when they sign their letter of intent. In return for their services on the football team, they receive a free college education. So when they don’t perform, the head coach has the right to get upset. I can assure you Spurrier doesn’t care one bit whether it was the first-team, second-team of third-team offensive line that committed the majority of the mistakes. They’re all the same in his mind. He doesn’t tolerate any mistakes at any time, no matter who’s on the field. It’s called paying attention to details. To their credit, quarterbacks Blake Mitchell and Tommy Beecher refused to throw their teammates under the bus despite the apparent lack of protection from the defensive onslaught. Based on the receiving numbers, its clear they had little time to throw deep. Instead, they relied on short, conservative passes to the running backs and tight ends. Both said they expected the O-Line to improve dramatically over the remaining 2-/12 weeks before the first game. Maybe it will. Frankly, I would be surprised if it didn’t. First, the defensive line it faces everyday in practice might be one of the best it will see all year. Second, I agree with Spurrier’s comment today that the talent is here to have a productive SEC offensive line. There are now 2 or 3 players at each O-Line position that can perform in a game if called upon. Of course, they might not play well all the time but the ability is certainly there to do so. Guys like redshirt freshman Kevin Young – a player Spurrier has mentioned often - are like a flower that hasn’t blossomed yet. Before they do, they’re not much to look that. When they do, though, it’s magic.
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The '10 Things We Know' Revisited
posted by Scott Hood, 8/15/2007 09:53:00 AM
Wednesday morning’s practice on the Bluff Road practice fields was the 13th of fall camp, meaning South Carolina is closing in on the halfway point to the maximum number of pre-season workouts allowed (29) under NCAA rules. Prior to the start of fall camp, we posted an article about the “10 Things We Know” heading into practice. Well, it’s time to take a look back and see how many of those “truths” were actually true and provide an update, 1. BLAKE MITCHELL IS THE STARTING QB: This is still true but Steve Spurrier’s recent statements that backups Chris Smelley and Tommy Beecher are ready to play should be interpreted that Mitchell will have an extremely short lease if he doesn’t get out of the gate quickly. Unlike last season when he essentially threw Syvelle Newton out there and prayed for the best, Spurrier has options now. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if USC has a three-QB rotation by the end of the season. Spurrier has done it before. Heck, he’s even rotated quarterbacks on every play. Smelley and Beecher will play. 2. STEVE SPURRIER LIKES KEVIN YOUNG: Incomplete. Spurrier contended in the pre-season statements that Young had the attributes to become a quality SEC lineman. But Young is still a work in progress and has yet to crack the starting five. He’s still involved in the fight at guard. Young has good size (6-foot-4, 320 pounds) and can move well. But Young is still a redshirt freshmen, so there’s plenty of time for growth. 3. THE OFF-FIELD DISTRACTIONS WON’T MATTER: True. Stephen Garcia hasn’t displayed any ricochet effect from his legal issues that arose in January and forced Spurrier to suspend him for the spring. Garcia came out focused and has impressed most observers with his physical abilities, including a powerful right arm that zips the ball to receivers. But Garcia is still fourth on the depth chart and, with three capable quarterbacks ahead of him, means he’ll likely redshirt in 2007. The Quintin Richardson situation went away as soon as his suspension was lifted the day before the start of fall camp. Richardson calmly answered all the questions on Media Day. The media like “stand-up” people so there’s no more talk about his case. Spurrier has already informed Richardson and fellow freshman Kyle Nunn that they’ll redshirt in 2006. 4. THE BACKUP QB BATTLE WILL BE VIGOROUS: True. Chris Smelley and Tommy Beecher may be two of the pleasant surprises of fall camp. Both worked hard over the summer. Both have shown a much better understanding of the offense. Spurrier identified Smelley as the top backup when camp opened but Beecher has erased the gap. The pair is neck-and-neck heading into the second half of camp. The Smelley-Beecher battle will be one of the top storylines between now and the season opener Sept. 1. 5. CORY BOYD AND MIKE DAVIS ARE PRETTY GOOD: True. Boyd and Davis have done nothing to dispel this truth. Boyd, one of the strongest players on the team, is running as hard as ever. Freshman linebacker Melvin Ingram said it best: trying to tackle Boyd is like trying to stop a bus. Davis has looked good, too. He hopes to break his tendency of starting slow with a productive first couple of games. 6. THE OFFENSE LINE WILL BE STRONG ON THE PERIMETER: True. Spurrier remains confident Jamon Meredith and Justin Sorensen are more than capable of stopping SEC defensive ends and keeping them away from the QB. All the pre-season focus has been on the three interior positions. Meredith and Sorensen have performed well and solidified their hold on their positions. 7. THE FRESHMAN WIDE RECEIVERS WILL GET A CHANCE: True. Spurrier has at times praised sophomores Moe Brown and Freddie Brown for their ability to catch the football but fantastic freshmen Jason Barnes, Chris Culliver, Dion Lecorn and Matt Clements have received plenty of practice reps. All four will play this season, and will likely contribute. Spurrier is still looking for a solid No. 2 receiver to emerge behind Kenny McKinley. 8. THE DEFENSIVE LINE IS MILES AHEAD OF LAST YEAR: True. Not only is the defensive line bigger, stronger and faster, they have a nastier attitude as well. The only disappointment has been Jordin Lindsey’s frequent absences caused by his academic situation. He’s only worked out once so far. Speaking with Brad Lawing recently, it’s apparent he’s pleased with the progress of the D-Line. One of his major tasks has been to get newcomers like Ladi Ajiboye, Travian Robertson and Clifton Geathers ready to play by the opening game. Lawing said all of them should play this season. 9. JASPER BRINKLEY IS THE DEFENSIVE LEADER: True. Talking with many of USC’s defensive players, it’s clear the deep respect for Brinkley is widespread. Coaches want their best players to be the leaders. Over the past two seasons, that hasn’t necessarily been the case. But with Brinkley, that’s certainly correct. 10. THE RODNEY PAULK-MARVIN SAPP BATTLE WILL RAGE ON: Not true. Sapp was moved to the opposite outside linebacker position and is now competing with Casper Brinkley and Melvin Ingram for playing time. Paulk stayed where he was and is the heavy favorite to start the season opener at strongside linebacker. Moving Sapp was probably the coaching staff’s way of saying they’re trying to find the best 11 players on the field.
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USC Releases 2007-2008 Basketball Schedule
posted by Scott Hood, 8/15/2007 09:26:00 AM
Celebrating the 100th year of Gamecock basketball, the University of South Carolina released its 2007-08 basketball schedule today. South Carolina's schedule features 19 games against teams that played in the 2007 post-season, including four teams which played in the 2007 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 as well as two-time NCAA champion Florida. Playing 17 home games, South Carolina has 14 games on television this year, including four on ESPN/ESPN2. The non-conference games that will be televised and times for each game will be announced at a later date. The 100th Years of Basketball reunion will be celebrated the weekend of the Mississippi State game - with the game to be played on Sat., Feb. 23 at 4 pm (LF TV). 2007-08 South Carolina Men's Basketball Schedule (All times and additional TV games will be released at a later date)
Date Opponent
Fri., Nov. 9 vs South Carolina State
Mon., Nov. 12 vs The Citadel
Sat., Nov. 17 vs Southern California
Thu., Nov. 22 vs Penn State # (ESPN2)
Fri., Nov. 23 vs TBA # (ESPN2/ESPNU)
Sun., Nov. 24 vs TBA # (ESPN2/ESPNU)
Wed., Nov. 28 vs Campbell
Sat., Dec. 1 at Clemson (Clemson, S.C.)
Thu., Dec. 6 vs Providence (Philadelphia, Penn., ESPN)
Wed., Dec. 19 vs Baylor
Sat., Dec. 22 vs College of Charleston
Fri., Dec. 28 vs UC-Irvine
Wed., Jan. 2 vs Radford
Sat., Jan. 5 vs UNC-Asheville
Wed., Jan. 9 at Vanderbilt*
Sat., Jan. 12 vs Tennessee * (FSN)
Wed., Jan. 16 at Arkansas *
Wed., Jan. 23 vs Florida * (LF)
Sat., Jan. 26 at Kentucky * (LF)
Wed., Jan. 30 vs Georgia *
Sat., Feb. 2 at Mississippi *
Sat., Feb. 9 vs Vanderbilt * (FSN)
Wed., Feb. 13 at Georgia *
Sat., Feb. 16 vs Alabama * (FSN)
Wed., Feb. 20 at Florida * (LF)
Sat., Feb. 23 vs Mississippi State * (LF)
Wed., Feb. 27 vs LSU *
Sat., March 1 at Auburn * (FSN)
Wed., March 5 vs Kentucky * (LF)
Sun., March 9 at Tennessee * (LF)
March 13-16 at SEC Tournament (Atlanta, Ga.)
All home games will played at the Colonial Center # - Old Spice Classic (Milk House at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex; Orlando, Fla.) * - Southeastern Conference; FSN - FoxSports Network; LFN - Lincoln Financial
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Tommy Beecher Teaches Us Valuable Lesson
posted by Scott Hood, 8/13/2007 05:37:00 PM
Before I go further, I must issue an apology to Tommy Beecher. Two years ago, when Beecher arrived on campus I questioned his chances to ever take a snap in a game for the Gamecocks. Fellow recruit Cade Thompson from Maryville, Tenn. was considered a better prospect and the one most likely to replace Blake Mitchell as starter. At the same time, USC was recruiting a whiz kid out of Alabama named Chris Smelley. If the Gamecocks were able to convince Smelley to sign with them, where would that leave Beecher, I thought? I wasn’t surprised when word spread the following spring that Beecher was planning to transfer. With Smelley signed, I figured he had seen the handwriting on the wall. But then a funny thing happened. Beecher decided to stay. Fifteen months later, it looks like he made a great decision. But there were a few headaches along the way, too. I recall interviewing him following a scrimmage during spring practice in 2006. He was frustrated by his struggles to grasp the offense, and remarked to me he had a long ways to go. Beecher began the 2006 season fourth on the depth chart behind Mitchell, Smelley and Thompson. His prospects for playing time appeared bleak. But an injury to Smelley and an outstanding performance in an off-week scrimmage lifted Beecher’s hopes. He quickly moved past Thompson. By that point, the coaching staff had decided to seek a medical redshirt for Smelley, so Beecher leaped to second on the depth chart. He threw his first career TD pass against Middle Tennessee and then played a small but key role in the emotional victory over Clemson a week later. Instead of Beecher, Thompson ended up being the one to transfer. He left after the 2006 season and is now with UT-Martin, a I-AA program in the Ohio Valley Conference. But Beecher wasn’t out of the woods yet. USC received a commitment last Fall from phenom Stephen Garcia, a dashing Elite 11 QB from Tampa, Fla. Garcia graduated early from Jefferson High School and enrolled at USC in January. Once Garcia arrived in Columbia, most people predicted the top three QB’s for the Gamecocks in 2007 would be Mitchell, Smelley and Garcia. I’ve written on a couple of occasions that the latter two quarterbacks would rotate playing time in 2008. But I forgot about Beecher. Many people did just that after spring practice when Beecher sat out the Garnet and Black game with a sprained shoulder. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess. It appeared again like Beecher would be buried on the depth chart when next season began. Undaunted, he forged ahead, Enduring a typical hot, humid summer in Columbia by working on his steps, studying his playbook and practicing the variety of throws Spurrier requires his quarterbacks to make. All that hard work has finally paid off. That two-quarterback race between Smelley and Garcia in 2008 has now become a three-horse battle. There’s no question Beecher is a different quarterback this fall. He’s much more confident and sure of himself both as a player and a leader. Spurrier has noticed the improvement, as well. Sunday night, he pronounced Beecher and Smelley both ready to play if something happened to Mitchell. Truthfully, I thought two years ago that the chances of Spurrier ever uttering those words about Beecher were slim to none. But he said it anyways. As demanding as Spurrier is on his quarterbacks, there’s never been any question about Beecher’s intelligence to play the quarterback position. He’s practically a straight-A student in a major known as actuary mathematics. No, I didn’t study that topic when I was in college many years ago. We still wrote on stone tablets back then. Here’s the valuable lesson learned from Beecher’s roller coaster ride so far at USC: compete hard, try to improve every day, keep your nose clean, go to class, study your playbook and never give up. Oh yeah, one more thing: ignore people like me when they say you can’t accomplish something. Spurrier often says the Football Gods favor teams that don’t give up and keep competing in a game no matter the score. Thus, if the breaks go against you early, keep plugging away and good fortune will eventually smile on you. It works the same with players. Tommy Beecher, I apologize.
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Similarities Between Clements, McKinley Evident Early On
posted by Scott Hood, 8/11/2007 02:23:00 PM
I saw something late Friday night that convinced me Matt Clements may be better that I thought. Twenty minutes after practice had concluded, after the customary interviews of Steve Spurrier and a few players had wrapped up, as I was walking off the field back to my car, I looked back towards the far end of the field and there was Clements and wide receivers coach Steve Spurrier, Jr. all alone in a 1-on-1 tutorial. They were the only ones left. Spurrier, Jr. pointed left, then he pointed right. All the while, Clements watched him attentively. The only direction Spurrier, Jr. didn’t point was up. But he should have, because it appears that’s the direction Clements’ career is headed. Obviously, Spurrier, Jr. believes Clements has potential because coaches typically don’t spend 20 to 30 minutes after practice tutoring a player they feel won’t help the team. As I watched from a distance for a few minutes, I couldn’t help but flash back to two years ago when I watched Spurrier. Jr. put a young receiver named Kenny McKinley through the same rigors to get him ready to play. That worked out pretty well, I would say. McKinley has 76 receptions in his first two seasons, including 51 last year when he was the No. 2 target behind Sidney Rice. But with Rice now out of the picture, McKinley is now the top gun on a deep and talented wide receiver corp. Will history repeat itself when it comes to Clements? Only time will time. But the early signs are positive. I have to admit, though, I knew little about Clements when he committed to South Carolina. All I had heard was that he was about six-feet tall and had caught a bunch of passes as a junior at Barron Collier High School in Naples, Fla. I also knew he had turned down a bunch of offers from powerhouse schools like Auburn, Ohio State and West Virginia to sign with USC. But reading his bio in the football media, I’ve learned he also played QB for the first part of his senior season in high school. So, maybe there is something to these comparisons between Clements and McKinley, who was exclusively a QB in high school before making a smooth transition to WR when he started college. The initial experiences of Clements and McKinley at USC are similar as well, and go beyond the fact both are about the same height (6-0) and weight (170 pounds) when they reported. Both also arrived in Columbia with less fanfare than fellow signees. McKinley was lost in the O.J. Murdock hype. Likewise, Clements didn’t receive the same quantity of media coverage Chris Culliver and Jason Barnes got. Obviously, that’s no fault of Culliver and Barnes, both of whom are great players in the own right. Of course, that may have a lot to do with the fact Clements lives in south Florida on the western side of the State. It’s a long way from Naples, Fla. to Columbia. Yeah, Charlotte is a lot closer to the capital city of South Carolina. So is Garner, N.C. But I have a feeling Clements is going to quickly close that publicity gap when the season starts. Ironically, Clements is wearing the No. 15 jersey formerly worn by Murdock. Let’s hope he fares a lot better. If he gets off to a quick start, he’ll be ahead of the pace McKinley set in 2005. McKinley had just three receptions in the first four games before breaking out with five consecutive multiple reception games, ending with the contest at Arkansas in which he caught the game-winning TD from Blake Mitchell in an unforgettable play. Significant contributions from at least three of the five freshmen wide receivers, together with another great season from McKinley and the anticipated growth of Moe Brown, Freddie Brown and Larry Freeman, should give USC a formidable group of receivers. What’s remarkable is everyone will return in 2008. Mike West was the only senior receiver and he was shifted to cornerback. Blake Mitchell will have plenty of targets to throw to this season, unlike last year when his primary targets were Rice and McKinley and Boyd occasionally out of the backfield. Yes, diversity is a good thing. Matt Clements? I expect him to get his share of receptions. And prove there’s more to the 2007 wide receiver class than just Culliver and Barnes.
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The Recruiting Gods Must Be Crazy
posted by Scott Hood, 8/10/2007 01:58:00 AM
The dismay shown by some South Carolina fans over the decision of linebacker Jonathan Willard to commit to Clemson Wednesday shows yet again how much the recruiting business is a hit-and-miss proposition. Some USC fans were confident Willard, who nickname is “Tig,” by the way, would overlook his life-long love for Clemson and the fact his defensive coordinator at Loris High School is the brother of a former Tiger lettermen, and sign with the Gamecocks. When it comes to recruiting, I have one rule: When you think you have a recruit locked up, you don’t. And the moment you think a recruit is going elsewhere, he’s signing with your team.When you’re dealing with 17-year old boys, you never know what’s going to happen. I guess that’s what makes it exciting for some people. It’s the thrill of the chase. But my job is to cover the players after they sign on the dotted line and put on the Gamecock uniform. So I’ve always been fascinated by how players handle the transition from high school to college. This issue came to the forefront again with the decision of linebacker/defensive end Dakota Walker to transfer to Georgia Southern. The number of stars attached to a player’s name while he’s still playing high school football is meaningless when it’s time to step into the weight room or run gassers on the football field when it’s hot and humid. While the number of stars may measure a player’s physical ability, more often then not you don’t find out about a player’s mental makeup until it’s too late. Determination, motivation, willingness to work and basic stick-to-itiveness are very difficult to measure. Whenever a player departs, Steve Spurrier likes to say that some players just aren’t cut out for football. We learned again Thursday about the fickle nature of recruiting when Sam Pope, a junior college transfer, decided to transfer to a I-AA program where he will likely start right away instead of staying at USC and battling for playing time. Some guys want to take the easy road. Some guys understand it’s the hard round that gets them to where they want to go. There are countless examples of four and five-star recruits, guys who dominated in high school, arriving on campus and discovering to their horror that the physical and time demands of major college football don’t jive with their expectations. By all accounts, O.J. Murdock fell into that trap. But he’s certainly far from the only one. He’s just one of the recent glaring examples. But for every Murdock or Walker, guys who failed to fulfill their potential at the major college level for a variety of reasons, there’s a Kenny McKinley out there, a guy who comes to college overshadowed by more celebrated players in his signing class but works hard and turns himself into a great player. McKinley was a quarterback throughout his high school career in Atlanta but switched to wide receiver when he came to USC two years ago. At the time, Murdock was the overwhelming fan favorite when fall practice opened. But McKinley, who never played a down at wide receiver in high school, quickly became the favorite of the coaches. Wide receivers coach Steve Spurrier, Jr. quickly recognized McKinley’s talent and spent extra hours on the practice field with him. The effort has paid off handsomely with 76 receptions and six touchdowns through McKinley’s sophomore year. By the time his career is over, McKinley may be the top receiver in school history in terms of the number of receptions if he continues to show the same progress he had from the his freshman season in 2005 to last season. Thank about that for a moment: the potential all-time leading receiver in USC history in number of receptions could turn out to be a guy who never played a down at receiver in high school. As I said, you just never know what’s going to happen when these kids get to college. McKinley is one of the survivors from the 2005 class. Currently, 10 of the 26 new players who enrolled at USC that fall are no longer with the Gamecocks. A 27th signee, Jarriel King, is attending Georgia Military College and has recommitted to USC. I equate recruiting to the stock market. You buy (please, no jokes about “buying” players) in hopes the “price” goes up in the future. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t. As long as you have a lot more stocks in the black than in the red, you’re doing well. Nobody pitches a perfect game when it comes to recruiting. How different would the USC roster look today if these players were still with the Gamecocks: Mychal Belcher, Kerry Bonds, Brent Davis, Jonathan Hannah, Shea McKeen, O.J. Murdock, Cade Thompson, Dakota Walker, Jeremy Ware and Brandyn Young? I’m fairly certain it would look quite dissimilar. And 2007’s highly ranked recruiting class might have been constructed a whole lot differently as well. We'll never know for sure because when it comes to recruiting, surreal things often happen.
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Powerful Allies Will Help Spurrier
posted by Scott Hood, 8/08/2007 08:02:00 PM
With all the attention in the mainstream media this week of Steve Spurrier’s nearly four-minute tirade Sunday against South Carolina’s admissions process, I don’t blame some of you for feeling a bit overwhelmed. I’ve even seen posts bemoaning the prospect of Spurrier eventually departing USC over the issue. If you’re one of those people, I offer this: Don’t worry, be happy. Spurrier isn’t going anywhere. Why am I so confident? I’ve been around Spurrier enough over the last 2-1/2 years to get a good read on his mannerisms and how he operates. Heck, I've been hanging around Spurrier for so long he'll occasionally crack a joke at my expense. The primary purpose of his words Sunday was to assure high school coaches, recruits and their families that USC is a credible academic institution and a great place to play college football. Obviously, some of USC’s assistant coaches had received feedback from a number of recruits questioning whether they would suffer the same fate as Arkee Smith and Michael Bowman if they went ahead and committed to the Gamecocks. So Spurrier went out before the media and told everyone that during his discussions on the matter with President Andrew Sorensen, he promised to implement a more “streamlined” process for reviewing applications for admission from football players. Spurrier’s position is that if a recruit meets the minimum NCAA standards, that is, they’re approved by the NCAA Clearinghouse, they should be admitted into the university. I’ve seen nothing to indicate university officials have agreed to adopt that standard. Instead, it simply appears Sorensen has agreed to “tweak” the review process to provide quicker responses on players. Over the last two days, the battles lines have been drawn. Bill Bearden, USC’s NCAA Faculty Representative, has been quoted as saying he doesn’t necessarily agree with Spurrier’s position. He believes USC has the right to place the bar higher. Here’s the dilemma Bearden, Sorensen and provost Mark Becker will possibly face in their anticipated fight to keep changes in the academic review process to a minimum: they lack the final decision-making authority at the university. That privilege goes to the Board of Trustees. And after attending numerous Board meetings over the last 2-1/2 years, I assure you Spurrier has powerful allies sitting on that body. One of them is Dr. Eddie Floyd, a former Chairman of the Board, and an avid supporter of Spurrier, the football program and the athletic department in general. If you recognize the name that’s because Floyd donated millions of dollars for the construction of the football office building adjacent to the North Stands at Williams-Brice Stadium. It’s not named in his honor for nothing. Having heard him speak many times at periodic Board meetings, Floyd understands one concept very clearly: the head football coach isn’t just the face of the program (Spurrier’s statement on Sunday) but the face of the entire university. The academic people may not like that but it's true. Floyd also grasps how fortunate USC is to have Spurrier as its head football coach. He's still regarded by some as the finest coach in the country. All those spanking new condos surrounding Williams-Brice Stadium and the proposed 8,000-seat expansion wouldn’t be possible without Spurrier. Floyd, one of the most influential members of the Board, criticized USC’s administration in the wake of Spurrier’s Sunday press conference, saying a “failure of leadership” had brought about the problem. A number of other trustees support Spurrier, as well. Othniel Wienges, chairman of the Intercollegiate Activities Committee, has suggested that changes to the process are necessary. Translation: when Steve Spurrier ain’t happy, nobody’s happy. Knowing some of the personalities involved, here’s my educated opinion of what will happen over the next few months: Athletic Director Eric Hyman will appoint a committee to study the issue of admissions for athletes and determine how the other 11 SEC schools handle the situation. Spurrier asks simply for a level playing field. If a majority of SEC schools are accepting football players upon approval by the NCAA Clearinghouse, you can bet that’s the direction USC will go. Once he has the information, Hyman will prepare a report and formulate a proposal for the Board to consider. I suspect Spurrier may even have some input in drafting the proposal. In the end, I believe Spurrier will get what he wants: a streamlined process in which the admissions decision is based entirely on whether the player is approved by the NCAA Clearinghouse. Once he's approved, he’s in. No questions asked.
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Mitchell on Manning Award Watch List
posted by Brian Shoemaker, 8/08/2007 11:06:00 AM
The USC Media Relations Department sent out the following press release Wednesday morning: University of South Carolina senior quarterback Blake Mitchell has been named to the Manning Award Watch List, as announced by the Allstate Sugar Bowl. The Manning Award is given annual to college football's top quarterback. Mitchell, a 6-3, 217-pounder from LaGrange, Ga., enters his final campaign ranked seventh in the Carolina record books with 4,245 career passing yards. He is the SEC's top returning quarterback in career completion percentage (61.2 percent), which is also the best mark in school history. He has started 17 games during his career at South Carolina, posting 11 victories. He earned MVP honors in the 2006 Liberty Bowl win over Houston by completing 19-of-29 passes for 323 yards and four touchdowns. The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning, and will be presented to the recipient following the holiday bowl season. It is the only quarterback award that takes into consideration the candidates' bowl performances. The winner will be determined by a selected panel of national media covering college football, as well as each of the Mannings. The first three winners of the Manning Award were Southern California's Matt Leinart, Texas' Vince Young and LSU's JaMarcus Russell. All three players went on to become first round draft picks in the NFL. Finalists for the award will be announced prior to the beginning of the bowl season.
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College Football News Makes USC Prediction
posted by Scott Hood, 8/08/2007 01:53:00 AM
CollegeFootballNews.com, one of the more thorough and popular web sites covering college football, has predicted that |
