 Eight Things I Want To See in 2008
posted by Scott Hood, 12/31/2007 02:17:00 AM
This is the day when people reflect back on the year just completed and try to figure out the best moments of the previous 365 days. However, if you’re a South Carolina fan, 2007 was hardly a year to remember. The football team lost its final five games and failed to make a bowl game. Both basketball teams fell short of earning a berth to their respective NCAA Tournaments. The baseball team lost in the Super Regional round to border rival North Carolina. So, rather than looking back, I’m going to look forward. Since the upcoming journey around the sun marks the eighth year of this decade, I present the eight things I want to see from the USC athletic program in 2008: 1. A Date To The Big Dance: This should be the goal of every Division I men’s and women’s basketball team when the season starts in November. Dave Odom and Susan Walvius haven’t led USC to the NCAA Tournament enough times for my liking. Their jobs could be on the line if the Gamecocks don’t reach the Tournament this season. The men’s team is 7-5 with two winnable non-conference games remaining against Radford and UNC-Asheville before SEC play begins on Jan. 9. The first five conference games will set the tone. USC must get off to a good start in the conference or the negative vibes surrounding the program will only escalate. 2. A Trip To The College World Series: USC hasn’t been to Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha since 2004. Since then, the Gamecocks have lost in the Regionals (Atlanta in 2005) and fallen in the third and deciding game of the Super Regional round twice (Georgia in 2006 and North Carolina in 2007). It’s time for USC to get over the hump and get back to the CWS. They have one of the best infields in all of college baseball this season with Justin Smoak (1B), Andrew Crisp (2B), Reese Havens (SS) and James Darnell (3B). The question marks are the outfield and pitching staff. Talent-wise, USC is certainly one of the top eight teams in the country. 3. Justin Smoak Named National Player Of The Year: This will likely be Smoak’s final season with the Gamecocks. He posted impressive numbers last season and will be USC’s all-time home run leader by a wide margin when this upcoming seasons concludes, hopefully in late June. Smoak enters the new campaign as one of the favorites to earn National Player of the Year honors along with Vanderbilt 3B Pedro Alvarez and a host of other players. He’s also in the running to become the top selection in next June’s MLB Draft. Scouts love his size, strength, hitting ability, defensive skills and baseball acumen. 4. Construction Of The New Baseball Stadium Is Completed On Time: After a long and tedious process required by the S.C. Procurement Code, construction of USC’s new baseball stadium is finally underway. We’re told it should be completed by late August. By this point, there have been so many false starts and stops, I’m through predicting when the stadium will be finished. Hopefully, the deadline will be met. The general contractor (Contract Construction) has a strong relationship with the university built over many years. So the signs are positive. USC head coach Ray Tanner wants his club to practice in the new stadium next fall in order to become acclimated to the surroundings by the start of the 2009 season. Hopefully, he’ll have that opportunity. 5. Football Team Beats Clemson: Based on the posts I’ve seen and the amount of e-mail I’ve received, USC fans have grown weary of losing to the Tigers. This year’s 23-21 loss to Clemson marked the fifth setback in the last six years to the Tigers. USC hasn’t beaten Clemson in consecutive years since 1969-70. Generally, Clemson has had more talent than USC over the last 15 to 20 years, so the lopsided nature of the rivalry isn’t surprising. There have been few upsets. Clemson should have another good team in 2008 with Cullen Harper and C.J. Spiller, and possibly James Davis, coming back. USC will have to go to Memorial Stadium and win again like they did in 2006. Will they be up to the challenge? 6. Eight Or More Wins: USC was well on its way to a highly successful season in 2007 when they stood at 6-1 and No. 6 in the BCS in mid October. However, the collapse down the stretch against stiff competition dropped the Gamecocks to .500 (6-6) and kept them out of a bowl game. Next year’s schedule sets up in similar fashion. USC should be 6-1 or better when LSU comes to Columbia in late October to start a daunting final five-game stretch. After the Bayou Bengals, Tennessee, Arkansas, Florida and Clemson await. The Gamecocks flunked the test in 2007. Will they do better next season? They must in order to get past the perception that even Steve Spurrier won’t be able to pull USC out of its long history of mediocrity. Victories in all five games is probably unrealistic, but two of five is not unreasonable. 7. Stephen Garcia Named SEC Freshman Of The Year: With spring practice ahead and then his second fall camp, Garcia should be prepared to lead the USC offense when the Thursday night season opener against N.C. State rolls around. He’ll likely split snaps with Chris Smelley, but there’s no question he’ll get every opportunity to make an impact. Steve Spurrier is already talking about the opportunity to coach up Garcia. We’re living in the era of the mobile quarterback. Garcia will unquestionably be one of the most-watched freshmen in the country, let alone the SEC, next season. With the first two games on national TV, Garcia can make a quick impression. If he performs well out of the gate, the buzz will start. 8. New Williams-Brice Stadium Seating Plan Unveiled: This is something many in Gamecock Nation have been dreading for a long time. But it’s coming, possibly by the summer. There’s no question USC fans will have to open their wallets and pay a seat license fee starting in 2009 if they want to retain their tickets. Will Roundhouse and Century Club members be moved out of the West Lower sections? That’s the key question. Most SEC schools have already reformed their football stadium seating. Clemson has a “seat equity” plan in place for 2008. It will be USC’s turn in 2009. When it happens, I’m sure we’ll hear howls of protest from some long-suffering Gamecock fans. But seat premiums are here to stay in big-time college athletics. USC has a $200 million capital campaign to pay for, including a planned $60 million expansion of Williams-Brice Stadium that will add 6,000 to 8,000 seats to a facility that already squeezes in nearly 82,000 patrons.
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USC-UC Irvine Live Game Blog
posted by Scott Hood, 12/28/2007 07:13:00 PM
9:24 - UCI hits a 3-pointer from the corner. It's 64-63 USC with 14.1 secs left. Archie has 17 pts. DD has 15 now after a slow start. DD fouled with 11.9 secs left. FT good. FT Good. 66-63. UCI needs a 3 to tie. Miss. Foul. 4.7 secs left. Archie going to the FT line. Needs 1. Good! Miss. Layup at the buzzer by UCI. It doesn't matter. USC WINS 67-65. 9:22 - UCI misses shot. But they grab the rebound! Travel on UCI! Wow. USC calls timeout with 20.7 secs left. They don't need to take a shot. UCI will likely foul here. Fouls on DD in the backcourt. 18.9 secs left. DD needs to make both here. Good. Good. USC 64-60. 2 possession game now. 9:20 - Good defense by USC. DD fouled. 2FT. USC leads 62-60. 55.9 secs left. UCI t/o. Shot clock at 17. This matches USC's biggest lead of 2H. 9:17 - 2 FT by UCI. 60-57. 3P by Downey! Scored tied 60-60. 2 mins left. Blocking foul on Archie. 2 FT for UCI. Missed. Missed. But UCI wins the battle for the rebound. Timeout UCI. 1:55 left. 60-60. 9:12 - HS by Gray, 57-56 USC. UCI basket in repsonse. 58-57. Less than 4 min. left. UCI has answered well tonight. Blocked shot! Muldrow. ZF misses a shot. He commits a foul in the scramble. Final media t/o. UCI leads 58-57 with 2:51 left. 9:10 - USC calls 30-sec t/o. UCI leads 56-55. 4:40 left. UCI led by as many as 11 inther 2H before USC's rally. 9:08 - DD driving layup good plus the foul! USC leads 55-53. First lead for USC since early in the 1H. But UCI hits a 3P. 56-55. 9:05 - It's 53-51 UCI. USC has chance to tie the game. ZF no good. Not many second chances tonight for USC. Gray jumper good! Scored Tied at 53-53. 9:00 - USC is within 2 at 48-46! 3-ptr by Archie after a disputed GT call on BRR at the other end. 9:27 left. 8:50 - USC creeped to within 4 at 44-40 with a 7-0 run but UCI has hit 2 FT to make it 46-40 with 12 mins left. 8:40 - First media t/o of the 2H with 15:21 left. UCI leads 44-33. Downey just scored his second basket of the night. It's been a slow night for him offensively. DD just turned the ball over. 8:35 - USC calls t/o with 16:45 left. UCI has taken a 42-31 lead. USC is offerirng little resistance underneath. A UCI just blew past Archie in the low post. A loss to UCI would be the low point of the season. USC needs a COC-like rally to win this game. 8:30 - The 2H is underway. UCI gets the first basket on a dunk. USC is now 0-for-6 on 3P's. 8:25 - First Half Stats: Team Shooting: UCI, (16-35) 45.7%, USC (13-27) 48.1% Leading Scorers: UCI, Sanders 13 pts; USC, Holmes, 8. Rebounding: Tied 17-17. 3P Shooting: UCI 3-14; USC 0-5. Turnovers: UCI 4, USC 7. Steals: UCI 4, USC 3. Points in Paint: UCI 24, USC 14. 8:15 - Halftime. UCI leads 36-29. Muldrow had a couple of baskets for USC late inthe first half. UCI grabbed its largest lead at 33-23 before USC managed to cut it to 7 by halftime. We'll have stats in a few minutes. 8:10 - UCI is steadily gaining control of the game. They lead 30-23 with 3:05 left in the 1H. 4th media timeout was just called. UCI is getting a lot of baskets underneath. USC's weakness along the front line is quite evident in the contest so far. Fredrick has the last 2 baskets for USC. He has 6 pts, Downey still has only 2 pts. He;s not involved in the offense right now. 8:03 - T/O UCI. The Anteaters lead 22-21 with 5:46 left in thr 1H. Holmes has 8 points, while Archie has 7. Downey only has 2 points. Transition basket by UCI plus the foul. It's 26-21 UCI with 5:12 left in 1H. Third media timeout called. USC has been outscored 21-11 since it led, 10-5. 7:58 - The USC offense has stagnated here in the middle portion of the 1H. USC has just 3 points in the last 5 mins. UCI leads, 18-15, with 9 mins left. 7:55 - Second media timeout. USC leads 14-12. Not much happened in that second segment. Both teams missed a bunch of shots. 11:58 left. 7:45 - Archie with the block! UCI has rallied to tie the score at 12-12 with 14:37 left in ther 1H. Holmes had 6 pts for USC, while Archie had 4 and Downey 2. We have the first media timeout of the 1H. 7:40 - We're underway at the CC. Holmes scored USC's first basket. It's 2-2 with 18:44 left. 2 FT by Archie. 4-2 USC. 7:15 - We're live at the Colonial Center for tonight's USC-UC Irvine basketball game. We're about 15 minutes from tipoff. BJ McKie and Larry Davis will be honored at halftime of tonight's game. McKie, as you may know, had his jersey retired two years ago. He's one of 5 former Gamecocks to have his number retired. Grady Wallace, John Roche, Kevin Joyce and Alex English are the others. McKie is also USC's all-time leading scorer with 2,119 points. New staff writer Roger Olivieri will have a profile of McKie tonight on the website. He spoke with McKie yesterday.
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Five Things Steve Spurrier Wants For Christmas
posted by Scott Hood, 12/24/2007 06:36:00 PM
It’s almost Christmas Day, so everyone is anxious about what they’re going to get from Santa this year. Being mischievous in a playful sort of way, I managed to hack into the computers located at the North Pole and discovered what Steve Spurrier wanted for Christmas this year. Here’s what I found out: 1. Stephen Garcia Behaves Himself: This time last year, Garcia was preparing to leave his Tampa, Fla. home and head to Columbia to enroll at South Carolina. But his first month on campus was filled with potholes. He was arrested twice, prompting some to call for his dismissal from the team. Spurrier told Garcia’s high school coach that he hoped the phenom was a good two-strike hitter. Well, the last 10 months have been fairly uneventful for Garcia. By all accounts, he performed suprerbly while running the scout team offese during in the fall. With his redshirt season over, it’s time for USC to find out what they’ve got in Garcia. He’ll be given every opportunity to win the job in spring practice. Spurrier said towards the end of the season that he looked forward to coaching Garcia. Of course, Chris Smelley will fight hard for the starting QB job, as well. 2. Return Of Jasper Brinkley And Kenny McKinley: One of Brian Van Gorder’s first tasks as USC’s new defensive coordintor is convincing Brinkley to remain at South Carolina rather than taking a chance on the NFL Draft. All signs point to Brinkley returning to school after missing the final eight games last season with torn knee ligaments. Brinkley should reclaim his starting linebacker job provided he’s able to return 100 percent. There’s no question the Gamecocks missed his large presence in the middle of the defense, particualtly against strong running teams like Arkansas and Florida. Since he’s not 6-foot-4 like Sidney Rice, McKinley’s draft prospects are less obvious. He clearly stated after the Clemson game he would return to the Gamecocks in 2008. However, it’s possible his feelings might change after listening to the sales pitches of agents that call him. However, 6-foot wide receivers are a lot like 6-foot righthanded pitchers in baseball – they’re not much in demand. 3. A Bigger, Faster And More Aggressive Defense: Spurrier talks all the time about the need for USC playing faster and more aggressive, especially on defense. It came up again in his latest press conference. It goes without saying USC must improve against the run next season. If they don’t, it could be another long year. The good news is there’s no place to go but up after the Gamecocks finished last in the SEC defending the run with 209.2 yards per game. Run defense is, for the most part, keyed on how big and strong your front seven is. USC has improved size-wise in that area, but they still need to get bigger. They were manhandled too often in 2007. The Arkansas game is the best example of that, as USC’s defensive line had no answers for the Razorbacks’ large offensive line that night. USC fans may have glimpsed the future when redshirt freshman Kenrick Ellis saw significant action in the Clemson game. If Ellis contnues to improve and do the things his coaches ask, he may provide the bulk in the middle USC is looking for. 4. Someone To Replace Cory Boyd: Boyd was, without question, the emotional leader of the Gamecocks in 2007. Who will take his place in 2008? Good question. Typically, a coach wants the quarterback to be the leader, but what happens if Stephen Garcia win the job? Will the veteran players follow a redshirt freshman? That could be an intriguing storyline for next season. But, besides being the team leader, Boyd was also the top running back for USC with 903 yards. His departure means Mike Davis must step up after struggling over the second half of the season. Davis disappeared from the offense, carrying just four times in the final two games. He’ll have to shoulder a much larger burden next season. If he doesn’t, Spurrier and running backs coach Robert Gillespie may turn to sophomore Brian Maddox, who carried the ball just six times in 2007, redshirt junior Bobby Walalce or someone else. 5. Five Offensive Linemen: The lasting memory of the 2007 season might be the merry-go-round at the guard poistion. Next season, USC must replace William Brown at center. Right now, who earns the starting jobs at both guard spots and at center is anybody’s guess. Expect a major battle throughout spring practice. Sophomore Heath Batchelor impressed the coaches with his confident play over the final three games at right guard. He should start there as long as he doesn’t beat out Jamon Meredith or Justin Dorensen at tackle. There will certainly be plenty of candidates. Brown is the only significant loss along the offensive line. His possible replacement is junior Garrett Anderson. OL coach John Hunt will have more two dozen linemen to work with during spring practice. Will young guns like Kyle Nunn, Ryan Broadhead and Quintin Richardson unseat veterans like seniors Jamon Mereedith and Justin Sorensen? If they can’t, others will try as well. Merry Christmas, everyone. R.I.P. Kevin DuBrow.
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USC-College of Chas. In-Game Blog
posted by Scott Hood, 12/22/2007 02:44:00 PM
I'll be providing frequent updates of Saturday's USC-College of Charleston game at the Colonial Center. 2:50 - We're about 10 minutes from tipoff. The game is being televised today by Fox Sports South. Dave Nesal and Larry Conley are the announcers. 3:15 - We're underway. It's up and down, as we expected. USC scored the first 4 points of the game, but COC has responded with a 9-2 runto take a 9-6 lead. Too many easy baskets. First media t/o. 15:41 left. COC leads 9-8. Archie has 4 pts for USC early. 3:20 - Chad Gray and Dwane Day into the game. USC leads 15-14. BRR just hit a 3-pointer. Make that 17-14 as Archie hits a nice runner through the lane. 3:25 - 2nd media t/o with 11:40 left. USC leads 17-14. But the Gamecocks just missed a series of close shots. That was a missed opportunity right there. Fast pace continued through the second segment. Archie has 6 points. 3:30 - 3rd media t/o with 7:33 left in 1H. USC leads 23-21. Chad Gray scored his first basket since The Citadel game. Muldrow just scored a basket, as well. USC is playing much better offensively against the zone today. 3:35 - COC has rallied with consecutive 3-pointers to take a 31-29 lead with 4:20 left in 1H. 3:40 - Fourth media timeout with 3:08 left in 1H. COC has scored 8 straight points to take a 34-29 lead. USC has to buckle down defensively here in the final portion of the 1H. The last points by USC came on a dunk by Archie. USC has missed a lot of shots around the basket. 3:50 - The first half is over. COC leads 43-33. The final five minutes were a nightmare for the Gamecocks. After taking a 27-23 lead, USC was outscored 20-6 down the stretch. It was the same script as the Baylor game. Unless USC turns it around, they're headed for another troubling loss. 4:00 - Here are the 1H Stats: FG Pct: USC 40.5% (15/37), COC 50.0% (17/34); 3P Oct: USC 12.5% (1/8), COC 42.9% (6/14); FT: USC 2/2, COC 3/4; Fouls: USC 6, COC 3; Rebounds: USC 16, COC 24; Leading scorers: USC, Archie and Holmes, 8 pts; COC, Scott, 17 pts. 4:10 - USC is starting to show some life. After falling behind by as many as 15 pts early in the 2H, USC has rallied with a 10-2 to cut the deficit to 51-44 with 15:58 left in the 2H. Archie closed out the run with a offensive put back and a dunk. USC needs to play with this level of intensity for the rest of the game. 4:15 - 1st media timeout of 2H with 15:12 left. COC leads 53-44. 4:20 - COC responds with an 8-2 run to take a 61-46 lead. USC calls t/o with 13:26 left. BRR hits a 3P. There's another 3P by BRR. The deficit is now 61-52. 4:25 - Second media timeout of the 2H with 11:51 left. COC leads, 63-54. The consecutive 3P's by BRR has given USC some hope as we head down the stretch. The Gamecocks are within striking distance. They have to pick it up defensively or there won't be any comeback. 4:30 - COC increased its lead to 14 ay 68-54 but BRR hits his 4th 3P of the afternoon to make it 68-57. USC calls a 30-second t/o with 9:46 left. 4:32 - USC is within 7 at 68-61 with 8:48 left. COC has blunted their rallies so far in the 2H. 7 straight pts by USC. 4:35 - The action is fast and furious here in the latter stages of the second half. USC managed to slice the deficit to 5 at 71-66 but COC just drove to the basket and made the hoop while being fouled. Media t/o with 6:25 left. COC leads 73-66. 4:40 - Here comes USC! 2 3-pointers by Fredrick. 2 FT by Downey. It's 77-76 with 4:20 left. 4:43 - 4th media timeout with 3:47 left. USC is trailing, 77-76, but has the ball looking to take the lead for the first time since the first half. 4:45 - Zam Fredrick is on fire! 4 3-pointers here in last few mionutes. USC leads 82-77 with 2:24 left. 16-3 run by USC. He has 21 points. But COC just hit a triple while being fouled. FT missed. 82-80 USC. 4:50 - Driving layup by COC. 82-82. 38.8 secs left. USC has the ball. 4:51 - Timeout wih 17.8 secs left. Tied 82-82. 4:53 - Basket by Downey with 2 seconds left and the foul! USC 84-82. Moon ball. Friendly bounce but USC will take it. FT good. Ball inbounded. 0.8 secs left. COC will inbound from midcourt. 4:56 - Theres the horn. USC WINS 85-82. Huge comeback win for the Gamecocks from a 15-point 2H deficit. Fredrick keyed the rally with 4 3-pointers. That might be his best performance as a Gamecock. I'm sure he made his father proud.
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It's D-Day For Dave
posted by Scott Hood, 12/22/2007 10:21:00 AM
Welcome to D-Day for Dave Odom. This afternoon’s game against Bobby Cremins and College Charleston at the Colonial Center is one of those pivotal moments that defines a season. Everybody will be watching to se how the Gamecocks respond after blowing a 20-point lead at home to Baylor Wednesday night. It was one of those losses that can gnaw at you for a long time. Unfortunately, there have been too many games like that this season. USC could have – and should have – beaten N.C. State and George Mason in Orlando as well. In all three games, USC led in the second half before falling. So, the Gamecocks could be 8-2 entering Saturday’s matinee against the Cougars. But they’re not. Instead, they’re a .500 basketball team at 5-5. And therein lies the problem. Their failure to take advantage of opportunities thus far this season means USC must win all four remaining non-conference games (COC, UC-Irvine, Radford, UNC-Asheville) and then win at least nine or 10 conference games in a mediocre SEC in order to have any chance of earning a berth in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. That was the goal this season, and it remains the goal. But, right now, I question whether USC can reach it. The way this season is going, USC will battle just to get into the NIT, and that’s something Gamecock Nation doesn’t want to hear. Thay’ve had their fill of the NIT. It’s time to take the next step. Despite the optimism surrounding the team coming into the season with new players like transfers Devan Downey and Zam Fredrick, things haven’t clicked yet. The unrest and negativity among the loyal USC fanbase is growing everyday. A loss to College of Charleston today would be devastating to the program, and to Odom personally in terms of his job security. That’s why I believe it’s a must-win situation for USC. More importantly, it’s a must-win for Odom. A significant portion of the fan base has already turned on Odom, despite the fact he’s compiled four 20-win seasons in Columbia and won two NIT titles. In the season stays on the same track, will we see candlelight vigils in front of the Colonial Center? Knowing how passionate USC fans are, that’s possible. Fan boycotts? Probable. Lots and lots of angry fans calling radio sports talk shows and writing letters to their local newspaper? Most definitely. Surely, one appearance in the NCAA Tournament in Odom’s first six years isn’t good enough, even if you believe in the theory that USC should only expect to make the Big Dance once every two or three years. In today’s college basketball environment, the NCAA Tournament is everything. In essence, the season has been reduced to three weeks in late March and early April. Everything that comes before that is just a precursor. Everything a team does in November, December, January and February and early March always leads to this one question – is it good enough to get into the NCAA Tournament? Heck, here we are in late December and ESPN already has its bracketologist Joe Lunardi talking about which teams will get into the NCAA Tournament. It’s lunacy, but that’s the way of the world today. Will Odom be fired if USC doesn’t make it to the Big Dance this season? Possibly. But I don’t think it’s a “done deal”, as fans often like to say. I can assure you Athletic Director Eric Hyman hasn’t given Odom any “NCAA or Bust” ultimatum. Hyman doesn’t operate that way. Nor will Odom be fired before the end of the season, unless a total meltdown occurs, which I don’t expect to happen. Like most athletic directors, Hyman conducts a full review of the program after the season and then makes his decisions in regards to coaches, etc. Besides wins and losses, there are financial considerations as well that Hyman must think about. Buying out the contract of a Division I head coach typically isn’t cheap and it won’t be for Odom either. But there’s no doubt the pressure is on Odom to win more basketball games. Starting today.
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Making Progress, One Coach At A Time
posted by Scott Hood, 12/20/2007 07:33:00 PM
It’s not a coincidence both assistant coaches hired by Steve Spurrier this week unapologetically act like maniacs on the sidelines during games. And they’re not fans of the University of Maine either. Spurrier’s dual decisions to bring on board Ray Rychleski as special teams coordinator and Brian VanGorder as defensive coordinator was a preemptive strike against apathy and lethargy creeping into the Gamecock players after a season-ending five-game losing streak dashed USC’s bowl hopes. Rychleski and VanGorder will make sure the players in special teams and defense stay on their toes with their high-energy, Type-A personalities. Both coaches demand their players compete aggressively, passionately and without fear. They’ll also be fun to watch on the sidelines when they blow a gasket after a player messes up a play. But, really, this was mostly about the players, and how poorly they played down the stretch. Of course, some of the coaches didn’t hold up their end of the bargain, either. Spurrier acknowledged Wednesday in his press conference that, while former defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix would have been welcomed back in 2008, he knew it “wasn’t working all that well.” That’s a nice way of saying Nix wasn’t getting the job done. But he also had this strong-worded message for the players: “Hopefully, we’ll play faster and be a more physical team and play our assignments a lot better. Our players have to know that blowing their assignment is not acceptable. We do those things way too often. (VanGorder) is used to coaching pretty good defenses. I think we have a lot of good players.”Translation: the defense was too soft, lacked discipline and failed to play up to its potential in 2007. One thing you should notice about the above statement – Spurrier didn’t blame the poor performance of the defense during the final stretch of the season on the season-ending injuries to Jasper Brinkley or anybody else. Instead, Spurrier followed the words of the brilliant philosopher Larry the Cable Guy – Git-R-Done! I’ve seen the hires of Rychleski and VanGorder described as a “home run” or a “grand slam” by Spurrier. I think it’s premature to use those terms. Why? I haven’t seen these guys in action yet while coaching for the Gamecocks. I’ll be ready to use such grandiose terms on Nov. 30, 2008. That’s the day after the Clemson game. By then, we’ll know how well the special teams and defensive units performed. Right now, I’d prefer to describe Rychleski and VanGorder as “solid hires.” Has Spurrier upgraded his staff at special teams coordinator and defense coordinator? Yes. Do I expect those units to show improvement in 2008? Yes. Will coaching have something to do with that? Yes. The numbers for Rychleski and VanGorder surely speak for themselves. Seven years without a blocked punt? You’re kidding, right? A defense ranked in the Top 10 nationally in several major categories? Blasphemy! Of course, great coaches are just that because typically they have great players. VanGorder had an impressive group at his disposal while serving as defensive coordinator at Georgia. Here’s something to think about - six of VanGorder's players at Georgia were selected in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft, including defensive tackle Jonathan Sullivan, safety Thomas Davis and defensive end David Pollack in the first round, and safety Sean Jones and linebackers Boss Bailey and Odell Thurman in the second round. When was the last time USC had a player in the defensive front seven selected in the first round of the NFL Draft? It’s been a long time. When that happens, we’ll know USC is making progress. For the time being, Spurrier’s decision to add Rychleski and VanGorder to his staff is a step in the right direction.
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Making Special Teams Special Again
posted by Scott Hood, 12/19/2007 10:31:00 AM
Steve Spurrier followed one simple rule when he stole new special teams coordinator Ray Rychleski from Maryland. If it’s broke, fix it. Spurrier is not a patient man, and I’m sure his blood pressure rose a few points watching the Gamecock special teams this season, especially in the final few weeks of the season when seemingly little went right for co-special team coordinators Shane Beamer and Fred Chatham. Historically, USC has endured poor special teams play. I’m not sure why that is, but it’s been as true as the night is dark. Make no mistake. Rychleski has one mandate from Spurrier – get the special teams turned around. Fast. I’m not sure when Spurrier finally said enough is enough. There were simply too many special team meltdowns by the Gamecocks this season. It may have come when Tennessee’s LaMarcus Coker was allowed to run free across the field as far as the UT 47-yard line when USC had a golden opportunity to tackle him around the 20. Maybe it was the botched onsides kick against Arkansas. But don’t forget the blocked punt by the lone Florida rusher when Ryan Succop rugby kicked the ball straight into his belly. Finally, it could have been the two blocked punts against arch-rival Clemson. One of them was returned for a touchdown. USC lost, 23-21, so you know how important that play was. You knew something was up when Spurrier harshly criticized the effort level of some of his special team players late in the season, and demanded lineup changes. Soon, you saw starters on the kickoff and punt coverage teams. But it didn’t seem to do any good. Here’s where Spurrier differs from most coaches: when players aren’t giving full effort, yet are still playing, he blames the coaches. That’s just bad coaching, he’ll often say. And he’s right. Which is why Ray Rychleski is now the special team coordinator for USC. In my opinion, the first thing he needs to do is improve the team speed on the punt and kickoff coverage teams. It was painfully obvious by the end of the season that some of the players on those units were simply too slow for the SEC. That sounds harsh, and it is. But it’s also reality. Things happen quickly in this conference and you need players who can keep up. When you have players who aren’t fast enough giving less than full effort banging helmets and shoulder pads with faster players giving 100 percent, it’s not difficult to figure out how that battle to going to end up. It shows up loud and clear in the statistics. USC was 51st in the nation (6th in SEC) in punt coverage defense (8.03 ypr) and 104th in the nation (10th in SEC) in kickoff coverage defense (23.9 ypr) this season. Only two SEC schools, and 15 nationally out of 119 in Division I-A, were worse than USC in covering kickoffs this season. That’s why Spurrier’s decision to hire Rychleski should be considered less of a personnel decisions and more of a call to arms by the HBC. In short, Spurrier is tired of mediocrity when it comes to special teams. But the hiring of Rychleski produces a dilemma. With defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix gone to Ole Miss, USC returns to its full allotment of nine assistant coaches. Thus, when Spurrier finally decides who will fill the defensive coordinator’s role, somebody has to exit. Who will it be? Fred Chatham appears on the surface to be the logical candidate. But he’s known Spurrier for a long time. Shane Beamer? He appears to be an up-and-comer. David Reaves? Besides the QB coach, he’s also the recruiting coordinator. Brad Lawing? Spurrier described him this past season as the best DL coach he’s ever had. Ron Cooper? The secondary wasn’t the problem this season. John Hunt? But who will coach the offensive line? Robert Gillespie? Same thing, except we’re talking about running backs. Steve Spurrier, Jr? Would the HBC really ditch his son? I don’t think so. Rychleski has a long history of recruiting in North Carolina, having been an assistant at Wake Forest for a number of years in the 1990’s. He continued to mine that state for talent while at Maryland. Chatham was brought here from Duke by Spurrier before the 2006 season in part to improve USC’s special teams and it’s presence in North Carolina. Last year, the Gamecocks gobbled up talent from the Tar Heel State, signing five of the top 11 players. This year, though, with the coaching staffs at UNC and N.C. State entrenched, has been quite different. Based on the latest Rivals rankings, USC currently has one verbal commitment from the top 30 players in the Tar Heel State – linebacker Reggie Bowens, a former teammate of Chris Culliver at Garner High School. With Rychleski, Chatham and Brad Lawing, does USC really need three coaches recruiting inside North Carolina? That’s one of the tough questions Spurrier must answer.
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The Silly Season Comes To College Football
posted by Scott Hood, 12/17/2007 06:26:00 PM
When is a job offer not really a job offer? It depends on whom you talk to, like those involved in the ongoing mating dance between Steve Spurrier and Mississippi State defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson. South Carolina people will tell you no job offer has been extended to Johnson, the defensive coordinator at Mississippi State. I can assure you from speaking at least a half-dozen times with people close to the Mississippi State program that Johnson believes otherwise. Why the disagreement? It all depends on your definition of the word “offer.” If you believe the word “offer” means one that specifically includes financial terms and everything else to consummate a deal, then there’s no question no offer was tendered to Johnson. All of my sources at Mississippi State told me that the financial details between Johnson and USC still had to be worked out in order to finalize the deal. In my opinion, that is what’s going on now. Johnson, though, told people close to the Mississippi State program early Monday that he had received an “offer” from Spurrier over the weekend. Was it more along the lines of an “informal” job offer? Probably. What could have occurred is that Spurrier and Johnson agreed that he would become the new defensive coordinator for USC and that the financial details would be worked out later. Or, Spurrier could have asked Johnson, “What would it take for you to become defensive coordinator at USC?” Johnson responded, “A, B and C.” Spurrier then said, “If I give you A, B and C, would you accept the job? Johnson said yes. Regardless of what was actually said, all of my Miss. State sources have remained firm on one point: Johnson believes he was “offered” the job. Moving past the word games, there’s no question talks between Spurrier and Johnson are in the serious stages. In fact, I’m been told by my sources close to Mississippi State that negotiations with Johnson are so far along that they would be “shocked” if a deal wasn’t imminent. The hiring of Johnson as the new defensive coordinator at South Carolina may not be the “splashy” hire Steve Spurrier hoped for when his search began last week but it’s a good, solid move for the program. Spurrier hinted last week what he was looking for – a proven coach with an excellent track record for coaching defense. Johnson certainly possesses those qualities. He started in the coaching business in 1975 and was the head coach at The Citadel for three seasons from 2001-2003. His resume is quite impressive. In my opinion, Johnson was attractive to Spurrier for two principal reasons: 1) his strong personal and professional ties to the Palmetto State; 2) his experience coaching in the SEC. As some of you may know, Johnson was born and raised in Winnsboro. He played at The Citadel in the early 1970’s and soon after graduation joined the Bulldogs coaching staff. He coached at Gaffney and Spartanburg High Schools before moving into the college ranks for good in 1982 when he rejoined The Citadel. I’ve been told Johnson is well respected within the South Carolina high school coaching ranks and, hopefully, will improve USC’s in-state recruiting on that side of the ball. According to the Rivals.com state rankings, 10 of the top 20 players in South Carolina are on defense. Make that 11 if you want to include USC commitment Jay Spearman, who’s listed as an “Athlete”. Here’s the dilemma: Factoring Spearman into the equation, just 3 of those 11 players are currently committed to USC. While Clemson has only two of the 11 players, they’ve managed to snag the biggest prize: five-star recruit DE DaQuan Bowers of Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School. The Tigers also have a verbal commitment from No. 10 prospect Jonathan Willard of Loris High School. That means two of the top five defensive prospects in the Palmetto State are committed to the Tigers. Linebacker Bruce Taylor, the No. 5 prospect in the state, has verbally committed to Virginia Tech. In addition to improving USC’s in-state recruiting, Johnson has coached a total of 12 year in the SEC on three different occasions. He’s served two four-year stints at Alabama. So, he’s familiar with the hyper-competitiveness of the SEC and what it takes to win on a consistent basis in the conference. That’s a valuable resource to have when you’re a head coach.
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Walking A Straight And Narrow Path
posted by Scott Hood, 12/14/2007 01:13:00 PM
Once upon a time, former South Carolina running back Troy Hambrick was a very good football player. His 75-yard sprint for the eventual game-winning touchdown against Clemson as a freshman in 1996 is a case study on how legends are made. He finished his three-year Gamecock career with 1,586 rushing yards, and went on to play five seasons in the NFL, four with the Dallas Cowboys, compiling 2,179 career rushing yards with five touchdowns. Granted, he left USC under a cloud of controversy when Lou Holtz permanently dismissed him from the team prior to the 1999 season. He concluded his college football career at Savannah State. But that doesn’t take away the fact Hambrick, along with his older brother Darren, was a fairly productive player during his three years in Columbia. Unfortunately, however, Troy Hambrick has been in the news lately for all the wrong reasons. Hambrick, now 31 years old, was indicted Dec. 6 by a federal grand jury in Florida on three felony charges of selling or distributing crack cocaine last September. If convicted, Hambrick faces between five and 20 years in federal prison. It always saddens me when I see former great athletes fall by the wayside. Hambrick was once one of the biggest stars for the football team for the Palmetto State’s flagship university. I’m sure lots of kids wore Hambrick’s jersey back then when he was at his zenith of popularity. Sadly, the alleged drug transactions occurred at a time when it appeared Hambrick was on the comeback trial. He signed a free-agent contract with the Utah Blaze of the Arena Football League in November. Training camp was scheduled to begin Feb. 6. But now, it appears, he’s thrown it all away. Hambrick was waived by the Blaze soon after the indictment became public knowledge. The Hambrick brothers have a history of bizarre behavior. As you recall, Steve Spurrier booted Darren off the Florida team as a result of an incident before the 1995 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. A recent article in the St. Petersburg Times outlined alleged additional violent incidents involving the brothers in the last few years. Fast forwarding to the present, I hope the Lindsey twins – Jordin and Dustin - won’t fall into the same trap that the Hambricks did. Let me say first that I like the Lindsey twins. They’ve been great to work with over the last three years. Every time I’ve spoken with them for an article, they’ve always happily answered my questions. When they stay focused on football and academics, the Lindseys are solid citizens on and off the gridiron. But when their attention is diverted, they seem to fall off the wagon. As you recall, Dustin was ruled academically ineligible for the 2006 season shortly after the team returned from Shreveport for the Independence Bowl. Two months later, while still residing in Columbia, he was arrested along with former teammate Shea McKeen following a late-night incident in - you guessed it - Five Points. Jordin was the MVP of the last year’s Liberty Bowl but academic problems sidelined him for the 2007 season. The young Gamecocks defense sorely missed his presence. Based on everything I’ve read, this latest incident (which occurred at 4 a.m. last Saturday morning) in Five Points could turn into a “he said, he said” situation. It’s also apparent Jordin is lucky to be alive. Were it not for some quick thinking by Dustin, former QB Blake Mitchell and others, he might not have made it. The person charged with striking Jordin with a broken beer bottle during an alleged fight, 18-year old Clifton Epps, a Midlands Tech student, will likely claim self-defense if you believe the comments of his attorney when the matter goes to trial. The lawyer has also said Epps might file counter-charges against Jordin Lindsey. Hopefully, the close call will inspire the Lindsey twins to walk a more straight and narrow path in the future. I hope so. Their lives, as we’ve learned, could depend on it.
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This Bud's For You
posted by Scott Hood, 12/13/2007 12:28:00 PM
Depending on your point of view, Wednesday was either a shining example of the new world order created by the internet or merely the latest chapter in a universe run amuck. The subject of the latest feeding frenzy? Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster, universally recognized as one of the best in the business. USC fans were dreaming big. Would the architect of one of the best defenses in the nation on an annual basis actually leave the comforts of Blacksburg, Va. and replace Tyrone Nix as the defensive coordinator for the much-maligned Gamecock defense? The answer to that question hinged on whom you were speaking with. As soon as the rumors started in earnest, I contacted the publisher of Virginia Tech’s Rivals site. He denied the speculation, and went so far as to later post a message on his board saying Foster wasn’t leaving Virginia Tech. He also claimed the talk about Foster has started with some “fake” threads on his message board. But, of course, all that didn’t stop most people from offering a different opinion on our boards. But I know one thing. The prospect of Foster coming to Columbia created a major buzz on the Gamecock Central message boards. We had heard Steve Spurrier was eager to make a “splashy” hire, and bring someone in that he could completely trust with the defense. Spurrier has been quoted as saying he’ll likely wait until after bowl season before making the all-important hire. That would certainly lend credence to Foster, considering he’s been at Virginia Tech for 21 years and his fierce loyalty to the school and head coach Frank Beamer. As a result, Foster likely wouldn’t just walk out the door in the weeks before the Hokies play in a BCS bowl game. If Foster ends up at USC, it will be interesting to see how it affects recruiting at both schools. Both institutions have been at odds in the past over recruits, including Jonathan Hannah and Ladi Ajiboye. What would Bruce Taylor, a standout linebacker from Myrtle Beach, do? Would he stick with Virginia tech or change his commitment to USC? It’s an intriguing question. In my view, Spurrier’s goal of hiring a major name as defensive coordinator is based on one thing – he wants to devote his entire attention to an offense he feels is on the verge of breaking out. If you recall, Spurrier spent considerable time watching USC’s defensive unit in practice after the stunning meltdowns against Arkansas and Florida. Here’s a memo: the HBC doesn’t like doing that because it takes him away from his beloved ballplays. Spurrier’s philosophy has long been to hire a defensive coordinator with the experience, knowledge and skills to run the defense as a separate entity. It worked with guys like Bob Stoops and Bob Pruett at Florida. As long as the defense is performing well, Spurrier won’t interfere. That’s music to the ears of many defensive coordinators, which is why the current opening at USC will attract major candidates. But it also means that if Spurrier has to devote his precious time paying close attention to the defense, someone will pay the consequences. In this case, it was Nix. That’s a principal reason Nix is now working in Oxford, MS. The top three quarterbacks are all Spurrier’s recruits – Chris Smelley, Tommy Beecher and, of course, Stephen Garcia. Spurrier can now mold the offense anyway he wants. He’s been waiting for Garcia to develop because the redshirt freshman brings a multitude of talents to the table, including escapeability, a modern term for a quarterback’s ability to run away from trouble when the pocket collapses. So, the less time Spurrier has to watch the defense, the more time he can work with his quarterbacks, and improve an offense that struggled at times to generate points this past season. How much will it cost to convince Foster or another big-name to move to Columbia and take the reins of a Gamecock defense that returns nearly every major player? A lot. Nix was one of the lowest paid defensive coordinators at $195,000. It will take about twice that much to get Foster or another “big name” coordinator to pick up the scent. That’s the market rate, as USC athletic director Eric Hyman is fond of saying. But, after attending many Board of Trustees meetings, I have no doubt that body will do whatever it takes to bring a winning football program to USC. If it takes a few hundred thousand dollars more to move a step closer to that goal, they’ll do it. But even if Foster doesn’t take the job – considering his loyalty to Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer, that’s always a possibility – there are plenty of good defensive coordinators out there. The most intriguing name I’ve seen has to be former Ole Miss head coach Ed Orgeron. His firebrand personality would certainly light a fire under the defense, but I suspect it might clash with the more low-key Spurrier. But I’m rooting for Orgeron to get the job for one reason – the Oct. 4 meeting in Oxford between USC and Ole Miss. You would have Orgeron on one side and Nix on the other. The storylines would be plentiful. As a sports journalist, that’s all you ask.
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The Wheel Of Intrigue Starts Turning
posted by Scott Hood, 12/12/2007 12:22:00 AM
And the frenzy begins. Who will be named the new defensive coordinator for South Carolina? Over the next few days, familiar names will pop up as rumors swirl and then fade, only to swirl again. Some of the names will be realistic, some will be pure fantasy. But talking about it is the fun part. Watching the anticipation build among the fans is always one of my favorite aspects of a coaching searches. I’m sure of one thing: a change at defensive coordinator has been in the works for a while. The process didn’t begin when head coach Houston Nutt contacted Spurrier recently to seek permission to talk with Nix. Instead, the saga really started before then, when Nix threw his hat into the ring for the Southern Miss head coaching job. Spurrier pushed hard for Nix to get that job, but it didn’t happen. Spurrier isn’t stupid. He’s been a head coach for a long time and has worked with a bunch of coaches. He knows a lot of people in the coaching profession. Any forward-thinking head coach anticipates his assistants leaving or taking new jobs. It happens at every major program in the country. The life of an assistant football coach is one of a nomad. Santa Claus and most head football coaches are similar in one respect – they both have lists. Spurrier, no doubt, has already placed more than a few phone calls. Listening to Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt this afternoon, I was intrigued by something he said. He told the media Nix initiated the first contact with him through a mutual friend. That tells me two things: 1. Nix knew he wasn’t going to be the defensive coordinator for USC in 2008 and was anxious to leave Columbia; 2. Nix was “fired” before he was fired or demoted. There’s no question this was an amicable parting of the ways between Spurrier and Nix. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was revealed Spurrier helped Nix locate another job. In that sense, he was “fired” by USC and hired by Ole Miss at the same time, if you know what I mean. Spurrier’s statement about Nix's decision to move on to Oxford in the official press release included these words: ”We understand change is part of the coaching profession and hopefully this will be a good move for everyone.”. Translation: Don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out. Certainly, Spurrier doesn’t appear too broken-hearted over Nix’s departure. This quote from Nix in the press release said nearly the same thing: ”Change is a part of this profession and I think the best thing for me at this time is to go work for the University of Mississippi and see what we can get done there.” Is it a coincidence both Spurrier and Nix felt the urge to use the word “change” in their respective statements. I don’t think so. In this situation, change is indeed good. It’s sort of like the married couple that gets divorced due to irreconcilable differences. They still care for each other, but simply can’t stand living under the same roof. Love one minute, disgust the next. I feel bad for Nix because the USC defense has the potential to be very good in 2008, especially if middle linebacker Jasper Brinkley returns to the Gamecocks rather than declaring for the NFL Draft. Had the Gamecocks defense enjoyed a spectacular season in 2008, Nix might have had a realistic chance at a head coaching job on the major college level. Now, he’ll have to bide his time in Oxford for a few years while trying to figure out a way to stop the offenses of SEC West Division rivals LSU, Auburn, Alabama and Arkansas. In my opinion, the USC defense is getting bigger and stronger, and is better than the unit that took the field in 2005, the first season with Nix calling the shots. I hope the new defensive coordinator can continue the progress Nix made. In my opinion, the defense made important strides under Nix. Sure, the run defense wasn’t very good this season, but the pass defense was solid. Just one player of significance graduates – defensive end Casper Brinkley. Chris Hampton contributed, but was mostly a reserve. Brandon Isaac played well at times but was injury prone. So, who will be the new defensive coordinator for USC? The names will fly around, no question. I’m sure you’ll hear the names of Jon Hoke (Texans), Charlie Strong (Florida), Jon Tenuta (Georgia Tech), Brian Van Gorder (Falcons), Kevin Steele (Alabama), John Chavis (Tennessee) and Bud Foster (Va. Tech) and possibly others over the next several days. Heck, Brother Bill Oliver might even be a candidate. If you’re looking for one of the above-named coaches to get the job, prepare to pay. Nix made $195,000 in 2007. It will cost at least twice that amount – and probably a lot more - to secure of the services of a big-name defensive coordinator. While Spurrier is well known in the business as someone who can be difficult to work for if you’re a defensive coordinator, he also gives his defensive coordinator the freedom to do his job. There is little interference from the Head Ball Coach, as long as the opponents don’t have too many time-consuming drives and deny Spurrier the joy of calling his precious ballplays. No matter who it is, I believe Spurrier needs to make a hire as quickly as possible. There’s too much at stake in recruiting for the position to remain vacant for too long. The wheel of intrigue is turning.
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SEC Coaches Make Same Mistake Again
posted by Scott Hood, 12/11/2007 12:00:00 AM
There’s the math you learned in secondary school. Then there’s the new math, whatever that is. Finally, there’s the football math practiced by SEC head coaches. It’s different, no question about it. How different? Ten is, apparently, greater than 27, or, as I learned many years ago, 10 > 27. Crazy, you say? Not if you’re a SEC head coach. South Carolina’s Dion Lecorn enjoyed a brilliant freshman campaign with 27 receptions for 315 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged 31.5 receiving yards per game. All of his receptions came in the final eight games of the season. Yet, it wasn’t enough to impress the SEC coaches. When the SEC All-Freshman Team was announced Dec. 6, Lecorn was nowhere to be found. Instead, Terrance Toliver of LSU and Denarius Moore of Tennessee were honored with places on the squad. What kind of numbers did Toliver and Moore post for their respective clubs? Toliver had 10 receptions for 249 yards and three touchdowns. Moore had 10 receptions for 126 yards and zero touchdowns. Your eyes aren’t deceiving you. Lecorn had nearly triple the total number of receptions by either Toliver and Moore, yet was forgotten by the coaches when it came time to vote for the All-Freshman Team. Better, their combined receptions fall seven short of equaling the number of catches made by Lecorn. How does that happen? Obviously, the head coaches aren’t paying attention to what’s going on around the league outside of their cocoons. Or worse, they’re programmed to vote for players from the so-called “big boys” of the SEC. Has the good ol’ boy network among SEC coaches finally run amok? I suspect it has. What’s even more surprising, Tolliver was a unanimous selection by the league coaches. Did the coaches even know Lecorn was on the ballot? Frankly, if it wasn’t so sad, it might be laughable. It can’t be argued Lecorn toiled in oblivion. He set season/career highs with eight receptions and 109 yards on national television against Arkansas Nov. 3. He had five receptions against Clemson Nov. 24 on ESPN2. Lecorn logged 16 receptions – six more than Toliver or Moore had all season - in the final three games and finished as USC’s fourth-leading receiver. I guess the SEC coaches just covered their eyes and pretended it didn’t happen. At least the coaches got it right in naming Ladi Ajiboye (39 tackles) and Cliff Matthews (26 tackles) to the All-Freshmen Team. I feel like giving the coaches one of those sarcastic cheers frustrated fans shower officials with when they finally make a call in favor of their team. But that still doesn’t hide the fact they blew it when it comes to Lecorn. I’m happy to report The Sporting News got it completely right when they named six Gamecocks to the SEC All-Freshman Team, including Lecorn, Ajiboye, Matthews, tight end Weslye Saunders, defensive end Travian Robertson and kick returner Chris Culliver. Unlike the coaches, they understand what’s happening around the league. Unfortunately, Lecorn’s unfortunate omission is not the first time a well-deserving Gamecock player has been left off the All-Freshman Team. Last year, Eric Norwood has 30 tackles, nine for loss, and seven sacks as a freshman. He was named first-team Freshman All-America and first-team Freshman All-SEC by The Sporting News. He was also named a second-team Freshman All-America by Rivals.com. Yet, the SEC coaches didn’t see fit to vote Norwood onto their Freshman All-SEC team. Hey, one dumb decision deserves another.
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Solving the Clemson Riddle
posted by Scott Hood, 12/10/2007 12:15:00 PM
Ever since the South Carolina basketball team was thumped by Clemson nine days ago, a number of USC fans have asked me why the Tigers seem to dominate the rivalry between the two Palmetto State schools. First a disclaimer: I didn’t grow up in this state, so I could be accused, I guess, of lacking the necessary “life experience” to comment on the rivalry. However, I have attended most USC-Clemson football games since 1994, numerous basketball games and dozens of baseball games. Hopefully, that’s enough to be taken seriously. In my opinion, Clemson’s continuous success over USC boils down to one simple, easy to understand synonym: A.R.E. Attitude. Recruiting. Execution. I agree with Steve Spurrier on one point – ‘hating’ Clemson isn’t going to get it done. Methodical preparation followed by a disciplined, well-executed, all-out effort on game day is the key to success against the Tigers. And that is what he's striving for. Spurrier also said something recently that I concur with – attitude is everything. I believe Clemson’s players and fans attack the rivalry with greater intensity, passion, energy and enthusiasm. In short, their attitude is better. Why? When it comes to the Clemson-USC rivalry, particularly in football and men’s basketball, the Tigers expect to win while USC hopes to win. That may seem subtle on the surface, but it’s actually a huge difference. I’m not saying Clemson ‘wants to win more’ than USC, because I believe both schools want to win any rivalry game very badly. It just seems they approach it from a different psychological perspective. You don’t need to be a Hall of Fame coach to understand teams that play with confidence of a favorable outcome will typically perform better. I’ve also noticed something else in my travels to the Upstate – Clemson people seem to take more pride in their school. I reside in Irmo, a suburb of Columbia located about 10 miles northwest of downtown. I see just as many, if not more, Clemson car flags, decals and license plates than USC stuff. Last week, while at Clemson for the basketball game, I was astounded by how the slogan “Solid Orange – It’s About Pride” has such a major presence inside Littlejohn Coliseum. It’s the same with Doug Kingsmore Stadium, home of the Tigers baseball team. The slogan is even printed on the credentials they issue to the media. Help me here, but I don’t recall USC undertaking a marketing campaign in the last decade utilizing the word “pride.” If so, why not? But, of course, while a positive attitude is terrific, you still need players. I can say unhesitatingly that Clemson has out-recruited USC in both football and basketball over the last several years. As a result, they have enjoyed the fruits of taking the field or court with better players. I sense the tide might be turning a bit in football, considering USC’s outstanding 2007 class, but it’s going to take multiple recruiting classes to finally overtake the Tigers in the talent department. The talent gap was quite noticeable between the two basketball teams when they clashed last week in the Upstate. Clemson’s roster was deeper and more talented than USC’s. The Gamecocks simply couldn’t keep up. If you follow football recruiting, I don’t need to remind you of USC’s past blunders. They had a chance to sign Gaines Adams, who was coached in high school by former Gamecock QB Steve Taneyhill. But USC didn’t show any interest. As a result, he signed with Clemson and became an All-American defensive end and a top five pick in last April’s NFL Draft. Unfortunately, there are too many tales like that. A better attitude and superior players is just two-thirds of the equation, though. You still have to perform on the field of battle. In football, Clemson has simply executed better in crunch time than USC over the last several years. Whether it’s the push-off by Rod Gardner, Charlie Whitehurst scampering for a TD after eluding a blitzing Cory Jenkins, the Tigers escaping a first-and-35 situation or, this year, converting a critical fourth-down en route to the game-wining field goal, the Tigers seem to coolly make the plays when they must to beat the Gamecocks. Conversely, USC had a chance to salt this year’s game away with just over two minutes left but failed to pick up a first down on a critical third-and-4 situation when they ran the ball against Clemson’s soft cover-2 scheme. Even with the Tigers expecting a pass, USC couldn’t pick up the first down. As a result, they had to punt. That’s called failure to execute. While the Tigers needed a last-second field goal to win three weeks ago, they dominated statistically and, quite frankly, deserved to win the game more than USC did. But USC had its chances. They just didn’t come through. Once they start doing that, you’ll see the Gamecocks beating Clemson on a more regular basis.
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Nix's Return A Step In The Right Direction
posted by Scott Hood, 12/06/2007 11:31:00 PM
So, Tyrone Nix has voluntarily dropped out of the running for the head coaching job at Southern Miss, his alma mater. As much as he wanted that position, his return to South Carolina for next season – yes, I believe he’ll be back rather than pursuing head coaching opportunities elsewhere – will be a good thing for the USC defense. I know there’s a vocal group of USC fans wishing Spurrier would fire Nix and hire a new coordinator. I’m not one of those people. Why? Easy. Nix doesn’t deserve to be fired. As Spurrier noted on several occasions during the first half of the schedule when USC was winning games and everyone in Gamecock Nation was feeling good, the defense was mostly responsible for USC’s success. Then the losing streak came, and everybody’s mood changed. If you thoroughly, and objectively, examine the final five games of the season, the defense played well enough to win in three of them – Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Clemson. Yes, I’ll concede the issue that the defense was monstrously horrible in the Arkansas game and just a little less awful in the Florida game. All you have to do is look at the numbers to realize that. Yes, 542 rushing yards is unacceptable. The other 10 games? USC’s defense held up its end of the bargain. Consider the Vanderbilt game, for example. As you recall, the Commodores jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter. But ill-timed USC turnovers were largely to blame for that. Two of Vanderbilt’s three scoring drives in the first quarter started from the USC 24, while the third started from the USC 43. The defense was placed into bad spots by a sputtering and turnover-prone offense. Vanderbilt had just 269 yards of total offense, 169 in the final three quarters. That’s pretty good defense, folks. The defense’s only sin in that game was they didn’t play lights out like the Vanderbilt defense. Bu it was a good performance nonetheless. The following week, the defense held their own against Tennessee. Yeah, the Vols scored 21 first-half points, but it was nearly a mirror-image of the Vanderbilt game. Tennessee’s first two scoring drives traveled two and 44 yards, respectively. The Vols took over in USC territory as a result, again, of critical turnovers. The defense held Tennessee to 112 yards and two first downs in the second half. That’s impressive. The USC defense held Clemson to 13 points (the Tigers scored one TD on a blocked punt) in the first 59:59 of the rivalry game on Nov. 24. But the last-second field goal ruined what would have been remembered as a great effort by a Gamecock defense absent four starters. Unfortunately, the lasting image for most USC fans of the 2007 season will be Darren McFadden racing around right end and sprinting 80 yards untouched for a touchdown late in the 48-36 loss to Arkansas on Nov. 3. If not, then possibly Tim Tebow rushing for five touchdowns. Both players will be in New York this weekend for the Heisman Trophy consideration. I would say USC just got beat by better players. USC surrendered 209.2 rushing yards per game, last in the SEC. Take out the Arkansas and Florida games and the average plummets to 173.7 ypg. That’s more in line with the other SEC teams. Not great, but not obnoxiously repulsive either. Here’s why I think Nix should return: he deserves the opportunity to coach in 2008 when USC should have a very good defense. In fact, it might be a championship-caliber defense. The key, of course, is MLB Jasper Brinkley. If he returns, USC might be downright scary. DT Nathan Pepper, injured in the third game last season, should help solidify an improved defense line. Don't forget about the possible return of the Lindsey twins, as well. Their energy, enthusiasm and aggressiveness was sorely missed at times this season, especially late in the season when the defense badly needed a pick-me-up. Both Lindseys have motors that don't stop. I think you'll notice a difference when they're on the field next season. Brinkley foregoes the NFL Draft and returns to the Gamecocks, the decision will in large part arise out of his solid relationship he’s built with Nix over the last two years. I question if Brinkley will take a chance on a new coordinator if Nix left. USC’s top four tacklers in 2007 were sophomores – Emanuel Cook (92), Eric Norwood (69), Darian Stewart (68) and Rodney Paulk (64). Seven of the top nine tacklers return. Everyone but Chris Hampton and the oft-injured Brandon Isaac will be back from a secondary that led the SEC in pass defense. Right now, if the offense and defense perform to their capabilities, USC has the potential to be a very good team in 2008. The best part - Tyrone Nix should in all likelihood be a part of it. I’m pleased about that.
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USC-Providence In-Game Blog
posted by Scott Hood, 12/06/2007 06:50:00 PM
9:05 - PC gets the ball upcourt. Foul on USC. 0.2 secs left. Bad play by USC. But he missed the first FT! He made the second by mistake. Inbound pass. That's it. USC WINS 68-67. HUGE VICTORY FOR THE GAMECOCKS. THEY HEAD INTO THE BREAK ON A POSITIVE NOTE. The next five game at home before the SEC schedule starts. 9:02 - FT good. 67-66. USC must inbound. Archie fouled with 5.1 secs left. DA is not a good FT shooter. He's 6 of 6 tonight. DA misses the first FT. He has the make the second. Good. 68-66. USC calls t/o with 5.1 secs left. USC will try to set up a defense. No fouls right here. PC may try for a 3-point shot. 9:00 - USC gets the ball to DD. Smart. He's going to the FT line. He misses the front end of 1-and-1. PC has had several shots at the basket. None drop. 2 FT coming for PC. 6.1 secs left. USC calls t/o. 1 FT left. 8:55 - 33.6 secs left. USC 67-64. USC has trouble. DD calls t/o. 28.3 secs left. PC will try for a quick steal here. 8:50 - DD going to the FT line. PC will start to foul. FT good. FT good. 21 pts for DD. 67-61. USC has to block out!! Man. Tie-up. USC ball. PC will foul here. Steal by PC and a 3. Ouch! 67-64. That hurt. No turnovers, please! 8:45 - Here's the scene: 2:06 left. USC leads 61-59. PC has outlayed USC the last several minutes. PC misses a 3 for the lead. Archie fouled. FT good. FT good. USC needed those 63-59. DD steal! Open L/U! Wow, great play. USC 65-59. J by PC. 1:11 left. USC leads 65-61. PC calls timeout. 8:40 - USC's lead is slipping away. USC leads by just 2 pts. t/o. This would be another devastating loss for USC. The Gamecocks must find a way to hang on. 8:30 - USC leads 57-46 w/ 9 min. left. t/o by USC. BRR palmed the ball. Media t/o. 7:38 left. USC 57-48. ESPN announcers have been very kind to USC tonight. Very objective on both sides. 3 BY PC. Lead down to 6. 57-51. That's the closest PC has been in a while. Big hoop by ZF! Pullup in the lane. Hoop by PC. 59-53. 8:20 - Sheldon Brown on TV right now. USC leads 51-42. Nice 3 by BRR! He's a machine right now from 3pt land. 21 of 30 on the year got BRR. USC 54-42. Scramble for the ball. PC gets a basket. 54-46. 4 straight pts by PC. BRR another 3! 57-46. ESPN guy just said that's ridiculous! It is! But USC will take it. 8:15 - Steal and layup by Day in transition! Great play. There's the leadership Odom was talking about yesterday. USC 45-34. PC is at the line. 3 FT. 45-36. Bad pass by ZF. But he outfought a pair of PC players for a rebound. Floater by DD! That scrapped the ceiling. What a shot, 47-36. But PC responds with a basket. 8:12 - Media t/o. USC leads 43-34. Let's see if USC can hang on here. 8:10 - Great pass by DD to MH. MH fouled. MH hits both FT. 43-31. Another PC t/o. The Friars must be frustrated. 3 by PC. USC leads 43-34. 8:05 - 2H is underway. t/o by PC. 12th of the game. Dunk by MH! USC leads 39-29. USC having its way with PC's zone. Archie is fouled underneath. USC can build a double-digit lead. 2 FT good. USC 41-29. 8:00 - Downey leads USC with 9 pts at H/T. Fredrick has 8 and Holmes 6. Both ZF and MH have 4 rebs. USC is 4 of 7 on 3P. PC has 11 turnovers and 11 FG. That's good defense by USC. 7:45 - BRR drains 1 of 2 FT. USC has a 10-point lead at 32-22. 1:08 left. PC will go to the line. 2 FT by PC. 32-24. 3 By DD!! Nothing but net. Hoop by PC. 35-26. USC can hold for the final shot. DD misses the 3 from top. HALFTIME: USC 35, PROVIDENCE 26. 7:40 - USC calls t/o after a bad defensive sequence. It's 27-22 USC with 2:20 left. DD travels. PC can get to within 3 here. DD steals. Layup try. Holmes with the follow! Nice play by the freshman! He went up and over a PC player. It's 29-22. 2 FT by Archie. 31-22. 7:35 - It's still 25-15 with 6 mins. left in 1H. L/U by PC on the entry pass into the past. Nice block by PC. Than a basket the otehr way. Fredrick hits a J. USC leads 27-19 with 3:42 left. 4th media t/o. 7:30 - DD blocked on layup. 3 by Fredrick. 25-15. Great start by USC. 3rd media t/o of the 1H. USC leads 25-15. 7:25 - BRR draws the offensive foul. Great defense right there. USC is just 2-of-9 since the hot start. Make that 2 of 10. Downey fouled in transition. 2nd FT good. 19-15 USC. 3 by BRR! USC leads 22-15 with 8:47 left. PC calls t/o. BRR came in shooting nearly 70 percent from 3P range. 7:20 - Second media t/o. USC leads 16-11 with 11:45 left in the 1H. Hoop for PC. Muldrow will go to the FT line. 10:37 left. FT Good. FT Good. USC leads 18-13. 7:15 - USC leads 11-4 with 15:20 left. Hoop by Prov. Nice folloup by Archie. USC leads 13-9 after a hoop by PC. Great move by Downey! Aggressive move to the hoop. He drove through 3 PC defenders. That was a classic Downey move. FT good. USC leads 16-9with 13 mins left. 7:10 - 3 for Fredrick. USC is shooting the ball well early. 9-4 USC. Post move by Mike Holmes. Nice pass by Day. USC is playing well early. Media t/o. 15-1/2 minutes left. Good start for the Gamecocks! Hopefully, they'll be able to sustain this level of play for 40 minutes. 7:05 - We're underway. Day hits USC's first basket on a short jumper. It's 2-2. Great pass from Downey to Holmes for the dunk! ESPN's Bill Raftery called Holmes a "stud." That's accurate. Downey with the J. USC leads 6-2. 16:50 left. 6:55 - We're about 10 minutes from tipoff. The game is being televised by ESPN2. It's being played at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, home of the NBA's 76ers. The nightcap will feature LSU and Villanova. Both games are part of the SEC-Big East Challenge. The Big East won both games in Birmingham last night. Georgetown beat Alabama and West Virginia thumped Auburn. So, the SEC trails 0-2.
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We Hold These (BCS) Truths To Be Self-Evident
posted by Scott Hood, 12/05/2007 12:59:00 PM
Remind me again, it is the BCS or just BS? After watching this year’s BCS follies, I can’t remember. As usual, we’re subject to more uninteresting games this year, no thanks to a system that’s designed to serve one purpose: prevent a playoff. Taking the words of Thomas Jefferson totally out of context, we hold these four truths about the BCS to be self-evident: 1. Playing A Cupcake Schedule Pays Dividends: Why are Hawaii and Kansas playing in BCS games? Because they ran up impressive records against largely inferior competition. Kansas benefited from not having to play Oklahoma and Texas this season. Missouri, on the other hand, was forced to play Oklahoma twice, once in the regular season and once in the Big 12 title game. Here’s the Jayhawks’ nonconference schedule: Central Michigan, Southeast Louisiana, Toledo and Florida International. There are some high school teams in the Palmetto State that play tougher schedules than that. The Jayhawks played one difficult opponent all season – and lost. But that may be one more than Hawaii played. Do they play defense in the WAC? They don’t call it the wacky WAC for nothing. Mel Kiper said it best on ESPN a week or so ago – if Hawaii was in the SEC the Warriors would finish 5-7. My first thought was, that many wins? Hawaii is, granted, an exciting team to watch. Colt Brennan is a good quarterback. The Warriors zip the ball around the field, and score a lot of points. A 21-0 deficit like they faced last week against Washington doesn’t faze them. But, let’s face it. Hawaii will get blasted by Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, just like LSU crushed a Notre Dame team last year that had no business appearing in a BCS bowl game. Georgia is lights years ahead of any team Hawaii has faced this season. But, in a way, you can’t blame Kansas or Hawaii. It appears they played by the rules. Some of the guilt must be shared by voters who refuse to penalize teams in the polls for playing soft competition, intentional or otherwise. A 12-0 record in a frail conference like the WAC is seen as superior to an 11-1 or 10-2 record in a much stronger conference like the SEC. 2. Losing A Conference Title Game Is Dangerous To Your Health: Missouri was left out of the BCS because they had the audacity to win their division and lose in the Big 12 Championship game. Bad Tigers. Why was Kansas picked over Mizzou? Easy. The organizers of the Orange Bowl were petrified the Missouri fans wouldn’t travel as well to Miami after experiencing the disappointment of coming so close to playing for the national championship. Please. This is a team that hasn’t played in a major bowl game for nearly 40 years. Sometimes I think these bowl people are afraid of their own shadow. But that’s how the people who run these bowl games think. It’s a lesson in Psychology 101. Obviously, the best thing for any team to do is win nine or 10 games and finish second in your division to avoid the risk of tumbling in the rankings with a loss in the conference title game. 3. The Rose Bowl Is Living In The Past: The Rose Bowl likes to describe itself as the “Granddaddy of Them All.” Now I know why. Like my 90-year old grandfather, it’s experiencing bouts of Alzh |
