Will There Be A Three-For-All At Quarterback??

So, Stephen Garcia will return to South Carolina on Thursday, or shortly thereafter, after being banished for the summer to Tampa, Fla. and the Gamecock football program will live happily ever after, right?

Yes, but only if you believe in fairy tales.

Tommy Beecher will be the No. 1 quarterback when USC officially opens camp on Friday night. Chris Smelley will be the No. 2 guy nipping at his heels.

As a result, the best Garcia can hope for is striving to be a dependable No.3 QB for a while.

Remember, although Garcia first walked on campus in January of 2007, he’s participated in only a handful of spring practices, served as the scout team quarterback last fall and missed all of this summer’s workouts.

By all accounts, he hasn’t taken a snap with the first team offense or yet exhibited a complete grasp of Spurrier’s offense since he’s been in Columbia.

Of course, that doesn’t mean he won’t accomplish those things in the future. But, taking Garcia where he stands right now, he has a lot of work to do before he steps onto the field in a real game.

But Garcia’s biggest obstacle when he finally returns to the Gamecock fold is winning back the trust of his teammates.

Make no mistake, Garcia will subject to a zero tolerance policy when he’s finally reinstated. If he glances at someone the wrong way, he could be gone. Hyberbole? Maybe. But not by much.

The other 100-plus guys in the revamped USC locker room want to know if they can count on Garcia to remain on the right side of the law.

Quarterback is possibly the most important, and the most scrutinized, studied, probed, criticized and praised, position in all of sports, pro or college. A quarterback must also be the leader, as well as the face of a football team.

A lot of responsibility? You bet. But that’s the price for playing such a critical position. When you’re a quarterback, you have to take the good with the bad.

Garcia must understand that as long as he’s going to play quarterback in the SEC and play for Steve Spurrier, he will be under a heavy microscope. Starting with the day he finally comes back, every time he walks down the street or rides his scooter in public, people will be watching him.

In my opinion, Garcia will earn plenty of bonus points (at least with this author) if he announces soon after being reinstated that he’s staying the heck out from Five Points.

Besides those people who will likely try to bait Garcia into another incident, he has another enemy: unrealistic expectations from fans.

Garcia is undeniably an extremely talented quarterback. He possesses a cannon arm, very fast legs and a keen football mind. He’s also a pretty good student when he focuses on the books.

But for those people who actually believe Garcia is just going to stroll onto the practice fields and start dominating the quarterback position, well, it won’t happen.

Okay, the odds are it won’t happen.

I was informed on Tuesday when we were at the Woodcreek Country Club today that Garcia currently weighs about 250 pounds, about 20 pounds above his preferred playing weight. So, he’ll have to drop some significant weight if he wants to play this season.

Is there a slim chance Garcia could become the starting quarterback by the midway point of the season? Yes. Just don’t count on it, unless Beecher and Smelley falter badly.

In my opinion, the best thing that could happen to Garcia is take hundreds of snaps in practice between now and the end of September.

Garcia should take the same approach as many NASCAR drivers do in a 500-mile race. Lay low in the weeds for the first half of the race before quickly building momentum in the second half and then seizing control late in the race.

Pursuant to that philosophy, the best-case scenario for Garcia is joining the Gamecocks in time for the Aug. 1 practice and then build up his football acumen to make a serious bid for the starting job sometime in the second half of the season.

Of course, the concern is whether Spurrier wants a relatively inexperienced redshirt freshman taking the snaps when teams like LSU, Tennessee, Florida and Clemson are staring at him from across the line of scrimmage.

As for the fans, the best advice I can offer with regards to Garcia is practice some patience. Things may not fall into place right away, but I have confidence they will eventually. Good things come to those who wait? In the case of Garcia, the answer is yes.

But there’s no question fall practice will be a lot more interesting and entertaining with Garcia around. Hopefully, though, he’ll stay out of the headlines.

Frankly, beginning Friday the less we hear about Garcia over the next 30 days, the better. That means he’s doing what he’s supposed to and behaving himself.

If you’re a Gamecock fan, that would be the best news of all.

Welcome back, Stephen. We missed you.

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A Good Reason For Optimism In 2008

After spending three lovely days in Hoover, Ala. with other esteemed journalists and listening to all 12 SEC coaches talk the talk but not yet walk the walk, I’m prepared to predict South Carolina will enjoy a solid 2008 season, one that will make most of its fans happy.

Steve Spurrier took a cautiously optimistic approach, saying USC had enough talent to compete in the SEC. It’s the same message he conveyed throughout the spring’s Gamecock Club tour. Over and over, night after night, he said USC had the players to win.

But, after making that claim, he always mentioned this all-important caveat - the Gamecocks must show substantial improvement in the key areas that often separate winners and losers, including effort, enthusiasm, confidence, attitude, discipline and playing your assignment.

He essentially said the same thing on Friday.

If USC is able to get a consistent all-our effort from its players, they’re willing to play disciplined football and the players stick to their assignments to the best of their abilities, I have no doubt the Gamecocks will win at least eight games in 2008.

Based on Spurrier’s mannerisms in Hoover, I would confidently say he feels the same way.

In my opinion, there’s one key reason to believe USC is on the threshold of a potential breakthrough season – the defense.

Spurrier has asserted many times in the past that USC would not start to establish itself as a SEC contender until it started finishing in the top half of the league in total defense.

Well, after three years of finishing in the bottom one-third of the league in total defense, the year USC begins to start stopping people in critical situations may finally be here.

Right now, with middle linebacker Jasper Brinkley returning after missing most of the 2007 season with an injury and 10 of 11 starters back, I predict USC will have one of the top four defenses in the SEC, along with LSU, Georgia and Auburn.

Having a good defense is key to success because the SEC is a league where defense dominates. Simply, the teams with the best defenses win the most games most of the time.

Which conference teams had the top three defenses in 2007? LSU, Auburn and Georgia. All three finished in the Top 15 nationally.

They went a combined 32-8 in 2007, with LSU winning the national championship and Georgia just behind in second in most final polls.

In the SEC, defense matters. Unfortunately, that’s not true for some leagues around the country where defense is just a rumor (I’m talking to you Pac-10).

If you go down the list and examine every team closely, it’s incredible the quality of the athletes on the defensive side of the ball.

In my opinion, you need binoculars to find another league that even comes close to the defensive depth the SEC showcases annually.

After listening to his speeches throughout the spring and now at SEC Media Days, it’s obvious Spurrier is excited about the changes Ellis Johnson will bring to the Gamecock defense.

It’s didn’t take Johnson long in the spring to figure out USC had to play a lot tougher, smarter and, oh yes, with a heavy dose of attitude.

Of course, he didn’t get to see Brinkley (the best defensive player), Captain Munnerlyn (USC’s best defensive back) or Nathan Pepper (the best defensive lineman from a fundamental standpoint) in action.

Still, the message was sent – shape up or you’ll find yourself on the sidelines watching. One thing I like about Johnson is he won’t be afraid to bench starters if they fail to perform.

In my opinion, Tyrone Nix was a good defensive coordinator, but he was reluctant to play some of the younger guys when it was apparent some of the older guys weren’t getting the job done. I know it frustrated Spurrier.

If Spurrier believes in anything, it’s the principle that you give the next guy a chance when the player in front of him isn’t performing up to standards.

Even without Kenrick Ellis, I think the defensive line will be fine, especially if Jarriel King is able to participate in fall camp.

The return of Jordin Lindsey and the shift of Cliff Matthews from outside linebacker will certainly strengthen the defensive end spot.

And, will there be a bigger pair of linebackers anywhere in the SEC than Brinkley and Eric Norwood? Both are in the neighborhood of 270 pounds. Some of the writers covering other teams were absolutely amazed at how huge USC’s linebacker corps will be.

The secondary should be excellent with Munnerlyn, Emanuel Cook and Darian Stewart set to return as starters. The battle for the cornerback spot opposite Munnerlyn will one of the most intriguing stories of fall camp.

The depth in the defensive backfield is promising with budding stars like Akeem Auguste, Chris Culliver, Mark Barnes and Jamire Williams.

If Johnson succeeds in getting the USC defense to play up its potential, watch out.

I agree with Gainesville Sun columnist Pat Dooley, who I spoke with for several minutes in Hoover. He’s covered Spurrier for a long time and knows how to read between the lines whenever the HBC speaks.

Dooley has picked USC as his choice for the SEC’s “sleeper” team in 2008.

Well, put on your pajamas and grab a pillow.

Sweet dreams are made of this.

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SEC Media Days - Day 3

We're back for Day 3 of SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala. We have another busy day lined up with four more coaches scheduled to speak to the more than 800 credentialed journalists on hand.

1:40: Spurrier has taken the podium here in the main ballroom at the Wynfrey Hotel. He's now done. He is the final coach to speak during SEC Media Days. Here is a summary of his comments:

1. Last year was mediocre. Too many mistakes to finish 8-4. He noted USC was last against the run and last running the ball. USC "was fortunate to get Ellis Johnson."

2. Between Johnson and having better players on defense, SOS expects USC to play a lot better on defense.

3. Ray Rychleski will have total control on special teams. SOS said this was the first time he has done that since Ron Zook at Fla.

4. Tommy Beecher will be the QB. He admitted most of the media haven't seen Beecher play, so he's a mystery man.

5. He was aked again about the play-calling. SOS said SOS, Jr. has watched him call plays for 11 years. Offenses are a lot more complicated now. It's something that you have to work on all week.

6. Dion Lecorn played well as the No. 2 WR last season. Joe Hills and Matt Clements are 2 guys with some speed and quicks. He also mentioned TE's Cook and Saunders. 'We're a little bit of a tight end team."

7. USC lost "heartbreakers" to UT and Clemson. But USC needs to getgoing. SOS admitted losing the last five games doesn't help recruiting. USC finally looks like a SEC team. USC had just 1 player drafted after the 2007 season. USC is still a young team.

8. USC is better than what the coaches have gotten out of the team.

9. Beecher "will be given every opportunity" to take over the QB job. SOS said he has accepted being the No. 1 QB based on the way he's worked in the summer.

10. SOS said he has "full confidence" in OL coach John Hunt, but that OL play must improve.

11. SOS said he and his staff are putting together a tape of the bad plays that cost USC games to show the players.

12. SOS said the coaches "haven't changed the players" enough to make them improve.

13. SOS said Garcia is close to fulfilling his requirements for returning. But he asserted against that it was up to the administration to decide when he comes back.

14. The 2008 team is much better prepared to contend in the SEC this season, though the 2007 team did beat UGA. But the 2007 team wasn't that great. USC had some good players, but they didn't play like it.

15. SEC coaches. SOS acknowledged the coaching is very good in the SEC with 5 that have won the national title.

16. SOS said USC "lacks some confidence" but that USC hasn't done enough to feel confident about winning.

17. SOS said he should have hired Ellis Johnson 2 or 3 years ago. It took just 2 hours after BVG left to get Johnson to agree to come to USC.

18. SOS acknowledged USC needs to have a "big year" to start beating UF, UGA and UT on recruits. Plus, facilities need to improve. Work on the "Dodie" is expected to start Monday.

19. Being 21-16 after 3 years is good based on the history of the school, which has shown it's not easy to win here. SOS said if he doesn't get it done in 5 years, it's time for someone else. The good thing about the SEC is you can lose 1-2 games and still win the MNC.

20. Beecher "hasn't really gotten a chance yet" and he performed better inthe scrimmages. "He deserves a chance to run with it. We're going to find out if he can take us a lng way."

12:15: Steve Spurrier has finished talking in the Radio/Internet Room. He was fairly generic and did not say anything that we haven't heard before. Here is a summary of his comments:

1. USC was "stuck in mediocrity" last season with a 6-6 record;

2. Defensively, USC has to improve, which is why Ellis Johnson was brought in. Johnson has a proven track record and Spurrier will "allow him to do his thing." Also, he said "I like the way Ellis Johnson coaches."

3. USC has better athletes now than they had earlier in his tenure. "We have a good looking team." As long USC does a good job coaching, "maybe something good will happen for USC."

4. Tommy Beecher will be the starting QB. "He has all the physical tools to play well."

5. Spurrier and Spurrier, Jr. will work on the play-calling together. Spurrier will stay involved in selecting the best plays during the week. During games, he'll "make the crucial call when needed."

6. Spurrier said nothing new re: Garcia. He only mentioned Garcia had a lot of requirements and that it was up to the university to decide when Garcia will come back. "It's pretty much in their hands."

7. He joked that new Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino "had as much fun coaching in the NFL as I did." Spurrier said he thought Petrino might last 2 years, but ended up leaving after less than 1 season.

8. Return of Jasper Brinkley from a season-ending injury really help the defense.

9. Spurrier emphasized again that USC "has a good looking team" compared to how they looked 3 years ago. But he admits most of the teams are bigger. Spurrier pointed out that USC has more 6-4, 6-5 guys now and that the personnel is better. "We look like a good team, now we need to play like one."

10. The Lindsey brothers are back and "have done well" in the summer.

11. USC needs to coach better and play better "to have a chance."

12. The SEC has changed over the last 15 years. More teams are capable of winning the championship.

13. USC needs another wide receiver to step up and help Kenny McKinley. SOS is looking for tight ends Jared Cook and Wesyle Saunders to contribute catching the ball.

11:15: Steve Spurrier is scheduled to arrive at the Wynfrey Hotel at 11:40 a.m. I'm going to try to catch him first in the Radio/Internet room, where he's supposed to speak for 10 minutes. He's scheduled to take the podium in the main ballroom at 12:40 p.m.

11:00: Tommy Tuberville has taken the podium here at the Wynfrey Hotel. Auburn has beaten rival Alabama six straight times, but the Tigers lost four games last season, the most since 2003. The Auburn program, though, has been consistently good this decade. Starting with the 2002 season, Auburn has finished 9-4, 8-5, 13-0, 9-3, 11-2 and 9-4 over the last six campaigns. Auburn has a new offensive coordinator and Tuberville expects a new up-tempo offense. The players have bought into it, though the starting QB is not known. Tuberville said Auburn has 20 commitments already. Looking at their geographia breakdown, Auburn gets most of their players from three states: Alabama, Georgia and Florida. The toughest road game might be at West Virginia on Oct. 23. The good news for AU fans is they have LSU, Tennessee and Georgia at home. Tuberville expects the AU defense to be very strong with seven starters returning. Sen'Derrick Marks is one of the top DL in the SEC. Looking at AU's depth chart, there is just one senior listed as a probable starter. Here's an intresting subplot: Tuberville hired Bobby Petrino several years ago as AU's OC. Petrino left to take over at Louisville before moving on to the Atlanta Falcons. But now he's back at Aekansas, so teacher and student will go head-to-head.

9:50: Kentucky head coach Rich Brooks has taken the podium here in Hoover. Brooks says UK should be a "viable" team in the SEC East. Brooks believes UK will have a very strong defense, possibly the best one he's had at UK. Offensively, Brooks says the OL will be the best he's had. Four quality RB. The WR spot is the biggest question mark. The question is whether UK will be able to break into the Top 3 of the East. UK beat Florida State in the Music City Bowl. The 'Cats spent a brief stay in the Top 10 last season before the loss at USC. UK has a question at QB with Curtis Pulley and Mike Hartline. Brooks suggested the RB position will be b y committee. Senior Tony Dixon is the leader but he's been injured. Looking at the UK roster, they have a number of players from the Palmetto State. Brooks says the talent gap between UK and the "Big Three" in the SEC East is closing rapidly. USC's trip to Lexington on 10/11 is the second game of a critical two-game road trip. USC travels to Oxford, MS to face Ole Miss on 10/4. Those are critical games for the Gamecocks, and ones they should win. I believe USC has more talent that both teams. But both games should be close, hard-fought games.

9:30 - The SEC Media Days Pre-Season All-SEC Team is out and USC has five players on it. WR Kenny McKinley and LB Jasper Brinkley are on the First Team, while LB Eric Norwood and CB Captain Munnerlyn are part of the Second Team. PK Ryan Succop is also on the second team. USC has just as many players (5) on the All-SEC ream as Florida, Georgia and Alabama. Auburn has the most players with 9, followed by LSU with 8. Tennessee has four. One thing I noticed - only 1 player who calls the Palmetto State home is on the All-SEC team and that's Vanderbilt DB D.J. Moore, who made the First-team. As I said Wednesday. I'm sure Spurrier and his staff wish they had recruited him harder because he's a very good player.

9:15 - Different year, same result for USC in the pre-season media poll. The Gamecocks are picked to finish fourth in the SEC East with 266 points behnd Tennessee, Georgia (121) and Florida (98). The media's selection of the Gators is a bit of a surprise but there are a lot of guys here from the Sunshine State. Auburn (99) is predicted to win the SEC West ahead of LSU (120) and Alabama (228). That's a shock to me. LSU is a better team than Auburn. But the thinking among some members of the media is LSU has to go to Auburn and Florida and host UGA in BR. I'm also a little surprised Arkansas was picked last in the West behind MSU and Ole Miss. I know they lost McFadden and Jones, but the R-Backs still have some talent. Just like Tennessee, I believe the contest against Arkansas at W-B on 11/8 is a must-win situation. UF is picked to win the SEC title. The Gators received twice as many votes as UGA. Here's the final results of the poll:

SEC EAST
1. Florida - 98
2. Georgia - 121
3. Tennessee - 222
4. South Carolina - 266
5. Kentucky - 356
6. Vanderbilt - 407

SEC WEST
1. Auburn (99)
2. LSU (120)
3. Alabama (228)
4. Miss. State (299)
5. Ole Miss (338)
6. Arkansas (386).

8:40 - We're back for Day 3 of SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala. We have another busy day lined up with four more coaches scheduled to speak to the more than 800 credentialed journalists on hand. Here's the lineup for today in the main ballroom at the Wynfrey Hotel:

9:40 - Rich Brooks, Kentucky
10:40 - Tommy Tuberville
11:40 - Bobby Petrino
12:40 - Steve Spurrier.

So, if you're a Gamecock fan, you have to say they saved the best for last.

Kentucky is coming off back-to-back trips to the Music City Bowl. The Wildcats lost all of their key skill position guys, so they're rebuilding in those areas. ButI still expect UK wil be competitive. Rich Brooks is a good coach.

With Nick Saban at Alabama, Tommy Tuberville has sort of flown under the radar at Auburn. But the Tigers just keep churning out 8 and 9 win seasons. And they've beaten Alabama 6 times in a row. Auburn will have a new QB in '08, so we'll see how it goes.

Possibly the most intriguing figure at SEC Media Days is Petrino after he left the Falcons with 3 games left and showed up at Arkansas in the middle of the night. He'll bring a wide open offensive attack to the razorbacks after years of relying on a strong running game with McFadden and Jones.

Spurrier will then take the podium to end media days. Obviously, he'll field questions about play-calling, Stephen Garcia, expectations, progress of the program and how long he expects to stay at USC.

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The Most Important Game Of The Year

After reading a few of the pre-season magazines and digesting all the information available to the media here at SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala., I’ve reached the following conclusion: the home game against Tennessee on Nov. 1 is the most important game of the year for South Carolina.

Yes, I fully understand that all the games are important and that in the overall victory count for a bowl bid a win over UAB or Wofford counts just as much as one over Georgia, Florida or LSU.

But, to paraphrase a notable writer, all games are created equal but some are more equal than others.

So, why Tennessee? Because the perception in the college football universe is that the Gamecocks and Volunteers are battling for third place in the SEC East behind Georgia and Florida.

Also, Steve Spurrier urgently needs a victory over Tennessee to show the USC program is making progress. If USC loses to Georgia on Sept. 13, then a win over the Vols is vital because USC can’t afford being shutout by the so-called “Big Three” like they were in 2006. They were 1-2 against the trio in 2007.

If USC fancies itself being part of the SEC East race, the days of going 0-3 against Georgia, Florida and Tennessee must be declared over. Do that again in 2008 and the Gamecocks will be more pretender than contender.

After USC stunned Tennessee, 16-15, in Knoxville in 2005, the Gamecocks gift-wrapped a pair of losses to Tennessee over the next two years.

An interception and batted ball in the end zone produced two first-half touchdowns for the Vols in 2006 at Williams-Brice Stadium before a major special teams meltdown following the go-ahead field goal last year with under two minutes left in Knoxville led to a game-tying field goal and then an OT defeat.

If USC carried a three-game winning streak (which it should have) over Tennessee into this year’s game, I would claim that another game was the most important of the season for USC.

But they don’t, so I won’t.

Based on the seemingly excruciating ways USC has fallen the last two years to Tennessee, it’s time to start making plays at crunch time and beat the Vols at home.

Also, the contest against Tennessee falls the week after the LSU game. Let’s say USC loses to the Tigers (a very good possibility considering how talented LSU is, especially on defense), then another defeat to Tennessee would, in my opinion, send Gamecock Nation into the same “here we go again” funk that sabotaged the 2007 season.

When you look at the season as a whole, I believe USC must win at least two of the three home games scheduled against LSU, Tennessee and Arkansas during a key stretch extending from Oct. 18 to Nov. 8.

If you compare the schedules for USC and Tennessee, everything falls perfectly into place for the Gamecocks. USC has the final Saturday in October off while Tennessee must face heated rival Alabama in Knoxville.

And this year’s meeting between the Vols and Tide could be even more frenzied than normal. Ron Higgins of the Memphis Commercial-Appeal, one of the best in the business, reported late Thursday afternoon on the newspaper’s web site that Tennessee head coach Phil Fulmer was served with a subpoena when he arrived at the Wynfrey Hotel earlier in the day as part of a defamation lawsuit brought by an Alabama booster against the NCAA and others.

According to an article on the website of the Knoxville News, the plaintiff is a used car salesman in Chattanooga. So, a used car salesman is sung the NCAA. Now that's irony.

Higgins reported that Fulmer is required to appear at a law office in Birmingham for a deposition on Sept. 25, two days before the Vols are supposed to play at Auburn. Interesting.

For his part, Fulmer said all the right things Thursday during his appearance at SEC Media Days. He talked about the great effort put forth by his players over the summer, about his excitement over the new-look UT offense and about the lack of respect Tenenssee was getting from the media.

I admit I almost believed it.

So, you have two teams that many people feel are fairy equal in talent, Tennessee is breaking in a new QB and a new offensive coordinator and USC will rest comfortably seven days before the matchup while the Vols will expend considerable mental and physical energy battling one of their arch-rivals.

And their head coach could be distracted by the machinations of a clumsy lawsuit.

Considering all those factors, if USC doesn’t get it done this year against Tennessee, then, quite frankly, when will they?

After two near-misses, the time is now for USC to finally slay the dragon on its home turf.

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SEC Media Days - Day 2

We're back for Day 2 fo SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala. Three of the more tradition-laden programs in the conference will be represented today. Here is the lineup of coaches in the main ballroom here at the Wynfrey Hotel:

9:40 - Mark Richt, Georgia
10:40 - Nick Saban, Alabama
11:40 - Houston Nutt, Ole Miss
12:40 - Phil Fulmer, Tennessee

The last time I walked downstairs there were already a few Alabama fans waiting in the lobby for a glimpse of Saban when he walks through. It's a mob scene every year. When Brodie Croyle came here a few years ago there was nearly a riot. Hopefully, Alabama fans will behave themselves this year. I'm sure Saban will be asked about going back to Baton Rouge this year.

Richt will likely face questions about the pressure UGA is feeling since most publications have them either No. 1 or No. 2 in the country. In fact, I think the Bulldogs will be the top-ranked team when they invade Columbia on Sept. 13. That will be quite a scene for the CBS cameras. UGA has a very good offensive backfield with Matthew Stafford at QB and Knowshon Moreno and Caleb King at RB.

I'm sure Nutt will face a flurry of questions about his decision to bolt Fayetteville and go to Oxford to coach the Rebels. Ole Miss plays at Arkansas on Oct. 25, so I'm sure Nutt will be asked about that and how emotional he'll be. He was at Arkasnas for a decade. Of course, Tyrone Nix is now the DC for Ole Miss, so the 10/4 game between USC and OM will be a reunion.

Finally, expectations are always high at UT but it's been 10 years since the Vols won the SEC title. Fulmer signed an extension during the off-season, but I have no doubt that if UT goes 7-5 he'll be fired. UT was very fortunate last season in beating USC, Vandy and Kentucky. In fact, they should have lost all three games but escaped each time.

9:00 - The first speaker of the day will be Rogers Redding, the SEC Coordinator of Officials. He'll talk about the new rule changes in college football. The most important change relates to the play clock. The colleges will go to the NFL-style 40-second play clock in which the countdown starts immediately when the previous play is blown dead. Under the old rules, the 25-second clock started when the refs spotted the ball. However, some people felt that left too much discretion to the officials. The 25-second clock will remain in effect in limited stoppage situations. The other major rule change is the 5-yard "incidental" face mask penalty has been eliminated. Now, the only penalty for face mask will be the 15-yard variety for twisting, turning or pulling. Also, the horse-collar tackle has been banned and will result in a 15-yard penalty. The NFL adopted that prohibition a couple of years ago. I think they called it the "Roy Williams Rule" because he used it a lot. However, it's very dangerous and can result in serious injury to the ball carrier.

9:10 - I just did an interview with Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Biachi. He knows Steve Spurrier pretty well since he's covered him for a number of years. He still believes Spurrier can turn USC into a SEC contender, but wonders when that will happen. I will have some of his comments in the Notebook later today.

9:20 - Fox Sports South and SportSouth, two separate regional sports networks, have announced they will once again produce 30-minute preview specials for each SEC team. Here is the schedule as it pertains to USC:

8/6 - 8 p.m. (SportSouth)
8/7 - 7 p.m. (FSN)
8/8 - 11 a.m. (SS)
8/8 - 5 p.m. (SS)
8/10 - 9:30 p.m. (SS)
8/15 - 11 a.m. (SS)
8/17 - 1 p.m. (FSN)

According to the press release, they interviewed Spurrier and Ryan Succop for the special. Each preview was shot on location at each school's campus.

9:55 - Georgia coach Mark Richt has taken the podium. There are HUGE expectations in Athens this season. Richt said that can be a blessing or a curse. But he said the players are working very hard. He's talking about Prince Miller of Byrnes HS right now. UGa opens with Ga. Southern and Central Michigan, but then comes a critical 2-game road trip to Williams-Brice and then to Tempe, Ariz. for a much-anticipated matchup with Arizona State. That game will be a barometer of the SEC and Pac-10. While UGA has a very talented team, the schedule is abslutely brutal. Many people feel it's the most difficult in the country. In addition to the SEC East, they have to play Alabama, LSU and Auburn from the SEC West. If the experts are correct, the 10/25 game at Baton Rouge could be a preview of the SEC title game in Atlanta. But looking at that game in Columbia, USC has an excellent opportunity to make a statement nationally. Obviously, they'll have to find a way to stop the UGa offense.

11:00 - Alabama head coach Nick Saban has taken the podium in the main ballroom here at the Wynfrey Hotel. The Crimson Tide went 7-6 in Saban's first-year, including a stunning home loss to Louisiana-Monroe. Saban says Alabama was very inconsistent last season. They played a great game against Tennessee. Of course, many USC fans will be watching Alabama closely in the pre-season since they open up against Clemson Aug. 30 in the Georgia Dome. Saban said Alabama has just 9 seniors, so the Tide will be counting on a lot of young players. Saban said the Clemson game will enhance Alabama's development as a team and will help them "down the road" when they face SEC competition. John Parker Wilson will be the QB again for Alabama. He threw for 2,846 yards and 18 TD in 2007. Listening to Saban talk, it's evident he's still in the process of putting his stamp on the program. As always, the Auburn game is huge for the Tide. But Alabama has lost 6 games in a row to the Tigers. The thought process is that Saban will start to feel some heat if he doesn't end the losing streak this season. That Iron Bowl will be in Tuscaloosa this season.

12:10 - Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt has taken the podium here in Hoover. After a decade-long run at Arkansas, Nutt says he's been re-energized since taking over in Oxford. The question, of course, is whether the Rebels have enough talent to compete in the SEC West. Of course, USC fans will get a close look at the Rebels in early October when the two teams meet in Oxford. Ole Miss was just 10-25 in three seasons under Ed Orgeron, including an embarrassing 0-8 mark in the SEC last season. The matchup with the Rebels will have plenty of intrigue as well since former USC DC Tyrone Nix is now holding down the same position with the Rebels. Nutt said the talent level he found at Ole Miss is fairly decent. They have a very good OL in Michael Oher. Nutt, though, fears a losing mindset may have set in. The opportunity for a good start is thre, though, since the first three games are against Memphis, at Wake Forest and Samford. They also host Vandy on 9/20 and travel to UF on 9/27. Ole Miss could be 4-1 when USC arrives in Oxford on 10/4. Chances are better that they'll be 3-2. The Rebels will have to post an upset or two to qualify for a bowl game.

12:20 - I just asked Nutt about the impact Tyrone Nix has made since he arrived on campus. It's clear Nutt loves Nix. He said the defense appears like it has bought into Nix's system. He also said Nix and the defensive players appeared to have bonded pretty well in the spring. He likes the aggressiveness Nix brings to the Ole Miss defense.

1:20 - Tennessee head coach Phil Fulmer has taken the podium here in Hoover. Tennessee won the SEC East last season but lost in the SEC championship game. This will be a season of change for the Vols. After David Cutcliffe left to become the head coach at Duke, Fulmer went out and hired Davis Clawson as the new offensive coordinator. It looks like he'll bring a little more wide open attack. But Fulmer is still fairly conservative when it comes to offensive play-calling. Tennessee will also have a brand new QB after Erik Ainge departed. The new signal-caller is Jonathan Crompton, a 6-foot-4 junior from Waynesville, N.C. But he attempted just 12 passes last season for 97 yards. It's been a decade since UT won the SEC title and Fulmer said he's tired of going to the SEC Championship game and losing. Right now, I would say the Tennessee game is the most important one of the season for South Carolina. It's an absolute must-win for the Gamecocks. USC will be at home. In my opinion, the talent level between the schools is fairly even. UT may have a slight advantage. The games have been very close between the schools in recent years. USC blew it last year and needs to put away the Vols this year. Tennessee opens the season with a long trip to the West Coast to face UCLA in the Rose Bowl. After that, they host UAB and Florida before traveling to Auburn. That's a pretty tricky start to the season. Tennessee could be 2-2 with road trips to Georgia and USC still on the horizon. Fulmer signed a lucrative extension in the sprng, but if UT goes 7-5 or something like that, I'm convinced Fulmer won't be back in 2009.

1:35 - The rumors are rampant here in Hoover that Phil Fulmer was served with a subpoena when he arrived at the Wynfrey Hotel. It is my understanding it may involve an NCAA investigation related to the whole Alabama mess a few years ago. I'm sure more will come out later today about it. However, Fulmer has refused to address the topic when questioned by the media. He's still addressing the media in the main ballroom.

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Tebow Sets A New Standard

With his rare combination of size, strength, throwing and running, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow is redefining the quarterback position and the stereotypes that come along with it.

By capturing the Heisman Trophy, he’s also setting a new standard for future quarterbacks to shoot for. Few, if any, will come close to equaling it. Gators head coach Urban Meyer is on record as saying Tebow will go down as the best college football player of this era.

But he’s also setting a new standard in other areas as well – how he conducts himself in public and his belief on the role football should play in a young athlete’s life.

This is my fourth SEC Media Days and I can confidently say that Tebow’s 20 minutes at the podium on Wednesday in front of hundreds of journalists was one of the most dazzling performances I can remember in Hoover in late July.

He answered questions confidently. He smiled. He laughed. He spoke clearly and with precision, never stumbling or hesitating. He spoke about the joy of winning the Heisman Trophy, about dealing with fame, about getting better for the long season ahead.

Not surprisingly, he also spoke about his love for football. For a player of his stature, that wasn’t a shock.

But he talked passionately about something else too – how he loved helping people even more than playing football through his missionary work that has taken him to remote places around the globe.

As a credentialed member of the media, I’m used to hearing athletes say that football is the most important thing in their life.

With Tebow, it’s not even close. He’d much prefer to bring joy to a child than bang heads on a football field. Why? Because he knows that, in the end, his relationships with his fellow human beings will determine whether he lived a fulfilling life.

If you’re a parent trying to teach your child about the proper balance between athletics and real life responsibilities, I strongly suggest you go to the SEC’s web site (secsports.com) and download the transcript of Tebow’s press conference and read his words for yourself.

I promise it will have a profound impact on you and your child.

Humility is one of the traits I look for first in an athlete or coach. Tebow is, without question, humble and appreciative. He knows how fortunate he is.

As Tebow expressly stated, he’s getting an opportunity to play football at an elite level and receiving a free college education at the same time. How great is that?

Humility is also the reason I like Mississippi State head coach Sylvester Croom so much. I know USC doesn’t play the Bulldogs this year, so some fans might not care, but I do.

Croom handles himself with class at all times. He’s one coach in the SEC I root for to succeed because I know how much he’s been through to make MSU a winner. He’s also Exhibit A for the proposition that it’s best for fans to remain patient, especially when a new coach comes in and faces a gargantuan rebuilding task.

All this mushy stuff about Tebow and Croom is great. But I know the vast majority of you in cyberspace are Gamecock fans wondering how USC will beat Florida this year.

It won’t be easy, for sure. I’m already on record as saying the November game in Gainesville will be the most difficult of the year for USC.

It will take a near flawless performance to beat the Gators at The Swamp. USC almost pulled out a program-defining win two years ago, but a missed extra point and a couple of stupid penalties in key situations cost them the game, or at least the opportunity to win it in overtime.

Remember, besides Tebow, USC will have to find a way to contain Percy Harvin and Chris Rainey, two of the fastest running backs you will ever see.

Defensively, USC must play a whole lot tougher and far more aggressively than they did last year when Tebow had his way, scoring five touchdowns and, in the minds of many people, clinching the Heisman Trophy.

Florida scored 51 points against USC last season and Harvin didn’t even play in the game.

Based on what I witnessed Wednesday, until USC and Florida meet on Nov. 15, I’ll be rooting for Tim Tebow to do well.

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SEC Media Days - Day 1

We're live from the main ballroom at the Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Ala. The start of SEC Media Days is just over 2 hours away. The first item on the itinerary is Commissioner Mike Slive's annual "State of the SEC" speech at 1:45 p.m.

7:05 - Vanderbilt head coach Bobby Johnson has finished up with his presentation here in Hoover. The first day of SEC Media Days is officially over. It was a very good opening session. Johnson said he has raised expectations for this season, but VU has lost an awful lot in terms of personnel. The game between USC and Vanderbilt in Nashville on Sept. 4 will be a war. But I expect USC should win that game by 7 to 10 points, at least. In short, I don't expect a repeat of last year's fiasco when Vandy won, 17-6, at W-B Stadium. Hopefully, USC has learned its lesson. One of Vandy's best players is D.J. Moore from Spartanburg. This kid can play, as the Gamecocks found out last season. In fact, if you had to point to one play that reversed USC's fortunes in 2007, it was Moore's interception of a Chris Smelley pass in the end zone that denied USC a solid scoring opportunity. I'm sure if Spurrier and his staff had to do it over, they would recruit Moore a little harder. He's become quite a player.

4:45 - LSU head coach Les Miles has taken the podium here in Hoover. The first words out of his mouth is that he's moving on from the 2007 national title and would prefer to look ahead to 2008. LSU lost 5 players to early NFL departures. Looking at their road schedule, the Tigers must play at Auburn (9/20) and Florida (10/11) before arriving in Columbia to play USC on 10/18. Miles just said the road schedule will be "challenging." Miles also said LSU will utilize a RB by committee approach again in 2008. LSU lost DC Bo Pellini to Nebraska, so the Tigers will have a new guy calling the shots in 2008. LSU has one of the best DL's in the country despite losing Glenn Dorsey. Tyson Jackson and Kirston Pitton are both seniors and two of the best DE's in the country. But one question overshadows everything else in Baton Rouge: who will play QB. It's a two-man race between Jarrett Lee and Andrew Hatch.

3:40 - Miss. State coach Sylvester Croom has taken the podium here in Hoover. MSU is coming off its best season in years. The Bulldogs went 8-5 and posted a bowl victory over UCF in the Liberty Bowl. Croom is very high on So. QB Wesley Carroll, who started several games in 2007 as a true freshmen. MSU posted some impressive victories last season, including road wins over Auburn and Kentucky and a 17-12 win over Alabama in Starkville. However, reaching the 8-win mark will be difficult again. After facing La. Tech and SE Louisiana, MSU must play Auburn, Ga. Tech, LSU and Tennessee in a five-game stretch starting Sept. 13.

3:35 - Wow. Tim Tebow just finished speaking in front of a packed ballroom here at the Wynfrey Hotel. He might be the most mature 21-year old I've ever heard speak. Very impressive. He also has his priorities in order, You can tell that football doesn't dominate his life. It's an important part, no question, but he has dedicated himself to making people's lives better. He considers that much more important than playing football. Since the end of last season, Tebow has visited the Phillipines and Thailand on missionary trips. Obviously, USC is going to have to figure out a way to stop Tebow before the November meeting in Gainesville or the result couldbe the same as last season. I think USC will do that, or at least contain him. But, at the same time, the Gamecocks must find a way to stop Percy Harvin and Chris Rainey as well. It's a tough chore, no doubt. If Lee Corso is correct, the USC/UF game in The Swamp will be for the SEC East title.

2:50 - Urban Meyer just finished meeting with reporters in the main ballroom. Of course, he fielded a lot of questions about Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, the Gators QB. Meyer didn't say anything controversial, though he said the leadership of LB Brandon Spikes was just as important as Tebow's. Meyer added that in today's world of college football, leadership must come from younger players since many of the best players leave after junior seasons. Besides Tebow, the top offensive weapons for UF will be a pair of RB: Percy Harvin and Chris Rainey. Both of them are extremely fast. Defensively, Spikes is the guy you'll be hearing about the most. Most experts would probably put UF behind Georgia in the SEC East race. The Cocktail Party game in Jacksonville could determine who gets to go to Atlanta for the SEC Championship game. Frankly, I must say this is the most relaxed I've seen Meyer at SEC Media Days. I think he realizes he'll be overshadowed a bit this year by Tebow.

2:20 - Urban Meyer has taken the podium. He started off by saying Florida "has a very good team coming back."

2:15 - Mike Slive has finished his speech. He spoke about a number of topics. One of the most important for fans is, of course, the status of the conference's TV deals. There has been talk of a SEC Network similar to the ones set up by the Big 10 and MWC. Slive said the new deals will be announced this fall. Slive noted the SEC almost met his goal of not having a single SEC program on probation. Right now, the only SEC team in the NCAA penalty box is the Arkansas track team.

1:45 - Mike Slive is about to take the podium to start SEC Media Days.

1:30 - My final post before we get started is the USC defensive depth chart as set out in the media guide:

Defensive End
Jordin Lindsey
Clifton Geathers
Byron McKnight

Defensive Tackle
Nathan Pepper
Jonathan Williams
Donte'e Nicholls

Defensive Tackle
Ladi Ajiboye
Marque Hall

Defensive End
Cliff Matthews
Travian Robertson (Will he be redshirted?)

Strongside Linebacker
Gerrod Sinclair
Antonio Allen
Alonzo Winfield

Middle Linebacker
Jasper Brinkley
Rodney Paulk
Marvin Sapp
Melvin Ingram (moving to FB?)
Vandaral Shackleford (transferring)
Damien Wright

Weakside Linebacker
Eric Norwood
Dustin Lindsey
Shaq Wilson

Cornerback
Carlos Thomas
Akeem Auguste
Jamire Williams
Jay Spearman

Free Safety
Darian Stewart
Chris Culliver

Strong Safety
Emanuel Cook
Mark Barnes
Chris Hail

Cornerback
Captain Munnerlyn
Addison Williams
Stoney Woodson

The biggest surprise for me was seeing Antonio Allen No. 2 at SLB. I know the coaches were considering moving him to LB in the spring. Also, if the coaches redshirt Robertson, as they plan to do, who will back up Matthews at DE?

1:20 - We're about 25 minutes away from getting started here in Hoover. SEC Commissioner Mike Slive. Here is the SEC schedule for the opening weekend of the season (8/28-9/1):

Vanderbilt at Miami (OH)(Thur. 8/28)(ESPNU) - 7 p.m.
N.C. State at USC (Thur. 8/28)(ESPN) - 8 p.m.
Hawaii at Florida (Sat. 8/30)(Raycom) - 12:30 p.m.
Appalachian State at LSU (Sat. 8/30)(ESPN) - 5 p.m.
Miss. State at La. Tech (Sat. 8/30)(ESPN2) - 6:45 p.m.
Alabama v. Clemson (at Atlanta)(Sat. 8/30)(ABC) - 8 p.m.
Western Ill. at Arkansas (Sat. 8/30)
La. Monroe at Auburn (Sat. 8/30)
Ga. Southern at Georgia (Sat. 8/30)
Memphis at Ole Miss (Sat. 8/30)
Kentucky at Louisville (Sun. 8/31)(ESPN) - 3:30 p.m.
Tennessee at UCLA (Mon. 9/1)(ESPN) - 8 p.m.

If you're keeping score at home, that's 8 games involving SEC teams that will be on TV during the opening weekend. The following weekend, five games involving SEC teams will be on TV.

11:55 - Here is the offensive depth chart for USC as set out in the brand new 2008 media guide:

Quarterback:
Tommy Beecher
Chris Smelley

Running Back:
Mike Davis
Brian Maddox
Taylor Rank
Bobby Wallace
Eric Baker

Fullback
Patrick DiMarco
Bryan Kingrey
Yvan Banag

Wide Receiver
Kenny McKinley
Larry Freeman (Moving to LB?)
Matt Clements
C.C. Whitlock

Wide Receiver:
Dion Lecorn
Jason Barnes

Wide Receiver:
Moe Brown
Joe Hills
Freddie Brown

Left Tackle
Jamon Meredith OR Hutch Eckerson
Quintin Richardson
Gurminder Thind (Medical Hardship)

Left Guard
Lemuel Jeanpierre
Pierre Andrews

Center
Seaver Brown
Garrett Anderson
Ryan Broadhead

Right Guard
Heath Batchelor
Terrence Campbell
Kevin Young

Right Tackle
Justin Sorensen
Kyle Nunn

Tight End
Jared Cook
Weslye Saunders
Nick Prochak
Clark Gaston

11:35 - Here are a couple of interesting things I discovered while surfing the web just now:

-- The Sporting News' NFL Draft Expert Russ Lande lists USC OT Jamon Meredith as the No. 23 NFL Prospect for next April's Draft. Here's what Lande said: "In a year with a ton of well-known offensive tackle prospects, Meredith is the exception. He has size, strength, athleticism and good pass-blocking experience."

-- The chances of the SEC forming its own TV network appear to be diminishing. A story in TSN quotes Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson as saying he has spoken with SEC Commissioner Mike Slive.

-- Alabama fans are in an uproar over a verbal shot Les Miles took at the Crimson Tide during a recent booster club meeting in La. Obviously, there is a lot of anticipation for Nick Saban returning to Baton Touge this fall. Miles said the game will be no big deal because "it seems a lot of teams from Louisiana beat that team." Miles, of course, was referring to Alabama's shocking loss to Louisiana-Monroe last season.

- The Sun Belt conference has signed bowl deals with the Papajohns.com bowl and the PetroSun Independence Bowl. The opponent in both bowl games will be a SEC team. How many USC fans would travel to Shreveport to watch the Gamecocks play Florida Atlantic or Middle Tennessee State, or another team like that?

11:05 - In case you missed it last week when I broke the story about the 2009 USC football schedule, here it is:

Sept. 3 – at N.C. State (Thur.)
Sept. 12 – at Georgia
Sept. 19 – FLORIDA ATLANTIC
Sept. 26 – OLE MISS
Oct. 3 – THE CITADEL
Oct. 10 – KENTUCKY
Oct. 17 – at Alabama
Oct. 24 – VANDERBILT
Oct. 31 – at Tennessee
Nov. 7 – at Arkansas
Nov. 14 – FLORIDA
Nov. 21 – Off
Nov. 28 - CLEMSON

Obviously, opening with a pair of road games will be a huge test for the Gamecocks. N.C. State should be improved nexts eason, while we all know about Sanford Stadium in Athens, though USC won there in 2007 and should have won in 2005. The opening game at Raleigh will be the Thursday night CF season opener on ESPN.

10:50 - I have the brand new South Carolina media guide in my hands. Steve Spurrier, Kenny McKinley and Jasper Brinkley are on the cover. All three of them will be in Hoover on Friday. Here are the uniform numbers for the new freshmen players:

Reggie Bowens - 43
Jarrett Burns - 33
Ronald Byrd - 93
Tori Childers - 83
Kenny Davis - 94
Ryan Doerr - 39
Aramis Hillary - 3
T.J. Johnson - 55
Jarriel King - 76
Reid McCollum - 14
Kenny Miles - 24
D.L. Moore - 12
Darrell Simmons - 8
Chaz Sutton - 51
Devin Taylor - 98
Mike Triglia - 89
Elliot Williams - 67

Of course, a few of those guys are still trying to qualify. SOS said last week that Williams may grayshirt and enroll at USC in January. One thing I note from the full roster is there are three, count'em three, players with No. 12: Whitlock, Moore, Wilson.

10:30 - We're live from the main ballroom at the Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Ala. The start of SEC Media Days is just over 2 hours away. The first item on the itinerary is Commissioner Mike Slive's annual "State of the SEC" speech at 1:45 p.m. After that, we'll hear from four coaches. Here is the order:

Urban Meyer (UF) - 2:10 p.m.
Sylvester Croom (MSU) - 3:10 p.m.
Les Miles (LSU) - 4:10 p.m.
Bobby Johnson (VU) - 5:10 p.m.

So, right out of the gate you have the head coaches from the last 2 national champions. Also, considering USC faces Vanderbilt in Week 2, I'll be interested in hearing what Bobby Johnson has to say. Florida "slumped" to a Capital One Bowl loss to Michigan last season after winning it all in 2006. Meyer is a good recruiter, but there are questions about his game-day coaching skills. It's the same thing with Miles, who essentially won the MNC with a lot of older players recruited by Nick Saban. LSU doesn't have a QB right now. The Tigers were also very fortunate in several games. They have plenty of skill, obviously, especially on the D-Line.

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Final Thoughts Before SEC Media Days

Steve Spurrier’s summer press conference last Thursday afternoon can be summed up in five words: Tommy Beecher deserves a chance.

I, for one, am glad for that.

If Spurrier believes the redshirt junior from Concord, N.C. is the quarterback who gives the Gamecocks the best chance of winning, then so be it.

Spurrier has said for months that he feels Beecher has the physical and mental tools to play the QB position the way he wants it played. Beecher is incredibly smart, and when he plays within himself, won’t make careless mistakes.

Beecher has patiently waited for this opportunity while he watched one highly publicized prospect (Chris Smelley), then another (Stephen Garcia), step on campus, only to falter for one reason or another.

Beecher is Exhibit A for the argument that slow and steady will prevail when the circumstances are right.

There’s no question Spurrier will face a multitude of questions about his Beecher decision at SEC Media Days this week. Across the country, he’s an unknown commodity, although I’m sure some national media outlets quickly picked up on Spurrier’s sound bite favorably comparing Beecher to former Florida QB Shane Matthews.

Beecher isn’t a household name now, even among some Gamecock fans, but he could become one if USC beats N.C. State and Vanderbilt on consecutive Thursday nights to open the season and then the Gamecocks find a way to somehow knock off Georgia.

If USC is 3-0 on the morning of Sept. 14, Beecher Mania will be off and running.

Of course, I don’t expect Chris Smelley to give an inch in the battle between the two quarterbacks. Smelley knows what it’s like to be a starting quarterback under Spurrier.

Smelley is a competitor and he won’t surrender the position until the very end.

At this point, however, the tie goes to Beecher, so Smelley will have to clearly outplay him in fall camp.

I did get a small chuckle from the reaction of some in the so-called mainstream media to Spurrier’s comments about play-calling responsibilities in 2008.

Spurrier said nothing different last Thursday compared to last spring when he first made it known Steve Spurrier, Jr. would call the offensive plays, but that he, as the head coach and offensive coordinator, would retain final authority.

In short, Spurrier was merely saying the buck stops with him.

So, when Spurrier said “I will be responsible for the play-calling,” he wasn’t saying he would actually call the plays, he was only maintaining he was the one who should be held accountable if anything goes wrong.

Unfortunately, some people misinterpreted his comments to mean he was taking back the play-calling responsibilities from his son. That’s not the case. If so, why would he mention, for the upteenth time, that his son has been coaching with him for 11 years?

The most newsworthy comments from Spurrier related to the possible shifts of LB Melvin Ingram to fullback and WR Larry Freeman to LB.

In my opinion, this is all about defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson’s desire to get more speed on the field. Ingram, if you recall, weighed about 270 pounds during spring practice and was nearly moved to defensive line.

I suspect Johnson is convinced Ingram isn’t fast enough to play linebacker in the SEC, so the coaching staff has decided to shift him to FB to take advantage of his size and aggressiveness.

A fairly athletic 270-pound fullback would be a nice addition to the offense. I’m sure RB Mike Davis would agree.

As for Freeman, there’s so much congestion at wide receiver it reminds me of the L.A. freeways. USC will begin fall camp with 10 scholarship wide receivers, so there's plenty of talent available.

I’m sure Spurrier and Spurrier, Jr. are looking to develop some of the young receivers like Joe Hills and Jason Barnes. Spurrier mentioned those guys, as well as Matt Clement, last week as guys that had to step it up.

Freeman played fairly well on special teams this past spring. In my opinion, the USC coaching staff is now convinced he runs better in space than he does while trying to fend off SEC-quality defensive backs, hence the possible move to LB.

If Freeman makes the move, my prediction that he would be the second most productive WR this season would come crashing down with a huge thud, becoming the first casualty of the fall.

It won’t be the last, I assure you.

We’ll talk when we get to Birmingham.

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10 Predictions Sure To Come True in 2008

SEC Media Days starts one week from today in Hoover, Ala., so the time has finally come to put on the thinking caps and consider what will happen during the much-anticipated 2008 season.

It’s my opinion the upcoming season is the most important in South Carolina history for multiple reasons. It’s also huge for Steve Spurrier personally. Last season’s 6-6 mark made some people question during the long off-season whether the HBC can get it done in Columbia. With that in mind, here are 10 things I predict will happen in 2008:

1. Steve Spurrier Will Be Asked About Stephen Garcia At Least 10,000 Times: Spurrier grimly noted last spring, quite correctly by the way, that no USC player in history had received more media coverage without playing a single down than Garcia. The onslaught won’t stop until Garcia is finally, mercifully, reinstated to the team. The buzz should heat up in Hoover, but I figured I’ll get things started early. Hey Coach, when do you think Garcia will return? Any chance he could be reinstated before Aug. 15? Is he doing everything in his power to fulfill all of the conditions for his return? I’m guessing Garcia will be a Gamecock again, which leads to Prediction No. 2. . .

2. Stephen Garcia Will Take A Snap This Season: After 18 months of media frenzy andlost of stops and starts, USC fans should finally get a chance to see Garcia take a snap in a real game. Of course, when that actually happens is anybody’s guess. If Garcia is reinstated early from his suspension, and that’s a big if, he could see game action by the third or fourth week of the season. If he doesn’t make it back until Aug. 15, the original date, it could be until after the midway point before he steps on the field.

3. Chris Culliver Will Return A Kickoff For A Touchdown: With Ray Rychleski now in charge, Culliver and his blazing speed could be the biggest beneficiary of the improved attitude, effort and blocking schemes on USC’s special teams. He came close to breaking off a couple of TD returns last season with a apir of 44-yard returns. One of those came against LSU. He averaged a respectable 23.8 yards per return in 2007. I think he'll do better than that this season.

4. USC Will Lead The SEC In Pass Defense For The Second Year In A Row: The Gamecocks had 21 sacks to tie for 10th among the 12 SEC teams last season, yet still finished atop the conference's passing defense standings. That shows what type of year the secondary had. Just about everybody who made a major contribution last season returns. Captain Munnerlyn is one of the best cover corners in the league. Add senior Carlos Thomas, impressive freshman Akeem Augute, Addison Williams, Jamire Williams and Stoney Woodson to the mix and the ingredients are there for a spectacular season.

5. Jasper Brinkley Will Have More than 100 Tackles: When he was totally healthy, Brinkley led the Gamecocks in tackles by a wide margin with 107 in 2006. Obviously, we don’t know right now how the surgically repaired knee will respond until Brinkley gets out there in a real game. If the knee holds up and Brinkley manages to stay healthy, he’ll be primed for a big season, improving his draft stock for 2009.

6. John Hunt Won’t Have A Heart Attack: That’s because the offensive line will finally perform up to expectations. I’m now saying the O-line is ready to set the world on fire, but with young, emerging stars like Heath Batchelor, Hutch Eckerson, Kyle Nunn and Quintin Richardson, the prospects are even brighter for the coming seasons. If Garrett Anderson is able to return from the back injury that sidelined him for most of fall practice, he should solidify the center spot. An O-Line with LT Eckerson, LG Lemuel Jeanpierre, C Anderson, RG Batchelor and RT Justin Sorensen should be respectable, with Jamon Meredith ready to fill in at a number of positions.

7. Mike Davis Will Rush For 800 Yards: If he reaches 842 yards, Davis will leave USC with 2,500 career rushing yards, a pretty good figure for someone who has spent the last two years second on the depth chart behind Cory Boyd. This is Davis’ time. He’s a senior with tons of experience. He’s been the No. 1 guy before, so there are no excuses. As long as the offensive line functions properly, Davis should enjoy a solid season. Since he has to sit out one game for academic reasons going back to the Fall of 2007, he needs to average 72.7 yards per game to get to the magic 800 yard figure.

8. Ryan Succop Will Convert 80 Percent Of His FG Attempts: Hopefully, either Spencer Lanning or Ryan Doerr will show enough in fall camp to win the punting job. If that happens, it will free Succop to concentrate on place kicking, his best genre. Succop enters 2008 with a 74.4 percentage on field goals (29 for 39). If he’s finally freed from the punting chores, Succop will thrive. I expect him to show off his powerful leg and boom a few 50-plus yarders through the uprights this season.

9. Larry Freeman Will Be The Second Most Productive Wide Receiver: Okay, I acknowledge I’m making a leap of faith here. But it was apparent to me during the spring that when Freeman started making plays on special teams, he started doing the same at wide receiver. It seems his new-found confidence from special teams carried over to his wide receiver responsibilities. With just two receptions in 2008, Freeman took a year to find out how tough life can be in the SEC. Hopefully, he learned his lessons well.

10. USC Will Win Eight Games This Season: I believe USC is ready to take it to the next level this season with a strong defense and an offense that will do just enough to win games. Right now, I believe the Gamecocks will definitely win the following games: N.C. State, Vanderbilt, Wofford, UAB, Ole Miss, Kentucky and Arkansas. They should be favored in every one of those games. So, that’s seven. In order to get to the coveted eight-win level, USC must find a way to beat Georgia, LSU, Tennessee, Florida or Clemson. The Vols appear to be the most likely candidate to get knocked off, but Clemson is a rivalry game and we know what happened the last time the Gamecocks played in the Upstate.

Of course, some events are so certain to happen I avoided making a prediction, like contending Kenny McKinley will break all of the school’s major receiving records. We all know that will happen. And fairly soon, too.

If USC wins eight games, they’re in position for a pretty nice bowl game. My guess is they’ll be facing an ACC team on New Years Eve in Atlanta in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. A bowl win and the Gamecocks will have a ton of momentum heading into 2009 when the roster should feature even more depth.

Of course, if USC manages 8+ wins, you can expect more wild rumors next off-season about Spurrier leaving USC for “greener pastures” elsewhere. It goes with the territory.

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Kicking The Clemson Addiction

In a recent “Funky Winkerbean” comic strip, one of the main characters is aghast when he learns the primary uniform color for his little league baseball teams will be. . .orange.

Which segues us nicely right to the Clemson Tigers.

Scanning the message boards and listening to sports talk radio the last few weeks, I see and hear a large number of South Carolina fans (or at least they claim to be) needlessly fretting over the fact many people have a fairly high opinion of the Tigers this season.

Many of these same USC fans are so distraught about Clemson that you can actually see their tears soaking through the computer.

What these people need to do is calm down. The Gamecocks will get their shot at the Tigers in November.

But until then, the reality is, good or bad, Clemson should be a good football team this season. Many so-called experts rate them the favorite to win the ACC championship.

But I knew Clemson would be the media favorite the moment RB James Davis announced he would return to school rather than foregoing his final season of eligibility for the NFL Draft.

Davis and C.J. Spiller should be a dynamite backfield combination. Cullen Harper is a pretty good quarterback (that raises a question, whatever happened to Willy Korn being the ‘savior’ of the Clemson program?).

Based on what I’ve read, the Tigers’ defense should be pretty good, too. The Achilles heels could be (USC fans, you’ve heard this one before) the offensive line, and possibly linebacker.

Besides having some good players, there’s another reason Clemson should have a successful year – a soft schedule.

Yes, the ACC is poor. We all know that. But is it really Clemson’s fault that over half the teams in the league would gladly trade a 0-12 football season for a national championship in basketball?

If you’re really looking for a culprit, blame the voters in the national polls (including the coaches) or most of the ACC for not caring enough about football.

Unfortunately, a lopsided victory over a vastly inferior opponent is greeted far more kindly by voters than a one-point loss to a Top 10 team.

That’s why Ohio State, a good program in an exceptionally pathetic conference, has made it to the BCS championship game the last two years only to be belted by more tested and superior SEC squad.

Crap happens when you face a real team.

Here’s a guarantee – when Clemson starts rising higher up the polls, its soft schedule will become a hot topic of debate on ESPN and on the internet.

Clemson is also in prime position to capture the ACC title because of the decline and fall of Florida State and Miami. Frankly, there’s no excuse for any of the Big 3 programs in the Sunshine State struggling, but somehow the Seminoles and Hurricanes have found the formula for inept football.

Again, can you really blame Clemson for the fact that the spineless Florida State administration refuses to fire Bobby Bowden despite FSU’s mediocrity the past few years?

FSU has been one of the most poorly coached teams in the country for several seasons, and we’ll be treated to more of the same comedy routine in 2008. Hey, what do you expect for $2 million-plus annually? Some real coaching? Forget it.

That clap of thunder you just heard was Florida fans laughing their butts off. As far as Gator fans are concerned, Bobby Bowden is the gift that keeps on giving.

Speaking of gifts, you can be assured Tommy Bowden will again purchase a very nice Christmas present for his father in December. Thanks, Dad.

If you’re a Gamecock fan and you really dislike Clemson, you can take solace in the fact ESPN’s Ivan Maisel rated the Tigers the third most overrated program behind Miami (a good choice) and Texas A&M.

You can also raise a toast to Maisel naming Williams-Brice Stadium the most underrated college football facility in the nation, as well as the SEC the most ‘underrated’ conference in the country.

For those of us who follow the SEC on a daily basis, we know how ferocious of a football league it is. The depth of the league is unparalleled elsewhere. Most leagues - Big 10, Pac-10 and ACC – have two or three good teams and the rest are patsies.

In my opinion, the only league that approaches the SEC in terms of quality depth is the Big 12, and even in that comparison there’s a wide gulf.

Here’s the kicker about Clemson – the SEC bookends nicely on its schedule. The Tigers open against Alabama before finishing with USC on Nov. 29.

If I know Alabama coaches, players and fans well enough, and I’ve been around a few in my career, they expect to win that game in the Georgia Dome on Aug. 30. Crimson Tide fans simply can’t fathom losing to a program like Clemson.

Alabama fans will insist they’re not paying Nick Saban about $4 million per year to lose to Clemson.

Finally, there’s one more reason to quit worrying about Clemson - the culture at USC is changing.

This year marks the 17th season USC has participated in SEC football. Steve Spurrier’s No. 1 goal every season is to win the conference championship. He doesn’t start worrying about Clemson until the week of the game.

That’s his philosophy and he’s unlikely to change at this stage of his career.

Now, does he have a greater appreciation of the USC-Clemson rivalry after three seasons? Yes. He understands that game is very important psychologically to Gamecock fans.

Athletic Director Eric Hyman’s stated goal for every Gamecock athletic program is to battle for the SEC championship. Except, of course, men’s soccer, which is part of Conference USA.

If you still believe beating Clemson is Job No. 1 for Spurrier or any other USC coach, then I hate to say it but there’s a serious disconnect between yourself and the USC administration.

Clemson will always remain USC’s No. 1 rival.

But there are other big games along the way, too.

Right now, Spurrier is concerned about preparing his team well enough to beat N.C. State on Augh. 28.

And that’s the way it should be.

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The 10 Most Important Questions Heading Into The 2008 Season

Steve Spurrier begins his fourth season as South Carolina’s head coach on July 31 when the Gamecock players report for the start of fall camp. After last season’s five-game meltdown that closed out the season and doomed USC’s bowl chances, there’s no question this is a critical year for the HBC. With that in mind, here are the 10 biggest questions confronting the USC football team with the season opener just seven weeks away.

1. Will USC Develop A Killer Instinct?: This is, in my opinion, the most important question squarely facing USC this season. Spurrier has mentioned often in the past of USC’s urgent need to “learn how to compete.” Spurrier claimed this spring the Gamecocks had enough players to compete in the SEC. But, as I’ve said multiple times before, it takes more than physical talent to win in the SEC. It takes a keen killer instinct, something the Gamecocks failed to demonstrate last season while suffering an embarrassing home loss to Vanderbilt and last-minute deflating defeats to Tennessee and Clemson.

2. Will USC’s Special Teams Show Improvement?: Ray Rychleski arrived at USC with glowing accolades regarding his abilities to coach special teams. We saw a glimpse of his skills and mannerisms during the spring. The players appeared to respond to his coaching. One thing I like about Rychleski is his hard-core philosophy that everybody on the roster, including starters, plays special teams. Gone are the days when certain “star” players could beg out. That won’t happen with Rychleski calling the shots. Spurrier was clearly impressed with the much-needed surge in toughness he brought to the program. Hopefully, it will pay dividends this season.

3. Who Will Play Quarterback?: If only I had a nickel for each time I’ve been asked if Stephen Garcia will be reinstated prior to Aug. 15 when his current suspension is scheduled to end. If he’s not, his chances of playing this season diminish considerably. Right now, it’s a two-man race between Tommy Beecher and Chris Smelley, and that battle is too close to call with Beecher holding a slim lead. The chances of anyone else playing quarterback are slim, unless Garcia returns before the start of fall camp.

4. Will USC Stop The Run More Effectively?: With the secondary primed for another big year, USC’s defense could rise or fall this season based on how well it stops the run. I realize the 2007 numbers were skewed a bit by the poor performances against Arkansas and Florida, but the warning signs were evident early. USC exhibited the inability to stop opposing rushing attacks from the outset of the season when Louisiana-Lafayette totaled 252 yards on the ground. In my opinion, stopping the run in football is similar to rebounding in basketball. It’s mostly a matter of want-to.

5. Is The Offensive Line Ready To Step Up?: If there is one assistant coach who could be on the ‘hot seat’ this season, it’s offensive line coach John Hunt. But Spurrier seemed to point the finger at the players on the Gamecock Club tour, contending Hunt was one of the hardest working coaches on the staff and doing everything possible to get the line to perform at an adequate level. The HBC hinted a lack of pride was the root cause of the line’s sluggish performance last season. Spurrier is cautiously optimistic the O-line will play better this season. Hunt certainly hopes so, because his job could be on the line.

6. How Will Mike Davis Handle Being The No. 1 Running Back?: The last time Davis was the top dog in the backfield was 2005 when Cory Boyd was serving a season-long suspension. Davis flourished by rushing for a career-high 666 yards. But he took a back seat to Boyd the past two seasons. Davis is by far USC’s most experienced ball carrier and the Gamecocks need him to deliver the goods this season. If his mind is right, he could rush for 800 yards or more and potentially conclude his career among the top six or seven rushers in school history.

7. Will Kenny McKinley Get Any Help At Wide Receiver?: He must, or McKinley will battle double teams all season. Dion Lecorn showed last season he has the potential to become a No. 1 receiver in the future, but he’ll need to double last season’s output to become a legitimate threat. The rest of the wide receiving corp is largely unproven. I’m looking for Moe Brown and Larry Freeman to step up in 2008. In fact, they probably have no choice.

8. Is The Secondary As Good As Advertised?: I believe so. They played well last season as USC had the top passing defense in the SEC. Captain Munnerlyn is one of the best cover corners in the SEC, while I’m still looking for nominations for a better safety combo than Emanuel Cook and Darian Stewart. I think this is the year the secondary will emerge as one of the best in the country. The first litmus test will come Sept. 13 when Georgia QB Matthew Stafford comes to town.

9. Will New Defensive Coordinator Ellis Johnson Make A Significant Difference?: It didn’t take Johnson long this past spring to figure out that the USC defense lacked physicality, a trait shared by most of the top defenses in the SEC. Johnson will demand the defense play aggressively, with tenacity and, yes, with the same physical style his Mississippi State and Alabama teams showed earlier in his career. In my opinion, Johnson is the perfect coordinator for players like Jasper Brinkley, Eric Norwood, Emanuel Cook and Ladi Ajiboye. All of them play fast and want to get after the ball carrier.

10. Will USC Survive The Season-Ending Five-Game Gauntlet?: If the first seven games of the 2008 season play out the way I expect them too, USC will have no worse than a 6-1 record heading into the final five game stretch starting Oct. 18 with a home game against LSU. After that, the Gamecocks host Tennessee and Arkansas before finishing up with road contests at Florida and Clemson. Last season, USC flunked the five-game test. It must find a way to win at least two or three of those games (obviously, USC fans hope one of the wins comes against Clemson) or USC will find itself fighting for a berth in the PapaJohns.Com Bowl. The answer to your question is no, I don’t want to spend a week in late December in Birmingham. I’ve been there enough times.

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A Positive Trend Is Developing

I know the jury is still out because the games must still be played, but I’m certainly encouraged by the South Carolina coaching hires over the last eight months.

If you want evidence the USC athletic department is finally headed in the right direction, look no further than the previous hirings of Darrin Horn (MBB) and Dawn Staley (WBB) by Eric Hyman in order to jumpstart both basketball programs, as well as Steve Spurrier’s winter decisions to bring Ray Rychleski and Ellis Johnson aboard.

Another piece to the puzzle fell into place Monday when Chad Holbrook was introduced as the new associate head coach for the USC baseball team.

Every high successful Division I athletic department excels in five key areas: administration, coaches, players, facilities and fan support.

With Hyman, I believe USC has the administrator in place willing to make the tough decisions to take the Gamecocks to the next level and beyond.

In terms of facilities, that’s clearly a work in progress. But USC will eventually get there despite the steep price ($200 million-plus) which will be shouldered largely by the fans.

Fan support? That goes without question.

That means we’re down to coaching and players.

We’ve seen time and time again over the last decade how important coaches really are. This isn’t the NBA where players dominate the league and head coaches are – literally, except for a rare exception – discardable commodities.

Bottom-line, if you want to compete and win in the SEC, you have to have great coaches on the payroll. Athletic directors recognize this point, which is why the cost of retaining the top coaches has escalated rapidly over the last few years.

And the best coaches are typically the best recruiters. The truly irreplaceable ones can both recruit well and handle the in-game strategy.

We’ve experienced that reality first-hand in Columbia. Dave Odom was a good in-game strategy coach, but he and his staff failed miserably when it came to recruiting.

Brad Scott as a decent recruiter (remember, he signed most of the key players on the 2001 and 2002 Outback Bowl teams)

But the hyper-competitive SEC insists on, first and foremost, signing great players. That’s why I love Ray Tanner’s quick decision to hire Holbrook as the new associate head coach.

If you’ve paid attention to North Carolina over the last several years, you’ve seen the considerable talent the Tar Heels have compiled, particularly on the mound.

It’s hardly a quirk of fate UNC has participated in the last three College World Series, and reached the championship series twice.

They’ve had good position players, but the Tar Heel pitching staff was the difference. It’s not a gigantic leap to say UNC had one of the top five pitching staffs in the country from 2006-2008.

I can assure you that if USC had matched UNC’s quality on the mound the last four years, the Gamecocks would have advanced to Omaha multiple times.

As UNC’s recruiting coordinator, Holbrook heeded a philosophy of searching out and signing the best pitching arms he could. If he continues with that strategy with the Gamecocks, USC should be in good shape for the next several years.

With Holbrook directing USC’s recruiting, and the new ballpark serving as the bait, I believe the talent level on USC will rise rapidly over the next few seasons. The 2009 class will start the trend (thank you Monte Lee) and continue to get better.

I predict the same thing for both basketball programs. The 2008-2009 season could be a rough ride for both Horn and Staley considering the exodus of players following their respective hirings, but the long-term picture is bright.

The men’s basketball team has just nine true scholarship players. USC will handle the non-conference schedule, but approaching .500 in the SEC will be difficult considering the lack of depth.

The 2007-2008 year wasn’t the best of times for the USC athletic department. Too many close losses dulled the fans’ sensitivity by the time the middle of June arrived.

But the hiring of the aforementioned coaches and the completion of construction of three key facilities assures the 2008-2009 year will be more successful. It will certainly be more entertaining.

However, the road leading to USC becoming an elite SEC program across the board will be long, tiring and expensive.

But even a journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step. That step has already been taken. Now we’ll see where the road leads.

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A Little Different, A Little Of The Same

Vacationing in the Pacific Northwest last week exposed me to a different world when it comes to athletics. Portland, Oregon’s largest city, is a sporting mecca. But not in the way you would think.

About 10 miles outside of the city’s center in a town called Beaverton lies the world headquarters for Nike, one of the largest shoe and apparel manufacturers in the world.

Of course, how those goods are made and where they’re made is a subject of much controversy, but that’s another article for another day.

But there’s no questioning the considerable impact Nike has had on the sports world over the last 25 years.

One of the sports the company is deeply involved with is track and field. Therefore, it’s no surprise the U.S. Olympic Track and Field trials were held last week in Eugene, OR, home of the University of Oregon, or that the local media is consumed with the sport.

Upwards of a half dozen pages per day in the local newspaper (The Oregonian) were devoted to coverage. Many of the stories were devoted to the high number of local athletes competing in the trials.

Many of the top long-distance distance runners in the world train in Eugene, which is renowned for its outstanding track facilities.

In the five days we spent in Portland, I didn’t read a single article in the local newspaper about either Oregon or Oregon State football.

I was also surprised by the lack of Oregon or OSU clothing on the streets. Portland is clearly not a college sports town, putting it on polar opposites with Columbia.

It was the same thing in Seattle, home of the University of Washington. Except you wouldn’t know it by walking through downtown.

Seattle is a major league sports city with three professional franchises.

Okay, make that two.

Within hours of our arrival in the Emerald City, the mayor held a press conference announcing he had reached a deal with the owner of the Supersonics allowing the franchise to move immediately to Oklahoma City.

Seattle got $45 million, and a promise to receive an additional $30 million if the city doesn’t obtain a new NBA team within five years.

The squabble had, apparently, lasted for several years. Even the Sonics’ previous owner, Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz, had attempted to get the city to build a new arena for the team at taxpayers’ expense just a few years after it has spent tens of millions of dollars on renovations.

When his efforts failed, a frustrated Schultz sold the team to Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett, who didn’t even try to hide his true intentions. Bennett and city officials battled continuously over the quality of the arena where the Sonics played.

The relationship deteriorated so badly that Seattle filed a lawsuit to force Bennett to honor the final two years of the team’s arena lease.

The agreement giving Bennett the right to leave town left thousands of Sonics fans without a team to cheer for. Undoubtedly, the people of Seattle learned a tough lesson when it came to the dynamics of pro sports.

But Sonic fans won a consolation prize. Sort of. As long as the arena was upgraded with $300 million in improvements, the city might get another team.

Or so NBA Commissioner David Stern said.

With the distinction between pro and college sports becoming more and more blurred every day, the Sonics’ plight propels me to ask this intriguing question: could a college conference do the same thing with one of its schools?

Consider this extremely unlikely scenario: could the SEC tell South Carolina in five years that the $200 capital campaign wasn’t enough, that the Gamecocks were being kicked out of the league and they had no chance to return unless they spent another $300 million in athletic facility upgrades.

A bribe? You bet.

With the facility arms race still ongoing, is it only a matter of time before in the not-too-distant future a powerful conference like the SEC informs a conference school that it must make the ultimate choice: upgrade or die?

In short, is the day coming when college conferences regard their member schools as little more than chattel, like franchises in a pro sports league?

It might be.

It would be a sad day indeed for college athletics, but one we couldn’t claim we didn’t see coming.

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