Season Previews: South Carolina

Once again, I'm opening up a post on a not so happy topic. While I will not try to start a debate on the issue, I just want to acknowledge the situation taking place in Missouri. While we may never know the full and true story, we do know that yet another young man has had his life cut short and been killed while coming home from a convenience store. I'm not claiming innocence or guilt or either party but I do know the things taking place right now in Missouri are unacceptable. It is 2014, in the greatest country in the world, yet the pictures and stories surfacing from Ferguson mirror the scenes of the 1960's in the South and it looks like a war zone in a 3rd world country. Right here, in America. While it is easy to point fingers at either side, we must all take a step back and work together so that these tragedies can stop and stop NOW. Not after another two or three are killed. The time is right NOW!!! People in Missouri and across the nation are angry...and rightfully so! However, that doesn't make looting and rioting acceptable. On the same token, covering a town in tear gas, shooting residents with rubber bullets and referring to them as animals, and arresting journalist for DOING THEIR JOB is also unacceptable. While at times it seems we have finally made progress as a country and moved forward as ONE nation under God, events like this remind us we still have a long, long, way to go. Praying for all involved and that justice is served and that we can come together and bring an end to all of this violence. Praying that we will not have another Trayvon Martin, Jordan Davis or Mike Brown before something is done. Lastly, I'm praying for a mother, father and family that is supposed to helping their son pack and head to college. Instead, they are planning his funeral. I can't imagine the pain, anger and frustration they are enduring right now.


Now lets once again move on to (less important) but more exciting and celebratory things like the return of college football. I gave you my rundown of Georgia last week and today I take a look at South Carolina. Next up, I will close out the previews with Clemson.

South Carolina Gamecocks 

Head Coach: Steve Spurrier (77-39 in 9 years at South Carolina) 

Last year's record: 11-2 (6-2 in SEC) beat Wisconsin in Capital One Bowl

Returning Starters: Offense: 8  Defense 6

Key Losses:  QB Conner Shaw, WR Bruce Ellington, DE Jadeveon Clowney, DE Chaz Sutton, CB Victor Hampton

Players to Watch- QB Dylan Thompson, RB Mike Davis, RB Brandon Wilds, WR Shaq Roland, DT J.T. Surratt

2014 Schedule: 

August 28th Texas A&M#

September 6th East Carolina

*September 13th Georgia#

September 20th @ Vanderbilt#

*September 27th Missouri#

October 4th @ Kentucky#

October 18th Furman

*October 25th @ Auburn#

November 1st  Tennessee# 

*November 15th @ Florida#

November 22nd South Alabama

*November 29th @ Clemson 

*-denotes key game

#-denotes SEC game

Overall Thoughts: The loss of the greatest QB in school history who never lost a game at home cannot be exaggerated....its huge. In addition, the loss of WR Bruce Ellington is also very significant and he will be missed greatly by the Gamecocks this season. However, QB Dylan Thompson is no scrub and not only has significant experience but also has picked up a few wins including a win in (The REAL) Death Valley against Clemson two years ago. He also has one of the best running backs in the nation in Mike Davis in the backfield and will have the support of an offensive line that will be among the best in the country, hands down. While I expect the Gamecocks to remain more of a run-first offense, I don't foresee quite as much zone read as we've seen the past few years with Conner Shaw. I envision more of a power running attack with the Gamecocks lining up and running it down your throat until you prove you can stop it. Don't overlook the passing game though, there are some talented options for Thompson through the air in Shaq Roland and Damiere Byrd among others. Things aren't as pretty or clear cut on the other side of the ball. Jadeveon Clowney, Kelcy Quarles, and Chaz Sutton, all of which were major components of the D-line and responsible for the Gamecocks recent success on defense are gone.  Not to mention CB Victor Hampton who left a year early to head for the NFL draft and signed as a free agent with the Cincinnati Bengals. Defensive tackle J.T. Surratt will likely emerge as the face and leader for the defense. The secondary will be tested with a group that has little-to no game experience and will start a upperclassmen walk-on in Sidney Rhodes. In fact, Sophomore Rico Williams will be the only corner who has started a game at the college level when the Gamecocks take the field for the first time in 2014 at home against the Aggies. Yikes.

Bottom Line: At the end of the day, Steve Spurrier is still running the show and has a quarterback he can trust and a running back that will be playing on Sundays in a few years. Behind what might be the best starting offensive line the old ball coach has ever had, there is reason for optimism despite the loss of Shaw and Ellington. The key will be how Dylan Thompson adjusts to being THE guy and how an inexperienced secondary will respond. The schedule for the Gamecocks sets up a very reasonable path to winning the SEC Eastern division. The season opener against A&M should be a win...the Gamecocks have won 18 straight in Williams Brice and you can guarantee the house will be rocking Aug 28th in Columbia under the lights. Throw in the fact that the Aggies may start a true freshmen QB into the mix, and things favor Spurrier's crew even more. The Gamecocks get UGA at home early in the season along with Missouri and Tennessee down the stretch. South Carolina has to travel to Vanderbilt to face the Commodores who will have a new face on the sidelines in Derek Mason who replaces now Penn State head coach, James Franklin. The Gamecocks also travel to Kentucky which screams trap game in my opinion. The Wildcats always seem to hang around much longer than anyone in garnet and black would like despite being the inferior opponent...definitely a game to approach with caution. Arguably the toughest game on the schedule might be the trip to Auburn in late October. I fully expect them to steamroll the Gators November 15th in what should be the nail in the coffin for Will Muschamp. Once again, things hang on the showdown against UGA. As always, the season finale against Clemson will be a big one. The Gamecocks will look to make it 6 (!!) in a row against Dabo Swinney's Clemson Tigers this season when they travel up the road to Death Valley in Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Preseason Prediction:  9-3 Overall (Regular Season)