USC Football Spring Game Today / Thoughts

Today at 1pm the Univ of South Carolina will hold its' Spring Game today.

Let's take a moment to review.....In the four months since South Carolina played a football game, the Gamecocks lost their leading passer and rusher to graduation, Steve Spurrier hired two defensive coordinators and a special teams guru, and another SEC school won a national championship by beating Ohio State.

After failing to earn a bowl berth for the first time since 1990, Spurrier made a couple of major staff changes. With no guarantee he would retain his title at USC, defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix left for the same position at Mississippi. Nix’s departure was part of a coordinator’s carousel that saw Brian VanGorder bolt USC to return to the Atlanta Falcons 17 days after arriving in Columbia.Hours after VanGorder left, Spurrier hired Winnsboro native Ellis Johnson, who left Mississippi State for Arkansas three weeks earlier.Johnson, who was Clemson’s coordinator from 1994-96 and The Citadel’s coach from 2001-03, inherits a defense that returns 10 of 11 starters, including middle linebacker Jasper Brinkley.

What to watch for in the Spring Game?

The Defense --- The first item on Johnson’s improvement list should be the run defense. The Gamecocks ranked last in the SEC and 110th among 119 teams nationally last year at stopping the run, giving up 209.3 yards per game. USC’s defensive interior was gashed late in the season by Arkansas tailback Darren McFadden and Tebow, helping both players build their Heisman platforms. Johnson describes his defensive philosophy as fairly simple: “You get the most speed on the field you can get,” he said when he was hired in January. Johnson aligns a lot of that speed near the line of scrimmage, preferring to keep the linebackers in his 4-3 scheme in the game rather than substitute with extra defensive backs. Defensive tackles/designated run-stuffers Ladi Ajiboye (6-1, 300), Marque Hall (6-3, 314) and Kenrick Ellis (6-5, 353) all gained weight this winter but must do a better job shedding blocks. The Gamecocks also need to develop depth in a secondary that is thin behind the starters.

What newcomers are going to step up? ---Given the situation at cornerback, Akeem Auguste should get a chance to prove he can cover SEC receivers. Auguste and his Fork Union Military teammates, safety Antonio Allen and tailback Eric Baker, are 2007 signees who enrolled in January. Baker, the leading rusher in Florida two years ago with 1,703 yards, could push Mike Davis and Brian Maddox for playing time. Also, new special teams coordinator Ray Rychleski will give Chester athlete C.C. Whitlock a shot to return kicks. Also watch if Spencer Lanning steps up to be the punter to help rest Succop's leg which could prove to be vital as the 08 campaign moves on.

It will be good to watch which QB steps up, Beecher or Smelley and also to see what WR steps up or could it be a TE that becomes a top target behind McKinley. One thing is for sure and that is USC will not lose today.