USC RB Target Marcus Lattimore on the Record

Running back Marcus Lattimore (Duncan, S.C./James F. Byrnes) is the top target for many schools and the top recruit from the Palmetto State. I found this video below interesting with his non-verbal communications when asked about USC and the recent SC OL commitments. I think it is safe to say that it looks good for Carolina in this battle to get this great RB for the future and especially now that Spurrier has put emphasis on the running game going forward. I hope we can land him and his buddy WR Nick Jones . We shall see but do check this short clip out provided by TheBigSpur.com’s William Gunter.......

3 Gamecock Newcomers that will have a Impact in '09

Let's take a look at 3 gamecock newbies that will step up and be a big factor for the gamecocks in 2009. Not saying that they will shine out of the gate but overall they are key freshman to the gamecocks chances in 2009. I think this is fairly easily to guess and I want to say the following 3 will be on the All SEC Freshman team in '09 - -

1. CB Stephon Gilmore - he may be listed as a position player in the gamecock secondary but you could see him line up in the "cocky" formation (i.e "wild hog") to make plays for the offense. This kid can do good things on either side of the ball just get him on the field. I can see Spurrier using many trick plays with Gilmore somehow. USC coaching staff has stated that he is the best CB on the team and was a Parade All-American in high school. I think he will have no problem living up to the hype as long as he does not get "cocky." He has the size to play big opposing WRs and the speed to close in.

2. WR Alshon Jeffery- now that he is officially eligible for school, he can begin to learn the gamecock system because he will have to lace up and step up for the gamecock passing attack. He is a big time WR not only because of his size at 6-3 215lbs but this kid chose USC over USC for cryin out loud. Don't see that everyday and he will be the next USC receiver to play in the NFL as he will prove why he wears #1. Stephen Garcia needs him to be all that we hope him to be as the lost of McKinley and Cook hurts the 'cock n fire' offense. But I feel Jeffery and Jason Barnes will fill in nicely with some snaps under their belts and help Garcia look good in '09.

3. SS DeVonte Holloman - has the skills coming out of high school to take over where NFL players E Cook and Captain Munnerlyn left off. He will be challenged early on as the USC secondary that is deemed a weak spot by many will have to prove to the college football world that the Carolina Defense is not suffering setbacks but rebuilding. He knows how to wrap up the ball carrier but also has good hands to pull down a INT. I think he will also add heart to the D and aid the young CBs lock it down on the field.

thoughts? Who did I overlook?

Gamecock Mid-week Clippings

USC Football

• Feel good story about Boiling Springs QB and University of South Carolina commitment Dylan Thompson...Boiling Springs' Thompson throws heart into ministry
• USC AD allows Gamecock CB Whitlock back into the program but Hyman said Whitlock has to be reinstated by the football program and become academically eligible.
• Training camp separates the Brinkleys
• Clemson, USC and Georgia are all represented in another pro football draft
• Former Gamecock Jared Cook has signed a multiyear deal with the Tennessee Titans, the team announced today. "Terms of the deal were not disclosed by the Titans, but The (Nashville) Tennessean reported that it was a four-year deal with a signing bonus around $700,000. The contract also includes rookie minimums of $310,000 in 2009, $395,000 (in 2010), $480,000 (in 2011), and $565,000 (in 2012), according to The Tennessean."
• USC recruiting target and everyone elses target Calhoun County offensive lineman Eric Mack makes his way around the college recruiting circuit. I hope Spurrier can land him....
• The Ol’ Ball Coach in winter (or maybe just, like, October)
• Top 25 Players in the SEC: No. 15 Eric Norwood
• Strength of the program...a look at USC's Craig Fitzgerald's weight room.

LOHD Posts

• Gibson Commits to USC, another OL
• Orrin & the BCS
• Spurrier this, Spurrier that
• USC reveals violations to SEC & NCAA
• Gamecocks Week 1 Opponent loses 4 players

Garnet & Black Post

• Post-Spring Previews: Kentucky Wildcats

Gibson Commits to USC, another OL

Join LOHD in welcoming OL Cody Gibson (6-6 260) of Tallahassee, FL who committed today to being a USC Gamecock.

Gibson made an unofficial visit to USC Sunday and Monday and contacted USC recruiter/RB Coach Jay Graham Tuesday to make it known that he wants to be a gamecock.

He committed to the Gamecocks over offers from Maryland, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa State, East Carolina, Southern Miss, Tulane and Marshall. Gibson becomes the 13th overall commitment for the Gamecocks and the sixth for the offensive line.

Orrin & the BCS

Orrin Hatch’s much anticipated article whining on behalf of his constituent Utah fans outlining his views on college football and fairness was published in this week’s Sports Illustrated. Below is the article interspersed with some comments. The article is in italics and my thoughts in normal font.

Complaints about the college football Bowl Championship Series are nothing new. Indeed, it seems every year an obviously deserving team is left out of the BCS due to its arcane and, to put it bluntly, biased nature.

Obviously deserving team? Who are these obviously deserving teams? While the term ‘deserving’ can be used in a vague and broad sense, it is up to the BCS to choose the most deserving teams to play in the BCS. Each year there are many teams who can claim to be deserving of playing in one of the five most lucrative bowls, depending on what definition of deserving is used. To say that there are teams that are obviously deserving necessarily implies that there are teams who obviously do not deserve to be included in the BCS. Anyone who follows college football and debates the merits of various teams with others knows that there is little that is obvious about who deserves to play in which bowl. Suggesting that the deserving teams are obvious demonstrates either a lack of understanding of the system or a disingenuous attempt to vilify a selection system.

According to Orrin Hatch, these teams are left out because the BCS is arcane and biased. Arcane? The BCS uses a formula that is widely known and understood, hardly mysterious or secret. I’m not sure it is arcane, but I think that Hatch’s main point, as expounded in his article, is that the BCS is biased and chooses teams who are obviously not deserving over teams who are ‘obviously deserving’.

Deserving and not deserving are subjective judgments that can be based on any number of factors and values. The BCS formula is one way, among myriad alternatives and possibilities, of trying to determine which teams are deserving and which are not. The formula is public and all of the teams in the NCAA know the formula before the season and have voluntarily agreed to play under those rules. To cry foul after the fact, without any allegation that the rules were not followed, simply because your team wasn’t chosen smacks of sour grapes.

Leaders in Washington are catching on to—and even echoing—the negative feelings about the BCS. During his campaign for president, Barack Obama said he believed the system should be scrapped in favor of a playoff, a stance he reiterated after he was elected. In May the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on the BCS. And the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee, of which I am a member, has announced it will hold hearings later this month to investigate the antitrust implications of the system.

Many people express opinions that the BCS is not perfect and that there are alternatives. Many also support these alternatives. Politicians advocating popular positions held by their constituents is hardly news, or really relevant.

Although there seems to be a fair amount of public support for these efforts to expose and potentially remedy the unfairness of the BCS, some have questioned whether, given all the challenges our nation faces, it is appropriate for the federal government to expend time and resources on college football's bowl system. However, I believe the case for government involvement—whether from Congress, the courts or the Justice Department—is compelling.
First and foremost there are serious questions regarding the legality of the BCS. The Sherman Antitrust Act prohibits contracts, combinations or conspiracies designed to reduce competition. I don't think a more accurate description of what the BCS does exists.

Without going into the complicated issues regarding antitrust legal actions, Hatch’s contention that the stated aim of the Sherman Antitrust Act is an accurate description of the BCS is a bald legal conclusion which is neither proven nor supported. Legal conclusions must be supported by specific facts and findings which are not present in Hatch’s article. The conclusion is merely an attempt to label the BCS as ‘illegal’ without buttressing such an accusation.

Under the current plan six conferences, which include slightly more than half of the teams in Division I-A, receive automatic bids to play in the five most prestigious and lucrative bowl games—even if teams from the other five conferences have had better seasons. For instance, in 2008 the only two undefeated I-A teams (Utah and Boise State) were from non-BCS conferences. And two other outside teams (Brigham Young and Texas Christian) finished higher in the BCS rankings than at least one of the champions of an automatic-bid conference. Yet only Utah was invited to play in a BCS game. And although the Utes had plenty of big wins, the BCS system denied them the chance to play for the national championship. So while every conference is technically part of the BCS agreement, the existing arrangement intentionally and explicitly favors certain participants.

Hatch unintentionally points out one of the chief weaknesses in his argument: the fact that the BCS is a voluntary agreement. The NCAA teams, their conferences and the bowls agreed to play under this system. It is not some BCS conspiracy that results in teams from big conferences playing in those bowl games, it is what the bowls, their TV partners, and ultimately, many fans want.

For comparison, look at the teams selected for the four BCS bowls that existed before the BCS (Rose, Fiesta, Sugar and Orange). For the twelve years preceding the BCS (the BCS has been around for 12 years now) there were exactly ZERO (0) teams who are not Notre Dame or currently in one of the six Big conferences selected to play. Not one. The BCS formula, whether arcane or biased, actually results in more mid-major participation in the major bowls.

In addition, every team from a preferred conference automatically receives a share from an enormous pot of revenue generated by the BCS, even if they fail to win a single game. On the other hand, teams from the less-favored conferences are guaranteed to receive a much smaller share, no matter how many games they win. The numbers are staggering. Last year the Mountain West Conference had one team qualify for the BCS, Utah, as did three of the automatic-bid conferences. Yet under the BCS formula the Mountain West received $9.8 million—roughly half of what the three bigger conferences got. And despite having the nation's only other undefeated team, Boise State, the Western Athletic Conference received just $3.2 million in BCS revenue.


The Big Six conferences produce more revenue, as explained below, which is why they are entitled to more revenue. The BCS was largely the creation of the large conferences. If Utah or Boise State or Hawaii or whomever, doesn’t like it, they aren’t compelled to play in the series.

This disbursement scheme places teams from these smaller conferences at a disadvantage when it comes to hiring staff and improving facilities. Because of their increased visibility and status BCS schools also receive an unfair advantages [sic] in recruiting top players and coaches. These inequities also extend far beyond the football field, as many schools in the country depend on the revenue generated by their football teams to fund other athletic programs and academic initiatives.

The BCS is not the reason smaller conference schools are at a disadvantage in terms of money. They are at a disadvantage for many reasons. They don’t license as much apparel; they don’t sell as many tickets; they don’t attract large television audiences and contracts, and, most importantly, they haven’t historically invested as much money into their programs. It‘s these large schools that make the BCS viable, profitable and lucrative. Try pitting the WAC and MVC champions against each other and see how lucrative it is. Hatch wants the mid major schools to be able to play against the BCS schools and reap an amount of revenue disproportionate to the amount they generate.

There's no denying that college football is a business. Most schools advertise and market their teams as they would a commercial product. There are also television networks, advertisers and the corporate sponsors that invest in and profit from these bowl games. All told, the BCS games generate hundreds of millions of dollars every year. If the government were to ignore a similar business arrangement of this magnitude in any other industry, it would be condemned for shirking its responsibility. In essence, those making the argument that the BCS is too trivial a matter to receive governmental attention are saying that we should hold colleges and universities to lower standards of fairness and ethical behavior than we would a commercial entity. I must respectfully disagree.

The propriety and wisdom of government intervention into any business is a complicated matter that depends on many subjective factors as well as the political and economic viewpoints of those that would favor or disapprove of intervention. Just because college football is a business that generates millions of dollars every year does not, in and of itself, justify intervention. I will leave further debate about government intervention to other commentators.

These justifications aside, government intervention into the BCS would be regrettable. There are many issues and challenges competing for Congress's attention. Those with the power to reform the system should do so voluntarily. If not, legislation may be required to ensure that all colleges and universities receive an equal opportunity. Most have argued that some sort of playoff system would be the fairest approach; frankly, almost anything would be better than what we have now. One thing is clear: No changes will take place if Congress does nothing.

Read this last section carefully. This is not a suggestion for action or the persuasive end to a position piece. It is plain and simple coercion. If you don’t do what Senator Hatch wants you to do, he will use his position within the government to do what he wants you to do. Despite any attempts made by the Senator at persuasion, understand that, ultimately, he is threatening the force of the Federal government to get the college football arrangement he wants.

The BCS is not perfect as it is. The bowl system that preceded it wasn’t, and a playoff wouldn’t be either. None of these systems is perfect, but Senator Hatch using his position in the Senate to push what he wants or what most benefits his hometown team is regrettable.

Spurrier this, Spurrier that

The Ol' Ball Coach has been at the University of South Carolina now for 5 seasons and has done well with his 28 wins heading into the 2009 season. I know 28 wins is a mere 7 per season but we are talking about my beloved gamecocks here. The 28 games USC has won during his four-year tenure are the most victories in a four-year span in Gamecock history(actually tied for wins in that span but who is really counting). I find it fascinating that each off season we hear rumbles of Spurrier leaving SC for some other school or Spurrier is growing tired of coaching and will leave soon or be forced out due to disgruntle fans like these fans are use to 9 win seasons and titles mounting up. It was just 10 years ago that USC was 0-11 in 1999. Just 10 years ago...

Let's walk down memory lane and focus on what Spurrier said when he got to SC ---

When Spurrier first arrived at SC he stated he thought he had a good 7 to 8 yrs left in him, he stated that he could not see himself coaching into his 70s and that this would be his last stop. He has turned away overtures from LSU, Miami, 'Bama and Texas A&M (the ones played out in the media). During his first tour of spring meetings, he stated that one of his coaching goals was to leave Carolina as the winngingest coach. With 28 wins in 4 seasons, he is half way there.

Year 2 has a analysis of "are we improving in the Spurrier Era?" I think we are improving but it is a slow turn around. There is no quick fix. What Spurrier inherited was not SEC elite players plus he has had to adopt to coaching college football in the 2000's. No longer can you simply "fun n gun it," at least not at Carolina. He has recruited some of the best talent Columbia has ever seen to play at USC and assembled a great crop of coaches to lead USC to gridiron glory.

I still think Steve Spurrier has what it takes to bring a SEC title to Carolina as I did when he got to Columbia. Will it be in 2009, I say unlikely but do agree with Paul Finebaum of The Mobile Press-Register who wrote that in his opinion Spurrier still has some air in the ol’ tires. While many folks are writing Spurrier off, or think Steve Spurrier is losing his mojo. Finebaum provides a warning for them: “do so at your own risk… I recently saw a man still desperately thirsting to win and still as determined as ever.”

I think Spurrier is on a mission now to prove many doubters wrong. He’s “still trying to make some history at South Carolina.” This is his new 'fire' and really it boils down to this is his last stint as a coach and he does not want to leave on a sour note. Also Spurrier is not a coach you fire, he goes out on his terms.

All of this is just some things to think about as you read THIS from Dr. Saturday today and wonder if he is in it for 'the long haul' ?

I say look to what he has said as he is a straight shooter. Seems he is at the halfway point of what he told gamecock nation from the start. I say he leaves no sooner, bearing any health or unrelated issues, before the 2011 season. If he sticks around till Dec. 31, 2011 he gets a nice million in a tax-deferred retirement package. Seems reason enough to stay - winningest coach honors, do some things at Carolina that have not been done since 1984 and a million bucks - right?

USC reveals violations to SEC & NCAA

THE STATE is reporting today that USC has reported 14 NCAA secondary violations over the past six months. Six of them were considered Level I, and submitted to the NCAA. The other eight were considered less serious and sent to the SEC.

Full list of violations---

• January 9: Men’s Basketball prospective student-athlete was interviewed by the media during an official visit [NCAA bylaw 13.10.1] - Level II
• January 12: Ineligible Football student-athlete was provided transportation to an away-from-home contest [NCAA bylaw 16.8.1.2] - Level II
• January 12: 2009 Student-athlete practiced beyond the permissible 14-day period prior to being added to the squad list [NCAA bylaw 30.13] - Level II
• January 29: Track coaches were present during voluntary athletically-related activities on one calendar day [NCAA bylaw 17.02.13] - Level I
• January 30: Men’s Soccer student-athletes were provided an impermissible nutritional supplement [NCAA bylaw 16.5.2] - Level II
• February 9: Student-Athletes were provided impermissible snacks during away-from-home contests [NCAA bylaw 16.5.2] - Level II
• February 13: Men’s Basketball prospective student-athlete and current student-athletes were provided with impermissible entertainment during an official visit [NCAA bylaw 13.6.7.5] - Level I
• March 5: Women’s Track coaching staff provided two prospective student-athletes with an official visit prior to receiving proper approval [NCAA bylaw 13.6.3] - Level I
• March 6: Assistant Football coach sent an impermissible text message to a prospective student-athlete [NCAA bylaw 13.4.1.2] - Level I
• March 24: Men’s Basketball complimentary admissions were not issued via the proper procedure [NCAA bylaw 16.2.1.2.1] - Level II
• April 22: Impermissible complimentary admissions were provided to the Men’s Basketball NIT contest [NCAA bylaw 13.8.1] - Level II
• May 25: Men’s Basketball prospective student-athletes were provided with impermissible hotel accommodations during an official visit [NCAA bylaw 13.6.6] - Level II
• May 29: Football prospective student-athletes viewed a display which simulated a game day experience [NCAA bylaws 13.6.7.9 & 13.7.3] - Level I
• June 10: Men’s Swimming student-athlete participated in competition prior to being certified as eligible [NCAA bylaw 14.3.1] - Level I

Okay now move along nothing really here that is that big of a deal....sure media will spin this.

Gamecocks Week 1 Opponent loses 4 players

Four players who were expected to be on N.C. State’s 2009 football roster will not be with the team, the school announced this past Thursday.

Coach Tom O’Brien announced that sophomore cornerback Dominique Ellis is transferring. Three players who signed with N.C. State in February – Tyson Chandler, Raynard Randolph and Bryan Underwood – will not enroll in the fall.

More HERE from the News&Observer

Sunday Gamecock Clippings

Slow USC news cycle but here is some reading on your post 4th of July day---

USC Baseball

• Smoak promoted to Triple-A
• Virginia standout commits for baseball ...He's regarded as one of the top players in Virginia for the 2010 class and is a national top 150 player.
• Former Gamecock earns first win against Alumni

USC Football

• Spurrier believes he has a lot of coaching left
• Spurrier on the hot seat in '09....according to Nebraska Huskers Blog
• No love for USC v Clemson is this top rivalry countdown by Pat Forde of ESPN

LOHD Recent Blog Posts

• 3 Players that must step up for SC in '09
• 3 areas of the USC football team that is questionable

***Oh and if you are really bored today and need a laugh then visit Gamecock Coach Steve Spurrier's online kids camp ---http://www.campspurrier.com/ -- good for kids though.