Know your UConn Huskies: WR Marcus Easley

This is the fourth installement of "Know your UConn Huskies" and this time around we want to profile their deep ball threat with the 4.3 speed - meet Mr. Marcus Easley.

Easley, who was a walk-on before this past spring, had 44 catches for 853 yards, 8 touchdowns and averaged 19.4 yards per reception.  Not too shabby for the redshirt senior seeing how he did not get looks the first 4 games of the year and for some reason UConn coaches never gave a chance until this season.

The 6-foot-2, 216-pound Easley is someone the USC secondary must be ready for because if not he can easliy burn ya.

Part 3 - Know your UConn Huskies: LB Lawrence Wilson
Part 2 - Know your UConn Huskies: DE Lindsey Witten

Part 1 - Know your UConn Huskies: QB Zach Frazer

Gamecock Clippings / Tuesday Headlines

Here is a morning shot of some selected gamecocks sports headlines and other info worthy of a read.....

Gamecock Football

• USC freshmen Alshon Jeffery, Stephon Gilmore, DeVonte Holloman contributing
• USC had soggy time in 1979
• Meyer's initial move surprised Spurrier
• Nathan Pepper's perseverance leaves lasting mark at USC
• Boyd builds upon coaching chance
• Quite a Catch

News through UConn's eyes

• Interactive Depth Chart: UConn vs. South Carolina, Papajohns.com Bowl
• UConn's Bowl Opponent: Spurrier Driven To Be First
• Huskies Gearing Up For Bowl Game
• UConn's Easley the ultimate late bloomer

Former Gamecocks
Knee injury ends McKinley's season with Broncos

Know your UConn Huskies: LB Lawrence Wilson

This is the third installement of "Know your UConn Huskies" and this time we want to introduce you to a kid in their linebacking corp that must be accounted for on every play... his name is Lawrence Wilson.

He is 6 foot 1 inch and every bit 220 pounds.  This redshirt junior is one of the top players at his position (weakside linebacker) in the Big East with a team-leading 136 tackles (11.3 tackles per game), including 10 TFLs, 4 sacks and 3 forced fumbles. Only three players in the FBS averaged more tackles per game than Wilson.

Along with those excellent stats, he also is playing to prove something. His hometown is only a 30-minute drive from Legion Field in Birmingham, and said his father is trying to secure around 40 tickets for family and friends to attend the game.

I know USC has faced many good linebackers this season and this is just yet again another good one they must plan their attack around.

Part 2 - Know your UConn Huskies: DE Lindsey Witten
Part 1 - Know your UConn Huskies: QB Zach Frazer

Gamecock Clippings / Monday Headlines

Here is a morning shot of some selected gamecocks sports headlines and other info worthy of a read.....

Gamecocks Football
LeCorn looks for bowl time
Bowl week schedule, weather for USC, fans

Gamecocks Basketball
NIT Bound? Why The USC Gamecocks Will Miss Dominique Archie.

SEC related
Urban - Not resigning, will take leave instead
UK's Brooks 80 percent sure he's not returning

Garnet&Black Attack Blog
Thoughts on the Urban Meyer Situation

Catching up with Gamecocks in the NFL

Here is a quick snapshot of USC products in the NFL through Week 15...

USC products

John Abraham / Falcons DE
30 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble

Fred Bennett / Texans CB
18 tackles

Jasper Brinkley / Vikings LB
20 tackles, 1 forced fumble

Sheldon Brown / Eagles S
48 tackles, 5 interceptions, 1 forced fumble

Emanuel Cook / Buccaneers S
Practice squad

Jared Cook / Titans TE
9 catches, 74 yards

Andre Goodman / Broncos CB
37 tackles, 4 interceptions, 1 sack

Jonathan Joseph / Bengals CB
59 tackles, 6 interceptions

Lance Laury / Seahawks LB
21 tackles, 1 forced fumble

Kenny McKinley / Broncos WR
No stats

Jamon Meredith / Packers OT
7 games, 3 starts

Captain Munnerlyn / Panthers CB
35 tackles, 24 punt returns

Jamar Nesbit / Saints OG
12 games, 0 starts

Dunta Robinson / Texans CB
52 tackles, 1 forced fumble

Ko Simpson / Lions CB
30 tackles, 1 interception

Ryan Succop / Chiefs K
21-25 FGs, 53 long, 3-3 PATs

Travelle Wharton / Panthers OG
14 games, 14 starts

Troy Williamson / Jaguars WR
3 catches, 34 yards

Rod Wilson / Buccaneers LB
3 tackles

Gamecocks Clippings / Saturday Edition

Just in case you missed some gamecocks news due to Christmas, here is a re-cap for ya...

Gamecocks Football

• Gamecocks at full strength
• Scotty Spurrier - Earning Respect
• USC fans are ticket masters
• Lanning's season is one to remember
• Bowl game provides instant replay against Iowa
• Commentary: Comparing USC in the 1980s and 2000s
• Gamecocks Eric Norwood Selected for Senior Bowl

Gamecocks Basketball
- NIT Bound? Why The USC Gamecocks Will Miss Dominique Archie.

Other Stuff
- Incoming Gamecocks Basketball Player - All-Lowcountry Football Player of the Year: Bruce Ellington

Former Gamecocks
- Robinson's fine for shoe gaffe pays off for YMCA

Gamecocks Eric Norwood Selected for Senior Bowl

Congrats to South Carolina linebacker Eric Norwood as he has officially accepted an invitation to the 2010 Senior Bowl.  The 2010 Senior Bowl will kick off on January 30th in Mobile’s Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

In addition to his All-American honors, Norwood was a first team All-SEC selection by both the AP and league’s coaches and a finalist for the Butkus and Lombardi Awards. Entering the Gamecocks’ bowl game Norwood is tied for third in the SEC with seven sacks and tied for eighth with 11.5 tackles for a loss. He has two interceptions on the season — one he returned for a touchdown — and leads the team with 11 quarterback hurries.

“I just want to go down there and show what I have done over the course of the last four years at South Carolina,” Norwood said. “I want to show that I can play each linebacker position effectively, whether it’s inside linebacker or outside linebacker; that I am the complete player, the total package.”

More Here

All I want for Christmas - The LOHD Gamecocks Wish List

Dear Santa,

I know the economy is down, there is a health care debate and the US is engaged in two "conflicts" abroad so I understand there may be some bigger issues this holiday season.  I do however want to issue you the LOHD Christmas List for 2009.  Just a few things we Carolina Gamecocks fans want to see achieved or secured in 2010. 

So here goes...

1. A win vs UConn in the PapaJ Bowl to start off 2010 would be really nice as it would shut some of the fair weather gamecock fans up.
2. Marcus Lattimore would be a nice treat to have going forward.  He is the type back that we need that can help us climb the SEC mountain to reach some glory not felt in Columbia before.
3. Sharrif Floyd would be a nice present to aid in the fight on the defensive line, meaning he is a game changer.
4. John Fulton could be the next gamecock to go to the NFL from the secondary and continue the "DB U" history that Carolina has.
5. Justin Parker could step in and help the linebacking corp as it will be a nad bit weaker without Eric Norwood next season. 
6. Coach Horn to get 20 wins this season with the Gamecocks Basketball team and sneak in to the NCAA tourney.  USC Women's Hoops to make it to the NCAA tourney also.
7. Coach Tanner to take the SC Gamecocks Baseball team back to the CWS.
8. Archie to return to the Gamecocks basketball team for next year after a speedy recovery with that pesky knee issue.
9. Along with the recruits listed earlier please help convince OL Morgan Moses, TE Clive Walford, WR Sean Tapley and DL Ego Ferguson Jr. that they too need to wear garnet & black next season.
10. USC football to win at least 8 or 9 games in the regular season next year.  Heck a SEC East crown would be a nice stocking stuffer.

So Santa, there is just 10 things to bring us in 2010.  Thanks in advance.

What did I miss Carolina fans?  Anything you would like to add..............

Pac 10 vs. Mountain West

Well the bowl season is early, but I think we have learned a lot so far. The Mountain West deserves some credit. After going undefeated last year in the bowl games the Pac 10 has been a joke so far. Oregon State had a chance to represent the PAC 10 in the BCS, got whooped by BYU last night and Utah is making Cal look like Cal Polly Tech in basketball. ESPN has been trying to convince the east coast that the PAC 10 is by far the best conference in football for the past 3 years. Well after watching the past 2 games I am going to have to disagree. The conference that deserves some respect might be the Mountain West. I am not saying that Utah over Alabama last year was a fluke but I think they should deserve a automatic qualifier for the BCS. I have a heard time believing that the Big 10 deserves to have 2 teams in every year. They have a heard enough time winning a bowl game each year, why reward them with 2 BCS games. Just ask Ohio State?

Even Wyoming upsetting Fresno State gave the conference some credit, granted it was a crap bowl that nobody watched outside of the few of use that pretty much watch every football game. The only hope for the PAC 1o this year is for USC to show up against BC as long as they have enough players to play. Who knew paying players with cash, rent money and cars was against the rules. It will also help if the Ducks can crack some beer nuts in Pasadena. I am not sure if Oregon over Ohio State is considered a quality win for the PAC 10 but at least it is a win. I guess we will have to see.......