Count it...5th Assistant Coach leaves USC

Gillespie leaves USC for Oklahoma State

Another one leaves the program BUT I think this has something to do with the hiring of Duce Staley as he is widely rumored (reported by LOHD HERE) to be coming on board with Spurrier in some role. Having Gillespie leave allows room for Duce to come on staff possibly as a RB/Player Relations Coach. I hope this is what is happening and this is not as simple as another coach leaves b/c that would not be good....I mean 5 coaching changes in 2 months? I am sure this is not helping Spurrier retain his passion for coaching. Here is the news -

This time it is running backs coach Robert Gillespie, who said Wednesday night he is leaving Columbia to take a position at Oklahoma State. Gillespie becomes the fifth assistant to leave this offseason, joining offensive line coach John Hunt, recruiting coordinator David Reaves, safeties coach Ron Cooper and strength coach Mark Smith.

thoughts?

New SC Baseball Stadium

The new baseball stadium is nearing completion, so on the way to the Auburn game I got a few pictures taken. The season starts February 21, a Saturday, against Duquesne at 2 p.m. (Schedule) Undoubtedly, the Yardcocks should be able to pack the stadium again this year. Apparently, the last couple of years the Gamecocks have been in the top ten in baseball attendance. Despite all the work, the stadium remains unnamed. Some here at Leftover Hot Dog have suggested The Ray. Thoughts?

View from the walkway outside of right field

Scoreboard in Left Field

View from seats on the first base line

Most seats are in, but some work still remains

View down the third base line

View of the Columbia in right center

Detail on the end of all the rows

USC Recruiting Update - Coming down the stretch

ESPN Recruiting Rankings
2009 Team Rankings by Rivals
Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings

So as you can see from the above the gamecocks are floating around #12 or #14 which means a Top 15 class and means if it holds true it will be the second Top 15 class for Spurrier in the last 3 yrs. I like this class as it is loaded with talent and strengthens the defense but puts into place some much needed talent/speed.

What is left to go after or still on the board? Well here are 8 that LOHD hopes Spurrier is talking with to get in; heck we will take any of these below to add to a stellar class....yes stellar.

But wait...no QB in the mix? In Garcia we trust.....?

• WR Alshon Jeffery, Calhoun Co. / Speed and more speed. Has So Cal on his radar but case to stay close and drink sweet tea is trying to be made by USC.
• DE Sam Montgomery, Greenwood / If USC can land him it would prove to be a gold mine for the Defense. Can you imagine Norwood and Sam? Get the "Sam I Am" Tshirts made....
• OL Quinton Washington, Timberland /Has Michigan, Clemson and Tennessee trying to persuade him along with SC. It is simple - we need OLs.
• WR Lamar Scruggs, Fletcher (Jacksonville, Fla.) / Lanky receiver has offers from Mississippi and USF. USC's case is we need WRs to make plays....early playing time of interest?
• WR Cameron Kenney, Garden City (Kan.) Garden City C.C. / Has sights on Auburn but all that is open now with SC and UGA pursuing him. He can fill McKinley shoes ASAP.
• OL Kwame Geathers, Carvers Bay (SC) Carvers Bay / Big boy at 6-6 and I do not have to express to you USC's need for lineman.
• ATH Travante Stallworth, Leesburg, LA / Has the speed that is dangerous....4.4....USC needs Speed. Michigan, Miss and Auburn are in the running.
• CB Darrell Givens, Indian Head, MD / Went from Ohio State to being firm with Penn State but now USC needs a CB...now. Captain left which means we need a CB now. Ellis Johnson has zoned in on him as his man to be the CB to fill the void. USC has been the NFL DB Univ for a while now so it makes sense for him to come...right?
  
  Thoughts? What about a QB in this class? Moseley and Petty have interest....

USC Asst Coach on OSU List

The Tulsa World is reporting HERE that newly named USC assistant head coach for defense Ellis Johnson is on the short list for Def Coordinator for Oklahoma State.

There is no way Ellis is leaving for OSU....anyone have thoughts on this one?

Lamar picks USF over USC; 6 enroll early

Lamar staying home, picks South Florida

No surprise here. After USC landed Jarvis Giles, I think most would assume that Lamar would not follow. I mean you will have 3 in the mix in 09 - Baker, Maddox and Giles. Ben Axon will get a redshirt. So again this is not a big issue....but what I do think is a great sign is USC has Six January enrollees join football team ! This is fantastic and all 6 could prove to be in the mix for playing time in 09 so I am glad to see them get a jump on learning the Spurrier system.

SC gets another new coach

After this one hit over the weekend, it seems all those coaching vacancies are now filled and the rumor we reported on here is true - Ward the pick for defensive spot.

Welcome to Gamecock Nation Coach Ward!

LOHD Bowl Challenge.....Congrats

Congrats SultanOfTampa for winning the Leftover Hot Dog college bowl game pick'em. You correctly picked 24 out of the 34 bowl game correctly.

Order of Finish for the LOHD Challenge -

1. SultanOfTampa (Matt)
2. Sir Big Spur's Picks (thefeatheredwarrior)
3. big dick cheese (penny)

USC Basketball loses out on 7 footer

After starting SEC play with a 68-56 win vs. Auburn yesterday it seems Horn has the gamecocks off to a good start post-Odom. But all of this did not sway 7-0 center Beas Hamga from choosing to continue his college basketball career at Valparaiso University in Indiana. Beas made his decision yesterday. Hate to lose out on him but heard he is just tall and that is about it; not sure if he truly fits into the Horn system anyway.....thoughts?

USC Hires Strength Coach

Seems Spurrier is set to hire another coach and it is Harvard's Director of Strength and Conditioning Craig Fitzgerald. Late Saturday the deal was reached.

He has been at Harvard since 2005. Before that he was on the staff at Maryland from 2000-05. During that time, Fitzgerald served as the assistant director of strength and conditioning at his alma mater (a football letterman at Maryland from 1992-96).
Seems he comes highly recommended by Under Armour founder Kevin Plank, also a former Maryland football player, and USC Special Teams Coach Ray Rychleski. So I guess We Must Protect this House will continue and we hopefully will now.

I think this is a good hire but only time will tell as it is all about how the team finishes the season. thoughts?