{Pic credit - J.P. Dawkins}
Monday, September 21, 2009
10 questions for this week
Sound off on these....
1.) Is Southern Cal’s loss to Washington more devastating then there lost to Oregon State last year?
2.) Is Maryland the worst team in the ACC this year?
3.) Are you shocked and saddened that Myers and Tebow didn’t drop the hammer on Tennessee this past weekend?
4.) Would you be excited to see a rematch of FSU vs. Miami in the ACC championship?
5.) Is UGA going to run up the score to win every game this year, what happened to the Dawg’s defense.
6.) Better QB Ryan Mallet, Joe Cox, Stephen Garcia or Greg McElroy
7.) Does Auburn have a chance of winning the SEC West this season, or our we putting to much stock in there win against WVU.
8.) After this past weekend do you still believe that the Mountain West deserves a BCS Bid?
9.) Does Ole Miss deserve the #4 ranking this week in the polls?
10.) If the season ended today who get the Heisman Trophy?
1.) Is Southern Cal’s loss to Washington more devastating then there lost to Oregon State last year?
2.) Is Maryland the worst team in the ACC this year?
3.) Are you shocked and saddened that Myers and Tebow didn’t drop the hammer on Tennessee this past weekend?
4.) Would you be excited to see a rematch of FSU vs. Miami in the ACC championship?
5.) Is UGA going to run up the score to win every game this year, what happened to the Dawg’s defense.
6.) Better QB Ryan Mallet, Joe Cox, Stephen Garcia or Greg McElroy
7.) Does Auburn have a chance of winning the SEC West this season, or our we putting to much stock in there win against WVU.
8.) After this past weekend do you still believe that the Mountain West deserves a BCS Bid?
9.) Does Ole Miss deserve the #4 ranking this week in the polls?
10.) If the season ended today who get the Heisman Trophy?
Gamecocks get basketball and baseball commitments
On the roundball front....South Carolina has picked up two very good basketball commitments with 6-9 Damontre Harris of Fayetteville, NC and 6-3 Brian Richardson of Wilson, NC. Harris, one of the top big men in the country, and sharpshooter Richardson is a nice long ball threat - this is big time for Horn!
I am sure having current USC basketball commitments 6-8 RJ Slawson of Fort Dorchester and 5-9 Bruce Ellington of Berkeley there on their official visits to USC over the weekend helped to land Harris & Richardson.
Richardson also had offers from Alabama, Auburn, East Carolina and UNC Wilmington. He averaged 22 points, 7 rebounds and 5 steals per game last season.
Last season Harris averaged 11 points and 10 rebounds per game and was considering Florida, Maryland, VCU and Wake Forest.
This is great for USC Basketball!
On the diamond .... The USC baseball team last week landed a commitment for the 2011 class from LHP Andrew Faulkner (6-3 165) of South Aiken. Faulkner also considered offers from Clemson and the College of Charleston.
Florida Atlantic at South Carolina Post-Game: Topics for Discussion
1. How worried were you at the half?
Not too much as I knew the gamecocks would wear FAU down a bit and make some key halftime adjustments. The 4 man front was a big key to slowing FAU down. Don't get me wrong - I was highly frustrated as Coach Spurrier said best but somehow as a gamecocks fan we are kinda use to this. Meaning we manage to allow lesser teams to linger when we should be able to run away easy.
2. Who should we be giving most of the carries to in our upcoming games?
I like the "running back by committee" approach so far and I say keep doing it because it is not broke. Maddox can pound it out, Giles does good things and Miles ran with something to prove. Not to mention Sherman who has blazing speed (NEEDS TO BE A PR or KR) and Eric Baker who is not forgotten. Mixing it up and keeping fresh legs is a luxury so let's use it to our advantage for now.
3. Seriously, what's wrong with the kickoff coverage?
God where do you start. From short kicks to arm tackles. It is a perfect case study for bad playing right now. Someone made the comment in my section last night that they thought they would miss Ryan Succop greatly but come to find out they miss Ray Rychleski more. I agree with that and now understand why he was hired away by the Colts in the NFL. He is good.
We just need to do a better job of staying in our lanes and hitting people. I think we will progress or at least I hope b/c if we don't well it will be a huge letdown.
4. Are you happy with Stephen Garcia?
Oh yeah. What a difference time can make. This kid is growing up in front of us and becoming a leader and becoming what Spurrier envisioned when he recruited him. The biggest thing besides the nice stats so far is he is not making dumb mistakes. He has stopped throwing in double coverage, can read a defense and listens to the coaching staff. He also does not try to run when the pocket closes in on him. He steps up in the pocket much like he has done the first 3 games - stepped up.
5. Should we be worried that we gave up 300 yards to Florida Atlantic?
I say no. Defense made corrections that shut them down. Keep in mind we did not have Ladi, Pepper or Whitlock. Not to mention Stewart and Norwood didn't play the whole game. I just want to see the defense play for 60 mins not here and there. For the last 2 games we have seen spotty play. Let's put a complete game together and show what this team is all about.
6. Despite the first half jitters, doesn't it feel great to handle a team like we did today?
I am a Carolina fan, so I just enjoy winning no matter how we get it done. Also believe in Spurrier, with enough time he will get his job done.
S. Carolina Running Back Named "SEC Freshman of the Week"
Way to go Jarvis! And Garcia gets a mention for his performance vs FAU. Today the SEC named South Carolina running back Jarvis Giles the "SEC Freshman of the Week." This is what the SEC noted in his performance....
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
JARVIS GILES
Running Back
SOUTH CAROLINA
5-11 • 183
Tampa, Fla. (Gaither HS)
• Led the Gamecocks with 113 yards rushing on 11 carries and a touchdown in South Carolina’s 38-16 victory against Florida Atlantic.
• His long run was a 38-yard burst and his touchdown came on a 12-yard scamper in the third quarter.
• It was the first 100-yard rushing game for a Gamecock since Mike Davis opened the 2008 season against NC State with 101 yards and the first 100-yard rushing game for a Gamecock freshman since Taylor Rank in 2006.
----Also USC's qb Stephen Garcia got a "mention" for his outstanding play vs FAU with 20-of-27 passing, 222 yards with 1 TD and no intercpetions.
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
JARVIS GILES
Running Back
SOUTH CAROLINA
5-11 • 183
Tampa, Fla. (Gaither HS)
• Led the Gamecocks with 113 yards rushing on 11 carries and a touchdown in South Carolina’s 38-16 victory against Florida Atlantic.
• His long run was a 38-yard burst and his touchdown came on a 12-yard scamper in the third quarter.
• It was the first 100-yard rushing game for a Gamecock since Mike Davis opened the 2008 season against NC State with 101 yards and the first 100-yard rushing game for a Gamecock freshman since Taylor Rank in 2006.
----Also USC's qb Stephen Garcia got a "mention" for his outstanding play vs FAU with 20-of-27 passing, 222 yards with 1 TD and no intercpetions.
More rambles after a FAU win
The gamecocks beat the Owls in a very interesting game. I say that because from my view in Section 301 the game was a tale of two halves with two different teams. Carolina did win 38-16 which is always good as winning is what so many die hard gamecocks fans desire but it left many, including me, with concerns with 9 games to go.
The offense looked good with over 500 yards but it took until the second half for the gamecocks to gain complete control of this game. There is where my concern lies that our team has yet to play a complete game in my view. It seems that we can not play a full 60 mins. It seems either the offense is clicking and the defense is suspect or the defense is lights out and the offense is trobluesome.
Granted we won and I must remind myself of that today. The rushing attack looked much improved - heck it was the best in years with 287 yds and the passing game was on with 229 yds. The Garcia lead offense averaged 8.2 yards which is really good. Defense finally showed up in the second half to shut down FAU.
BUT the game had me uneasy in Willy B. 17-16 at half. Piss poor showing from the fan base with a crowd of 72,017 - the worst home attendance since a 2006 late-season win over Middle Tennessee State (70,442) and don't blame the weather. FAU made running up the middle of our interior line look like a cake walk at the baptist church. Hopefully with Ladi Ajiboye and Nathan Pepper back in the mix we will finally see a complete defensive package. It is funny how last year our offense was suspect at times and just could not find themselves all year meanwhile the defense was top 20 material. Enter 2009, our offense is rolling and much improved in spreading the ball around yet our defense bends at the worst of times. I guess this is good to keep the heart pounding but man would it not be good to just watch Carolina blow out a team.
So we know we have to improve in just 4 short days as Ole Miss is watching tape and eyeing holes. Kickoff coverage continues to be a concern for the Gamecocks. Florida Atlantic had 182 kick return yards on seven tries (26-yard average). Last week, Georgia had a school-record 254 kickoff return yards. This can not happen versus Ole Miss. I do not want to watch us squander a chance because of special teams (again). The other big issue I noticed was poor tackling at time. It is college football and arm tackling does not work even if it is FAU. I want the young D to focus and prepare to play a full game. If the offense keeps doing what it is doing I think we will be okay but we need the defense to come hungry with a killer attitude thursday.
This team has the talent, coaching and desire to be really good. I think they just need to put it all together for a full game and have a healthy team on the field. Maybe Ole Miss will be that game with Ladi, Pepper, Norwood, Whitlock, Stewart, etc all ready to take on the Rebels and "protect this house."
The offense looked good with over 500 yards but it took until the second half for the gamecocks to gain complete control of this game. There is where my concern lies that our team has yet to play a complete game in my view. It seems that we can not play a full 60 mins. It seems either the offense is clicking and the defense is suspect or the defense is lights out and the offense is trobluesome.
Granted we won and I must remind myself of that today. The rushing attack looked much improved - heck it was the best in years with 287 yds and the passing game was on with 229 yds. The Garcia lead offense averaged 8.2 yards which is really good. Defense finally showed up in the second half to shut down FAU.
BUT the game had me uneasy in Willy B. 17-16 at half. Piss poor showing from the fan base with a crowd of 72,017 - the worst home attendance since a 2006 late-season win over Middle Tennessee State (70,442) and don't blame the weather. FAU made running up the middle of our interior line look like a cake walk at the baptist church. Hopefully with Ladi Ajiboye and Nathan Pepper back in the mix we will finally see a complete defensive package. It is funny how last year our offense was suspect at times and just could not find themselves all year meanwhile the defense was top 20 material. Enter 2009, our offense is rolling and much improved in spreading the ball around yet our defense bends at the worst of times. I guess this is good to keep the heart pounding but man would it not be good to just watch Carolina blow out a team.
So we know we have to improve in just 4 short days as Ole Miss is watching tape and eyeing holes. Kickoff coverage continues to be a concern for the Gamecocks. Florida Atlantic had 182 kick return yards on seven tries (26-yard average). Last week, Georgia had a school-record 254 kickoff return yards. This can not happen versus Ole Miss. I do not want to watch us squander a chance because of special teams (again). The other big issue I noticed was poor tackling at time. It is college football and arm tackling does not work even if it is FAU. I want the young D to focus and prepare to play a full game. If the offense keeps doing what it is doing I think we will be okay but we need the defense to come hungry with a killer attitude thursday.
This team has the talent, coaching and desire to be really good. I think they just need to put it all together for a full game and have a healthy team on the field. Maybe Ole Miss will be that game with Ladi, Pepper, Norwood, Whitlock, Stewart, etc all ready to take on the Rebels and "protect this house."
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Gamecocks win in Review : Beat FAU by 22
Gillespie: Not half bad, but USC focus still a worry
What a rush: Ground game propels USC
Giles goes from last to first
USC defense moves to the front
Notebook: Special teams' sore spot returns
Fans embrace fairgrounds' new look
After a Rusty start, Gamecocks overcome Owls
USC notes: Welcome back, defensive tackle(s?)
Garnet & Black Attack Blog
Reviewing Florida Atlantic at South Carolina: Weighing the Positives and Negatives
Spurrier Quote of the Day
"I've been concerned for five years, men," he said with a wry laugh. "(But) I've come to accept that every game is going to be a dogfight.
"I'm happy we got three touchdowns in the third quarter and got a little breathing room. But I always expect a dogfight. I expect a dogfight no matter who we play, whether it's Wofford or Furman; South Carolina State (USC's opponent two weeks from now) will probably take us to the wire."
easy with the honesty coach...
USC Target Lattimore opens his choices up
Duncan (S.C.) Byrnes running back Marcus Lattimore is waiting until February’s national signing day to make his college decision.
Lattimore, who is likely the best prep RB in the country, narrowed his choices to five—South Carolina, North Carolina, Auburn, Oregon and Penn State—about a month ago.
But now he’s told Warchant.com, a Florida State website, that the Seminoles are back on his list again and will officially visit Tallahassee Oct. 10. Lattimore was also at Georgia for the South Carolina game Saturday, and said now, after feeling the Sanford Stadium atmosphere in the Bulldogs’ 41-37 victory, Georgia is back in the picture. He also said he has changed his October 31st official visit from Oregon to Auburn—that doesn’t bode well for the Ducks. He’s planning a Nov. 7 trip to Penn State, and has yet to arrange his final visits.
Life is never easy and it seems getting Lattimore to wear the garnet & black just got a little more interesting.
Lattimore, who is likely the best prep RB in the country, narrowed his choices to five—South Carolina, North Carolina, Auburn, Oregon and Penn State—about a month ago.
But now he’s told Warchant.com, a Florida State website, that the Seminoles are back on his list again and will officially visit Tallahassee Oct. 10. Lattimore was also at Georgia for the South Carolina game Saturday, and said now, after feeling the Sanford Stadium atmosphere in the Bulldogs’ 41-37 victory, Georgia is back in the picture. He also said he has changed his October 31st official visit from Oregon to Auburn—that doesn’t bode well for the Ducks. He’s planning a Nov. 7 trip to Penn State, and has yet to arrange his final visits.
Life is never easy and it seems getting Lattimore to wear the garnet & black just got a little more interesting.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
