SEC Power Poll: The LOHD Week 12 Ballot

1. Alabama Crimson Tide

Looked like they enjoyed demolishing a cupcake team.  Final Test before UF showdown this weekend.

2. Florida Gators
Poor FIU as the gators proved they can hurt you many ways...but can they topple Bama that is the final question.

3. Ole Miss Rebels
Best second half team of the season in the SEC.  Imagine if they figured things out to start the season.

4. LSU Tigers
Clock Management was a issue at the end but the fact is they got beat by a better team.

5. Arkansas Razorbacks
QB Ryan Mallet proving why he is going to be the best QB in the SEC in 2010.

6. Tennessee Volunteers
Is saying you beat Vandy really saying something this year?

7. Kentucky Wildcats
Don't look know but the UK football team gave the fans something to talk about during basketball season.

8. Auburn
Rested up and Gene if you win this over Bama you will be a god in the eyes of Auburn nation.

9. South Carolina Gamecocks
Bye week and now it will be interesting to see how they fare vs the ACC Atlantic champs.

10.  Georgia Bulldogs
It was UK...Someone will have to be sacrificed on the UGA coaching staff - will it be Bobo or Martinez?

11. Mississippi St. Bulldogs
Keep building Dan....got something going just not your year.

12. Vanderbilt Commodores
Vandy, sometimes college football is not fair.

Nothing to do with Nothing football news

Well if Notre Dame didn't have enough going on, it looks like there are reports of Jimmy Clausen getting punched in the face at a bar in South Bend after the game on Saturday night. There is nothing like losing to UConn, then going out to celebrate with family and teammates. This isn't Clausen's first run in with the law involving alcohol. I have a feeling Clausen might have been celebrating his final home game, as he will probably leave for the NFL after the season. Well if he is smart he will leave for the NFL after this season.

More Tennessee news, as it looks like Kiffen has decided to let Janzen Jackson back on the team after the charges were dropped against him for his involvement in the armed robbery that took place back on November 11, 2009. Jackson said that he did not know that the other 2 players were going to rob somebody. I am not sure how he did not know it was going to happen. They were just driving around Knoxville looking for something to do, when it just came to them..."Lets go rob somebody"..hmmm.

On recruiting news it looks like Lattimore has choosen to make his decision on February 2. Hopefully, he will pick the Gamecocks as we need to keep all the instate talent we can.

Picture credit

Gamecocks Offensive Players watch out for the Clemson Eye Poker

Gamecocks Offensive Players watch out for this dirty bastard as he will try to gouge your eye out like he did on the FSU player.

Watch:


Start to watch at the 0:04 mark, Andre Branch (#40) grabs #79 (David Spurlock) by the helmet, snaps his neck back, holds his head and sticks his fingers into Spurlock's facemask, an obvious eye gouge. Then Branch gets up, talks trash to the justifiably angry Spurlock, points to the sky, and dances around.

Plain out dirty but hey it is klempson right...

Archie Injury Update

Good news / bad news.... Dominique has a sprained knee and will be out indefinitely. They will re-evaluate at a later date and seems to not be a ACL or MCL issue. The early word is he could be back in time for SEC play. 
This is the same kind of injury that guard Brandis Raley-Ross suffered last year, and he returned after missing six nonconference games. This is a killer blow to a gamecock team as before the injury Archie lead the team in scoring and rebounding, now as witnessed in the Miami loss it could create some issues.

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Mumme Poll Ballot

1. Florida
Demolished an inferior opponent at home. Why was this game even played?

2. Alabama
See above.

3. Texas
Beat weak Kansas team. No real games left on schedule until bowl.

4. Georgia Tech
Hammered a tougher than usual (though still not tough) Duke team.

5. TCU
Avoid upset at Wyoming. Won't lose to New Mexico; who will they play in the Fiesta Bowl?

Ohio State
Dominance over Michigan continues. Next up: Rose Bowl disappointment.

Cincinnati
Off week. Nothing to see here.

Pittsburgh
Off week. West Virginia coming up next. Can the Mountaineers ruin Pitt's BCS
chances like Pitt did to them a few years ago?

Oregon
Does anyone have a good handle on this team?

Boise State
Blew out an inferior opponent, like they should have, but still seem to be missing something; I'm not sure what.

Oklahoma State
Really not missing Dez Bryant that much, are they? Could win their 10th game and make Oklahoma 6-6.

LSU
Not sure they belong, but who else do you put here?

10 questions for this week / Mangino vs. Weis edition

1.) It has been a long season for Charlie Weis and Mark Mangino , so who do you consider a better coach?

2.) Who will be pushed out the door first Charlie or Mark?

3.) Who would win in a sumo wrestling match Charlie or Mark?

4.) Who would win in a hot dog eating contest?

5.) If both are fired after this season, who has the best chance of coaching next season in college football?

6.) If Notre Dame and Kansas meet on the football field, who would win this season?

7.) Who would you rather play for?

8.) What is your position on Mangino's comments to players that came out this past week. Part of football, or just plan wrong?

9.) If you were playing a backyard football game, and you had the last pick. Who would you pick to play offensive line for you and why? Mark or Charlie

10.) If your favorite team was without a coach, who would you prefer your school to hire as there new head coach, Mark or Charlie

Bonus Trivia question, Mark Mangino and Charlie Weis were never college football players, there are 4 other Division 1 head coaches that never played college football, name them?

WR Recruit Nick Jones picks Gamecocks over Michigan

The University of South Carolina Gamecocks got a great wide receiver threat to verbally commit to be a future gamecock Sunday night.   The 5 ft 8in 180 pounder Nick Jones out of Byrnes HS chose the gamecocks over Michigan, Auburn, Northern Illinois, Georgia Southern, Penn State and some other programs.

ESPN/Scouts Inc. rates Jones a three-star prospect with an overall grade of 77. He is the nation’s No. 86 overall wide receiver prospect.

He should fit in nicely with Alshon and add some flare.  Jones is a 4.3 sprinter who should help the Gamecocks fill their need for a fast player in the slot.  He missed the first part of this season with a knee injury but last year Jones had 64 catches for 814 yards and 6 TDs as a junior.

The other reason this is good news beyond obtaining the services of a speedy wideout, well Nick Jones is a close friend of another USC target, RB Marcus Lattimore, and this could end up being a package deal which is a big win for Carolina on the recruiting front.

Prediction from LOHD on Gamecocks Basketball in 2009-2010

I know the season has started and the Gamecocks Men’s Basketball team sits at 4-0 right now with a chance to win the Charleston Classic with a win over Miami (4-0) tonight. But I have wanted to get out my early season prediction/forecast for about a week now but believe it or not…work got in the way. Enough with the excuses and let’s roll this thing out…

The Gamecocks have much to build from after sharing the SEC East Championship last season and going 21-10. Coach Darrin Horn has seven players returning who started multiple games last season; the biggest upside for the Gamecocks is having quality depth this season. Led by first team all-conference guard Devan Downey and solid frontcourt contributor Dominique Archie, the Gamecocks should improve on their NIT appearance from last season. I go on the record that the 2009-2010 squad will make the NCAA dance this year.

Why you may ask…The reasons I see this happening is because of three reasons.

a. depth

b. tougher schedule

c. leadership

Depth –
Along with Devan and Archie, the Gamecocks have strong additions due to a good first year recruiting effort by Coach Horn that landed Lakeem Jackson, Ramon Galloway, Stephen Spinella, and Johndre Jefferson. These additions will blend nicely to Horn’s crew that has solid proven players in Sam Muldrow, Evka Baniulis, Mike Holmes, and Brandis-Raley Ross. The gamecocks only lost 2 players to graduation. So this team has a good balance of energized newcomers and proven players.

What's Returning?
Points : 77.61 percent (5th—SEC Avg: 73.81 percent)
Rebounds : 87.94 percent (3rd—SEC Avg: 75.80 percent)

Schedule –
What some cried about last year seems to have been corrected this season with the schedule being littered with quality opponents for the 2009-10 season. Games with the likes of Clemson, Boston College, Baylor, Western Kentucky and the Charleston Classic will prepare the Gamecocks to enter the SEC Schedule this season.

Then enter the SEC Schedule which will be much tougher in 2010 due to a improved UK, UF and Vandy just to name a few. Not to mention games v SEC West opponents – Auburn (A), LSU (H), Ole Miss (A), Arkansas (A), Mississippi State (H), Alabama (H).

So the strength of schedule rating will be very high this year.

Leadership –
I already noted that the Gamecocks are returning seven players with quality playing time from last season. Guard Devan Downey is the do it all senior for the Gamecocks, who averaged 19.8 points per game and two steals per game last season. He may be a little slow out the gate thus far in 2009 but the bottom line is the Gamecocks are winning and this is due to his (and Archie’s) leadership.

Evidenced through improved toughness, a “will to win” and heck - improved free throws. I say that the improved FTs are due to experience and eldership (knowing what it takes to win). The South Carolina Gamecocks shot a lowly 64 percent from the charity stripe last season. This number totaled to be the worst in the SEC and it is good to see USC improving in this stat as it is crucial to winning games.

Prediction
I predict another 20+ win season and a good showing in the SEC East race.  I see the gamecocks losing no more than 9 or 10 games this season. Not going to say they will win it like last year but they will not roll-over to teams. The SEC East will prove by season’s end to be one of the toughest divisions (just like in football) and the gamecocks will finish between second and fourth.  Archie and Devan will finish with All-SEC honors.  May even see a Muldrow or Holmes on 3rd team.  I would love to see one of the new guys on the SEC freshman team but not sure if they will take enought shots this season. 

One thing is for certain...Unlike last year, the gamecocks will be invited to dance and the season will be looked upon as nice progression upon a promising program with a great young coach, both of which are making traction in the SEC.

thoughts?

Gamecocks Basketball Recruiting Class a Top 10 Class

Just recently, LOHD wrote about the Gamecocks Basketball Recruiting Class that looked at each of the players signing up to be a gamecock baller beginning in 2010-2011.

I failed to mention one of the most amazing things about this class and I feel is not getting enough attention - this 5 member class is ranked #10 in the nation by Scout.com.  Rivals.com has the class at #12.  WOW!

The USC 2010-2011 class is rated the highest class in the SEC by both recruiting sites. I am not sure the last time the gamecocks had a highly ranked class but this is something to get excited about!!! People this is only Coach Horn's second recruiting class and I am sure will prove to be a special class even if you don't buy into "stars" and rankings before they enter collegiate play.  But it is nice to see Carolina up their in the same conversation as Duke, UNC, etc....

Great Job Coach Horn !  And again welcome - Bruce Ellington, Damontre Harris, Brian Richardson, RJ Slawson and Eric Smith.

{PS - look forward also to seeing Malik Cooke play next year.}