Like his Georgia playing days, Walker has been reeking havoc on the field and has played an instrumental part in the Jaguars’ success. Through 11 games, Walker’s numbers may not be luminous with  29 tackles and 2.5 sacks, but he has 15 tackles over the last 5 weeks.

Last season, Walker had his best season with 61 tackles, 10.5 sacks, 60 pressures and 15 quarterback hits, but he has reached a comfort level in Jacksonville,  adopting more of a leadership role in his fourth season after being the 2022 top overall draft pick.

Yet, Walker’s progression hasn’t deterred him from keeping a watch on his beloved Georgia Bulldogs, who will meet the winner of the Ole Miss-Tulane matchup in the Orange Bowl.

Walker never had any doubts about Kirby Smart’s team being invited to the Big Dance. He also believes the Dawgs’ current defensive unit, highlighted by CJ Allen, Raylen Wilson and Chris Cole, has benefitted from the groundwork laid by himself and former teammates and current NFL standouts Jordan Davis, Nakobe Dean, Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith and others.

 “It was expected, and  I knew they would get in (the Playoff),” stated Walker. “I feel like these guys are really playing well together, and they have really grown together. I believe the current guys have benefitted from the foundation that we laid. 

“I see a lot of similarities with guys like Allen and Cole to guys I played with (in) Davis and Dean. The defense seems to be coming together at the right time.”

Walker liked what he saw from the Bulldogs in their 28-7 victory over Alabama in the SEC title game, and it rekindled some of his memories in beating the Crimson Tide 33-18 in the national championship game.

In that game, Walker had 3 tackles, 1 sack, and 7 quarterback hits.

“It’s always nice to beat Alabama,” Walker mused. “We had a great defensive effort against them in the championship game, and we had fun out there. I knew I had to give it all I had, being it was my last college game, and I left it all out there.

“When you saw what these guys did this year, it really reminded me of our year. We felt we came together in the middle of the season and realized what we could do. We finally started to realize our potential. Not to take anything away from our offense that year, but we felt we helped win a lot of games.”

Walker sees the current Georgia defense following a similar blueprint as his 2021 unit. 

In 2021, the Bulldogs had the top overall SEC defensive unit, allowing just 78.9 yards rushing and 189.7 yards passing per game. This season, the Bulldogs are ranked in the SEC, first in rushing defense (79.2) and seventh in passing (205.3).

“Early in the season, you want to build up to get to the peak point where they are now,” Walker said. “But I feel like they aren’t at their peak yet. 

“They have a great coaching staff down there and they are going to do their part to keep the guys on the top of their game. The players also have to continue to do their part and continue to wrap things up when needed in games.”

Walker believes the current unit has raised their level of play.

“They have started off games faster than they were at the beginning of the season,” stressed Walker. “These guys have to continue to do their part, and now ramp it up even more in the playoffs.”

So, can Georgia win another national championship?

Like the Jaguars peaking at the right time, Walker is confident the Bulldogs can follow a similar script to bring another title home to Athens.

“I believe they can,” beamed Walker. “They have the right pieces, and they haven’t peaked yet. We put it all together at the right time, and I think they can do it, too.”

The post Travon Walker weighs in on 2026 Georgia Bulldogs, talks Playoff run appeared first on Saturday Down South.

At some point, Beamer heading back to Virginia Tech seemed like a natural outcome, as he would follow in his father Frank’s footsteps with the Hokies’ program.

Instead, the outlook of Beamer’s future at South Carolina became bleaker. 

The Gamecocks (3-7 overall, 1-7 in the SEC) – mired in a 5-game losing streak — recently blowing a 27-point lead to third-ranked Texas A&M may have been the proverbial last dagger. There also is the hire of new athletic director Jeremiah Donati, which many believe doesn’t entirely work in Beamer’s favor. 

Yet, there is always the buyout clause, which has suddenly become a prominent point with coaches whose jobs appear to be in jeopardy. Beamer has an  approximate buyout of $27.5 million of his current $50.4 million deal that runs through the 2030 season. He is making $8.15 million this year.

However, that may not save Beamer.

The clock is ticking. 

The torches and pitchforks were out at Penn State, and they wasted little time pulling the plug on Franklin after he failed to consistently win against ranked teams and had lost to Northwestern as part of a 3-game losing streak. Penn State eventually settled on $9 million to Franklin instead of his contracted $49 million buyout.

Back to Beamer.

Coming off a 9-4 season last year, expectations were high for the Gamecocks, as they were the AP’s 13th ranked team in the preseason poll. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers was high on the Heisman list. A postseason Playoff bid was presumed to be well within their grasp. 

South Carolina began the year with a 24-11 win over Virginia Tech in front of an ESPN audience on a Sunday night at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It wasn’t the anticipated blowout, and that now looms as a telltale sign.

The Gamecocks followed it with a 38-10 rout of South Carolina State, and expectations still remained high. Then the trap door opened on them. 

South Carolina fell part in the second half in a 31-7 lopsided loss to Vanderbilt. It then let a 14-12 first half lead against Missouri slip away in a 29-20 loss.

A convincing 35-13 victory over Kentucky initially appeared to turn the tide, but it soon resulted in ground swell in the opposite direction.

Their current 5-game losing streak followed in which they were down 14-7 to Oklahoma and lost 26-7, and also led Alabama 19-14 to start the fourth quarter before a 29-22 loss.

In the process, offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley was fired and offensive coordinator Mike Shula was later shown the door. The Gamecocks have allowed 37 sacks and their offense is ranked last overall in the SEC, averaging just over 20 points per contest. Defensively, the Gamecocks rank 10th, allowing 23 points per contest.

Sellers’ season has been lackluster, with 9 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. The dual-threat QB hasn’t thrown for more than 244 yards or rushed for more than 81 in a game this season.

Looking at it all in a nutshell, it has been extremely disappointing. The Gamecocks’ second-half breakdowns are inexcusable, and it falls back upon Beamer and his staff. 

For whatever reason, South Carolina hasn’t been able to finish its share of winnable games. The Gamecocks have found more ways to lose than win. 

As he enters his final 2 games this season, Beamer has an overall 32-28 mark, but he has a 16-24 record in SEC games. Since he took over for Will Muschamp in 2021, Beamer has produced records of 7-6, 8-5, 5-7, and 9-4. Through the first 4 years, it certainly looked like there were some inconsistencies.

If you believe in fate, Muschamp was dismissed in 2020 one day after the Gamecocks lost to Texas A&M on Nov. 15. Muschamp had an overall 16-10 record his first 2 seasons and then slumped to 4-8. He was released after a 2-5 start in 2020, and had an overall mark of 28-20 in 3-plus seasons.  

Despite the current chaotic state, Beamer’s job still appears to be safe after this season. He can certainly help secure it and has the luxury of having home games against Coastal Carolina (6-4) and rival Clemson (5-5).

 However, the Gamecocks can’t take anything for granted, and it likely won’t be easy. 

Through it all, though, Beamer has pitched a positive perspective, even already alluding to next season. He has tried to divert attention away from a restless fan base that expected more by evaluating the perception and reality of the season. 

“Nobody thought we’d be sitting here right now with 2 games left knowing that (bowl eligibility is) off the table,” Beamer said recently. “Competition is a core value of our program. 

“To me, the best competitors are the ones that are intrinsically motivated, meaning they don’t need something out there to motivate them. They just love to go compete. I know our guys do. They hurt. We’re going through this right now, and we’re going to be stronger for it next season.”

For Beamer, to talk about next season could be a bit premature. South Carolina’s final 2 showings against Coastal Carolina and Clemson will be a good indicator. 

In 2026, the Gamecocks’ current docket doesn’t get any easier as they will host Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Tennessee and Texas A&M and travel to Alabama, Arkansas, Florida and Oklahoma.

Beamer may slide into 2026, but the ticking clock is likely to get louder. 

The post Is the clock ticking on Shane Beamer’s South Carolina tenure? appeared first on Saturday Down South.

But are the Gamecocks fully armed to be a postseason contender?

The 13th-ranked Gamecocks will begin the 2025 campaign against the Hokies of Virginia Tech at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Sputtering at the start of last season with a 3-3 slate, the Gamecocks finally turned aggressive, winning 6 of their final 7 contests to finish with an overall 9-4 slate (5-3 conference) and a No. 19 ranking in the AP College Poll. Their season ended in a hard-fought 21-14 loss to Illinois in the Citrus Bowl.

The Gamecocks also have their eyes set on being one of the elite 12 in the College Football Playoff field when the regular season comes to an end.

This will be the first meeting between the Gamecocks and Hokies since 1991, when South Carolina pulled out a 27-21 victory. The Gamecocks lead the overall series, 11-7-2, and have a 2-game winning streak.

Virginia Tech, under fourth-year head Brent Pry, recorded an overall 6-7 record last season.

Is South Carolina ready for a magical run this fall? Here are some burning questions and some possible scenarios that will determine their fate.

Can Shane Beamer light the way?

South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer, who was the SEC Coach of the Year last season, begins his fifth season at the helm with an overall 29-22-1 record and a 1-2 mark in bowl games.

The opener will be special for Beamer, who played for the Hokies under his father, Frank Beamer, and he later served as an assistant there.

Beamer took over the program in 2021 after a disappointing 2-8 season. He turned it around with a 7-6 record in 2021. The following year, Beamer took another step forward with an 8-5 mark before the Gamecocks dipped to 5-7 in 2023.

With an expected Playoff berth, Beamer will again need to definitely duplicate and likely surpass last year’s performance.

Is there a top Seller?

South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers is already considered a dark-horse candidate for the Heisman Trophy, as well as potential top-5 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. In addition, he also is being considered for the Manning Award and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. Norris also was named as the SEC’s preseason first-team quarterback.

His anticipated skills and rising stock have brought as much hype to the program as former signal caller Spencer Rattler, who will be the New Orleans Saints’ starting quarterback.

As a first-year starter last season, Sellers completed 100 of 149 passes (67.1%) and threw for 2,534 yards with 18 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. He also was effective on the ground, rushing for 674 yards and scoring 7 touchdowns.

During the team’s 6-game winning streak, Sellers emerged as one of the nation’s standouts. Over the 6 games, Sellers threw for 1,481 yards with 14 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, and he ran for 436 yards with 4 rushing touchdowns.

But the Gamecocks will go as Sellers goes. He will be the key to the season, and will be scrutinized even more this year. The pressure will be on, and Sellers will need to get off to a good start.

Is there a supporting cast?

Too often, Sellers was counted on to be a 1-man show last year. In 2025, the question is — does he have enough weapons around him?

The Gamecocks lost tight end Josh Simon, who lead the team in catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns. Running back Raheem “Rocket” Sanders, who was an effective running mate with Sanders and ran for 881 yards, is also gone.

They will look for Utah State transfer Rashul Faison and returning RB Oscar Adaway III (295 yards, 3 touchdowns) to get the first looks in the backfield.

On the outside, Mazeo Bennett is their leading returning receiver with 30 catches last season, and Nyck Harbor caught 26 balls in 2025.

Coastal Carolina transfer Jared Brown and Florida State transfer Vandrevius Jacobs will both have to flourish quickly as contributors. The Gamecocks also have a flock of budding freshman wide receivers, many of whom are projected to make an impact deeper into the season.

New offensive coordinator Mike Shula, who brings the family name and plenty of his own experience, will need to develop plenty of schemes to keep the bullseye off his quarterback.

Can the defense maintain its presence?

Last season, the Gamecocks were fourth in total defense, third in sacks, and tied for fourth in interceptions in the SEC. South Carolina was ranked 13th defensively overall in the country, allowing 18.1 points per game, 112.2 yards rushing, and 204.4 yards passing.

However, the Gamecocks lost 3 of their 4 defensive lineman. They also were hit with losses in the secondary.

Dylan Stewart (10. 5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks last season) is considered one of the best edge rushers in the nation. Safety Jayson Kilgore (5 interceptions) is back to anchor the secondary.

Like the offense, USC’s defense will need to form a firm foundation in the opening weeks to have a lasting effect.

What’s the final outcome?

In spite of some inexperience and growth spurts throughout the season, the Gamecocks have a favorable schedule that should land them – barring any major injuries – on the doorstep of the CFP.

With Sellers’ foreseeable success, South Carolina could easily march out to a 5-0 start with victories over Virginia Tech, South Carolina State, Vanderbilt, Missouri, and Kentucky — all matchups in which they would probably be favorites.

They would hit some road bumps with LSU, Oklahoma, and Alabama, but they could recover with matchups against Ole Miss, Texas A&M, and Coastal Carolina.

Their usual finale with Clemson could prove to be one of the best college games of the year, and it also could hold huge postseason ramifications for both teams. 

How does 9-3 sound? If it all blends together, it’s certainly possible.

What’s ahead? Wait and see. It all begins for Sellers and his team Sunday afternoon.

The post South Carolina Football: 5 questions facing the Gamecocks for 2025 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Gamecocks are still viewed as a slight underdog, and it could be a high-scoring battle with the over-under total at 63.5.

These are 2 teams that should follow similar paths during the season, and they both should be in the 8- or 9-win range come November.

There will be plenty of hype behind the much-anticipated quarterback matchup between South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler and North Carolina’s Drake Maye. There are plenty of other subplots, notably the chess match involving new offensive coordinators Dowell Loggains at South Carolina and Chip Lindsey at UNC.

However, Rattler can be the key to the Gamecocks making a deep run this season.

He is 1 of 5 Gamecocks who can make or break South Carolina’s season.

Here is Rattler’s outlook, as well as his 4 other vital teammates:

1. Spencer Rattler, quarterback

He truly is the centerpiece to an offense that lost key weapons. With a developing running game and readjusted passing attack, Rattler will have to create most of the team’s opportunities and also improve upon his own running skills.

He opted against going into the NFL Draft and returned to Columbia to take his team to the next level. The senior showed that he is capable of playing at a Heisman Trophy level with his performances that gained his team a Top 25 standing and a bowl bid.

For him, it will be a matter of having a strong start, notably against North Carolina on a big stage. Rattler will need to be on his “A” game every week and needs to avoid the careless mistakes of his past.

Potential, poise and character are the buzz words here, but a sluggish start or a down season would quickly dash the aspirations of the rabid Gamecock faithful.

2. Xavier Legette, wide receiver

Over the past few seasons, Legette has primarily been a return specialist and has been a steady, productive contributor. Now, he has to widen his scope and become a prime target.

Antwane “Juice” Wells will get plenty of attention after his breakout season a year ago. Transfer tight end Trey Knox looms as a regular target, but Knox will need some time to develop his rhythm with Rattler. Fellow receiver Dakereon Joyner has moved to the backfield for depth.

So, this falls on Legette, who caught 18 balls for 167 yards with 3 touchdowns last season. He also saw some time in the backfield last year. If Legette can attract plenty of attention and elevate his game, the passing game will have a much-needed option. If not, there could be a major void there.

3. Juju McDowell, running back

He was the change-of-pace back last season with workhorse Marshawn Lloyd and fullback Christian Beal-Smith. But Lloyd went west to USC and Beal-Smith graduated.

With those moves, McDowell is the feature back to begin the season with a cast of mainly budding backs and a few transfers. McDowell has proven that he can be a viable passing option out of the backfield.

The Gamecocks need McDowell to take some pressure off Rattler and provide the offense with an efficient running attack. If he can’t get on track early, it could definitely drop the offense into a lower gear.

4. Marcellas Dial, cornerback

He did make his share of NFL Draft boards this past spring, and there was plenty of speculation that the senior would make the big leap.

But Dial is back in the secondary and brings back needed experience at the corner position. Dial was nicked up a little last year, but he began to find his niche late in the season. Dial ended his year with 45 tackles and 3 interceptions.

The Gamecocks secondary has been a stronghold the past few seasons, and it will need to remain that with some inexperience on the line. Dial will need to turn his play up a notch, be consistent and lead a defensive backfield that can be an anchor for the defensive unit.

5. Mitch Jeter, kicker

He stepped into the role last year and made all 11 of his field-goal attempts as well as 42 of 44 on extra-point attempts.

With Lloyd (before he was injured) as well as Rattler’s growing consistency, Jeter’s options were rather limited, but he made the best of them. With pieces working into place on the offense this season, Jeter likely will be utilized more, and he can’t afford a slump.

He can be a huge difference-maker for the Gamecocks.

The post South Carolina football: 5 players who will make or break the 2023 season for the Gamecocks appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Yet this is a South Carolina team that won 8 games last season and gained plenty of respect with wins over Tennessee and Clemson in the closing weeks before it lost a 45-38 shootout to Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl to finish 8-5.

There was plenty of speculation when several Gamecocks bolted from Columbia via the transfer portal, and stud quarterback Spencer Rattler was expected to leave for the NFL Draft.

But Rattler is back for his final year with an altered unit around him, some holes to fill on defense and 34 new players on the overall roster for 3rd-year head coach Shane Beamer, whose teams have won 15 combined games in his 1st 2 years.

Do the Gamecocks have enough pieces in place to take the next step or will they slide back into mediocrity?

Here are 10 bold predictions for how they can continue to climb the ladder:

1. Count the records

Rattler threw for 3,026 yards last year, with 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Look for new offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains to turn Rattler loose this fall, especially with the running game likely off to a slow start.

Rattler will either pass or be in the range of the record for the season yards mark of 3,564, completion percentage of 67.5, and completions (270) and attempts (451). He also has a shot at individual game totals for completions (35) and attempts (59).

The Gamecocks need a big season from Rattler, who will be looking to raise his stock for the draft.

2. It will be the charm

The 3rd year of several noted South Carolina football coaches hasn’t been a good 1. And, ironically, 15 is the magic number.

Joe Morrison led his club to a 10-2 record in 1984 and had 15 wins over 2 years. He then fell to a 5-6 mark in Year 3.

Steve Spurrier also had 15 wins over 2 years, but he had a 6-6 finish in Year 3 after winning 9 games in his 1st year.

Will Muschamp also logged 15 wins in his 1st 2 years but had a 7-6 record in his 3rd campaign after a 9-win season.

Will Beamer incur the same curse? No, he won’t.

3. Line them up

The offensive line has been a point of contention for the past 2 seasons.

There are high expectations for Yale transfer and graduate student Nick Gargiulo, who is 6-5, 310 pounds and is expected to bring some stability. He is a highly regarded run blocker.

Junior Vershon Lee moves from left guard to center, and Gargiulo and junior Trai Jones will be at the guard spots. Junior Tyshawn Wannamaker and senior Jakai Moore will man the tackle positions.

This should be a stable and consistent unit.

4. Another Hemingway best-seller

Senior defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway emerged as a budding star last season, as he made 9 starts in 13 games. He finished the season with 33 tackles and 4 sacks. He is a steady force among some unstable forces along the defensive front.

Along with his defensive prowess, Hemingway gained notoriety for running in a 2-point conversion and catching a 16-yard touchdown pass off a fake field-goal attempt. The football stars appear to be aligned for him.

5. A deep well

Wide receiver Antwane “Juice” Wells had a banner year last season after his transfer from James Madison, where he had a strong season in 2021. He will certainly raise the bar this season, as All-America honors are anticipated.

Wells became a favorite target of Rattler and achieved All-SEC honors with 68 catches for 928 yards and 6 touchdowns. Look for Wells to set program records for receptions and yardage in a season, with both marks being held by Alshon Jeffery. Wells also has a great shot to break the single-game receptions record of 14, also held by Jeffery.

6. Home sweet home

The Gamecocks have the benefit of 7 home games this season and have a battle with North Carolina to kick off the season in Charlotte.

They will run the table at home this season, defeating Furman, Mississippi State, Florida (homecoming), Jacksonville State, Vanderbilt, Kentucky and, most importantly, Clemson. The latter will be a wild night for the 77,000-plus fans.

7. No jinx here

Sophomore defensive backs Nick Emmanwori and DQ Smith both had breakthrough years as freshmen last season, and they won’t be victims of a sophomore jinx. Both will continue to develop in the secondary.
Emmanwori led the team in tackles with 85, while Smith was 4th with 54 and had 2 interceptions.

8. Famous guy

Senior punter Kai Kroeger burst onto the scene last year and was a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award. He had 58 punts for a 46.1-yard average and nearly doubled his punts-inside-the-20 percentage. Kroeger also was 4-for-4 passing and tossed 2 touchdowns on fake punts. As a result, he was an All-SEC selection.
He’ll have another big year and win the Guy Award.

9. Special times

Last season, the Gamecocks’ special teams proved to be 1 of the most effective in the college game, as they blocked 6 kicks and 5 punts. With the aforementioned punter Kroeger, they registered 5 touchdowns.
Head special teams coach Pete Lembo received recognitions from several outlets, and he’ll keep the magic moving.

He’ll have some new faces to work through his unit, but Lembo will get the job done.

10. The Gamecocks will finish 9-3

Based on the above predictions, these Gamecocks will finish with an overall 9-3 record. They were voted as the 3rd team in a preseason SEC East poll, and they received 1 vote to win the title.

South Carolina will go 7-0 at home as well as defeat North Carolina in Charlotte. The Gamecocks will also beat Missouri on the road and likely find a spot or 2 in the Top 25 poll.

It will be a monumental season for Rattler, and the defense will piece it all together.

The post South Carolina football: 10 bold predictions for the Gamecocks in 2023 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Yet, there is trepidation in the ranks. There is still uneasiness about the season.

Are there some areas that will improve while others slip? On paper, it would appear that the Gamecocks’ running and passing games will take a hit due to losses, but it shouldn’t be a major decline.

Here are 5 areas where the Gamecocks should improve and 5 areas that could get worse:

5 areas the Gamecocks will be better

1. Fewer turnovers

In 2022, South Carolina committed an SEC-high 27 turnovers, 13 on fumbles and 14 on interceptions. If the Gamecocks are to contend this fall, they will need to significantly lower that mark. Tennessee led the league in turnovers in 2021, but the Volunteers committed just 11 last season.

Quarterback Spencer Rattler was responsible for 12 of those turnovers, and he will need to lower that mark.

2. Special teams

Head special teams coach Pete Lembo weaved his magic last season to the tune of 6 blocked kicks and 5 blocked punts. The Gamecocks also registered 5 touchdowns, 2 courtesy of punter Kai Kroeger, who averaged better than 46 yards per kick.

Placekicker Mitch Jeter made all 11 field-goal attempts and converted 42 of 44 extra-point attempts.

Look for Lembo’s unit to be a gamechanger again, and for Kroeger and Jeter to have big seasons.

3. Quarterback

Rattler threw for 3,026 yards with 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He will have a questionable running attack and a solid passing game to begin the season.

Rattler slowly became the face of the program with wins over Tennessee and Clemson down the stretch. Rattler decided to return for his final year and declined to enter the NFL Draft. This season, he will have the draft on his mind, and he will look to undertake a lot of the offense on his own. Rattler has the potential to set some program records this fall.

The running and receiving game will need some time to develop, and this will be Rattler’s spot to shine. If Rattler struggles, it will be a major blow to the program and his future.

4. Offensive guard and tackle

The Gamecocks’ O-line struggled mightily at the start of last season and played a role in Rattler’s inconsistency. The unit was sluggish in run blocking, inconsistent in pass protection and allowed too many tackles for loss. Overall, there was improvement, but it wasn’t a good year.

South Carolina has a number of pieces back, but Charlotte transfer left tackle Jaxon Hughes and Yale transfer guard Nick Gargiulo should be able to further solidify the situation.

This is another area that is vital for a bowl-bound season.

5. Freshman class

The Gamecocks’ class was ranked by most publications anywhere from 13th to 17th, and it would be expected to be around 10th in the league.

Head coach Shane Beamer has plenty of praise for his 1st-year players after their scrimmage. Receiver Nyck Harbor was impressive, and he could get some quality playing time this fall.

Beamer has also been astonished by the play of edge rusher Dylan Stewart, linemen Kam Pringle and Josiah Thompson, and running backs Djay Braswell and Kamron Smith.

A major contribution from the freshmen class will fortify the overall depth and also play a major role in overall development.

5 areas the Gamecocks will be worse

1. Run defense

This was a major area to address in the offseason. The Gamecocks allowed 200 or more yards on the ground in 7 games last year.

Losing Jordan Burch to Oregon was a major blow. South Carolina has the size on the front line, but its lack of a pass rush caused some major issues for the run defense.

Junior-college transfer Elijah Davis’ stock has risen since the spring game, and he will be plugged in somewhere. Tonka Hemingway, who began to establish himself last year, needs to be a force.

It will be a matter of progression, and it could be a bigger problem.

2. Running game

Marshawn Lloyd looked like the answer in the Gamecocks’ running game, as he was an effective lead back. But Lloyd was not the same runner due to injuries in late October, and he chose to head west to Southern California.

With a few more losses, there suddenly was a huge void. Juju McDowell was a change-of-pace back last season, and he will be in a major role. Mario Anderson, a Newberry College transfer, rushed for 1,560 yards last season. Dakereon Joyner, who saw some time last year with 56 yards rushing, will also be counted on.

A quick development here is the key, but don’t look for any major numbers.

3. Pass rush

Life on the defensive front couldn’t have been much worse for the Gamecocks last season. The unit recorded just 20 sacks, which was 110th in the nation. In turn, it allowed a 3rd-down conversion rate of 43%, which was 18th-worse in the nation. It was a major reason for the number of shootouts the Gamecocks encountered last year.

Jordan Strachan and Mohamed Kaba are both coming off knee injuries, and their return to form will likely be a slow pace. There are some promising youngsters in the mix, but the Gamecocks likely will find themselves with the same amount of production as last year or even worse.

4. Center

Vershawn Lee moves to center from guard, replacing Eric Douglas, who was a mainstay there. Ryan Brubaker is a 6-6, 304-pound redshirt freshman and certainly brings some likeable and workable size.

There will be an initial drop off, but Lee should be able to become more comfortable with the position as the year progresses. It could spin into a more detrimental position, and there will be a noticeable difference.

5. Receiving corps

Antwane “Juice” Wells surfaced as Rattler’s favorite target last year, and he also established himself as 1 of the league’s premier receivers.

The unit did get hit hard with graduations and transfers, but Xaiver Legette is back on the other side. Legette will need to shed his return production, and he will be thrust into a full-time role.

Memphis transfer Eddie Lewis is a burner and will be in the slot. Trey Knox is a transfer from Arkansas, and he will need to be impactful. Nyck Harbor looked good in the team’s scrimmage and could be a regular contributor.

Wells and Knox were injured at the beginning of camp, but they are expected to be ready for the start of the season.

This unit could go either way, but it should be able to post the needed numbers to help the team succeed.

The post South Carolina football: 5 areas where the Gamecocks will be better … and worse in 2023 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

South Carolina football will officially kick off its 2023 season.

The annual Garnet and Black game will turn the knob upward on the expectations for the Gamecocks’ campaign with 10 starters –notably quarterback Spencer Rattler – back in the fold from an 8-5 season. It marked the most victories since they recorded 9 in 2017.

Yet, there are also plenty of questions that will determine if the Gamecocks are ready to take the next step.

Here are 6 of the biggest storyline ahead of Saturday night’s spring game:

Judging Rattler’s progression

There were plenty of sights that indicated Rattler would make the move to the NFL in 2023. However, Rattler, who has 2 years left, reassured the Gamecocks’ faithful that he wanted to help raise the bar.

Rattler finished last year with 3,026 yards and 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, ending the regular season with strong performances against Tennessee and Clemson in which he threw for 798 yards and 8 touchdowns.

Yet, Rattler still showed signs of some immaturity, forcing throws rather than throwing the ball away or taking a sack. His critics surfaced when he had 5 interceptions in his first 3 games, and he was fluid in losses to Georgia and Arkansas. Along with the Tennessee and Clemson games, Rattler was impressive in the team’s Gator Bowl loss to Notre Dame.

So the scouting report remains largely unchanged: Talented but inconsistent.

Saturday night would be an ideal time to show that he is ready to take the next step in his development.

With a trimmed down offense under new coordinator Dowell Loggains, and prime target wide receiver  Antwane “Juice” Wells and versatile receiver Dakereon Joyner both back on the outside, Rattler is expected to mature and develop into the explosive weapon most of the college football world has been waiting to see.

What does Loggains’ offense look like?

This is the big question, right?

Loggains inherited an offense that was under siege most of the season for not generating the expected high numbers and results. Last season, the Gamecocks finished 8th in scoring and 9th in overall yards in the SEC. Rattler was up and down.

Loggains was hired to fix, update and upgrade all of that.

He has had 5 NFL stops as an offensive coordinator or quarterbacks coach, but he had little success. Loggains recently served a year stint as a tight ends coach at Arkansas until he was hired last December.

The early returns are positive. Loggains has been readily received by the players, as numerous reports have stated an early chemistry has been forming with his players.

With Rattler and Wells, Loggains has 2 key components to begin to build an offense, but he’ll have to find solutions to kick start his running game and rebuild his offensive line.

Running game makeover

MarShawn Lloyd transferred to Southern Cal. Christian Beal-Smith is out of eligibility.

That leaves Juju McDowell, who ran for 219 yards last season, as the lead back heading into ’23. The 180-pound McDowell was used primarily as a change-of-pace back instead of an every-down back in ‘22.

Mario Anderson, a transfer from Newberry College who has rushed 3,301 yards and scored 35 career touchdowns, could step in Lloyd’s role, as the team is seeking a workhorse back.

The program had high hopes for Lovasea Carroll, but he took a medical retirement. Freshman Dontavius Braswell, a 4-star recruit, should slowly be worked into the mix.

What about the receivers?

Wells will head the receiving corps along with Joyner, who can play any position in the backfield. Xavier Leggette and Ahmarean Brown, both who were primarily return specialists, will have a larger role on the outside. Fortunately, both have playmaker capabilities. Memphis transfer Eddie Lewis has generated some chatter in reference to a regular contributor.

Jaheim Bell, who also was effective in the backfield, has transferred to Florida State and Austin Stogner went back to Oklahoma, leaving a void at tight end.

The Gamecocks will look to Arkansas transfer Trey Knox and Florida import Nick Elksnis to initially fill the void at tight end.

Offensive line needs to tighten the gaps

With Rattler back, the offensive line will need to better secure their area and zones. They allowed 31 sacks – 20 in SEC play – and were at the bottom of the league in run blocking, which drastically needs to improve. New line coach Lonnie Teasley will look through the summer to find the most effective combinations.

Six-year veteran Eric Douglas was an anchor at center, but the Gamecocks are high on Yale transfer Nick Garigiulo to direct traffic in the middle.

Jaylen Nichols should open at left tackle and Jakai Moore should be alongside him. On the other side, Vershon Lee and Tyshawn Wannamaker are projected starters.

Carson Henry, Trai Jones and Western Illinois transfer Sidney Fugar provide depth, and the recruiting class of Markee Anderson, Trovon Baugh, Oluwatosin Babalade and Jatavius Shivers could all see time. Anderson is regarded as one of the best prospects at his position.

Retooling the edge rush and linebacking positions

Finding a consistent pass rush was an issue all season. USC managed just 20 sacks.

Besides reshuffling and reorganizing the entire unit, defensive coordinator Clayton White will have his share of challenges up front.

Jordan Burch transferred to Oregon. Gilber Edmund (Florida) and Zacch Pickens (NFL Draft) also are gone.

Tonka Hemingway made his mark at tackle last year, and he is back along with Alex Huntley. Jordan Strachan should receive an extra year of eligibility, and will bring back some needed experience.

Terrell Dawkins, Tyreek Johnson and Bryan Thomas saw snaps last season, and their roles will intensify.

Regardless of the scheme and personnel, the bottom line is the pressure needs to intensify.

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Their final destination is Sunday afternoon at American Airlines Center in Dallas’ where they once again hope to be cutting down a net.

The Gamecocks are the favorites to win their 2nd consecutive NCAA title — and 3rd in the past 6 Tournaments — at the Final Four this weekend in Dallas.

USC faces Iowa on Friday night, and the challenge is obvious: Stop Caitlin Clark. Iowa’s 6-0 sharp-shooting guard already has collected the Big Ten Player of the Year, Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year and the AP Player of the Year.

Clark is the woman in Division I history to total more than 900 points and 300 assists in a single season. She averages a shade above 27 points per contest for her 30-6 team, which is the best offensive team in the nation.

Yet, the Gamecocks shouldn’t be too worried. Since last year’s title, they have cleared every hurdle with a 42-game winning streak, 36 of those wins will head into this weekend. Even though Iowa is the No. 2 team, South Carolina is No. 1.

That’s the type of mindset that has become part of the fabric at South Carolina. It’s a confident stream, not an arrogant one. Furthermore, it’s also about familiarity at the top.

Since Staley arrived in 2008, the ascent to women’s basketball’s penthouse had been a steady one that has been accelerated over the past decade. Her team’s first NCAA appearance in 2011-12 resulted in a Sweet 16 appearance, and they have reached the upper echelon of the game since then.

Four Final Four appearances in the past 5 years can justify and end any argument about their status. Win or lose this weekend, the program has begun to fixture itself on the same shelf comparable to Pat Summitt’s and Geno Auriemma’s teams.

This current group has an added comfortability level with 3 consecutive visits to the Final Four.

“This team has been to 3 consecutive Final Fours, and they know what to expect,” Staley said recently. “I think they separate themselves from any other team that we’ve been a part of, and they are undefeated. They realize how people see the program.”

Staley also understands how expectations are lofty with little room for error or self-induced mistakes.

“The bar always is set pretty high for us to continue to do what we’ve done,” she said. “That’s the challenge of it each and every year, we try to top what we did the previous season.

It simply is about maintaining a steady work ethic. Fate also has been on their side.

Still, Staley knows the hard work her team has put into this season to get them to this point. And she knows there is a bit of luck and selflessness that goes into it as well.

“You’ve got to get a little lucky, and you’ve got to get some players that really believe in it and that are unified and see the bigger picture,” she said. “That is rare today because a lot of times young people only see themselves and what they want to accomplish.

“But we have been fortunate to have a group of players at South Carolina who basically clump together and want to play together to do some special things.”

As for her players, the Gamecocks have 7 seniors, led by Aliyah Boston who is considered to be one of the top 3 players in the game as well as the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft. The 6-5 Boston averages 13.2 points and 9.8 rebounds a game.

Kamilla Cardoso has provided the perfect complement for Boston down low. The 6-7 center has averaged 9.7 points and 9 rebounds per game. Out front, guard Zia Cooke has tallied 15.1 points a game and can be an effective 3-point shooter.

The Gamecocks have averaged 80.5 points per game, and they have been stingy allowing a nation-best 51.1 points. That’s just a shade under a 30-point differential, and another reason they are 36-0.

In their tournament run, they have held opponents to under 50 points per contest. Besides the point differential, another glaring – and unbelievable – stat is their 18.1 offensive rebounds per game. Yes, that is not a typo.

Iowa averages a nation-best 87.1 points per game, but the Hawkeyes are among the worst defensive teams, allowing 70.0 points.

When you add it all up, it appears South Carolina should be in the driver’s seat, heading toward another title. LSU — with its 31 wins – or Virginia Tech would await them in Sunday’s final. If they manage to handle Clark and the Hawkeyes — like most experts believe — the Gamecocks should be cutting down the nets again Sunday.

In the big picture, another USC title will further solidify a foundation that appears to be briskly headed toward a high rise.

Staley will recognize her team’s accomplishments, but she is in it for the entire package.

“My thing is basketball,” she reflected. “It is a hell of a place to be when you win a national championship, but it is 100 times more gratifying if you accomplish something with other people. Wins and stats are fun to have, but it is about mentoring and leading these young people.

“We will lose a good number of seniors, but we have built something here that can continue to build. We look to coach first-generation graduates. To us, it is another accomplishment similar to a national championship.”

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The Gamecocks finished 8-5 (4-4 SEC) and did pull their season up from the depths of mediocrity with remarkable late-season victories over Tennessee and Clemson. Whatever momentum might have been lost in the bowl game already has been regained with recent personnel decisions.

So, what are 10 burning questions facing the Gamecocks as they begin their offseason? Here are some thoughts:

1. Will Spencer Rattler be the best QB in the SEC?

The Gamecocks got a huge boost when Rattler announced he was returning for another season.

Not long after, leading receiver Juice Wells also announced he was returning. Wells led the Gamecocks with 68 catches for 928 yards last season; he just missed becoming their first 1,000-yard receiver since Pharoh Cooper in 2015.

Rattler threw for 3,026 yards, which ranks 6th in Gamecocks history. He’s primed to make a run at Dylan Thompson’s single-season program record (3,564 yards, set in 2014). With a 3,100-yard season next year, Rattler also would move into the top 5 on the Gamecocks’ career list.

Rattler can benefit from another season with the Gamecocks, as his chances of being a first-round pick in 2023 were mixed at best.

2. Will the Gamecocks continue their progression in terms of wins and overall progress?

This year’s expectations were to win at least 7 games, and possibly steal 1 or 2 more. South Carolina did that with their late-season surge, but getting past the 8-win mark next season won’t be easy.

There has been a big turnover, and there could be more down the road. South Carolina has established itself as a team that will hover around the Top 25 mark, but coach Shane Beamer’s high-flying birds of 2022 may fly a little lower next year. Beamer is excited about his current recruiting class, but he’ll need some to make immediate impacts if the Gamecocks are looking at a high ceiling for next season. Even with Rattler returning, personnel losses could make next season a transition year.

3. Will next year’s schedule work in their favor?

Looking at a level of transition as previously mentioned above, the Gamecocks could get to the seven-win mark and above by the benefit of their schedule.

They will open Sept. 2 against North Carolina at a neutral site – a team they beat in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl last year – and then host Furman the following week. The battle for “Carolina” could be a shootout if Drake Maye and Rattler perform as expected. If South Carolina has other pieces in the right places, they could open 2-0, which would be a tremendous boost.

The Gamecocks have other winnable games against Jacksonville State and Vanderbilt – both at home – and on the road against Missouri. A key game will be at home against Florida, which thumped them in The Swamp last season.

The debatable games are Texas A&M (at College Station), Kentucky and Clemson, facing the latter 2 at Willy B. The Gamecocks actually close the season with 4 consecutive home games.

I would like to think they could win 7 with this schedule if all breaks right, but we’ll know better after the opener.

4. Can new offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains make a quick adjustment?

Loggains showed some wrinkles of what a 2023 offense could look like in the Notre Dame game. He is a 16-year NFL veteran who was either a quarterbacks coach or offensive coordinator. Loggains’ last stint was as an offensive coordinator with the Jets where he worked with Sam Darnold.

Former offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield came under fire for not opening up the offense early in the season last year until he became more aggressive in the second half.

Loggains showed that he wasn’t afraid to take chances and ran some Wildcat with his receivers against Notre Dame. Returning Rattler and Wells is a great place to start, but the burning question is what tools will he have left when the smoke finally clears from the other transfers.

5. Who will be the lead running back next season?

The Gamecocks thought they had that question answered with the emergence of redshirt sophomore MarShawn Lloyd. He was on his way to a probable 1,000-yard season until a calf injury slowed him to a shadow of himself. Surprisingly, Lloyd entered the transfer portal.

Junior Juju McDowell will get the first crack here. McDowell ran for 291 yards behind Lloyd (team-high 573) and Jaheim Bell, who also portaled out. McDowell has the speed to cut outside well, and the Gamecocks will need to find a consistent blocking back for him.

McDowell was projected to have a possible breakout season this year, and the door will be left open for him next August. Rashad Amos, a reserve who might have figured into the rotation next year, recently transferred to Miami (Ohio).

The Gamecocks did add Dontavius Braswell, a 4-star prospect from Georgia and the No. 16-ranked running back in the country. Braswell had offers from Tennessee and Alabama, among others.

6. Will the special teams unit continue to shine?

Yes, they had a banner year and look for more of the same next season.

Special teams coach Pete Lembo’s unit blocked five punts and returned two for touchdowns. Punter Kai Kroeger was a perfect 4-for-4 in passing off a fake, and 2 were for touchdowns. Kroeger averaged 46.1 per punt.

Kicker Mitch Jeter was a perfect 11-for 11 on field-goal attempts, his longest being a 53-yarder. The Gamecocks had steady production all season from their punt and kickoff return teams.

7. Can the Gamecocks find a consistent edge rusher?

This will be a tricky situation, and one likely answered by the beginning of next season.

Senior Jordan Strachan went down with a season-ending ACL injury in Week 2 and is applying for a medical waiver. Junior Jordan Burch, who had 56 tackles, 3.5 sack, and 10 quarterback hurries, is transferring to Oregon.

Gilber Edmund, who had a productive year, and developing end Hot Rod Fitton, are trasferring, too.

How the Gamecocks revamp their defensive line will be one of the hot topics in spring and fall camp.

Desmond Umeozulu and Monteque Rhames are 4-star recruits at the position, but they may not be ready for meaningful minutes.

8. Can the secondary return to their elite status?

Over the past few seasons, the Gamecocks’ secondary has been regarded as one of the elites in the SEC. They ranked 5th in the SEC in 2022, allowing an average of 199.5 yards per game during the regular season, and Notre Dame quarterback Tyler Buchner threw for 294 yards with 3 touchdowns.

But they RJ Roderick, Cam Smith, Darius Rush, and Devonni Reed are gone. South Carolina will return leading tackler Nick Emmanwori along with DQ Smith and Marcellas Dial, both of whom were solid most of the season. Dial had a team-high 3 interceptions

O’Donnell Fortune stepped into the lineup and returned an interception 100 yards for a score in the Gator Bowl. He will be among a horde of new faces vying for time next season.

The secondary certainly has the potential to again be among the league’s best, and will take some time to develop depth.

9. Can the offensive line retool in time before the season?

Up front, the Gamecocks had some questions to answer before the 2022 season, and the reviews were mixed. They played well in upset wins, but the Gamecocks still finished 12th in the SEC in rushing and only 2 SEC teams allowed more than their 31 sacks.

Now they must replace center Eric Douglas, a stabilizing force, along with right guard Jovaughn Gwyn and right tackle Dylan Wonnum.

The Gamecocks recruited heavily for offensive lineman and landed 4-star OL Markee Anderson. They also have been actively trying to entice transfers their way.

Like some other positions, this will be a work in progress, and one initially that will start slowly with the progression.

10. Will the overall defense improve?

The Gamecocks allowed 28.8 points per game (t-10th in SEC), 206.7 passing (5th) and 198 rushing (13th) in 2022. Clearly, there is room to improve.

The most glaring candidate is their rush defense. Their inability to stop the run was critical in their 5 defeats, and there were plenty of victories in which the total was too high. There were also too many games in which the Gamecocks looked worn down in the second half.

Junior tackle Tonka Hemingway surfaced as a run-stopper and game disrupter with two fumble recoveries and team-high four sacks. Senior linebackers Brad Johnson and Sherrod Greene are gone as forces in the middle, but sophomore Debo Williams should elevate his play.

Defensive coordinator Clayton White could hear some rumblings about his future if the Gamecocks can’t tighten this side of the football.

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Friday’s 45-38 loss to Notre Dame in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl was unlike any other of their previous 12 games. This one ended sloppier than any of the three blowouts – Georgia (48-7), Arkansas (44-30) and Florida (38-6). Their Missouri loss was one in which they came out flat.

The Gamecocks led 21-7 … but gave up 28 points in the second half. But don’t blame the defense; they scored 2 of the Gamecocks’ touchdowns.

Strange, indeed.

On the Gamecocks’ final possession, there was an illegal block, intentional grounding, and a personal foul. Overall, South Carolina was flagged 8 times for 73 yards.

Yes, this was a crazy game, but the Gamecocks lost their composure on too many occasions. Even head coach Shane Beamer picked up a personal foul penalty in the first half for his badgering of calls.

It should not have unraveled in that fashion, but unfortunately, it did. The Gamecocks had a commanding 21-7 lead after one quarter, and the majority of the Gamecocks’ fans who comprised the 67,385 in attendance would have a happy drive back up I-95 North to their greater Columbia-area confines.

Punter Kai Kroeger threw his second touchdown pass of the season on a beautifully timed and executed 4th-down fake to Hunter Rogers that was part of the first-half fury.

Instead, it likely will be a confused and nauseated drive home.

Punctuated by realizing, again, that their team could be taken apart like they earlier were in the Georgia and Florida losses.

The effort was there, but the execution certainly waned in the second half. The Gamecocks bent all game, and they finally broke — allowing 28 points after the break. It was obvious that cornerbacks Cam Smith, Devonni Reed, and Darius Rush – all who declared for the NFL Draft – were missed in a secondary that had plenty of new names in the mix.

Linebackers Sherrod Green and Brad Johnson had valiant efforts in playing their final game in garnet and white. Lineman Jordan Burch and Tonka Hemingway also proved they can be a force in 2023.

Quarterback Spencer Rattler went through a series of emotions on the field that was another reflection of his career that appeared to be behind him. Rattler was 22-of-28 for 161 for 2 touchdowns in the first half, and 7-for-19 for 85 yards in the second half. In the end, Rattler looked rattled.

This was a South Carolina defense that returned 2 of their 3 interceptions for dramatic touchdowns – a 47-yarder by DQ Smith and a 100-yarder by O’Donnell Fortune – but they allowed 585 of total offense to Notre Dame.

Quarterback Tyler Buchner was named the game’s MVP for his 294 yards passing and 61 yards rushing, a portion of the team’s 264 yards on the ground.

Welcome to another version of Beamer Ball. It was a game in which the Gamecocks couldn’t close out Notre Dame when they had their chance. Instead, the Irish made the necessary adjustments in the second half and wore down the Gamecocks’ defense.

This time around, Beamer Ball left you with another incident of looking for the Pepto-Bismol. It wasn’t the time when you felt like popping a bottle of champagne.

This one certainly will begin to raise the questions of the 2023 squad after the 2022 season ended with an unexpected 8-5 mark after some late-season surprises. After the final gun sounded, the statement victories over Tennessee and Clemson seemed too far away.

Will Rattler return? Before the game, Rattle praised Beamer and felt the obligation to him and the program to play in the game while several of his teammates took off for the transfer portal or for some presumed greener pastures in the NFL.

Rattler showed plenty of grit and character in the team’s opening drive that resulted in a score as well as his first-half performance of dunking short passes over the middle and in the flats.

But he looked a bit frazzled at times in the second half when Notre Dame adjusted to the short passing game and also won the line of scrimmage. It will be interesting to see if Rattler believes there is enough around him for a run next season.

Wide receivers Xavier Legette and Dakereon Joyner, both of whom could return next year due to the COVID season, showed they can be effective weapons alongside Antwane “Juice” Wells, who had a quiet night.

Running back Juju McDowell had some moments, but the offensive line couldn’t create enough holes for him. McDowell likely will be the team’s feature back next fall.

There will be plenty to reflect upon about this game and this season for quite some time. It was a campaign in which the Gamecocks answered their critics, but the Notre Dame defeat certainly will leave some doubts in the minds of others.

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Instead, the underlying current for the Gamecocks is the future of many significant players on their roster.

You might need a roster to see who is in the lineup for the 3:30 p.m. kickoff at TIAA Field.

Once viewed as the perfect ending to South Carolina’s revitalized season, the Gator Bowl has suddenly lost its luster for the Gamecocks, who beat North Carolina, 38-21, in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl last season.

South Carolina starting running back MarShawn Lloyd, tight end/running back Jaheim Bell and tight end Austin Stogner announced that they have entered the transfer portal.

Lloyd, a redshirt sophomore, is the Gamecocks’ leading rusher with 573 yards, and he has scored 9 touchdowns. Bell, a junior, had emerged as a dual threat with 231 yards receiving and 261 rushing. Stogner caught 20 passes for 210 yards with 1 touchdown.

Defensively, cornerbacks Cam Smith and Darius Rush and defensive end Zacch Pickens won’t participate in the Gator Bowl because they have announced their intentions to enter the NFL Draft. Sophomore edge rusher Gilber Edmond has entered the transfer portal.

They all were integral pieces in helping the Gamecocks reach above the cusp of a mediocre 5-3 season to win 3 of their last 4 — downing then-No. 5 Tennessee and No. 7 Clemson — to finish 8-4. It was the 1st time since 2017 that South Carolina had won as many as 8 games during the regular season.

At practice on Tuesday, wide receivers Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. and Dakereon Joyner both discussed the possibilities of finding a new home next year, primarily through the Draft or via the transfer portal.

After 2 seasons at James Madison, Wells emerged as a major playmaker and deep threat for the Gamecocks, as he caught a team-high 63 balls for 898 yards. He was 2nd in the SEC in yards receiving to Biletnikoff Award winner Jaylin Hyatt of Tennessee. Wells had 4 games in which he registered 110 yards, and he had a combined 20 receptions for 308 yards with 1 touchdown against Tennessee and Clemson.

Wells is evaluating the situation, stating that he is waiting to see who “my quarterback is and what kind of recruits we get in. There are a few other things, but I definitely want to see who my quarterback is.”

That also has been a point of contention surrounding current starting signal caller Spencer Rattler, a junior who has hinted that he may leave the Columbia confines for the apparent green pastures of the NFL.

As everyone has seen, there have been plenty of subplots involving head coach Shane Beamer and his Gamecocks.

And it will be interesting to see if they can maintain their focus on Notre Dame.

As it has all season, the spotlight will be on Rattler, who may have his final audition before stepping onto the bigger stage. He has completed 235 of 352 passes for 2,780 yards with 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Against Tennessee and Clemson, Rattler completed a combined 55 of 76 attempts for 798 yards with 8 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.

He again will look to Wells and Joyner. Fellow receivers and seniors Josh Vann and Jalen Brooks will miss the game due to injuries. Seniors Ahmarean Brown and Xavier Legette also could be in the mix.

Sophomore Juju McDowell (191 yards, 2 touchdowns) will take Lloyd’s spot, and senior Christian Beal-Smith (148 yards, 5 touchdowns) is back after a nagging foot injury. McDowell’s scatback speed and Beal-Smith’s plow style can be a perfect complement.

On the other side of the ball, freshmen safety Nick Emmanwori was the team’s leading tackler with 78 stops, and linebackers Sherrod Greene (60 tackles) and Jordan Burch (56 tackles) also were steady contributors. Sixth-year senior linebacker Brad Johnson will culminate a stellar career.

As for Notre Dame, the Fighting Irish rebounded after an 0-2 start, though they are coming off a 38-27 loss to No. 6 Southern Cal after they posted a 5-game winning streak.

Sophomore quarterback Drew Pyne has been a major reason for their comeback. He threw for 318 yards with 3 touchdowns against USC, and he has thrown for 2,021 yards with 22 touchdowns and 6 interceptions this season.

But Pyne has bolted for the transfer portal, and fellow sophomore Tyler Buchner, who went down with a shoulder injury in the 2nd game of the season, will get the nod. Buchner struggled and had 2 interceptions without a touchdown.

Junior tight end Michael Mayer had been Notre Dame’s main target with 67 receptions for 809 yards and 9 touchdowns. But Mayer decided to take his game to the NFL.

Notre Dame will rely on its running game, which has netted 183 yards per game and amassed nearly 2,000 for the season. Sophomore Audric Estime is the top back from a consistent 4-back rotation, with 825 yards and 11 touchdowns.

So the Gamecocks will have most of their pieces in place despite missing some major players on the board. It can truly be a chess match against the Fighting Irish, who will have their character in question after they were handled by USC.

It will come down to whether Rattler can keep his groove from his past 2 games, and whether Notre Dame’s running game can keep churning its wheels. This will also come down to what defense will break down first.

Somehow, I see Rattler keeping his touch and giving the South Carolina faithful — who will fill the majority of the 67,814 at TIAA Field — a season sendoff as well as a teaser for the NFL with a 4-touchdown, 300-yard-plus performance.

Look for the Gamecocks’ magic to continue in a 28-27 thriller.

The post South Carolina football: Can the Gamecocks regain their focus against Notre Dame? appeared first on Saturday Down South.

However, some of their momentum might have been diffused with the recent rash of players who have entered the transfer portal, most notably starting running back MarShawn Lloyd. Zacch Pickens, Darius Rush and Cam Smith have also all opted out of playing in the Gator Bowl. Smith is headed for the NFL Draft, and Pickens and Rush could follow him.

Should South Carolina beat Notre Dame, the victory likely will be missing some of the expected luster.

Yet, South Carolina can have a good outlook for the future with its 2023 recruiting class. According to 247Sports, the Gamecocks’ recent 18 recruits rank 20th overall in the country and 8th in the SEC.

Here’s a breakdown of their class:

Highest-rated player(s)

The Gamecocks don’t have a 5-star player, but they do have 9 4-star and 9 3-star players.

Among the more recognizable is 6-3, 300-pound guard Markee Anderson from Roebuck, South Carolina, who reportedly has all the skills of an NFL lineman. Anderson was the No. 2 recruit in the state, according to 247Sports Composite, and he was recruited by 9 Power 5 schools.

Anderson has shown he can easily dominate a game, and he still has unbound potential. He can make a quick adjustment onto the Gamecocks’ line next fall.

Edge rusher Desmond Umeozulu (6-6, 239 pounds) helped C.H. Flowers reach the Maryland state semifinals and to an 11-2 overall record. He has the ideal frame for a pass rusher and can play there in the 240s weight-wise. His attacking style re-directs play along the line of scrimmage, and he has speed to chase down the play from behind.

Running back Dontavious Braswell from Sandersville, Georgia, has been rated as the highest skill player in the class. He is ranked 14th in his class.

Did the Gamecocks bolter their quarterback room?

On the surface, they didn’t. The Gamecocks were in the running for 4-star Dylan Lonergan, but he bolted South Carolina for Alabama.

The key now for the Gamecocks here is new offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains, who has begun courting incumbent Spencer Rattler. He has hinted toward a move to the transfer portal or the NFL Draft. Yet, Rattler is currently only projected as a 2nd-round pick with a bevy of highly regarded signal-callers ahead of him.

The Gamecocks still could have defections from home-grown Memphis commit Carson Black, as well as LaNorris Sellers, who is a Syracuse commit, Grayson Loftis (Duke) and Raheim Jeter (West Virginia).

Best position group

South Carolina did appear to bolster its defensive line with Umeozulu, along with 6-5, 305-pound defensive lineman Xzaiver McLeod (Camden, South Carolina), 6-5, 262-pound lineman Zavion Hardy (Macon, Georgia) and 6-5, 235-pound edge rusher Monteque Rhames (Manning, South Carolina).

The Gamecocks likely will lose Pickens to the NFL Draft and have lost Gilber Edmond to the transfer portal. All 3 of the recruits could see some significant time next season.

Biggest need(s) filled

With Smith already headed to the Big Show and Rush possibly on the way out, the Gamecocks need some help in the back end of their defense. R.J. Roderick opted out earlier this season, and Joey Hunter and Tyrese Ross also will seek new homes via the portal.

The Gamecocks have commitments from projected safeties/cornerbacks Jaion Kilgore (Eastonton, Georgia), Cameron Upshaw (Taylor County, Florida) and Zahbari Sandy (Washington, D.C.).

South Carolina also lost tight ends Jaheim Bell and Austin Stogner to the portal, and Connor Cox (Jacksonville, Florida) could be a 1st-year difference-maker.

Vicari Swain (Carrollton, Georgia), Kamron Sandlin (Anniston, Alabama), Kelton Henderson (Lehigh Acres, Florida) and Judge Collier (Rock Hill, South Carolina) are all listed as athletes and certainly could fill some possible voids at wide receiver and defensive back.

Biggest potential flip

Swain could be the player who could flip to another school. He is ranked 10th at this position and 23rd overall in the state.

He certainly could make a difference, but Swain also could find himself in a crowded position on both sides of the ball. The Georgia native could easily be lured to the bigger stage in Athens.

Final takeaways on this class

With the Gamecocks’ recent defections and the apparent future ones, this class certainly can make its presence felt.

Anderson, Umeozulu, McLeod and Hardy have high ceilings, and they all should fill some immediate needs. They also will infuse some new blood into a position that needs a boost.

Braswell could play a big role in the running game, especially with Lloyd gone. The safeties/cornerbacks should help the Gamecocks maintain their high level of play there over the past few years.

Overall, it is a defensive-based unit that will help, and they have the potential to produce some early results.

The post Early Signing Day primer: What you need to know about South Carolina’s 2023 class appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Quarterback Spencer Rattler, wide receiver Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. and tight end Nate Adkins are among those whose contributions have initiated a new narrative. The Gamecocks’ recent wins over Tennessee and Clemson, as well as their No. 20 ranking in the recent AP Poll, will elevate their enticing profile.

According to 247 Sports, the Gamecocks have 20 high school and junior college players committed to their recruiting class, and the website has ranked their unit 15th nationally and 6th in the SEC.

Under new NCAA rules, the transfer portal will be broken up into windows in which players can enter and leave their current schools. The 1st of these portals will be Dec. 5.

Where can the Gamecocks fill some voids? Here’s a look:

Linebacker

Sixth-year senior Brad Johnson and Sherrod Greene have been steady contributors and leaders on and off the field. Their shoes will be hard to fill.

Juniors Mohamed Kaba — whose season was cut short after 2 games — and Bam Martin-Scott will be back to lead a young and budding group of freshmen and sophomores, and a veteran presence surely can help.

Tight end

Adkins and Austin Stogner are graduate students, Chad Terrell is a 6th-year senior and Traevon Kenion is a redshirt junior.

The real question is whether Jaheim Bell will move into a permanent role in the backfield or move back to tight end. That will be a question for the Gamecocks’ new offensive coordinator.

Regardless if he does or doesn’t, the offense could receive a lift with a new influx here.

Offensive line

Starters Eric Douglas is a 6th-year senior, Jovaughn Gwyn, Wyatt Campbell and Hank Manos are redshirt seniors and Jaylen Nichols is a senior. There are some returnees, but the rest of the group is relatively untested freshmen and sophomores.

The line has had its share of injuries this season, and there were some makeshift lineups. South Carolina could use a veteran to help bring some stability.

Wide receiver

This has developed into 1 of the most productive positions for the Gamecocks, as it was utilized in several ways into the offense.

Wells emerged as the top option, but the possible loss of 5th-year senior Josh Vann, redshirt senior Dakereon Joyner and seniors Jalen Brooks, Ahmarean Brown and Xavier Legette could severely cripple South Carolina’s chances.

The Gamecocks need a slot and/or deep threat to keep their offense fueled.

Running back/defensive back

The offensive backfield may appear solid with MarShawn Lloyd and Juju McDowell back, along with the likelihood of Bell getting his share of carries.

But Christian Beal-Smith can go through the portal as a graduate student this season, and he was productive when he was healthy as bulldozer-type back who could score in the red zone.

South Carolina has a bevy of young backs, but a seasoned fullback could enhance the running game in the long run.

In the secondary, the question is whether defensive back Cam Smith will opt for the NFL Draft. The Gamecocks earlier lost R.J. Roderick, who chose to leave via the portal. Devonni Reed is a graduate student, and Darius Rush is a redshirt senior.

The Gamecocks have had some luck at this position, and some depth can bolster a possibly strong secondary.

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Here’s 1 man’s perspective of each of the Gamecocks’ position performances this fall:

Quarterbacks — A

Spencer Rattler had a roller-coaster season that hit its apex at the right time with impressive closing wins that he directed over Tennessee and Clemson. He finished the year with 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions for 2,780 yards, but he had 11 touchdowns and 3 interceptions over the last 5 weeks of the season.

Over that part of the season, Rattler looked more confident and comfortable in the pocket. He showed the necessary leadership skills that helped the team to an 8-4 record.

The lone question now facing Rattler is whether he will opt for the NFL Draft in April.

Luke Doty played in a backup role in 3 games, and he could redshirt if necessary. Colten Gauthier and Tanner Bailey will be in the hunt for some time next year.

Running back — B

MarShawn Lloyd surfaced as the lead back the team envisioned during the summer. He became the main offensive weapon in and out of the backfield. Lloyd finished with a team-high 527 yards with 9 touchdowns despite missing the 3 of the final 4 games. Lloyd wasn’t effective in the finale against Clemson due to a nagging thigh injury.

Jaheim Bell was another major weapon transitioning from tight end, as he added 361 yards. JuJu McDowell (56-for-191) was a change-of-pace back with his speed, and Christian Beal-Smith, who also battled injuries, was a short-yardage bulldozer (36-for-148) with 5 touchdowns and had his share of bursts.

The lone drawback was the inability to develop a steady 2nd back and complement to Lloyd.

Lloyd was on pace to near the 1,000-yard mark, and he will be expected to top it next season.

Wide receivers/tight ends — A

This was a unit that lost Chad Terrell and Corey Rucker to season-ending injuries early in the campaign. Terrell went down before the season, and Rucker was lost after 2 games.

Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. emerged as the favorite target for Rattler, as he caught 63 passes for 898 yards with 6 touchdowns and a 14.3-yard average per catch. Wells also led the team with 910 all-purpose yards.

Jalen Brooks also was a downfield threat with his 33 grabs for 504 yards and a 15.3-yard-per-catch clip. Josh Vann proved to be another valuable outlet with 18 receptions for 296 yards and a team-high 16.4 yards per catch.

Bell began the season as a tight end before his conversion to a running back, and he had 25 receptions. Tight end Austin Stogner also had his moments with 20 receptions, and fellow tight end Nate Adkins made some key plays from the position as well as serving as an effective fullback.

Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield gradually developed the receiving game, and he also utilized them effectively with reverses and other change-of-pace plays. The receivers recorded a total of 185 yards rushing.

Offensive line — B

The line had its share of patchwork lineups throughout the season, with only center Eric Douglas and guard Jovaughn Gwyn playing in every game.

But it jelled in the 2nd half of the season after a shaky start. It helped produce a steady running game and provide Rattler with the necessary protection to open up the offense.

Rattler was sacked 27 times overall, with 7 of the final 14 coming in 2 of the last 6 games.

Defensive line — C

Up front, the Gamecocks had some highlights, but they couldn’t find their consistency. They finished the season with 18 sacks.

Edge rusher/linebacker Jordan Burch has had a solid season, being among the team’s leading tacklers and adding 3.5 sacks. Zacch Pickens was expected to have a big season, but he slightly underachieved. The line did suffer a major blow when it lost Jordan Strachan — who was off to a good start — in the 2nd game for the season.

Interior lineman Tonka Hemingway was the biggest surprise, as he was disruptive all season with his 7 tackles for loss and 4 sacks. He also recovered and briefly returned 2 fumbles. Another late bloomer was Gilber Edmond, who had 8 tackles for loss and 2 sacks.

Linebackers — B+

The Gamecocks’ linebackers quietly pieced together a nice season. Burch easily could be included in this group.

Sherrod Greene emerged as a defensive leader, and he raised his play every week. Brad Johnson was the veteran presence and had a steady season, and Debo Williams was a pleasant surprise.

The corps’ overall play didn’t diminish despite the loss of Mohamed Kaba to a season-ending injury in the 2nd game of the season.

Defensive backs — A-

Before the season, this unit was regarded as one of the team’s better ones. Cam Smith — regarded as a potential NFL Draft pick — Darius Rush, Marcellas Dial and David Spaulding began the season.

Smith had some shaky moments early in the season, but he has rounded into his anticipated shape. Rush and Dial both have been relatively consistent, but both have dealt with some nagging injuries. Spaulding suffered a season-ending injury, as well as starter/nickel back R.J. Roderick.

Freshmen Nick Emmanwori and DQ Smith have been major additions. They have been among the team leaders in tackles, with Emmanwori leading the way.

Overall, the unit has been productive despite its share of sloppy penalties and missed assignments.

Specialists — A+

Special team coach Pete Lembo had a good number dialed up that resulted in a strong connection for his unit. It blocked 6 punts and returned 2 for touchdowns.

Kicker Mitch Jeter was a perfect 9-for-9 in field-goal attempts, 2 from beyond 50 yards. Punter Kai Kroeger became a secret weapon, converting all 3 passes on fake punts, 1 for a touchdown. Kroeger had a 45.8-yard average per kick.

Xavier Legette averaged 29.9 yards on kickoff returns and brought 1 back 100 yards. Vann posted a 15.1-yard mark on punt returns.

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South Carolina officially accepted a bid to play in the 78th Gator Bowl against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Dec. 30 game kicks off at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville at 3:30 p.m.

The Gamecocks (8-4, 4-4 in the Southeastern Conference) finished the season ranked 19th in the final College Football Playoff rankings and 20th in the Associated Press poll.

They rescued a potential mediocre season with season-ending victories against No. 5 Tennessee, 63-38, and No. 7 Clemson, 31-30, giving them 7 wins in their last 9 games.

Last season, South Carolina defeated North Carolina, 38-21, in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. This will be the 25th bowl game for South Carolina. They have a 10-14 record in postseason games.

This will loom as one of the tighter matchups on the bowl schedule and attendance could approach capacity (67,164), considering the strong fanbases of the two teams.

Here’s 5 takeaways about the Fighting Irish:

History between the teams

The Gamecocks and Irish have met 4 previous times on the gridiron, but have not faced each other since 1984. Notre Dame won the first 3 meetings: by 13-6 in Columbia, S.C., in 1976; by 18-17 in South Bend, Ind., in 1979; and by 30-6 in Columbia in 1983. The Gamecocks took a 36-32 win in South Bend in 1984, the most recent meeting between the teams.

Irish’s offense had revival similar to Gamecocks’ plight

Like South Carolina’s offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield, Notre Dame’s counterpart Tommy Rees was under siege for not streamlining a complex system and keeping it consistent.

But the Irish (8-4) found common ground by winning 5 in a row down the stretch – including defeats of No. 16 Syracuse and No. 4 Clemson – and averaging nearly 40 points a game before they close the season with a 38-27 loss to No. 6 Southern California. Notre Dame went 4-1 against ranked opponents.

Sophomore quarterback Drew Pyne revived the Notre Dame offense after starter Tyler Buchner went down early in the season with an injury. When it appeared Notre Dame’s season was in the dumpster, Pyne led the Irish to an 8-2 mark in the next 10 games. However, this will be Pyne’s last game with the school; he announced that he will enter the transfer portal.

Pyne will enter the game with 162 completions out of 254 attempts for 2,021 yards with 22 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. He has been sacked 15 times.

Air game

Tight end Michael Mayer has been Pyne’s prime target with 67 catches for 809 yards and 11 touchdowns, with an average of 12.1 yards a catch. In his last 8 games Mayer had 45 catches for 575 yards with 6 touchdowns.

Lorenzo Styles (30 catches, 340 yards, 1 TD, 11.3-yard average) and Jayden Thomas (20, 295, 3, 14.8) have been reliable downfield targets.

On the run

After a relatively slow start, sophomore Audric Estimé emerged as the lead back for the Irish.

In the last nine games of the regular season, Estimé rushed for 695 yards and scored 11 touchdowns, surpassing the 100-yard mark 3 times. He had 134 yards with 2 touchdowns against North Carolina and 123 with 2 scores against Syracuse.

Similarly, fellow sophomore Logan Diggs made his mark as the season progressed. In his last nine games Diggs gained 666 of his 723 yards. Diggs had 100-yard games against Boston College (122), Clemson (114) and UNLV (130).

As a team, the Fighting Irish rushed for 2,193 yards.

Stingy defense

The Notre Dame defense can pose a problem for South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler and his recent high-flying offense.

Notre Dame has allowed 21.8 points a game, an average of 136.2 yards on the ground and 190 yards through the air.

Edge rusher Isaiah Foskey has been a backfield disrupter with 11 sacks. Linebacker J.D. Bertrand has a team-high 74 tackles with 2 sacks. Ball-hawking corner Benjamin Morrison has 5 of the team’s 9 interceptions.

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For the better part of 10 weeks, there was no way to forecast stunning season-ending victories against top-10 teams in Tennessee and Clemson. USC entered both contests as underdogs by 14 points or more, and it seemed just a matter of where they would fall in the bowl picture after both presumed losses.

Instead, they rose up for a pair of impressive, late-season victories. They beat a ranked Kentucky team as well, giving them three high marks for the season.

The Gamecocks finished with an overall 8-4 record and a 4-4 mark in the Southeastern Conference. They scored 380 points and allowed 330 for the regular season. They were numbers that reflected a sometimes roller-coaster season.

What were some thoughts of the 2022 season? Here are 10 takeaways:

Spencer Rattler is the real deal

Transfer QB Spencer Rattler answered the questions all of college football had about him in the wins against Tennessee and Clemson.

He threw for a combined 798 yards with 8 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in the 2 wins and had 11 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in the final 5 weeks. Rattler finished the regular season with 2,780 yards passing, with 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

More importantly, Rattler matured as a quarterback from the start of the season when he seriously looked like a mistake. He had a stronger pocket presence and played with the confidence of a projected NFL pick, an assumption many thought he would be.

Rattler had the encore he needed against Clemson and the doubters now are sure to be few. If he has another strong game in his upcoming bowl game, the NFL will be more of a tempting route.

Shane Beamer is the right guy

There has been plenty of speculation surrounding the coach during his 2-year run.

He took over a slumping program last season and revitalized it to the tune of 6 wins. Getting a bowl appearance for the first time since 2017 was a plus, and the Gamecocks accented it with a victory.

There was plenty of excitement on campus, and a 7-win season was a minimum expectation for 2022. Beamer matured as a coach and placed more faith in his offense and defense, taking chances when they were warranted. He developed a stronger bond with his players and has appeared to be ready for the next step.

The offense was opened for business

Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield was deemed a logical scapegoat should the Gamecocks’ season fly south. Early on, he was criticized for conservative calls and a lack of creativity.

But Satterfield allowed Rattler to throw downfield more and began a steady diet of the running game behind MarShawn Lloyd. He also developed a version of the wildcat and incorporated his speedy receivers in a variety of reverses and formations. He transformed tight end Jaheim Bell into an explosive back running deep out of the backfield.

Satterfield began to fully utilize all of his offensive weapons, and he should be more flexible in the future.

“Beamerball” is alive and well

“Beamerball” was based on the concept of producing points through special teams and defense at Virginia Tech when Frank Beamer, the father of the South Carolina coach, was there.

The Gamecocks’ special teams lived up to the concept in 2022, generating points directly and indirectly. They played a pivotal role in the Clemson victory with key punts as well as a late-game fumble recovery. Their defense didn’t have glowing statistics but was disruptive enough in more than a few games to make a difference.

The Gamecocks can play with the contenders

Early games didn’t bode well with lopsided losses to Georgia and Arkansas, and there were plenty of doubts about whether South Carolina could take the next step. They mostly had their way with Georgia State, S.C. State and Charlotte.

USC saved their season at the time with a win against ranked Kentucky on the road and held off a late surge by Texas A&M at home. Yet, their credibility still hung in the balance after sloppy losses to Missouri and Florida.

They firmly established themselves with the Tennessee and Clemson victories, and expectations will be raised.

Antwane “Juice” Wells is a bonafide threat

In the final two games, Wells reassured the Gamecocks’ faithful that he can be a deep-threat playmaker who can stretch the field, as well as their go-to outlet.

As the season progressed, Wells became more involved with the offense and consequently received more coverage. He had 20 receptions in his last 2 games, and ended with 63 for the regular season.

He developed a chemistry with Rattler and the duo will be back if both steer clear of the pro path. Wells led the team with 910 all-purpose yards, 898 by way of catching the ball.

MarShawn Lloyd can be a workhorse

Lloyd was seen as the key to the Gamecocks’ running game this season, and he turned it to his favor.

He broke through during the middle of the season and established himself as a lead back who also was valuable as another passing option out of the backfield. His production took pressure off Rattler as the primary offensive threat and balanced the offense.

Lloyd missed three games down the stretch with a nagging thigh issue, and he couldn’t find his rhythm in the season finale. He will be expected to have a 1,000-yard season next year.

The O-Line was the strong, silent type

The Gamecocks’ offensive line helped develop a much-needed running game and provided better protection for Rattler late in the season.

This was a unit that dealt with injuries – only center Eric Douglas and guard Jovaughn Gwyn played every game this season. It was a rotating group most of the season, but they blended well down the stretch.

Rattler was sacked 27 times during the season.

Oh, those special teams

Special teams coach Pete Lembo quickly became one of the more notable technicians at his craft.

Lembo was creative with his approach, having punter Kai Kroeger throw 3 successful passes on fake punts, 1 for a touchdown. Kroeger had a good second half of the season and finished with a 46.8-yard average and putting 27 of 52 punts inside the 20. Mitch Jeter was 10 for 10 on field goal attempts, booting 3 from beyond 50 yards.

The unit blocked 6 punts and returned 2 of those for touchdowns. They also had 3 returns for scores.

The defense bent but didn’t break

Their overall numbers weren’t that impressive.but defensive coordinator’s Clayton White’s bunch battled through on injuries all season.

They allowed 27.5 points a game, giving up an average of 175.9 on the ground and 199.5 through the air. The defense registered 15 sacks and recorded 11 interceptions. USC was in the latter half of the conference in all of the categories. They also had too many untimely penalties due to bad positioning and missed assignments, mainly in the secondary.

Still, they managed to apply enough pressure and pass breakups with an array of blitzes to make the group an effective one, recording their share of big plays.

The post South Carolina football: 10 takeaways from the 2022 season appeared first on Saturday Down South.

South Carolina’s special teams played a major role in their first 7 wins, and they did it again for No. 8.

Yet, this was true team effort that clearly has changed the narrative of the program from pretender to contender. The Gamecocks (8-4)  took every punch No. 8 Clemson (10-2) could offer and responded with more of their own to make the difference.

South Carolina’s 31-30 upset at Death Valley snapped the Tigers’ 40-game home winning streak. It also ended the Tigers’ 7-game winning streak against the Gamecocks. And, as if those factors weren’t enough, the Gamecocks officially ended any remaining sliver of hope Clemson had of returning to the College Football Playoff.

All thanks largely to the late heroics of their special teams, yes, but all three phases contributed to a win for the ages.

Coach Shane Beamer’s club became the first team in the annals of Gamecocks’ football to beat top-10 opponents in consecutive weeks after they throttled Tennessee last week.

Championship-caliber football is alive again on the other side of the state.

It’s about time Columbia shook with this kind of excitement.

In like some of their previous outings against Georgia and Arkansas when faced with momentum swings, the Gamecocks could have easily folded Saturday against a team they hadn’t beaten since 2013. Instead, they exhibited their newfound character and grittiness that has raised them to the next level. Beating 3 ranked teams — 2 on the road — can do it.

Kicker Mitch Jeter’s 35-yarder with 10:54 let in the game was the difference, but pinter Kai Kroeger played a pivotal role with punts of 63 and 61 yards that backed up the Tigers on drives. Kroeger had 7 punts for a 53.7 average on the afternoon. Three of those punts pinned Clemson inside its 10-yard line.

Special teams coach Pete Lembo’s unit sealed the deal when Clemson’s Antonio Williams fumbled Kroeger’s final punt and South Carolina’s Nick Emmanwori recovered on the Clemson 44-yard line.

However, the day truly belonged to not-so-much-maligned-anymore Gamecocks’ quarterback Spencer Rattler, who overcame an opening-drive pick-6 as well as a 14-point lead.

For the second consecutive week, Rattler showed his true potential, working through a slow start and another interception to finish the day 25-of-39 for 360 yards with two touchdowns.

Rattler rallied the Gamecocks in the second quarter after he had been flagged for intentional grounding that resulted in a safety. He took his team 37 yards on 4 plays after the Gamecocks recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and capped the drive with a 4-yard touchdown scramble.

Thanks to some creative play-calling by offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield, Rattler had success\ finding his receivers in the flat as well as against some single coverage downfield.

Rattler threw a perfect strike downfield to Antwane “Juice” Wells for a 72-yard score that brought the Gamecocks to within 30-28 with 3:45 left in the third quarter. Rattler also earlier hooked up with JuJu McDowell for a 65-yarder on a gutsy 4th-and-1 call.

Rattler and Wells clearly have the chemistry needed as the duo combined for 9 catches after they united for 11 catches the previous week.

Aside from the offense, the Gamecocks’ defense settled into their game, and they were able to apply pressure on equally-embattled Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei in the second half to keep his game off-balance. They also corraled Clemson’s running game in the second half, holding the Tigers to 87 yards in the second half after they ran loose for 150 yards in the opening half.

Marcellas Dial stopped a key drive late in the game with his third interception of the season.

Now, South Carolina finds itself with an 8-4 record and a new state of respectability as they will await their fate in the upcoming bowl season.

It is a special time for the Gamecocks.

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For the record, Rattler’s numbers of 30-for-37, 438 yards and 6 touchdowns in his team’s 63-38 throttling of Tennessee on Saturday night was one for the USC record books. It certainly will be a difficult feat to replicate, as this was the statement game 2 years in the making. However, posting similar numbers can be easily anticipated.

Rattler’s steadying pocket presence and awareness and his ability to move through his progressions, lead receivers and adjust his throws when necessary will need to be consistent checkmarks for him to meet his new expectations.

He earned the respect of the media when it honored him with the Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week award, making him only the 6th South Carolina player to gain the honor. The last was defensive honoree Jaycee Horn in October 2020.

The South Carolina faithful now have seen their awaited quarterback messiah walk among them and perform the miracles they believed he could produce with the flick of his arm. His problems were apparently behind him.

Rattler even caught a pass in the 2nd quarter from a Wildcat formation led by receiver Dakereon Joyner. He also had his longest run from scrimmage — 7 yards — in the opening half of his overall 5-carry, 16-yard rushing performance.

More impressively, Rattler was nearly flawless in the 1st quarter, when he went 10-for-12 for 185 yards with 3 touchdowns. His yardage total was more in 1 quarter than he had overall in each of the games against Kentucky, Texas A&M and Missouri.

Granted, Rattler had running back MarShawn Lloyd pacing the offense in each of those games, and Rattler was effective in being a game manager instead of a playmaker. But there was no Lloyd for the 3rd consecutive game, and Rattler rose to the occasion. He may have finally answered his critics.

Against Tennessee, he had all the tools of the projected NFL Draft pick that was once envisioned for him. This time, there weren’t any flaws in registering one of the program’s biggest wins over the past 10 years, and the 1st time it bumped off a top-5 team since it beat No. 5 Missouri in 2013.

So was this Rattler’s awakening, his epiphany after so much inconsistency? He and his teammates will soon find out.

His 7-4 Gamecocks have their rival game at Clemson on Saturday, where the No. 7 and 10-1 Tigers have won 40 straight home games and have convincingly won the majority of the past seven meetings between the teams.

Tennessee’s pass rush against Rattler was virtually nonexistent, with 1 sack and 1 quarterback hurry. Rattler put on a clinic against a listless Vols defense behind — to its credit — a makeshift offensive line that has been in transition all season.

Remember, Rattler entered the game with 8 touchdowns, 9 interceptions and the lowest quarterback rating in the SEC. He had topped 200 yards passing in only 4 other games, and he had never thrown more than 2 touchdowns in any contest.

He showed some of his big-time playmaker potential when he produced 377 yards in a 44-30 loss to Arkansas. But there also were the mediocre musings against Missouri, Kentucky and Texas A&M, along with a 2-interception flop against Georgia.

Rattler will be looking at a Clemson defense that is ranked 6th in the ACC against the pass (214 per game) and 5th in sacks (32). The Tigers have intercepted 9 passes.

The junior quarterback and his team have enjoyed every moment of euphoria that has engulfed the program since Saturday night. Whether Rattler and his team have finally taken the next step is yet to be seen.

For their sake, they believe they can. The optimists don’t have any more doubts, while the Rattler doubters still lie in wait. A major step back at Clemson would be devastating to him and the program.

“This is a game we’ve all been waiting for … we knew this game and the next one can change the narrative of the program forever,” Rattler said after the Tennessee victory. “And tonight, that was one of the best wins ever in college football history.”

Rattler will get the chance to further redesign the program and solidify his presence Saturday afternoon.

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The Volunteers found their footing late in the first half, and it appeared the Vols would possibly escape a shootout in South Carolina, but it was the Gamecocks’ night in a shocking but thorough 63-38 victory at Williams-Brice Stadium. It was South Carolina’s 2nd victory over a ranked opponent this season.

The defeat unofficially ended the Volunteers’ (9-2) Playoff bid in a game that was supposed to solidify their chances. Instead, the roles for both teams were reversed.

The Vols’ had their share of miscues and misfortunes against a South Carolina (7-4) team that looked deflated after they suffered a 38-6 loss to Florida last week.

Spencer Rattler capped a career-day by throwing his 6th TD pass — a program record — in the final minutes to account for South Carolina’s final points.

South Carolina sealed the win when Rattler rolled away from pursuit on the right side of the field and lofted a 2-yard pass to a wide-open Jaheim Bell on the opposite side of the field for a TD and 49-31 lead. The Gamecocks’ 11-play, 75-yard drive was kept alive by careless consecutive personal foul and pass-interference penalties.

Rattler broke the Gamecocks’ record for most touchdowns in a game, a mark that has been held by 5 other quarterbacks recently by Jake Bentley in 2018. Rattler finished with 6 TDs and 438 yards. Antoine “Juice” Wells was his prime target with 11 catches for 177 yards.

Tennessee began to validate themselves in the third quarter, as they began to take momentum away from the host Gamecocks.

Vols quarterback Hendon Hooker found tight end Christian Fant wide open down the middle after a mixup in the Gamecocks’ secondary for a 41-yard scoring strike that silenced the 77,000 crowd and the power seemed to shift from a once USC 35-17 lead.

But Tennessee’s defense never solved Rattler or the Gamecocks’ attack, which totaled 603 yards.

Hooker left the game late in fourth quarter and didn’t return.

A key for the Gamecocks’ victory was the dominant play of their offensive line that gave Rattler solid protection all night and allowed just one sack. They also opened plenty of holes for USC offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield to be creative in the backfield with his receivers –sometimes having five receivers wide – and a makeshift running game without MarShawn Lloyd and Christian Beal-Smith.

In the first half, Tennessee couldn’t stop Rattler and got a dash of their own high-octane offense, as the junior quarterback tossed four textbook touchdown passes and burned the Volunteers’ secondary in single -coverage situations. Rattler was nearly flawless, connecting on 14-of-19 for 249 yards without a sack for the Gamecocks’ biggest offensive output with 35 points and 355 total yards.

South Carolina arguably had their most aggressive attack of the season, as Rattler had a number of his completions on first and second downs on their opening five possessions. The Gamecocks’ offense had some different wrinkles with Dakereon Joyner under center in the wildcat, hitting Rattler out of the backfield with a 15-yarder.

Shane Beamer picked up his biggest win to date — just in time as the Gamecocks will attempt to end their 8-game losing streak against Clemson next week.

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If you look at the Massey rating, South Carolina has a 29 percent chance of beating Tennessee at home Saturday, and it has a 27 percent chance of winning at Clemson the following Saturday.

Should the odds stay true, the Gamecocks would finish their regular season with a 6-6 mark and await a bowl competitor.

Would a 7-6 season show that head coach Shane Beamer has made progress to lift this team to the next level?

Or would it mean the team is still a year or 2 away from the next tier?

Looking at the big picture on both sides of the ball, questions abound, and there will be some once the season ends. Somewhere, there is a pool on what day offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield will be let go or resigns.

The calls for Satterfield to be the scapegoat — though Beamer denies it — have toned down, but their volume could be raised depending on the outcome of the final 2 games. The same type of heat could be turned up on defensive coordinator Clayton White.

Two specific issues that have emerged after South Carolina’s loss in Gainesville on Saturday are about running the ball and defending the rush.

Without running back MarShawn Lloyd, the Gamecocks haven’t been able to produce an effective running game in the past 2 weeks. He has a thigh bruise and could return this week.

The Gamecocks hope he’ll return — they haven’t been able to fill the void. Lloyd had developed into a 2-tier weapon for them.

Lloyd ranks 3rd in the SEC in rushing touchdowns (9) and 8th in yards rushing per game (69.5). He has 556 rushing yards for the year, and he has caught 17 passes for 173 yards with a pair of scores.

There was the clamoring for tight end/running back Jaheim Bell to carry the ball more after he showed flashes of being a change of pace in the backfield early in the year. Bell carried the bulk of the load in South Carolina’s win over Vanderbilt with 56 yards on 16 carries, but he was bottled up for 30 yards on 12 tries against Florida.

Christian Beal-Smith has been plagued by a foot injury all season, and he has primarily been the red-zone back with 5 touchdowns. Juju McDowell appeared to be a scatback option at the beginning of the season, but his sporadic play can be questioned. Beal-Smith has 146 yards rushing, and McDowell has 195 yards.

If Lloyd returns Saturday, the running game can reset itself. But it’s obvious that the Gamecocks need to develop another solid option. They are 11th in the conference in rushing, averaging 3.98 yards per carry and 127.40 per game.

On the other side of the ball, USC’s rush defense was virtually nonexistent against Florida.

The Gators ended their night with 372 yards on the ground and 6.9 yards per carry. Montrell Johnson Jr. grinded out 161 yards on 24 carries, and Trevor Etienne had 100 on 8 carries. Quarterback Anthony Richardson nearly reached the century mark with 96 yards on 15 carries.

Granted, Etienne had 85 of those yards on a burst down the sideline when he was arguably untouched.

That was embarrassing. Unfortunately, it has been part of a trend. With Satterfield being on the rotisserie most of the season, could there be room for White there as well? In White’s defense, his unit has battled through injuries all season. Yet the run defense has been an issue since Week 1.

Opponents have rushed for more than 200 yards in 4 of South Carolina’s 7 conference games, and Georgia State ran for 200 yards on 40 carries in the season opener. In fact, the Gamecocks gave up 200 yards or more in their first 3 games, with Arkansas accruing 295 and Georgia netting 208.

The Gamecocks are next to last in the SEC in rushing defense with 192 yards per game, ahead of only Texas A&M (220).They have allowed just 2 more yards passing per game. They have 16 sacks and 49 tackles for loss out of 206 total.

Tennessee will come into Columbia on Saturday night as the top offense in the conference, generating 543.7 yards per contest. They average 195.5 yards running the ball. Defensively, they have allowed 104.5 yards rushing per game.

After Saturday, the Gamecocks could find some solutions to 1 or both problems, or have more people looking over their shoulder with unanswered questions.

The post South Carolina football: Can Gamecocks solve issues with running game and run ‘D’? appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Whatever momentum and higher expectations the Gamecocks had to finish the season past the 6-win threshold and place a firmer hold on an attractive bowl bid quickly evaporated into the Florida air. More precisely, they were gone by halftime.

Florida’s 38-6 whipping of the Gamecocks left football observers and the USC faithful scratching their heads again. Florida scored on its first three possessions and its 28-6 halftime advantage sealed the deal.

It’s hard to blame this one on offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield, a frequent scapegoat. The offense wasn’t in sync, but the defense didn’t show up most of the game.

The Gators’ 281 yards rushing and 372 yards of total offense in the opening half didn’t help either. South Carolina had negative yards rushing in its first 2 series, and 112 total yards in the opening half.

For further evidence, Florida averaged 10.4 yards a run, 9.1 yards a play and converted 6 of 7 third downs into first downs, while South Carolina averaged 1.6 a rush, 4.5 a play and converted 3 of 7 third-down attempts in the opening half.

Someone forgot to tell USC that the Gators had the second-highest yard-per-carry average in the nation (with 5.9), and they certainly reached their limits and beyond with a total of 372 yards on the ground. They wound up with 515 yards of total offense.

USC gained some momentum back when punter Kai Kroeger completed his 3rd pass of the season, this one for a 48-yard gain to Dakereon Joyner off a fake punt late in the first half.

But it soon disappeared when the Gamecocks lost fumbles on 3 of their first 4 plays of the second half.

Ouch. There were some highlights, but this one will sting.

“Unacceptable,” deadpanned Gamecocks’ head coach Shane Beamer. “Disappointing to say the least.”

He was absolutely correct. This performance again deflated those budding aspirations.

This one was bad. And this one didn’t come against the likes of Georgia. This was an average Florida team that overwhelmed the Gamecocks and became bowl eligible by winning 2 consecutive league games for the first time in 2 years.

USC’s 38-27 victory against Vanderbilt last week left the Gamecocks with promise about reaching some sense of offensive consistency and allowing their defense to piece itself back together after a rash of injuries.

A trip to Gainesville – despite not winning there since 2014 when Steve Spurrier was at the helm – had the Gamecocks flying high with the thoughts of a 7th win and a chance to regain footing in the top 25.

Yes, they didn’t have running back MarShawn Lloyd, who missed his second game in a row with a thigh bruise, and fellow back Christian Beal-Smith, who has been bothered all season with a foot injury.

Lloyd’s presence certainly makes a difference. But Beal-Smith, Jaheim Bell and Juju McDowell picked up the slack last week against Vanderbilt with a combined 159 yards.

Against Florida, with Beal-Smith sidelined, Bell and McDowell had just 41 yards combined. Bell had 30 yards on 12 carries and never got on track all night except for an 18-yard burst.

USC is back again wrestling with the thoughts of mediocrity. The doubts have resurfaced about whether this team is ready to take the next step, as it was projected to do after a 7-6 campaign last season.

Questions will arise again about quarterback Spencer Rattler, who has fought inconsistency all season.

He was harassed and on the run most of the first half, and wasn’t crisp with his 5-for-9, 40-yard showing.

Rattler finished 18-of-26 for 145 yards, and his highlights were an 18-yard high strike to Josh Vann and a 7-yard scramble out of the pocket.

He was pulled for 3 plays in the 2nd half when Dakereon Joyner ran a wildcat formation, but it wasn’t successful. The Gamecock deployed some reverses on the night but had trouble sustaining drives.

“We did some great things last week in the running game and the pass game,” said Rattler. “We expected to do the same stuff this week. But we didn’t get it done. We just didn’t get it done in anything, I felt like.”

Both Beamer and Rattler both understood the impact of this loss. The next 2 weeks could have a devastating effect on the Gamecocks’ bowl plans. This was supposed to be the cushion win with difficult matchups with ahead against No. 5 Tennessee and No. 10 Clemson.

If there is any consolation, the Gamecocks return to Williams-Brice Stadium for their home finale against Tennessee, which slapped 66 points Saturday on a Missouri squad that scored 1 more point (24) than it did against South Carolina.

The question is: Which Gamecocks team shows up next Saturday night?

The post South Carolina football: Gamecocks fall flat in 38-6 Florida flop appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Instead, it has spent the majority of the season with the luster of a cubic zirconia. Yet the Gamecocks’ unit had managed to produce enough shine, especially in the past few weeks.

Overall, the defense has made its presence felt, leaving some areas of concern. Yet the secondary can be the glue that patches it all together over the final weeks of the regular season.

The secondary has endured more than its share of injuries, and other factors have helped make any sense of continuity challenging. In its recent victory against Vanderbilt, USC had 8 players who logged time in the secondary.

Still, the Gamecocks have managed to regain respectability and cohesion in recent weeks. They’re 1st in the conference in interceptions (11), 1st in passes defensed (41) and 9th in total pass defense, though they are tied for last with just 13 sacks.

The Gamecocks began the season with projected starters Cam Smith, Darius Rush, David Spaulding, Marcellas Dial and R.J. Roderick. Devonni Reed joined as a highly touted transfer from Central Michigan. Freshmen Nick Emmanwori and DQ Smith impressed in camp, creating instant depth. Emmanwori has been named a finalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award.

But then the back bunch began to look more like a MASH unit, scrambling to put all the pieces in the right places.

Spaulding, Rush and Reed missed significant chunks of playing time due to injuries, and Emmanwori and DQ Smith began to look like seasoned veterans with their play. Roderick decided to enter the transfer portal, which certainly didn’t help matters.

Unfortunately, luck and fate continue to take a crooked path. Spaulding didn’t make the trip to Nashville, and he apparently will miss the rest of the season with a foot injury. Reed still isn’t up to full speed, and he has been working his way back into the lineup.

Rush, a senior who is considered to be on NFL Draft boards for next April, has emerged in his anticipated role as a leader. He nabbed an interception on Vanderbilt’s 1st drive last week. Rush and Dial are tied for the team lead with 2 interceptions each.

The unit has been active in passes defensed, with Dial having 6, DQ Smith and Cam Smith 5, Rush 4 and B.J. Gibson 3. Gibson had an MRI scheduled on his hamstring Monday.

Head coach Shane Beamer has appreciated Rush’s efforts and guidance.

“Darius is doing a great job of being a leader,” said Beamer. “We’re starting 2 true freshmen in the secondary, and you’ve got to have that leadership that he (Rush) is showing. He truly showed it in the Vanderbilt game.”

Beamer has been impressed with the proverbial turnstile of secondary personnel.

“We are rolling a lot of guys in there,” added Beamer. “But I think those guys continue to do a great job. Give (defensive backs coach) Torrian (Gray) credit. We’ve got guys back there that can play in multiple positions, and we’re going to have to do that down the stretch.”

It begins late Saturday afternoon against Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, who looms as a dual threat. Richardson threw for 201 yards and ran for 78 in last week’s victory over Texas A&M. For the season, Richardson has thrown for 1,839 yards and run for 492. However, he could play right into the Gamecocks’ hands, having 9 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.

The Gamecocks are allowing 7.79 yards per attempt and 231.89 passing yards per game. They have been burned for just 11 passing touchdowns, 2nd in the league.

Overall, the results have been somewhat predictable with a unit that hasn’t let the bandage break.

“You don’t really see a ball caught over 10 yards, really not even over 4 or 5,” Cam Smith said. “We’re just making sure we hone in on the details and things like that, and bringing our game every day.

“Y’all see that it (secondary) can be scary.”

It again will get its chance Saturday.

The post South Carolina football: The Gamecocks’ secondary is coming full circle appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Questions remain but the majority of them were resolved. There was a glimpse of what was expected in preseason musings, when it was thought it had the prospect to be a juggernaut against any defense.

It also was another glimpse of “Beamer Ball,” the offense in fifth gear and the defense in its bend-but-don’t break mode for 2nd-year coach Shane Beamer. It was another example of a large lead melting away, producing cold sweats as margin of victory narrowed.

Throw in some turnovers (4 for Vanderbilt) and what results is an overall effort that is not dominant but still produces a Gamecocks “W.” (More on the defense this week).

Yet, fears about the offense from the Gamecocks’ faithful have been relieved temporarily. It’s become apparent now that this will be the script for the team overall. The offense will need to follow the road map from Saturday down the stretch.

The Gamecocks responded well to recent loud rumblings about offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield for not fully implementing all of the tools at his disposal. The emphasis centered around tight end/running back Jaheim Bell and wide receivers Antwane “Juice” Wells, Dakereon Joyner, Josh Vann and Xavier Legette.

Satterfield surely answered his critics Saturday, creativity spreading the ball around. He has to keep digging into his bag of tricks during the next 3 weeks of the regular season beginning at Florida next Saturday as well as for a bowl game. The Gamecocks’ sixth win of the season (6-3, 3-3 SEC) clinched an extra game for the 2nd consecutive year.

Eight different ball carriers and nine different receivers in a neatly tucked 492-yard package should quiet any concerns. At least for now. Only tight end Austin Stogner, who has been a reliable option all year, wasn’t up to speed, with just 1 catch for a loss of yardage.

Bell, who had vanished from the schemes in recent weeks, had 19 touches at Vanderbilt, 16 on the ground for 56 yards as the Gamecocks’ primary run option with MarShawn Lloyd sidelined with a thigh bruise.

Even without Lloyd – who was north of 75 yards in 4 of the previous 5 weeks – the Gamecocks grinded out 208 yards on the ground in Nashville on Saturday night.

Joyner uncorked a 68-yard bomb to Wells from a wildcat formation, as Satterfield worked in a steady flow of reverses and sweeps that added the flair the Gamecocks’ faithful had been seeking, notably since their lackluster offensive showing in their recent loss to Missouri. Wells, quarterback Spencer Rattler’s favorite target all season, also caught another touchdown in his 4-catch, 110-yard effort.

Jalen Brooks was back in the mix as well with his four catches for 45 yards, and Vann (3 for 32) was the recipient of a tight, precise 19-yard bullet from Rattler in the back of the end zone.

Add in the hard running of Christian Beal-Smith, who rambled for a 52-yard score, and the quick spurts of JuJu McDowell, who contributed 48 yards on 5 carries, one a 27-yard burst.

And then there is Rattler. A few skeptics still remain about whether the former 5-star prospect is a true quarterback standout for the next 2 years. His inconsistencies and touchdown-interception ratio (before the it was game 5-to-9) still have plagued him.

But Rattler reacted in timely fashion with arguably his best outing of the year, in a game the Gamecocks desperately needed to win in order to maintain their credibility. He connected on 16 of 23 attempts for 186 yards with 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.

His numbers are not staggering, but Rattler showed the poise and leadership that has been expected of him since he arrived in Columbia last year with suggestions he might be a Heisman Trophy candidate. With Lloyd’s resurgence in the backfield, Rattler’s role had been adjusted to that of a game manager in recent weeks. It’s an approach that has produced sub-200-yard passing performances that still were effective.

Rattler again totaled less than 200 yards, but he spread the ball around without Lloyd and generated the second-best total offense output of the past two seasons.

If Satterfield can stay the course with these schemes and have Lloyd return in his role, the Gamecocks’ offense can run at full throttle. It currently sits 10th in the Southeastern Conference overall, 9th in passing and 11th in rushing.

The key will be versatility and staying the course. By early next Saturday evening in Florida there will be another bit of evidence to see if the offense remains on target.

The post South Carolina football: Offense reaches full potential in Vanderbilt victory appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Gamecocks’ 23-10 loss to Missouri at Williams-Brice Stadium helped suddenly crank up the knob regarding issues that most assumed had flamed out. The issues on both sides are starting to sizzle once again.

USC’s offense has been in question all season, with the bullseye on the back of offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield. However, the questions and doubts find a way to keep a low profile when your team wins 4 straight games and sneaks into the AP Poll.

It wasn’t that these issues weren’t prevalent, but winning can be a temporary panacea.

It’s just a reminder that an unforeseen loss on a Homecoming afternoon can quickly change the complexion of a team. USC (5-3) is now back in panic mode with 4 games to play.

The Gamecocks’ running game had moved to the forefront of the offense, and sophomore redshirt back MarShawn Lloyd had lived up to his preseason expectations of being the program’s next 1,000-yard rusher. Lloyd had amassed 451 yards and scored 7 touchdowns in his previous 4 games, and his contributions definitely opened up the offense. For the year, Lloyd has 556 yards with 9 touchdowns.

But Lloyd was bottled up against Missouri for just 30 yards on 7 carries. He saw limited time in the 2nd half, and it became obvious that he was in pain.

It was revealed after the game that Lloyd has a quad bruise, but head coach Shane Beamer expects him to be ready for Saturday’s game at Vanderbilt (3-5), a team the Gamecocks have beaten 13 consecutive times.

Quad bruises can be tricky, and any length of time with Lloyd on the sideline puts a huge crink in their arsenal.

That might open the door for Jaheim Bell, who has basically disappeared from the offense since USC’s opener against Georgia State, when the junior tight end was effectively running out of the backfield with 39 yards on 7 carries. Since then, Bell has 12 carries for 25 yards, but he has made himself effective as a passing weapon with 13 catches for 157 yards.

The social media crowd has rallied for Bell, as he can be a viable option in the offense with his power and speed. Both Satterfield and Beamer have raved about Bell, but he didn’t have any touches against Missouri.

Some focus has been shifted back on quarterback Spencer Rattler, who has thrown for less than 200 yards the past 3 games. He last passed that plateau when he had a stellar 21-for-27, 212-yard effort against South Carolina State in a 50-10 rout.

Against Missouri, Rattler had shades of his slow start, going 20-of-30 for 171 yards with a bad interception.

With Lloyd and the overall elevation of the running game, Rattler has been more of a game manager over the past month. When the running game is shut down, as it was against Missouri, Rattler needs to take the game over.

Through 8 games, Rattler hasn’t shown that he is a consistent playmaker, as he hasn’t had a breakout game against a quality opponent. He has completed a respectable 64 percent of his passes, connecting on 144-of-225 for 1,637 yards with 5 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.

Even though he scored on a 7-yard run against Missouri, Rattler hasn’t been effective scrambling out of the backfield, with just 8 yards on 46 attempts. His interception total will be a black mark that continues to hang over him.

Despite keeping a lower profile over the past month, Rattler is still the face of the football program.

The Gamecocks’ offensive line took a step back in recent weeks, as it has allowed 10 sacks in the past 3 games, 4 of them last week. Overall, the Gamecocks have allowed 19 sacks.

USC’s defense has registered 11 sacks, a number that needs to improve. Linebacker Sherrod Greene has had a steady season, leading the team in tackles with 40 , and edge rushers Jordan Burch (36 stops) and Zacch Pickens (30) have been improving steadily.

The Gamecocks’ secondary was beginning to regain its respect among the nation’s elite, but it was torched by Missouri’s Dominic Lovett, who had 10 catches for 148 of the Tigers’ 224 yards through the air. To its credit, it has 9 interceptions this season.

Then there is Satterfield. He is easily the faithful pinata at this point.

Against Missouri, the Gamecocks had 10 drives with 5 3-and-outs, and they netted just 203 yards of total offense. Currently, they sit 10th in the SEC in passing offense, 11th in rushing offense and 12th in total offense, and they average 30.3 points per game in the conference. Those are numbers that should create a high level of anxiety.

Satterfield’s contract is up Dec. 31, and he likely isn’t going anywhere until then. Beamer made that clear recently. The OC simply has to find a better way to spread the ball around and involve Bell and leading receiver Antwane Wells Jr., as well as Jalen Brooks. Running back JuJu McDowell’s production has slowed over the past month since his quick start.

For Beamer, Satterfield and defensive coordinator Clayton White, it’s time to find some solutions and other options. A bowl game still hangs in the balance, as well as the respectability of the program over the final 4 weeks.

It all will begin again in Vanderbilt Saturday night.

The post South Carolina football: Can Gamecocks regroup for stretch run? appeared first on Saturday Down South.

But it did.

It was a slap-in-the-face reality check.

All was not right in Gamecocksville.

The Gamecocks discovered they have to find a different way to win a football game other than the ones they did in the previous 4 weeks. You can’t always just show up and expect to go through the motions, even though all signs were pointing to it.

The script on Homecoming Day called for another fast start for the newly anointed 25th-best team in the country — according to the AP poll — against Missouri at Williams-Brice Stadium. And then let South Carolina’s running game and controlled passing game take control.

The Gamecocks would walk off early Saturday evening with a robust crowd of 77,000-plus crazed applauding their 5th straight victory, a bowl game literally clinched, and some momentum gained toward a game at Vanderbilt next Saturday night to kick their streak into another gear.

Instead, the chorus of boos at game’s end told the story. Rightfully so, the Gamecocks weren’t the same team they were the past 4 weeks. They went from running on cruise control to running in 1st gear.

South Carolina (5-3 overall, 2-3 SEC) got pulled back down to earth from its ascent in a 23-10 loss to Missouri (4-4, 2-3). The Gamecocks had a clunker at a time when they could least afford one. They were out of sync in the 1st half and never recovered.

Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield has remained under fire during the Gamecocks’ recent run of success, and his offense sputtered against Missouri. The pitchforks and torches will be out again this week, and Satterfield will need to find some creativity next week.

Still, this comes down to executing.

On a perfect autumn afternoon for football, South Carolina was reminded of one of the game’s and life’s most recognizable idioms — don’t take anything for granted.

The hype of the 4-game winning streak coupled with all 3 phases of the Gamecocks’ game humming like a new engine lifted their confidence level to a high that hasn’t been present in recent years. Throw in a Top 25 spot for the 1st time in 4 years, and the Gamecocks were strutting their stuff.

But it was apparent that the Gamecocks overlooked the Tigers, who had lost 3 of their previous 4 games and only had 1 conference victory coming in.

The Gamecocks were confident that MarShawn Lloyd would have another big game after he had accumulated 451 yards and scored 7 touchdowns over his past 4 games. Quarterback Spencer Rattler would have to just do enough as a game manager and have another efficient but not overly impressive game.

South Carolina’s defense would have another aggressive outing and snare a turnover or 2. The special teams’ unit would produce another gem.

Unfortunately, none of it happened.

And the Gamecocks lost the Mayor’s Cup trophy for the 4th year in a row.

They watched an underestimated Missouri team take control of the game early with 2 impressive and lengthy scoring drives — one a 15-play, 96-yard march and another a 10-play, 84-yard promenade. The Tigers would add another grinding drive of 10 plays and 75 yards.

Suddenly, Missouri was ahead 17-0 with 4:59 left in the 1st half. Rattler would generate some life when he scored on a 7-yard scamper with just 47 seconds left in the half. But the South Carolina offense was on life support for most of the game, as it produced only 186 yards of total offense.

After halftime, when the Gamecocks were thriving most in their past 4 games, they netted only 82 yards.

Lloyd’s 30 yards rushing was his lowest output since he had 22 in Week 3 against Georgia. Rattler had a sub-200-yard game — 20-for-30 passing, 171 yards, 1 interception — for the 3rd time in a row, but this time it wasn’t enough. It also didn’t help that Rattler was sacked 4 times.

The attacking defense that had been forcing turnovers and closing gaps was torched for 363 yards, including 143 on the ground. Missouri quarterback Brady Cook had the South Carolina defense’s number throughout the game. The Gamecocks’ secondary didn’t have any answers for wide receiver Dominic Lovett, who put on a clinic with 10 catches for 148 yards.

And the special teams’ unit couldn’t pull anything out of its bag of tricks.

It was an afternoon in which South Carolina watched Missouri show it how the Gamecocks won a football game in the past 4 weeks. Run the ball, have your quarterback be a combination of an effective game manager and playmaker, and play an aggressive and shutdown defense.

Missouri converted 8 of 16 third downs and scored on 5 of 11 possessions — not glowing stats for the South Carolina defense.

Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer was confident his team wouldn’t submit to the ‘C’ word.

“We didn’t do a good job in creating turnovers,” Beamer said in his postgame press conference. “We had four wins in a row, and we had a big win last week. We were ranked for the first time in … forever.

“It’s easy to say South Carolina will get complacent, and not play with the same energy and physicality that they had been. We were on guard for that all week. We had a great week of practice, great energy and great physicality.

“We looked like a team that was on our heels in the first quarter and waiting for something to happen. We assumed everything would be OK. But in this conference, every week is a grind.”

Ah, don’t assume. Play the old word game with the letters and you’ll find out what happens when you do.

South Carolina did. For the Gamecocks, it could prove costly. Many believed Missouri would be win No. 6.

Now, with only 1 home game left and facing 2 ranked teams on the road in the final 4 weeks, the Gamecocks will have to learn their lesson.

The post South Carolina football: Missouri loss serves as complacency lesson to Gamecocks appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Back then, the Gamecocks were ranked 24th in the 2nd week of the season, and they then lost to 3rd-ranked Georgia, 41-17. They went on to lose to then-17th-ranked Kentucky, 24-10; 22nd-ranked Texas A&M, 26-23; 19th-ranked Florida, 35-31; and 2nd-ranked Clemson, 56-35. Their season ended with a loss to Virginia, 28-0, in the Belk Bowl.

That team couldn’t find consistency, and it ended with a 7-6 record. Coincidentally, that was the same mark as in Shane Beamer’s 1st year last season.

And at the start of this season, it was all about finding consistency. Looking at a possible link with fate, USC closed out last season winning 4 of its final 8 games. It was all about taking the next step.

By most accounts, the Gamecocks have. Their latest win over Texas A&M on Saturday — their 1st over the Aggies in 9 tries to asterisk what could be part of a momentous finish — set a new state of delirium for the USC faithful. Brice-Williams Stadium was rocking in a sea of white.

The Gamecocks have a 4-game winning streak, and at 5-2, they have suddenly become one of the wunderkind teams of college football. It is the climb-the-ladder story that can grow some more legs.

They are now in the driver’s seat and can navigate their course down the stretch.

Yet heightened success brings and breeds heightened expectations. The Gamecocks can’t lose sight of that picture.

Getting here was fun, as you could see in Beamer’s face and hear in his voice after the victory Saturday night. He and loyalists across the state and beyond all breathed a sigh of relief.

The A&M game easily could have been the one in which the Gamecocks lost to fall back into mediocrity. Beamer readily admitted there is plenty to fix after watching a 17-0 lead in the first 5 minutes gradually erode away.

The once euphoric, delirious crowd went into a nervous and anxiety-filled state down to the final seconds. A&M recovered an onside kick and had 2 Hail Mary attempts to snare victory away and quickly create a catatonic climate in Columbia.

But the football gods allowed South Carolina to have yet another moment. They now will send the Gamecocks on an apostolic mission to spread their Good News toward a contender level and a Bowl Game prize.

It will begin with Missouri at Williams-Brice Stadium Saturday afternoon, as the Tigers will look to break the streak after they edged Vanderbilt, 17-14, last week. Like South Carolina previously, Missouri needs a win to thrust itself into bowl contention.

The Gamecocks will then have 1 home game left, facing No. 3 Tennessee on Nov. 19. That certainly will be a tall task.

Before and after that, USC has a date at Vanderbilt (Nov. 5), at Florida (Nov. 12) and the finale at No. 5 Clemson (Nov. 26). The Vanderbilt and Florida games could go in the “W” column.

It comes down to whether the Gamecocks truly believe in themselves, and can they put teams away to avoid any 4th-quarter nail-biters. The days of playing the Georgia States, Charlottes and South Carolina States are in the rearview mirror. To their credit, though, the Gamecocks did take care of business when they had to do it.

If the Gamecocks are to live up to their 25th-best-team billing, they have to keep control of games. They will need a fast start against Mizzou on Saturday, then keep it in cruise control the rest of the way.

The steadiness and less erratic play of quarterback Spencer Rattler mixed with the steady surge of running back MarShawn Lloyd can be the perfect scheme. Rattler has developed an array of passing targets to complement his game.

Rattler has completed more than 63 percent of his passes, connecting on 124 of 195 attempts for 1,466 yards with 8 touchdowns and 5 interceptions, while Lloyd has rushed for 526 yards on 93 carries for a 5.2-yard average with 9 touchdowns. He also has caught 17 passes for 173 yards with 2 touchdowns.

The once-majority of doubts that surrounded Rattler are gone, yet a few still linger about his overall consistency. Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield will need to get Lloyd more involved in the 1st half this week than he was last week.

Defensively, the Gamecocks’ secondary appears to be fully intact after injuries that kept them from having their projected lineup together. However, it did work in their favor to help develop depth among the younger players. Their linebacking corps also has endured some blows, and it bounced back with more than a fighter’s chance.

Expectations and prognostications will continue to fill the air. The bowl chatter has begun, and thoughts of an 8-win season appear to be marked down in pencil.

A win over Missouri — more so, a convincing one — should silence the critics. It also will provide the Gamecocks with their new sense of reality.

The post South Carolina football: Are the Gamecocks ready for prime time? appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On this night, though, the Gamecocks discovered their identity and established their presence among the SEC elite. Beating A&M for the 1st time in their past 9 tries helped solidify their case.

In Shane Beamer’s 2 years as head coach, South Carolina has come a long way and certainly has turned the corner toward respectability with consecutive wins over credible teams like Kentucky and Texas A&M. Building and exhibiting character are pillars for any good team.

Character surfaced when the Gamecocks (5-2 overall, 2-2 SEC) withstood an onside-kick recovery by A&M in the final 9 seconds. The football gods seem to finally be in their corner after some tumultuous situations in the opening weeks.

In just 15 or so seconds on Saturday night, the Gamecocks’ Xavier Leggette set the tone when he took the opening kickoff on his own goal line and somehow broke free from a scrum of players along the sidelines, found open field and outraced the Texas A&M coverage down the sidelines for a 100-yard return.

It sent the 70,000-plus faithful at Williams-Brice Stadium into a frenzy and ignited the Gamecocks to play with an intensity level they have exhibited on only a few occasions this season. From there, South Carolina rode the wave and built a 17-0 lead over Texas A&M (3-4, 1-3).

The crowd never really lost its fervor all night, as it played a role in causing 7 procedure-type penalties against the Aggies offense, which had a makeshift offensive line.

The Gamecocks again showed the type of dominant play that had been their forte during their 3-game winning streak heading into Saturday night’s contest. All indications had the Gamecocks headed for a big evening.

Even defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway — who has developed into a consistent contributor — got into the act with a short ramble after a fumble recovery. Hemingway nearly scored on a 2-point conversion, another sign of special teams coach Pete Lembo working his magic.

The right recipe of offense, defense and special teams has elevated the Gamecocks to another level with a 4-game winning streak for the 1st time in 9 years.

South Carolina engineered a possible season-defining drive with 3 minutes left in the game, converting the 8-play, 80-yard march when MarShawn Lloyd scooted in from 4 yards out.

Before that, quarterback Spencer Rattler, whose profile has diminished over the past 4 weeks, rolled out of the pocket and drilled a ball downfield to Josh Vann for a 21-yard pickup. Then Lloyd followed a wall of blockers for a 24-yard jaunt. Jalen Brooks had a key 16-yard scamper.

For the record, Rattler had another workmanlike effort, completing 12 of 25 passes for 168 yards without an interception or a touchdown. His more-controlled passing game has worked and elevated the running game.

Lloyd, who ran for 92 yards and added 24 yards receiving, could sense the team’s current state from a distance.

“We all knew we could get here,” said Lloyd, moments after the game in a TV interview. “We got a good thing going now, and we can keep it going.”

But take heart, Gamecock fans. USC didn’t make it that easy. There was still plenty of football left on a refreshing October night in the South.

Unfortunately, the Gamecocks also experienced how a team coming off a bye week can lose its sizzle.

Texas A&M got its running game and play-action passing game in gear and began to exploit the Gamecocks defense. The Aggies also showed why their defense is among the nation’s best by shutting down the South Carolina offense.

An impressive 11-play, 94-yard A&M drive just before the half raised a level of uneasiness through the crowd and along the sidelines. Would all of the anticipation and hysteria to extend their win streak to 4 games and heighten their chances of a Top-25 bid be suddenly deflated like a pin to a balloon?

In the end, the Gamecocks stymied the Aggies. South Carolina has taken its game up a notch, but there is still plenty of work to be done. Texas A&M’s Devon Achane ran for 99 yards, and quarterback Haynes King started to find his rhythm before he left the game with an arm injury.

Beamer could see it coming.

“We were finding ways to give it away,” he said afterwards. “But these guys played their hearts out. We began to execute better in the second half. You can’t find a better crowd than this one, and they helped us with this one.

“We have a lot of things that have to get better.”

But on this night, the Gamecocks found another way to put it all together and put a foundation in place for the final 5 games.

The post South Carolina football: Gamecocks find their identity in victory over Texas A&M appeared first on Saturday Down South.

It can be the calling card for South Carolina in the 2nd half of the season. Fresh off a bye week, the Gamecocks (4-2) will begin the 2nd half when they host Texas A&M on Saturday evening at Brice-Williams Stadium.

They will hope to capitalize on any momentum from a huge 24-14 win in Kentucky 2 weeks ago, as well as their elevated status the past 3 weeks.

With a rigid schedule down the stretch, the play of South Carolina’s defense certainly will be a measuring stick for their team and the state of the program. The unit appears to be surfacing from its depths with a recent aggressive assault. Its depth has proven to be a true asset.

With a 3-game winning streak in the balance, the Gamecocks have begun to resemble a top-25 team, hitting on all cylinders of offense, defense and special teams.

They again will have to raise the bar against Texas A&M, which is desperate for a win at 3-3 and is coming off a gut-wrenching 24-20 to Alabama 2 weeks ago. The Aggies have dropped 2 straight, and their last win was a 23-21 triumph over Arkansas on Sept. 24. A&M also hasn’t won a conference road game since last October at Missouri.

They will be hungry, and South Carolina can’t afford a sluggish start that could lead to a letdown.

The Gamecocks’ offense is ranked 7th in the conference, averaging 33.7 points and 389 yards. They are averaging 244 yards through the air and 145 on the ground, and most of the latter has been generated in the past few weeks.

After a shaky start, USC has tightened the reins on defense, ranking 9th in the SEC with 354 yards per game. It is 2nd in the conference with 8 interceptions, 7 in its past 3 games — all victories. USC has 10 sacks.

The Gamecocks’ secondary, perceived as one of the elite in college football, has battled its way through injuries and has begun to live up to its reputation. It will enter Saturday’s game ranked 5th against the pass in the conference.

USC hasn’t had its starting secondary together since the opener against Georgia State, as Darius Rush. R.J. Roderick and David Spaulding all have missed time with injuries.

The back end has been held together through the play of freshmen Nick Emmanwori and DQ Smith, who have been invaluable with their consistent contributions. Emmanwori leads the team in tackles with 37, recording a remarkable 31 solo stops. Smith has an impressive slate of 19 tackles, 1 interception, 1 touchdown off a blocked punt and 2 pass breakups.

However, the real difference has been along the Gamecocks’ defensive front. Like the secondary, the d-line has had it share of injuries.

It lost edge rusher/defensive end Jordan Strachan with a season-ending injury in Week 2, and fellow edge rusher Terrell Dawkins went down in late September but could return next month. Defensive tackle and plugger Alex Huntley has been bothered by a foot injury. Gilber Edmond, who was viewed as a project, has been a big surprise taking Strachan’s place.

End Zacch Pickens has been playing well, and the Gamecocks have received notable play from Tonka Hemingway and Nick Barrett. Jordan Burch has shown some of his potential with more disruptive play, but he still has only 2.5 sacks.

At linebacker, Debo Williams and Brad Johnson have more than helped to compensate for the loss of Mo Kaba, who went down in Week 2.

Sixth-year senior Sherrod Greene has shown his experience and become a mainstay at linebacker. Greene has been among the team leaders in tackles all season, and he notched 12 in the Gamecocks’ victory over Kentucky.

The defense is in the catbird seat against A&M, who rank 14th on offense in the league, netting 213 yards via the pass and 120 with the run.

A&M quarterback Haynes King threw for 252 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception against Alabama. Overall, he has 5 touchdowns and interceptions each, along with 783 yards.

Running back Devon Achane rushed for 62 yards against the Tide, and he has 528 for the season.

A major threat for the USC secondary will be Aggies wide receiver Evan Stewart, who caught 8 balls for 106 yards 2 weeks ago and has 26 for 303 for the year.

A&M will rely on its 2nd-ranked conference defense, which has held opponents to 18.8 points per game. It allows 365.5 yards per game and has 10 sacks. That will be the challenge for USC quarterback Spencer Rattler and his upstart unit.

As for the USC defense, its time has come.

It can gift-wrap another key conference game Saturday night, and further legitimize the Gamecocks toward a top-25 bid.

The post South Carolina football: Defense is fueling midseason turnaround appeared first on Saturday Down South.

USC posted its 3rd consecutive victory, raising its overall mark to 4-2 and increasing its respectability in the conference. It picked up 12 votes in the AP Top 25 poll.

Respectability has been raised for quarterback Spencer Rattler, who overcame a slow start against Kentucky to have his 3rd effective and consistent game. Running back MarShawn Lloyd has surfaced as one of the better backs in the SEC and the nation, and he seems to be on his way to a 1,000-yard season.

Unfortunately for the Gamecocks, the momentum of a 3-game winning streak will have to be bottled. They have a bye, and they will return to Williams-Brice Stadium next week to host Texas A&M.

Still, expectations have been raised from last year’s 7-6 season, which ended with a victory over North Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. The Gamecocks have already played the easier part of the schedule.

So where can they go over the final 6 weeks? Here are some thoughts and predictions for the remainder of the season.

Wins, losses, and highlights (pencil them in for now)

It starts with Texas A&M in 2 weeks, and the Aggies may have a similar situation to Kentucky, which didn’t have starting quarterback Will Levis.

Texas A&M quarterback Max Johnson has a broken bone in his hand, and it is very unlikely he will line up against the Gamecocks. Sophomore Haynes King threw for 253 yards with a pair of touchdowns and an interception, and he was the victim of 3 sacks in relief in a 24-20 loss to Alabama last week.

The Aggies also have the week off. They average 21.5 points per game and allow 18.8, while the Gamecocks now average 33.5 and issue 25 per contest.

This should be an entertaining and tight battle, and it is early to break it all down. Yet I Iike the Gamecocks in this one, and this will be another big win to further elevate their profile.

If Rattler is rolling and Lloyd is rambling, the Gamecocks will continue to ride the wave when Missouri comes to town. At the time of this writing, the Tigers (2-4) were reeling with a 3-game losing streak, and quarterback Brady Cook will test the Gamecocks’ secondary through the air.

Yet this is another one in their pocket, and they will suddenly rise to 6-2. The Gamecocks attract some more attention from the AP poll, and they should sneak in the 21-25 spot.

From there, USC heads to the road to Vanderbilt for a key showdown with the Commodores. The Commodores (3-3) have been struggling to be consistent, and they have Georgia and Missouri on their docket before USC.

If all goes to plan, this will be a game in which the Gamecocks will need to truly prove their legitimacy and be added to the list of a cushy bowl game.

Let’s also give this one to the Gamecocks, as they win another pivotal road game. USC claims a spot in the AP poll for the first time since September 2018.

The tidal wave of a 6-game winning streak will then hit the Florida Gators and cause some destruction.

The Gamecocks will be riding high, and they will be in their most intense game of the season. USC will register a close 2- or 3-point victory, its 1st in Gainesville since a 23-20 overtime triumph in 2014.

Rattler’s stock will reach a season high, and he will be a hot topic in NFL Draft chat. Lloyd will be closing in on or passing the 1,000-yard barrier, and he will be in the final phase of a compacted season as a runner and receiver out of the backfield.

The Gamecocks’ secondary wil be totally healthy, and it again wll be regarded as one of the top 10 in the country. USC’s defensive front will be a factor after it was nonexistent through the first 5 games with 4 sacks.

As for the final 2 games, the Gamecocks could slide back from 1st class to coach. It’s hard to call their final home game of the season against currently 6th-ranked Tennessee.

Somehow, I see the Gamecocks dropping a heartbreaker here in front of their more than 75,000 strong at Williams-Brice in an atmosphere that could register the fans’ raucousness on a Richter scale.

A loss here would provide a deafening silence where you could hear a bump in the Columbia air. A win here would generate noise that could be heard in Hilton Head.

At this point, it will be hard to overcome Clemson in the finale, as the Tigers should be among the top 5 in the poll. The Gamecocks notch a valiant effort in one of the more memorable games in the past few years.

Overall, I see this team finishing 8-4, with a decent chance of hitting 9 wins. A key will be how it comes out against Texas A&M on Oct. 22, needing to gain control of the game in the opening half and avoiding a flat start and a flat game.

Rattler finishes the year throwing for more than 2,700 yards, and he has a more respectable touchdown-interception ratio than his current 5-to-8 mark.

The Gamecocks should be invited to one of more recognized bowls. Currently, published reports have them on the radar of the Birmingham and Liberty Bowls.

Barring any major injuries or a major freefall, South Carolina’s 2nd half of the season should be a fun one to watch.

The post South Carolina football: Predicting a 2nd-half surge for the Gamecocks appeared first on Saturday Down South.

His perseverance certainly helped.

On Oct. 9, 2021, Rattler lost his starting job at Oklahoma in a 55-48 win over Texas, and he subsequently transferred to South Carolina.

A year later on nearly the exact same date, Texas routed Oklahoma 49-0 — the Sooners’ worst loss in the history of the Red River Rivalry — and Rattler’s determination paid huge dividends for him and his team in their 24-14 upset of host and No. 13 Kentucky on Saturday night.

The football gods finally shined down on Rattler and South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer.

Sometimes, you win a game with some luck combined with skill that builds the necessary momentum. It was a combination the Gamecocks didn’t have in previous contests against ranked Georgia and Arkansas teams.

When luck and fate work and combine with skill in your favor, you take it and don’t question it. The Gamecocks looked like the ranked team, while Kentucky didn’t look like one.

Rattler and Beamer deserved a break, and Rattler officially legitimized his presence. The oft-lambasted quarterback temporarily lifted himself out of the media oven.

“You call it fate, karma, whatever,” said Beamer afterwards about his quarterback. “That’s pretty freaking cool that one year later, the same day that OU plays Texas, he comes up here and leads us to this.”

Beamer also realized and felt the significance of the triumph. He and Rattler felt the pressure lifted off their shoulders. Their frustrations –- both on the surface and below the surface –- have been relieved.

The Gamecocks finally answered the bell and beat a ranked team for the 1st time since 2019. They have a 3-game winning streak for the first time in 5 years.

Beamer literally jumped for joy after the game because it was temporarily confirmed that his team has a gamechanger at quarterback, and his team had moved up a tier.

At 4-2, the Gamecocks can begin to strut because they took the first step to again becoming a credible team for the first time in a few years. The firebrand quarterback and the head coach will be linked closely together through this year and the next.

Rattler had his 3rd consecutive efficient game, going 14-for-19 for 177 yards with a touchdown and an interception. In the 2nd half, he went 8-for-10 and engineered 3 scoring drives.

The junior fired a laser to frequent target Antwane Wells Jr. in the right flat, and Wells outraced the Kentucky defense with a 42-yard sideline sprint to end a nifty 6-play, 75-yard drive early in the 3rd quarter that put South Carolina ahead to stay at 14-7. Mitch Jeter booted a 32-yard field goal later in the 3rd quarter for some breathing room, making it 17-7.

Yet, the naysayers quickly will jump at the chance to state that Kentucky starting quarterback Will Levis wasn’t in the lineup and in a boot before the game. They will scream that this wasn’t a true victory over a ranked team.

They will also point the finger at Rattler, who struggled to find his rhythm and consistency in the opening half and threw an interception, his 7th of the season. Rattler’s faults and inconsistencies have been trending in a positive direction though.

However, Kentucky lost a fumble deep in its own territory that South Carolina quickly turned into points on its first play from scrimmage when running back MarShawn Lloyd squirted into the end zone from 2 yards out.

Lloyd has been finding his niche, and he ran for 110 yards against Kentucky. He now has 359 of his 434 total rushing yards in his past 3 games.

The Gamecocks later blocked a punt, but they couldn’t convert and turn the momentum into a tidal wave.

Putting it all aside, this was the 3rd consecutive game — and win — for South Carolina in which it turned in an overall solid team effort, this time in all 3 phases of the game.

This one was particularly redeeming to Rattler as well as the Gamecocks’ defense, which has been highly scrutinized despite all of its injuries. The unit, maligned over its pass rush, which had produced just 4 sacks — ranked last in the SEC — coming in, left the field on Saturday with 6 in 1 night.

It was an inevitable result with the Gamecocks defense having 24 quarterback hurries over the past 3 weeks. The unit has endured despite the loss of defensive end Jordan Strachan for the season.

The defense recovered a fumble and added an interception. It also held Kentucky wide receiver Tayvion Robinson to 1 catch for 27 yards after he had 23 catches for 338 yards with 3 touchdowns coming into the game. The Gamecocks secondary still isn’t at full strength, as it didn’t dress safeties Devonni Reed and RJ Roderick because of injuries.

Defensive lineman Tonka Hemingway nearly scored when he scooped up a fumble on Kentucky’s first play and rambled to the 2-yard line, setting up his team’s first score on its first play.

Was it all good?

No.

The Gamecocks’ run defense allowed Kentucky running back Chris Rodriguez to accumulate 126 yards for a 5.7 yards-per-carry clip.

Yes, this is 1 win over a ranked team. There is still plenty of season ahead, beginning after a bye week with a tilt against Texas A&M on Oct. 22 at Williams-Brice Stadium.

The Aggies are just 3-3 but nearly upset top-ranked Alabama on Saturday night, losing 24-20 to a Crimson Tide team that played without Bryce Young. A&M backup quarterback Haynes King threw for 253 yards and 2 touchdowns. But on a negative note, Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 154 of the Tide’s 288 rushing yards.

The timing here seems right for the Gamecocks, but they will need another win to keep their legitimacy.

And, for the time being, it again appears some fate and luck might be shifting their way.

The post South Carolina football: Shane Beamer and Spencer Rattler might be turning the tide appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The junior Oklahoma transfer again will be heavily scrutinized to see if he can deliver against a ranked team. Under 2nd-year head coach Shane Beamer, the Gamecocks are 0-4 and have been outscored 176-64 in those contests.

Easily the centerpiece of the program, Rattler will be expected to deliver without any major mistakes, or be ready to be placed back on the rotisserie for the college football world.

However, maybe Rattler shouldn’t be judged that quickly and harshly. He has more weapons at his disposal to have the ability to make better choices.

Against then-No. 16 Arkansas in the 2nd game of the season, Rattler held his own with a 24-for-39, 377-yard performance with 1 touchdown and 1 interception. It was his biggest yardage output of the season.

Rattler saw any chance against then-No. 1 Georgia quickly wither away in sun-splashed Williams Brice Stadium when he threw a bad interception in the opening quarter. It proved to have a jumpstart effect toward a 48-7 rout for the Bulldogs. Rattler finished the game 13-for-25 with 118 yards and 2 interceptions.

That showing lit the fuse for critics to rehash his inconsistencies from the past, and they began to question if he was the quarterback savior the Gamecocks had envisioned.

Facing the 2 ranked teams, Rattler was 37-of-64 for 495 yards with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions.

Against Georgia State in the opener and recently in the routs of Charlotte and South Carolina State, Rattler went 61-for-87 for 626 yards with 3 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. The 2 against South Carolina State were catchable balls that bounced out of a receiver’s hands.

For the season, Rattler has completed 98 of 151 attempts for 1,121 yards with 4 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. His quarterback rating is 126.7. He is within striking distance of his 3,031-yard accumulation in 2020, hen he had 28 touchdown passes.

Rattler didn’t have to take a gunslinger approach against Charlotte and South Carolina State mainly due to the revival of the USC running game behind the more cohesive offensive line that has sprung holes for MarShawn Lloyd and his backfield mates.

With their recent blowouts, the Gamecocks have inflated their offensive numbers to a 6th-best 35.6 points per game in the SEC, an average of 257 yards through the air and 138.2 via the ground.

Against Kentucky, Rattler will face a stingy pass unit that has given up an average of 183 yards in its first 5 games. The Wildcats allowed 223 yards in a 22-19 loss to Ole Miss last week, which was their biggest allowance of the season. Over its past 3 games, Kentucky has allowed an average of 185 yards and 14.8 points per game.

If the Gamecocks’ running game can get into gear, Rattler won’t be forced to make plays and unnecessarily throw the ball into traffic downfield. Instead, Rattler should look to a more controlled approach and spread the ball around like he did when he hit 11 different receivers against South Carolina State.

Rattler will need to use his array of receivers and patiently spread the ball around against Kentucky.

Antwane Wells Jr. leads the team with 24 receptions with 1 touchdown, and Jalen Brooks has 17 grabs for 298 yards. In recent weeks, Brooks has emerged as a deep threat.

Out of the backfield, Lloyd (13 catches, 118 yards, 2 touchdowns) and Juju McDowell (113 catches, 97 yards) have surfaced as viable options, especially if the downfield options have been limited.

Tight end Austin Stogner caught his 1st touchdown pass last week, and his 10 receptions should double quickly. Xavier Legette has been seeing more playing time, and Ahmarean Brown and Josh Vann should be back in the mix after dealing with injuries. Jaheim Bell has been useful in the backfield as a short-yardage choice, but he can easily be in the slot.

Wells, Brooks and Legette can all make a huge difference with their playmaking skills. It will be a matter of Rattler making the timely, selective choices.

Over the past few weeks, offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield has been more creative with his passing options as well as the running game. He has to continue to try to tap out the maximum from his unit to keep the Gamecocks in the hunt down the stretch.

To his benefit, Rattler has realized all of his possible outlets . After Kentucky, the Gamecocks will have a week off before they host Texas A&M on Oct. 22, beginning a pivotal 6-game run to determine their fate.

“We have at least 2 consistent guys on the field at any time,” Rattler said. “There’s times when we’ll have 4 consistent guys on the field, and 1 of them is a big tight end. As well as running backs who catch.

“We’re really deep in our skill positions, so that makes my job a lot easier. Just get the ball in their hands and they’ll make plays. You have seen some of that.”

For Rattler and his cast, they will have to see more.

The post South Carolina: Rattler needs to improve, but he also needs help appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Gamecocks (3-2) had a fairly solid showing in all 3 phases of the game but still have some loose ends to tighten.

And so there’s a question that lingers.

Can a pair of anticipated blowout victories serve as enough of a jumpstart and catalyst for the likes of playing Kentucky this weekend, and Tennessee, Texas A&M and others down the road?

Here are some thoughts about some areas that will be pivotal to South Carolina’s success:

An early touchdown and momentum

For the 1st time all season, South Carolina scored a 1st-quarter touchdown when Spencer Rattler hit MarShawn Lloyd on a screen pass. The Gamecocks could have taken control of the game early, but Xaiver Legette’s juggle of a Rattler pass resulted in an interception.

If the Gamecocks are to be competitive going forward, they will need to put more points on the scoreboard in the opening half.

Against Georgia State in the opener, South Carolina didn’t score in the 1st quarter and had a slim 12-7 advantage at the half. Granted, it was the opener, but the offense still was in first gear.

The following week against Arkansas, the Gamecocks had a field goal in the opening quarter and 9 at the half, as the offense started to gain some momentum.

Rattler’s costly interception in the early going against Georgia began the descent into a long afternoon, and the Gamecocks never found their stride.

Even against Charlotte in Week 4, South Carolina trailed 7-3 in the 1st quarter before the offense rallied for 17 points before halftime.

Based on their performances in the past 2 games, the Gamecocks have dropped it into 2nd gear and can establish their presence. There has been a better balance in the game plan with the run and pass game with Rattler and Lloyd, and the defense has been establishing its identity.

Stirred, not shaken

Regardless of the outcome, Rattler will continue to be the focal point of the offense.

He arguably had his most consistent effort of the season, completing 21 of 27 passes for 212 yards with a pair of touchdowns and interceptions. His 2 interceptions weren’t his fault, as Legette failed to grab both of the attempts.

Rattler threw a highlight-reel, 54-yard missile downfield to Jalen Brooks that set up a score, and also drilled a 15-yarder to tight end Austin Stogner for another score.

Rattler has shown a better pocket presence in the past few weeks and hasn’t forced passes like he did at the start of the season. There is more of a sense of confidence and stability around him, as he doesn’t always have to make the big play.

With Lloyd and the running game finding its stride, Rattler can play his role as a field general, not a constant playmaker. A key in the upcoming weeks will be if Rattler can blend into the background with his play as the offense becomes more well-rounded.

Run, run, run

Lloyd’s recent emergence as well as the steadiness and cohesiveness of the line in front of him has made a major difference.

Lloyd had a breakout game against Charlotte, and South Carolina State keyed on him throughout.

He made enough big plays Thursday night with his 80 yards on the ground to solidify the running game, but Lloyd also showed how he can be invaluable as a receiver with his 3 catches out of the backfield.

Christian Beal-Smith (15 yards) and Juju McDowell (13 yards) didn’t have any glowing numbers, but their presence will help Lloyd and provide overall balance to the running game.

Beal-Smith’s bulldozing style along with McDowell’s ability to hit the hole quickly and pop outside is the overall mixture the Gamecocks need to complement Lloyd.

Quietly, the Gamecocks produced 185 yards rushing on Thursday night, a number that will need to remain in that vicinity to produce a productive season.

The offensive line had another steady night. The unit appears to be more in unison and has avoided the untimely penalties and mistakes. S.C. State had 4 quarterback hits but couldn’t register any sacks.

Lock them down

Though injuries have rattled the unit, South Carolina’s secondary will need to batten down the hatches.

The secondary was flagged for 3 pass-interference calls on Thursday night, 1 that negated an interception. In the past 2 weeks, the Gamecocks have been called for 7 pass-interference penalties.

On a positive note, the unit has registered 6 interceptions in the past 2 games after getting just 1 in its first 3 games. Marcellas Dial, RJ Roderick and Devonni Reed all had nice games on Thursday, and the unit appears to be on its way to being back in sync.

The secondary should be lauded for its aggressive play, but it will have to be careful in the next few weeks. Regarded as one of the SEC’s elite, the secondary will need to tighten its play. The Gamecocks will face Kentucky’s passing attack this Saturday night, featuring Tayvion Robinson, who is among the league leaders in receiving yards.

The post South Carolina football: Are Gamecocks prepared for their tests ahead? appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Through the first 3 games, South Carolina had just 1 interception — in the opener — they couldn’t stop the run and was sketchy against the pass. Their lack of a consistent rush was evident and detrimental.

In the opener against Georgia State, the Gamecocks allowed 200 yards on the ground.

Mediocre performances followed against Arkansas and Georgia. One of the SEC’s stellar sections from last year had lost its luster. USC needed its defense to step up after a 1-2 start, notably seeing how its offense was spinning its wheels. They did in a Week 4 victory. Now, the key is to continue that momentum and continue to crawl closer to the 2021 standard.

Last season, the SC defense was ranked 7th overall in the SEC. They allowed an average of 24 points, 180 yards passing and 175 yards passing per contest.

This season, they’ve already allowed 40 points twice.

Injuries are partly to blame. Linebacker Mohamed Kaba and edge rusher Jordan Strachan were lost for the year with ACL injuries against Arkansas. Defensive back David Spaulding has been missing from the lineup with a leg injury.

Defensive coordinator Clayton White was criticized about his unit’s abundance of missed tackles and sloppy execution. Against Georgia, the defense missed 44 tackles, too high of a number even for a unit with multiple injuries.

Through the first 3 games, White stayed the course and didn’t panic. He went back to the proverbial drawing board and emphasized fundamentals. Against Charlotte, though, they stepped up with some of the regulars stepping back into their roles … but it took some time. After allowing 171 yards on Charlotte’s first 2 drives, they gave up just 121 the rest of the way.

SC ended the game holding Charlotte gunslinger quarterback Chris Reynolds to a season-low 143 yards passing, and held the team to its lowest point total this year.

The Gamecocks recorded 3 interceptions. Edge rusher Gilber Edmond registered his first career sack. Jordan Burch, who had been quiet the first 3 games, deflected a pass that was caught by linebacker Brad Johnson, whose play also didn’t raise many eyebrows the first 3 weeks.

Corner Cam Smith and safety DJ Smith joined the interception party down the stretch. Smith, a freshman, and fellow frosh Nick Emmanwori have helped hold the secondary together through some early tough times.

Emmanwori and DJ Smith – along with safety RJ Roderick – have made their presence felt, and they certainly will see their share of time down the stretch.

Heading into Thursday’s game against South Carolina State, Emmanwori is tied for 7th in the conference with 31 tackles, and Zacch Pickens is 2nd on the Gamecocks with 20 stops. Pickens has improved his play lately, but the senior’s ceiling was expected to be much higher after a 38-tackle, 4-sack season last year.

Darius Rush, who was counted on to have a big year, has been battling a hamstring and Devonni Reed has been slowed from a hip injury.

In spite of their recent second-half awakening against Charlotte, the Gamecocks are ranked 14th in tackling, last in the conference. They have a total of 272 stops with 3 sacks, 4 interceptions and 17 pass deflections. For certain, that is a circled area.

Overall, the Gamecocks are ranked 70th among Division I teams in yardage allowed per game, permitting an average of 403 per contest. Over their past 3 games, they have allowed an average of 433. USC has played to the comfort of their home environment, allowing 383 at Williams-Brice.

Breaking it down further, they have permitted 195 yards rushing per game  and nine touchdowns on the ground. They have allowed opponents a 22-for-56 3rd-down conversion, a 48 percent rate. Through the air, they have allowed an average of 250 per game and eight touchdowns.

Those numbers along with the others don’t indicate a unit that can clamp down on teams consistently.

Will it matter Thursday night against overmatched South Carolina State? Probably not. But the numbers will need to lower down the stretch if the Gamecocks have aspirations of reaching a bowl game.

South Carolina State mustered just 10 points in a season-opening blowout loss at UCF. They’re 1-2 on the season and are coming off a 41-27 loss against NC A&T.

For the Gamecocks, Thursday night should be about executing the plan and gaining vital reps for those pressed into larger roles than expected.

If all goes well, the defense will be tuned and ready for a pivotal showdown against No. 7 Kentucky in Week 6 and and No. 17th Texas A&M in Week 8.

The post South Carolina football: Injuries aren’t an excuse. Gamecocks have to find their defensive mojo, now appeared first on Saturday Down South.

But there had to be a Plan 1A … or Plan B as initially thought.

Three games into this season, Plan B looked like a good option, especially with Rattler’s inconsistency and issues. Problem was, the Gamecocks couldn’t find a legitimate option.

Their running game had some moments, but it wasn’t a staple of the offense, just in case Rattler got rattled. USC needed some balance.

Redshirt sophomore MarShawn Lloyd was supposed to be the answer, fully recovering from his knee injury and appearing solid. Christian Beal-Smith and Juju McDowell were the perfect complements to Lloyd. Jaheim Bell surfaced as another weapon.

However, Lloyd and his backfield mates couldn’t generate steady enough numbers through the first 3 games. The Gamecocks’ offensive line had its issues, too, which further complicated the situation. There also were questions and doubts about offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield’s play-calling, which was probed by players and fans alike.

Then came the Gamecocks’ 56-20 thrashing of Charlotte on Saturday night in front of a feverish crowd of more than 75,000 at Williams-Brice Stadium, who saw their Gamecocks (2-2) erupt for 26 2nd-half points.

Lloyd had a career-high 169 yards with 3 touchdowns, and he looked every bit like the ground game changer the Gamecocks believed they had. Lloyd electrified the crowds with his jukes and cuts. This was a night when Rattler took a backseat and watched with a rather pedestrian 17-for-23, 187-yard, no-touchdown performance.

USC has a Plan 1A … or does it?

Remember, this was a 1-4 Charlotte team that entered Willy B allowing an average of 260 rushing yards per game. It was a 22-point underdog.

Lloyd had 75 yards on 23 carries combined against Georgia State, Arkansas and Georgia. The Gamecocks had a combined 211 yards rushing in their first 3 games.

The Gamecocks host South Carolina State on Saturday afternoon, facing a team that has a 1-2 record and has allowed 779 yards rushing for a 6.2-per-carry clip. There will be another 20-plus point line in favor of the Gamecocks.

Related: South Carolina is a 38-point favorite over SC State. Sports betting is live in SEC states such as Tennessee and Louisiana and may be coming soon to North Carolina.

Sure, USC will face its 2nd straight cupcake opponent and should be able to take care of business. Lloyd surely will find his niche on the ground again for another big game.

Lloyd said that “he ran with bad intentions” Saturday night. Those intentions will have to become meaner over the next few weeks.

But will this be enough to provide the offensive line with the chemistry and confidence it needs to handle the likes of Kentucky and Texas A&M and create the same holes and synergy?

It will be the same question Lloyd and his mates will need to answer as well if the Gamecocks are to find their identity and emerge as a contender and not a pretender.

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The Gamecocks can take some solace that they can regain some lost ground with home games against Charlotte and South Carolina State in the next 2 weeks. South Carolina can begin to regroup from its 1-2 start, as the Gamecocks are listed as 22-point favorites this Saturday.

Still, there are plenty of candidates on the team who need to emerge for the Gamecocks to regain their flight pattern. Here are 5 players or areas of the team at the top of that list:

1. Quarterback Spencer Rattler

The high-profile, much-maligned junior needs to step up his game in the next 2 weeks. Rattler has the golden opportunity to redeem himself with some blockbuster numbers, starting against Charlotte.

He certainly has the ability and needs a fast and productive start this Saturday. Rattler can also get himself back into the NFL Draft scuttlebutt if he can have a turnover-free 2 weeks as well as post some impressive numbers with his arm and legs. For Rattler, the time is now.

2. Running back MarShawn Lloyd

He is another player where the words potential and ability should be magnified. Through 3 games, Lloyd has 75 yards on 27 carries for a paltry 2.8 average per carry. His game-high is 11 carries for 30 yards against Georgia State.

Lloyd also has 10 receptions for 107 yards, his best being a 6-catch, 72-yard effort against Arkansas.

The redshirt sophomore began the season billed as the Gamecocks’ lead back who appeared destined for a big season after a productive offseason. Part of his lack of production can fall upon the offensive line as well as play calling, but Lloyd needs to be able to turn the corner better as well as accelerate out of the backfield. He doesn’t seem slowed by a knee injury that shelved him for all of the 2020 season.

Like Rattler, Lloyd also will have a major opportunity to post some attractive numbers the next 2 weeks.

3. Edge rusher Jordan Burch

He was ticketed to have a breakout season. But through 3 games, the 5-star recruit has just 16 tackles, 7 solo, and 1 sack.

After 2 years playing behind the likes of Aaron Sterling and Kingsley Enagbare, Burch had a solid spring and summer, and was viewed as the link to keeping an effective pass rush going this season. The Gamecocks’ lack of a consistent pass rush has been a major factor in their inconsistent play.

Even though he just stepped into the spotlight this season, Burch has to improve his game immediately if the defensive unit wants to regain a semblance of respect and consistency over the next few months. He certainly has the talent, but it has to be applied on a regular basis.

4. The offensive line

The unit has been ranked as one of college football’s lowest by Pro Football Focus.

Eric Douglas is the anchor at center and a 3-year starter. Tackles Jaylen Nichols and Dylan Wonnum have seen time in starting roles, and guards Jovaughn Gwyn and Vershon Lee were utility players who should be accustomed to their positions.

The line has to generate more running holes as well as provide better pass protection in the upcoming weeks to help the Gamecocks reach the next level.

5. Cornerback Darius Rush

Heading into the season, Rush was viewed as one of the best in the college game and a high NFL Draft pick. He had a banner year last season and was seen as a stabilizer on the defense.

But through 3 games, Rush has just 7 tackles, 2 pass breakups and 1 quarterback hit. As a unit, the secondary was fairly solid until the Georgia game.

The senior needs to take the lead and become a playmaker over the next several weeks, as well as help establish the Gamecocks’ secondary as a premier one.

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The college football fanaticals took to social media over the weekend to turn up the heat on Rattler for his horrible 1st-quarter interception that shifted Georgia’s attack into high gear last Saturday, and the rout sped into a full flame.

His ineffectiveness was further exploited when critics compared his performance to punter Kai Kroeger’s textbook 20-year completion on a fake punt.

Rattler’s bad day was highlighted by the team’s overall ineffectiveness and sluggishness in its 48-7 loss to the top-ranked Bulldogs. For example, the Gamecocks’ offensive line is currently ranked 13th out of 14 SEC units by Pro Football Focus. The failures of the line have kept Rattler on the move and placed a damper on the running game.

In addition, the lack of a pass rush and run defense through the first 3 weeks haven’t made it easier for him.

Head coach Shane Beamer confirmed that Rattler is the quarterback, and there won’t be any controversies ahead. He also noted there is plenty to fix with the rest of the team during the week

Still, let’s take a step back here.

South Carolina wanted an explosive-type quarterback with a big arm and the ability to take it to the next level. When it knew Rattler was coming, the fist pumps were in the air from Columbia to Bluffton.

He was viewed as a potential Heisman Trophy candidate who would raise the program to the next level. Yet his faults were well publicized — consistency and the tendency to throw the interception were his flaws at Oklahoma. The Heisman chatter has been temporarily silenced.

So his issues shouldn’t come as a surprise. USC fans got what they wanted. You have to take the bad with the good. Take a look at his Oklahoma resume, and you get the picture.

He looked like the quarterback messiah in the opener against Georgia State, and he rallied his troops until the very end against Arkansas. Rattler showed the ability to scramble and throw out of the pocket, as well as deliver some bullets downfield.

The early setback against Georgia set him and his team back. The way the Bulldogs have been playing, the Gamecocks were a deep longshot to stay within striking range, and their early fallout meant an early dinner for the USC faithful.

Rattler should recover against UNC Charlotte at home this weekend, even though their 49ers won their 1st game against Georgia State in a wild 42-41 shootout last weekend. He also can get back on track against South Carolina State the following week.

In 3 weeks, Rattler again could be a hot topic as one of the nation’s elite quarterbacks. Two big games in as many weeks will do it. Yet, he can only be as good as the obstacles that have to be cleaned up around him on both sides of the ball.

The fact that he had a bad game against the top team in the country won’t fade away anytime soon. It will still have a faint scent even if he has 2 stellar ones.

Don’t pass judgment yet. However, making an argument against his 2 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, and 32.1 quarterback rating can be a tough one. His touchdowns rank him 101st, and his rating has him 108th.

If he posts similar numbers against UNC Charlotte and SC State, it likely will be time to take a long look. In Rattler’s defense, the problems with the offensive line that affects the running game have to be solved.

By Week 8, we will know if Rattler will be lifted from the heat and the sizzle.

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Rattler is the easy sacrificial lamb based on his horrible first-half interception and overall sluggish showing that helped fuel the Bulldogs to a commanding and dominating 24-0 halftime lead that basically sealed the game.

Will Rattler’s stock take a dive, and are the 1-2 Gamecocks doomed for another mediocre season?

There are several questions to answer.

Rattler did fire a 12-yard laser to Austin Scogner to start the game, but his highlights were few. He failed to convert a key fourth down, one that could have swung the momentum in his team’s favor.

Rattler finished the afternoon 13-of-25 passing for a meager 118 yards with 2 interceptions before he was pulled late in the second half for Luke Doty.

This was against a Georgia defense that was missing 5 starters. Ironically, the Bulldogs didn’t register a sack against Rattler, but they had 9 QB hurries and made Rattler’s afternoon miserable.

While Rattler played his part in the loss, you can look at South Carolina’s pass rush, pass coverage and run defense, too. Take a look at Georgia’s 547 yards of total offense –- 339 yards passing and 208 quiet yards rushing –- as the evidence.

The Gamecocks’ running game behind MarShawn Lloyd also never got on track.

The question then arises — has the bottom already fallen out of this season? Will the Gamecocks be able to turn the corner in the second half of the season and take another major step forward this season?

The Gamecocks had 3 turnovers, 5 penalties and converted just 4 of 13 third-down attempts. The latter has plagued them through their first 3 games. South Carolina’s pass rush again was nearly invisible with 0 sacks and just 3 quarterback hurries on Stetson Bennett, who managed to unleash a 16-for-23, 248-yard, 2-touchdown performance while not feeling 100 percent.

Aside from the stats, the Gamecocks lacked the persistence and resolution they showed in their first 2 games, specifically in their loss to No. 10 Arkansas.

Simply put, it was a trainwreck that short-circuited the electrified 78,000-plus crowd at Williams-Brice and sent most of them home early in the 3rd quarter, as well as those at home who switched to another channel.

Head coach Shane Beamer acknowledged the abysmal performance and sought to begin to re-energize his base.

“I want to apologize to our fans,” said Beamer in the postgame press conference. “We challenged them in the press conference during the week to show up and they did. … They were fantastic. Sorry we didn’t coach better and play better for them.”

Beamer is now faced with the challenge of rallying his troops this coming week, and his team should get back on track when it hosts 0-3 Charlotte on Saturday night.

South Carolina probably will look like a contender against Charlotte. Everyone will be back on the Rattler bandwagon again and receiver Antwone Wells –- 0 catches against Georgia –- will look like a playmaker again.

“That’s probably the best defense in the country, and we put ourselves in some bad situations,” said Rattler about Georgia. “They did a good job checking a lot of stuff against our looks, and they just played harder than us.”

Rattler knew it. His team got outhustled and outworked, and it’s time to put this loss behind them.

After Charlotte, the Gamecocks will be back in the line of fire again with No. 9 Kentucky and No. 24 Texas A&M looming.

In 3 weeks, we’ll have an answer to whether South Carolina is ready to take a step forward or one backward.

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It will be the 6th time in Gamecocks’ history that they will tangle with the Associated Press’ highest-ranked team.

Or, in this case, the top dawg.

The Gamecocks (1-1) are coming off a 44-30 loss at then-No. 16 Arkansas last Saturday, in which they trailed throughout and closed within 35-24 with 6 minutes left. But a costly fumble and subsequent touchdown sealed the win for the Razorbacks.

Georgia (2-0) begins SEC play after an opening 49-3 thumping of then-No. 11 Oregon in the opener, followed by a 33-0 victory over FCS foe Samford last week.

South Carolina’s history in showdowns against No. 1 teams dates to 1955, when it dropped a 27-0 decision at Maryland.

Overall, the Gamecocks have a 1-5 mark in meetings with top-ranked teams.

Their lone toppling of a No. 1 team came on Oct. 9, 2010, against an undefeated Alabama squad in a 35-21 triumph at Williams-Brice.

In that game, South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia completed 17 of 20 passes for 201 yards and 3 touchdowns. Alshon Jeffery caught 2 of those touchdowns and had 7 catches overall for 127 yards.

South Carolina, which was ranked 19th at the time, took a 14-3 lead that day and never looked back.

Marcus Lattimore rushed for a pair of touchdowns, and he finished with 93 yards on 23 carries.

The last time the Gamecocks hosted a No. 1 team was against Clemson on Nov. 28, 2015. In that game, Tigers quarterback DeShaun Watson threw for 279 yards and a touchdown and ran for 114 yards and scored 3 more times to lead Clemson to a 37-32 victory.

South Carolina, which was 3-8 at the time, was led by quarterback Perry Orth, who threw for 219 yards and 3 touchdowns. Running back Lorenzo Nunez had a team-high 75 yards on 10 carries, and wide receiver Deebo Samuel had a team-high 5 catches for 104 yards.

South Carolina’s other meetings against No. 1 teams were a 38-10 loss at Florida State on Nov. 9, 1991; a 52-25 loss at Florida on Nov. 16, 1996; and a 24-14 home loss against Florida on Nov. 14, 2009.

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Their defeat didn’t follow in lockstep with their energizing victory over Georgia State last week, but there were some positives. They have little time to clean up their miscues with 2nd-ranked Georgia heading to Williams-Brice Stadium for a noon kickoff next Saturday.

Here are some thoughts and grades on Carolina’s performance:

3 things I liked

Spencer Rattler again looked like the solution

After he went 24-for-39 with 367 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception and a 57 quarterback rating, Rattler had his share of critics online.

Yes, Rattler did have miscues, with a bad interception on a forced ball that he released too late and 3 fumbles, 1 that he lost. He again had his share of overthrows — 3 appeared destined for a score — and he held onto the ball too long on some attempts.

But he has established that he can throw the long ball and throw on the run out of the pocket. Rattler also can be a threat running out of the backfield, knowing when to take off.

In his defense, Rattler was under pressure, as he was sacked 6 times and hurried just as often.

More importantly, Rattler established himself as a gritty gamer who kept his team in the game until the end. Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield opened up the game plan more for Rattler this week.

This was the first prime test for Rattler against a top-notch defense, and he performed better than adequate. The report cards will be scrutinized more heavily with plenty more ahead, beginning with Georgia.

The Gamecocks never quit

Late in the 2nd quarter, the game turned into a battle of momentum.

Arkansas scored on its first 3 possessions in the opening half, and the Razorbacks looked to blow it open late in the half with a field-goal attempt. But their attempt went wide, and South Carolina took advantage.

Rattler converted a 4th down on a scramble, then MarShawn Lloyd scooted around the end for a 7-yard score that brought Carolina back to within striking distance.

The Gamecocks’ defense made a key stop to start the 3rd quarter, and their offense took advantage when Rattler hit Antwane Wells Jr. in stride in the middle of field, and Wells outran the secondary for a 62-yard masterpiece.

The Gamecocks fell behind by 42-24 on a botched onside kick that nearly resulted in a touchdown and their defense’s inability to clamp down on the Razorbacks’ running game.

But they closed to within 42-30 in Jaheim Bell’s score before a questionable safety call sank their momentum.

Rattler scrambled for his life at the end and suffered consecutive sacks. A fumble recovery for a score was waved off in the final seconds.

Arkansas showed enough to establish itself as one of the top 5 teams in the SEC, and the Gamecocks held their own until the end.

The Wells/Lloyd/McDowell trifecta

Wells finished the day with a team-high 8 catches for 189 yards and 1 score. Last week against Georgia State, he also was the team’s leading receiver with 7 grabs for 59.

It’s apparent that Wells has some chemistry with Rattler. He also has the speed and strength to break in the open field, which can only help the connection in the future.

Lloyd also showed his ability to shed tackles and move gingerly through open holes. His stats don’t show it — 7 carries for 23 yards — but Lloyd exhibited plenty of explosiveness at times. He also proved to be a valuable weapon out of the backfield with 6 catches for 72 yards, including a 43-yard romp.

McDowell was the team’s leading rusher with 35 yards on 6 carries for a 5.8 clip. McDowell exhibited his speed to get outside, and he should be a future threat.

3 things I didn’t like

Rush defense and overall defensive performance

The Gamecocks didn’t have any answers for Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson and running back Raheim Sanders, who helped lead a 295-yard, 65-carry assault on the ground. Last week, USC allowed 200 yards rushing to Georgia State.

Arkansas entered the game with arguably the league’s best rushing attack. It proved it by scoring 5 of its 6 touchdowns via the running game.

Sanders, who finished with 156 yards on a workhorse 24 carries, had 61 yards and a pair of scores in the opening half. Jefferson, who rushed for 67 yards on 19 carries with 1 score, had untimely runs that kept drives alive and worked the clock to the Razorbacks’ advantage.

The Gamecocks managed 2 sacks and 1 hurry, and Arkansas converted 9 of 16 3rd-down attempts. Arkansas had drives of 13, 12, 12 and 14 plays.

Carolina’s run defense and lack of pass rush has to be addressed very soon.

Offensive line play

The Gamecocks’ unit opened some more holes for the backfield, and time should be on its side.

But it had trouble containing Arkansas’ defensive scheme, which caused fits for Rattler and held the Gamecocks to 40 total yards rushing and a dismal 1.4 average.

As a result, the O-line issued 6 sacks and hurries alike, and Arkansas registered 9 tackles for losses and 3 pass deflections.

Maybe it wasn’t all its fault, but this veteran unit needs a more consistent showing.

Special teams weren’t special

Last week against Georgia State, special teams coach Pete Lembo had a magic wand in creating a pair of blocked punts for touchdowns.

This week, the magic wore off.

Kicker Mitch Jeter booted a 28-yard field goal, but he missed the extra point on the Gamecocks’ 1st touchdown. Punter Kai Kroeger had a flat afternoon, averaging 34.7 per kick, including a 21-yard shank.

Jeter’s onside kick attempt in the 3rd quarter went right to Arkansas’ Bumper Pool, and he rambled 34 yards that led to a score a few plays later.

On a bright note, Xavier Legette returned 2 kickoffs for a combined 55 yards.

Grades

Offense: B

Rattler had some solid 2nd-half moments, but he still needs to address his inconsistency at times. He did have some nice connections downfield, and the running game had its moments.

But the offense will depend on the maturation of the offensive line. Rattler has the weapons, but the line needs to provide better protection. The Gamecocks converted only 3 of 10 3rd-down attempts.

Defense: B-

Stopping the run was the problem. In 2 games, the Gamecocks have given up a combined 495 yards rushing. Arkansas ran 86 total plays, 65 of them rushing.

USC’s pass defense was solid overall, as it held Arkansas to 162 yards. The secondary did lose Cam Smith and Darius Rush to injuries.

Jordan Burch was the bright spot with 11 tackles and 2 sacks, and Zacch Pickens had 12 stops and 0.5 sacks.

Special teams: C

This unit can be a game-changer for USC, as it was in the opening-game victory. It will need to be consistent in all phases to keep the Gamecocks in games.

The real backbreaker was the onside kick return for 34 yards, which shifted momentum back to Arkansas. Before halftime, a missed extra point soured its spirits.

Jeter looks like he can be a steady kicker, and Kroeger has potential to be consistent.

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Here are some random thoughts heading into a key Arkansas matchup Saturday afternoon:

Don’t judge Spencer Rattler yet

On paper, Rattler’s numbers could have been deceiving. He was 15-of-24 for 147 yards in the first half. However, Rattler was hurried and chased on protection breakdowns on most of those misses and he did have a share of his own. He finished the game 23-of-37 for 227 yards with a score. Rattler threw 1 interception that was his fault, and another that was definitely his responsibility.

He showed the knack of escaping the pocket and also proved he could throw out of the pocket, highlighted by a nifty 39-yard completion. Over the years, the interceptions and inaccuracies have plagued him, and they will need to be curbed — starting Saturday against a very talented Arkansas defense that has playmakers at every level.

Clearly, Rattler’s opening effort fell short of the hype surrounding his arrival.

However, it is too early to pass judgment on him. His presence and high profile have been a perfect injection for the program. Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield also needs to allow Rattler to move the ball up the field more with a talented and deep receiving corps.

It is all about seeing progress, and Rattler will need to continue to answer his critics and the Gamecocks’ faithful.

More specials on the way?

The heroics of the special teams have been well publicized this week, but they still shouldn’t be taken for granted. It is a night in a thousand that any team returns 2 blocked punts for touchdowns. That proved to be the turning point against Georgia State.

Now, special teams coach Pete Lembo’s unit has to find a way to make a consistent contribution to the cause every week. The Gamecocks may have found a solution to replacing all-time leading scorer Parker White with Mitch Jeter, who immediately proved he has a strong foot.

Jeter went 2-for-2 on field goal attempts — both beyond 50 yards, making him the national leader in 50+ yard field goals this season.

Defense didn’t rest

South Carolina’s defense made the key stops, allowing the visiting Panthers to cross midfield only 5 times in their 15 possessions. The secondary of corners Marcellas Dial and Cam Smith, along with safety Darius Rush made their presence felt with jarring hits on Georgia State receivers, and the defense registered 9 pass breakups. Devonni Reed also had a good night with a team-high 5 tackles.

It was a good first-game showing, but the Gamecocks’ pass rush will need to be more effective against Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson, who threw 3 TD passes in the Hogs’ opening win vs. Cincinnati.

The biggest issue — beginning Saturday — is improving the run defense.

Georgia State ran for 200 yards — and GSU doesn’t have anyone as potentially dangerous as Arkansas’ Rocket Sanders, who ran for 117 yards against Cincy. Jefferson obviously is a threat, too. Remember, he led Arkansas in rushing last season with 664 yards. He opened 2022 by rushing 18 times for 62 yards.

Arkansas led the SEC in rushing last season and picked up right where it left off. They’ll try to impose their will at the line of scrimmage.

Oh-fensive line and the running game

The Gamecocks’ offensive line was just OK against Georgia State against a defensive line in which they had a size advantage.

They’ll have to play significantly better Saturday.

Arkansas limited Cincinnati to 113 yards rushing and added 3 sacks. Linebacker Bumper Pool cleaned up with 13 tackles. Hard-hitting hybrid safety Jalen Catalon added 8. Transfer Drew Sanders registered his first sack as a Hog.

USC’s o-line allowed 3 sacks, 6 hurries and 7 tackles for losses. The Gamecocks were limited to 76 yards rushing — averaging just 2.47 yards on each of their 32 carries.

South Carolina fans have been waiting for MarShawn Lloyd to break out. He was limited to 30 yards on 11 carries in the opener.

Lloyd, Jaheim Bell, and Juju McDowell appear to have the potential to get the running game in gear, but they will need more of a consistent effort from their teammates up front.

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The Gamecocks relied on their special teams to ease their struggles early, then to close it out. Two blocked punts returned for touchdowns made the difference and helped them keep and regain the momentum.

Spencer Rattler made his much-anticipated debut, and he showed enough flash to provide promise for the USC faithful. Rattler was a bit sluggish in the beginning, but he showed the tenacity needed down the stretch to project a solid season.

South Carolina’s defense bent, but it didn’t break. Georgia State’s touted running game accumulated 200 yards, but the Gamecocks’ pressure and pursuit made Panthers quarterback Darren Grainger uncomfortable with his 7-for-29, 111-yard, 1-interception performance.

Overall, it was an unveiling worthy of a share of applause. But the Gamecocks will be back at the drawing board for some issues — such as the offensive line — before they tangle with Arkansas next week.

Here are some grades and thoughts, starting with the good ones:

Special teams: A+

This was the area that arguably saved the night for USC. For the 1st time since 2000, the Gamecocks returned a blocked punt for a touchdown. Then they followed it with another to seal the win.

DQ Smith’s return of Rashad Amos’ blocked punt helped break open a 20-14 game with 7:20 left in the 3rd quarter.

At the start of the 4th, Ahmarean Brown returned another blocked punt for a score after Traevon Kenion did the damage.

Mitch Jeter made his debut and boomed field goals of 51 and 53 yards, becoming the 1st South Carolina kicker to convert 2 field goals of 50-plus yards in a game.

Punter Kai Kroeger also had a big night, averaging 48.5 on 7 kicks, and he booted a 79-yard punt. Josh Vann returned 3 punts for 33 yards, one an 18-yard scoot.

Finally, the Gamecocks had a game-changer in the opening half when long snapper Hunter Rogers took off on a 5-yard scamper on a field-goal attempt. That led to a 1st down and eventual score by running back MarShawn Lloyd a few plays later.

“We spend a lot of time with our special teams,” said USC head coach Shane Beamer. “They had a big night that really helped us.”

Spencer Rattler: B+

Rattler was 15-of-24 of 147 yards in the opening half, but he was under consistent pressure from the Georgia State front that resulted in some overthrows. However, he did miss some of his 8 different receivers, and the Gamecocks were 1-for-8 on 3rd-down conversions in the opening half

At the start of the 2nd half, Rattler threw an interception, and he looked like he might unravel. However, he regained his composure and pieced together an impressive 9-play, 75-yard march that resulted in a 16-yard swing pass for a score to Lloyd that put the Gamecocks back on top at 20-14.

Rattler did throw a bad interception on the next drive as he tried to force a ball downfield and didn’t hit a receiver nearby. The junior ended the night going 23-for-27 for 227 yards, and he appeared more in sync after hafltime, completing 8 of 11 passes for 80 yards.

Running game: B

The running game showed some spark, but they it have a breakout runner.

Lloyd came into the game as the team’s lead back, and he ran hard and well at times. He finished with 30 yards on 11 carries.

The real surprise was tight end Jaheim Bell, who proved to be an effective weapon out of the backfield. Bell had 39 yards on 7 carries, highlighted by a 13-yard gallop.

The average and below:

Defense: B

The Gamecocks had trouble containing the Panthers’ running game, especially early. They did make a key stop on Georgia State’s opening drive, when they prevented a potential touchdown on an attempted 4th-down play from their 5-yard line.

They kept Georgia State’s running game bottled up for most of the night. The key to their success was their constant pressure on Georgia State’s quarterback, and they registered 6 hurries. However, they were flagged for 2 pass interference penalties, and they easily could have been for a few others.

Marcellas Dial had a late 4th-quarter interception.

Offensive line: C

This was one of the biggest off-season concerns, but the unit was expected to bounce back after an adequate season last year.

Rattler was under pressure most of the 1st half, and he was the victim of 3 sacks. He had a 15-yard run in the opening half, but it was called back on a holding call by Jovaughn Gwyn. The Gamecocks tried to get their running game going in the opening half, but they were held to 38 yards.

The line was more efficient in the 2nd half, as it helped grind some time off the clock on drives.

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The Gamecocks relied on their special teams to help their early struggles and then it helped them close it out down the stretch. Two blocked punts returned for touchdowns made the difference, helping them keep and regain the momentum.

Quarterback Spencer Rattler made his much-anticipated debut, and he showed enough flash to provide a sense of promise for the USC faithful for the remainder of the season. Rattler was a bit sluggish in the beginning, but he showed the tenacity needed down the stretch for a solid season.

South Carolina’s defense bent but didn’t break. Georgia State’s touted running game accumulated 200 yards, but the Gamecocks’ pressure made Panthers quarterback Darren Grainger uncomfortable. He finished a dismal 7 for 29 for 111 yards with one interception.

Overall, it was an unveiling worthy of a share of applause, but the Gamecocks will be back at the drawing board to address some issues — such as their offensive line –- before they tangle with Arkansas next week.

Here are some grades and thoughts, starting with the good ones:

Special teams: A+

This was the area that arguably saved the night for USC. For the first time since 2000, the Gamecocks returned a blocked punt for a touchdown and then followed it with another to seal the game.

DQ Smith’s return of Rashad Amos’ blocked punt helped break open a 20-14 game at the 7:20 mark of the third quarter.

At the start of the fourth quarter, Ahmarean Brown returned another blocked punt for a score after Traveon Kenion did the damage.

Mitch Jeter made his debut and boomed field goals of 51 and 53 yards, becoming the first South Carolina kicker to convert 2 field goals of 50-plus yards in a game.

Punter Kai Kroeger also had a big night, averaging 48.5 yards on seven punts, including a 79-yard punt. Josh Vann returned 3 punts for 33 yards, including an 18-yard scamper.

Finally, the Gamecocks had a gamechanger in the first half when long-snapper Hunter Rogers took off on a 5-yard scamper on a field-goal attempt. That led to a first down and a score by running back Marshawn Lloyd a few plays later.

“We spend a lot of time with our special teams,” said head coach Shane Beamer. “They had a big night that really helped us.”

Spencer Rattler: B+

Rattler was 15 of 24 for 147 yards in the opening half, but he was under some consistent pressure from the Georgia State front that resulted in some overthrows. However, he did miss some of his 8 receivers, and the Gamecocks were just 1 for 8 on third-down conversions in the opening half.

Rattler threw an interception at the start of the second half, and he looked like he might unravel. But Rattler regained his composure and pieced together an impressive 9-play, 75-yard march that resulted in a 16-yard swing pass for a score to Lloyd that put the Gamecocks back on top, 20-14.

Rattler did throw a bad interception on the next drive, as he tried to force a ball downfield and didn’t hit a receiver nearby. The junior ended the night 23 for 37 for 227 yards, and he appeared more in sync after halftime, completing 8 of 11 passes for 80 yards.

Running game: B

The running game showed some spark but it didn’t feature a breakout runner.

Lloyd came into the game as the lead back, and he ran hard and well at times. Lloyd finished with 30 yards on 11 carries.

The real surprise was tight end Jaheim Bell, who proved to be an effective weapon out of the backfield. Bell had 39 yards on 7 carries, highlighted by a 13-yard gallop.

Defense: B

The Gamecocks had trouble containing the Panthers’ running game, especially early. They did make a key stop on Georgia State’s opening drive when they stopped a potential touchdown on an attempted fourth-down play from the 5-yard line.

They kept Georgia State’s running game bottled up for most of the night. The key to South Carolina’s success was its constant pressure on Georgia State’s quarterback, registering 6 hurries. However, the Gamecocks were flagged for 2 pass-interference penalties and easily could have been called for a few others.

Marcellas Dial had a late fourth-quarter interception.

Offensive line: C

This was one of the biggest offseason concerns, but the unit was expected to bounce back after an adequate season last year.

Rattler was under pressure for most of the first half, and he was sacked 3 times. He had a 15-yard run in the opening half, but it was called back because of a holding call on Jovaughn Gwyn. The Gamecocks tried to get their running game going in the first half but were held to 38 yards.

The line was more efficient in the second half, as it helped grind some time off the clock with longer drives.

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There’s plenty of hype about the Oklahoma transfer, who basically has been handed the keys to the Gamecocks offense. He already has been mentioned as a possible Heisman Trophy candidate.

The junior is viewed as the key to USC reaching the next level this season after it was revived last year with a 7-6 mark.

Rattler could have a productive outing in his much-anticipated opener. But he likely will be tested by Georgia State’s strong linebacking corps, as well as an upstart secondary led by Antavious Lane, the program’s all-time interception leader.

Rattler can definitely be the difference against Georgia State in a game that easily could emerge as a nail-biter down the stretch.

His stock and upside are certainly on the high end, as he has often been referred to as a top-5 pick in the April NFL Draft.

Could he rewrite some South Carolina passing records this fall?

Last season, Rattler threw for 1,483 yards with 11 touchdowns and 5 interceptions in 9 games, 5 of them starts. He finished with a quarterback rating of 71.6

Heading into 2022, Rattler is healthy and confident, apparently ready to shake any of the inconsistencies that have plagued him in the past.

“I want to sharpen my pre- and post-snap decision making,” said Rattler earlier this summer. “I’m not bad at it, but I want to sharpen up. Everybody’s got to sharpen up at that. If I can do that and just get through my reads, we’ll be OK.”

If he stays healthy, Rattler could have a legitimate shot at breaking the school’s single-season passing mark of 3,564 yards set by Dylan Thompson in 2014.

Should head coach Shane Beamer and offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield turn him loose, Rattler will be gunning for the single-game passing mark of 510 yards set by Jake Bentley against Clemson in 2018.

At Oklahoma last season, Rattler threw 5 touchdown passes in a 76-0 victory over Western Carolina. That is the South Carolina record, set by Tommy Suggs in 1968 and tied by a string of quarterbacks.

Rattler should be in the range for the record for single-game pass attempts (59) and completions (39), both set by Steve Taneyhill in 1994.

He also has the potential to break the records for attempts (451) and completions (270) for a year, both set by Thompson in 2014. Rattler will be on the radar for completion percentage in a season (67.5), a mark established by Connor Shaw in 2012.

In 2 seasons, Rattler would have to accumulate more than 9,953 yards, the school record set by Todd Ellis from 1986-89. It’s safe to say that it is a longshot at the moment.

Should Rattler maintain his accuracy and poise, he’ll work his way into the program’s record books.

“We’re looking for accuracy first and foremost at the quarterback position,” said Beamer. “In today’s game, you have to be athletic enough to get yourself out of trouble. You also have to have the competitive spirit and leadership qualities.

“Being around Spencer at Oklahoma, I knew he had what we were looking for.”

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Head coach Shane Beamer took over a program last year that had slid off the rails the previous 2 seasons with an overall 6-16 mark. It was believed Beamer could rejuvenate the program with a handful of wins and the thought of a long-range plan in place.

However, he took it a step further. Beamer’s squad found its way by midseason, and the Gamecocks finished with a 7-6 mark. They capped their season with a win over North Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.

Now that Beamer has regenerated the passion and excitement, he can build on last year’s foundation and raise the level in Year 2.

The Gamecocks have most of their positional players back, along with a cast of transfers. It should be a smoother road ahead with rising expectations. Still, there are plenty of players who have to prove themselves.

Here’s a look at how each position group stacks up as we draw closer to the season opener.

QB: A

Spencer Rattler has been projected as the starter since he announced his transfer from Oklahoma. Rattler has fulfilled the assumption with a solid summer, and there even has been some whispers of a possible Heisman run. He first has to show it on the field.

He has all the tools, and he should receive the protection he needs. Rattler’s early showing and his high competition percentage have raised expectations, but he’ll have to break the bad habit of interceptions. Luke Doty and Braden Davis Jr. are capable backups.

RB: B+

Like Rattler, MarShawn Lloyd will need to prove that he can be a workhorse back. Lloyd also had a good spring, and he should get his share of carries.

Juju McDowell brings speed, and he will be a threat out of the backfield. Christian Beal-Smith, a Wake Forest transfer, was thought to be an impact player, but he has been slowed with a foot injury. Once healthy, he will be a factor. Rashad Amos and Dante Miller will also be in the mix.

WR: A+

This is the Gamecocks’ best offensive position, with depth and experience.

Dakereon Joyner, who saw time at quarterback last season, is back into his main role. Xavier Legette was one of the biggest surprises of the summer, and he’ll get an early nod.

Josh Vann, Ahmarean Brown, Antwane Wells Jr. and Jalen Brooks round out the impressive unit.

TE: B+

Austin Stogner, an Oklahoma transfer, could have a breakout year, and he has had previous connections with Rattler.

Jaheim Bell and Nate Adkins bring experience to the position. Traevon Kenion will see some snaps.

There is a good chance that all 4 tight ends will be interchangeable contributors.

OL: A

There is depth and experience here, but how will they perform? The line showed some late-season progress last year, and it needs to extend its consistency.

Jaylen Nichols and Dylan Wonnum will start at tackle, and Wonnum had 2021 cut short due to a back injury. Jakai Moore and Tyshawn Wannamaker are capable backups.

Jovaughan Gwyn and Vershon Lee had versatile spots last season, but they now have permanent roles. Wyatt Campbell and Trai Jones have impressed and should see time.

Eric Douglas will be a 3-year starter at center, and Hank Manos can step in at any time.

DL: B

The question here is whether Zacch Pickens and Jordan Strachan can step up their game to provide an effective pass rush.

M.J. Webb, Tonka Hemingway and Alex Huntley should all see significant time at the tackle position. Tyreek Johnson should also get some reps.

Overall, the production of the line will depend on its development along the way.

LB: B

The bar could be raised here, but like a few positions, it will depend on its early performance.
Sherrod Greene and Brad Johnson have the potential to be game-changers if they reach their potential. If they do, it will elevate the unit.

Mohamed Kaba and Debo Williams can make their mark to tighten the defense.

DB: A+

Like the receiving corps to the offense, the secondary is the sterling centerpiece of the defense. It was the top-ranked unit in the league last year.

Cam Smith was named to the preseason All-SEC team and the Associated Press second team as a defensive back. Darius Rush should line up on the other side, and Marcellas Dial will log many minutes.

Devonni Reed, a Central Michigan transfer, has transitioned well at safety, and he’ll team with seasoned R.J. Roderick. Nick Emmanwori has been a pleasant surprise, and Tyrese Ross is a veteran here.

The post South Carolina football: Grading the depth chart ahead of the season opener appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Head coach Shane Beamer has his club poised to make a mark with some key pieces back in the puzzle. Their 7-6 record and late-season confidence boost should be able to lift them over the crestline of mediocrity into the next level.

However, the Gamecocks could take a step back or continue to flounder around the .500 mark if situations don’t break their way. It is a scenario that can fall on either side.

Here are 5 dream and 5 disaster scenarios for South Carolina. Let’s start with the positives:

1. The Gamecocks strut to a 5-1 start

In the beginning of the season, Carolina’s schedule is favorable. It registers a predictable and impressive win over Georgia State to kick off the season. USC follows with a strong showing at Arkansas to move to 2-0.

Now comes the shocker. The Gamecocks play their best game in years and rock Williams-Brice Stadium and Columbia with a 24-23 upset of Georgia on a late field goal, their first triumph over the Bulldogs since a 20-17 double-overtime victory in 2019.

They keep their momentum with victories over Charlotte and South Carolina State, but the Gamecocks lose their flight when they suffer their first loss to Kentucky.

2. Spencer Rattler Jr. regains Heisman form

Rattler, who was an early candidate for the 2021 Heisman, shows everyone that his transfer from Oklahoma was a worthy choice. Rattler regains the form that made him one of the more notable quarterbacks a few years ago.

He settles in the pocket early in the season and becomes an equal force to run the ball. Rattler shows the patience and poise to keep the Carolina offense running at its peak level. He has stellar numbers passing and running the ball and evolves into a game changer that turns the program up a few notches.

3. Running game emerges as a steady force

MarShawn Lloyd steps into a major role after he battled back from a torn ACL in 2020. Lloyd gets off to a good start in the opening games, as he is around or over the 100-yard mark. He shows he is the weapon the Gamecocks believed he could be, doubling as a pass-catching threat out of the backfield.

Lloyd tops the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season. USC also has depth with speedster Juju McDowell and Wake Forest transfer and workhorse Christian Beal-Smith.

4.  Pass defense maintains its excellence

The Gamecocks’ pass defense was ranked  No. 1 in the SEC last season, and it won’t miss a beat this season.

Even though most teams will continue to run the ball, the secondary still will be a stingy unit. Cornerback Cam Smith, who had 3 interceptions and 11 pass breakups, will be back as an anchor. Smith will have another banner season.

Central Michigan transfer Devonni Reed and tackle machine R.J. Roderick will  have stellar seasons to solidify the unit.

5. Pass rush changes the complexion of the defense

The Gamecocks’ pass rush slipped during the 2nd half of the season. It did lose impact player Kingsley Enagbare, but there is depth and experience.

Zacch Pickens and Jordan Strachan will help transform the Gamecocks’ defense that was 6th overall in the conference and allowed 356 yards and 24 points per game last season, as it will take a slight jump up the ladder.

Here are the negatives or the disasters:

1. The Gamecocks stumble out of the gate

They look respectable in their season opener at home against Georgia State, but USC loses a tough game at Arkansas that slips out of its grasp late in the contest.

The Gamecocks come home to face Georgia, and they can’t handle the Bulldogs’ bite in a blowout. They bounce back with a home victory over Charlotte, but Beamer’s club continues to battle inconsistency with a loss to South Carolina State. Its troubles worsen with a loss to Kentucky, as the Gamecocks flounder with a 2-4 mark.

2. Rattler can’t find his mark

Rattler couldn’t totally get on track last season, and he is expected to have a banner season this year.

However, Rattler can’t get in sync with his receivers, and he struggles with his consistency. In turn, his performance has a huge effect on the offense. He remains a turnover-prone quarterback.

Rattler stays in a slump most of the season, and his touchdown-to-interception ratio isn’t a good one. His numbers of 1,483 yards with 11 touchdowns and 5 interceptions from a year ago prove to be slightly better than his 2022 performance.

3. Receiving corps falls flat

Rattler’s troubles lead to a similar situation with the receivers. The highly touted unit fails to reach the lofty preseason expectations.

The corps of Josh Vann, Dakereon Joyner, Jaheim Bell and tight end Austin Stogner combines for worse numbers than expected. Injuries also play a major part in stunting its growth with Rattler. Antwane Wells Jr., the 116-catch, 21-touchdown transfer from James Madison, has an adequate year, but an anticipated blockbuster season turns into a flop.

4. Defense loses its stance

The Gamecocks’ 6th-ranked SEC defense tumbles down a few notches. It supported the offense last season, but it can’t hold up its end this fall.

One of the biggest differences will be seen in the secondary. The top-ranked unit from a year ago is torched for the big play throughout the season. SC’s pass rush, which lost Enagbare, doesn’t improve from a year ago, and it has a trickle-down effect on the defense.

5. Offensive line doesn’t improve

USC’s front 5 was expected to be a seasoned one with a number of veterans back in the fold. But it can’t transition into a cohesive unit, and it can’t help produce an effective enough running game.

Vershon Lee, Jovaughn Gwyn, Eric Douglas, Dylan Wonnum and Jaylen Nichols were viewed as the anchors of the revamped offensive line. They will begin the year as one of the more veteran groups in the conference.

However, their chemistry issue from 2021 has a hangover effect this season.

The post South Carolina football: 5 dream/disaster scenarios for 2022 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

In Columbia and throughout the state, the South Carolina fanbase is energized about last year’s 7-6 campaign after a 6-16 compiled mark over the previous 2 seasons.

Shane Beamer took over the reins last season with high expectations generated by his father Frank’s coaching legacy. The younger Beamer didn’t disappoint with an uplifting season that culminated in a win over North Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl last December.

So the proverbial question is, what will Beamer do for an encore? It is a pivotal year for Beamer and his Gamecocks to take another major step in laying a foundation.

What are some of the major concerns facing South Carolina this fall? Here are 10 crucial issues that will decide its fate:

1. Can they get past the 7-win mark?

There is plenty of optimism about the Gamecocks’ rise out of obscurity, with Beamer fueling the outlook.

His next step will be to put the program on the right track to the top of the SEC, and there will be pressure to create the next grade this fall. In the process, Beamer can further establish his own identity and step out of his legendary father’s shadow.

A minimum 7-win season seems necessary and plausible.  The Gamecocks have plenty of experienced returnees, and they did well with the transfer portal to heighten expectations.

2. Does Spencer Rattler check all the quarterback boxes?

Rattler and Beamer have a history, spending 2 years together at Oklahoma. While there, Rattler had a breakout season in 2020, throwing for 3,031 yards with 28 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. Last season, Rattler played in only 5 games and threw for 1,483 yards with 11 touchdowns and 5 interceptions for the Sooners.

Rattler decided to enter the transfer portal, and both he and Beamer are excited about the possibilities. Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Marcus Satterfield weaved through 4 quarterbacks last season, and he is also glad Rattler is in the fold.

3. Will the offensive line find chemistry?

The Gamecocks have everyone back up front from last year, and that should be a good sign. But the line play in the spring game left some doubts that they could be a cohesive unit. They gave up sacks to stop drives and struggled in the red zone.

Center Eric Douglas and guards Vershon Lee and Jovaughn Gwyn are solid with their pass protection. The real question lies in the development of left tackle Jaylen Nichols and right tackles Dylan Wonnum and Tyshawn Wannamaker, which will be the key to the unit’s success.

4. Will MarShawn Lloyd be the featured running back?

The Gamecocks have some depth at the position, but Satterfield has indicated that he would like a featured back. Lloyd appears to be the frontrunner, but he struggled in the spring. He had 228 yards rushing last year in a limited role.

Besides Lloyd, Juju McDowell and Wake Forest transfer Christian Beal-Smith both have looked good and should be in contention for plenty of carries. Beal-Smith, a redshirt senior, had a team-high 604 yards last season with 7 touchdowns and had 1,871 yards rushing overall at Wake.

5. With Rattler, does the passing game open up more?

Unlike last year’s multi-quarterback system, Satterfield has Rattler to lead the Gamecocks’ passing attack, which has plenty of potential.

McDowell led the team with 53 receptions, and he’ll again be an effective weapon out of the backfield. The Gamecocks also return Jaheim Bell (30 receptions for 497 yards), who will move to tight end.

Josh Vann (43-679), Dakereon Joyner (24-221) and James Madison transfer Antwane Wells Jr. can make a formidable corps. Wells set JMU season records in receptions (83), receiving yards (1,250) and touchdowns (15).

6. Can the pass rush make a difference?

South Carolina recorded 26 sacks last season, 12th in the SEC. This season, it will be all about the prospects of the defensive line and the pass rush.

The Gamecocks did lose Kingsley Enagbare and Aaron Sterling up front, and 5-star player Zacch Pickens returns as the main force with 4 sacks last year. Pickens is expected to double the mark this fall, and he will need to establish his presence.

The spotlight here will be on Jordan Burch, another 5-star recruit who hasn’t bloomed as a game changer as expected. Burch had just 1 sack last season, but he will need to play a prominent role and meet expectations. Alex Huntley and Tyreek Johnson bring more experience back to the line.

7. Will the linebackers lead the defense?

Along with the defensive front, the Gamecocks’ linebackers have the ability to solidify the unit.

Mohamed Kaba has the chance to be a leader and a playmaker. He received SEC All-Freshman honors, and he began to make his mark in the final 6 games of last season when he recorded the majority of his 32 tackles. Jordan Strachan and Debo Williams should make their presence felt.

Sherrod Greene was lost for the season in Week 3 last year, and his return is a boost. Brad Johnson, a sixth-year player, brings back steadiness.

8. Will the secondary raise its stock to another level?

The Gamecocks began 2021 with questions about their secondary, and they finished the year creating their own statements. They begin this season with plenty of depth and experience.

R.J. Roderick will be a mainstay at one safety, as he logged 60 tackles last season. Devonni Reed, a transfer grad student from Central Michigan, brings plenty of experience with 41 starts and 287 tackles.

Marcellas Dial and Darius Rush developed into high-caliber players by the end of the year and will look to continue their ascent. Cam Smith, who had 64 tackles, also is back and will likely play the nickel. Anthony Rose can play either position, but he will probably get a long look at safety.

9. Who will replace kicker Parker White?

White finished his career as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 368 points, connecting on 152 extra points and 72 field goals. Over the last few seasons, he was among the best.

Mitch Jeter and Alex Herrera vied for Parker’s spot in the spring, and Jeter appeared to have the edge. However, both have looked good, and it will be a matter of who is the most congruous.

10. Is their schedule a favorable one?

The Gamecocks have 4 home games in their first 6 contests, and they should be able to get off to a respectable start with Georgia State and a road date at Arkansas.

They will get an early litmus test with a home date against Georgia in Week 3.

November will be their proving ground with matchups against Vanderbilt, Florida, Tennessee and Clemson, having only Tennessee at home.

The post 10 most critical questions South Carolina must answer in 2022 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Bulldogs allowed just 2.6 yards per rush and 10.2 points per game, producing overall proficiency numbers that ranked among arguably the best in decades. They had a remarkable 84% stop rate of all drives last season — drives ending in a punt or a turnover.

On the surface, it looks difficult if not impossible to replace the likes of edge rusher Travon Walker, defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt, defensive back Lewis Cine and linebacker Quay Walker. Besides the highly touted quintet, there were other losses to the unit with the likes of Channing Tindall, Derion Kendrick and Nakobe Dean.

But this is still Georgia, and the Bulldogs’ level of talent shouldn’t take a major hit. Head coach Kirby Smart and defensive co-coordinators Glenn Schumann and Will Muschamp should be able to retool and not totally rebuild.

Plug-and-play is in full effect in Athens.

Like most of their peers in the SEC, it will come down to how well the Bulldogs’ defense will mesh together with some new pegs in the holes. Several media outlets still have the Dawgs’ ranked among the nation’s best in this upcoming transition.

How good can the Bulldogs’ defense be in 2022? Expecting this group to replicate last year’s results isn’t fair. So what’s realistic? Let’s break it down and see.

Pressuring the quarterback: Slightly worse

It’s likely too early to make a solid call on this category. Georgia recorded 49 sacks last year, 2nd-most in program history, 2nd in the SEC and 4th nationally. Eight of those came in the 2 Playoff wins over Michigan and Alabama. Their ability to harass Bryce Young in the rematch was the difference. They sacked Young 4 times in the championship after not getting home once in the SEC title game, which Alabama won comfortably.

The Bulldogs lost a number of sack contributors and it really will be about development here. Fortunately, Smart and Co. have a long and successful history of development.

Edge rusher and linebacker Robert Beal is back and was the team’s leading sacks with 6.5 wrap ups. More importantly, Beal had 5 of those in his last 6 games, and he proved to be a real force down the stretch. He was given an extra year of eligibility due to COVID, and the Bulldogs are grateful to have him back pressuring the quarterback.

Fellow linebacker Nolan Smith also is back, and Smith notched 3.5 sacks last season. Smith will need to raise his production to have the unit apply appropriate pressure.

Along with Beal, Jalen Carter was arguably the Bulldogs’ best defensive lineman last fall, and will be an anchor. Carter had 3 sacks last season, and there are plenty of early signs that the total easily could double this fall.

There is a healthy, young rotation of linemen and linebackers in the mix, and their production can sway the pendulum in either way.

Run defense: Same or slightly better

The Bulldogs allowed an average of 80 yards rushing and a paltry 2.6 yards per carry last season. They allowed 3 rushing TDs — fewest in the nation. That’s a tall order to produce a lower rate of production with the loss of Davis and Wyatt, who were run-stop pluggers.

There’s depth here, and the Bulldogs will look to Nazir Stackhouse, Zion Logue and Tramel Walthour to raise their level of play in the rotation. Redshirt freshmen Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Marlin Dean and Jonathan Jefferson, and true freshman Bear Alexander all got looks in the spring.

The run defense could also get a boost from Smael Mondon Jr. and Xavian Sorey Jr. from the linebacker spots, as their stock has risen.

Pass defense: Slightly lower

The Bulldogs’ pass defense was ranked 13th in NCAA stats in 2021, allowing 190 yards and 5.62 yards per attempt. They gave up 10 passing TDs, fewest in the SEC.

Simply put, they were better in 2021 than in 2020 even though they had to replace both cornerbacks heading into last season. Again, plug-and-play.

Cornerback Kelee Ringo, regarded as the nation’s top player at that position in the 2020 class, is back for his second season as one starter. The other corner was viewed as a battle, but Kamari Lassiter made a strong claim for it in the spring. Redshirt senior William Poole also will be in the hunt.

Christopher Smith returns at one of the safety spots, and the competition for the other spot could be a late-camp decision, but Dan Jackson appears to have the lead. Tykee Smith should open at the Star position.

Chemistry will be the main factor here toward the unit either maintaining or lowering last year’s production numbers.

Special teams: Better

Georgia needed to replace punter Jake Camarda, and they have apparently found a more than suitable replacement.

Australian Brett Thorson was the first to send his letter of intent on early signing day. He came from ProKick Australia, a program that trains athletes to compete at the college and pro levels. Former Texas punter Michael Dickson was a product of that program and won the 2017 Ray Guy Award and was drafted in the 5th round in 2018 by Seattle.

Thorson is reputed to have a strong leg with punts recorded over 60 yards, and hang times over 5 seconds.

His contributions can certainly set the table for the Bulldogs’ special teams coverage.

Overall: Slightly lower

It’s way-too-early July, and it’s hard to get a good reading on a defense that lost may impact players from last season’s historically dominant lockdown pack.

The Bulldogs will be replacing 8 of their 11 starters, and this likely will be one season in the last few where the offense can outshine the defense mainly due to attrition.

There are a few playmakers on this side of the ball, but it will be a matter of confidence and maturity. They should be able plug their holes and not experience any major deficiencies.

The offense will need to put their share of points on the board, while the defense establishes a new identity.

The post Better or worse? Previewing Georgia’s defense in 2022 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Such was the case for Alabama’s.

After they lost to Georgia in January, there was plenty of speculation about the degree of the Crimson Tide’s defense. Sure, it’s a natural reaction, but their 2021 performance shouldn’t be overlooked.

Georgia’s 33 points in the title game was only the 4th time all season the Crimson Tide allowed 25 or more (29 vs. Florida, 35 vs. Arkansas, and 41 in the loss to Texas A&M).

Last season’s unit finished 18th in scoring defense (20.1 points per game allowed) and 7th in total defense (304.1 yards per contest). They also were 11th in yards per play allowed (4.77). Those latter 2 marks were their best since the 2017 season.

That raised the question of how good the 2022 defense can be.

Heisman Trophy candidate and returning Bronko Nagurski winner Will Anderson Jr. is the catalyst for the defense, but there are plenty of other candidates that can form the unit into a dominant force. Jordan Battle, DJ Dale, Dallas Turner and Henry To’o To’o, etc., etc.

Anderson understands the expectations.

“We know what to expect, we know the standard,” Anderson told reporters. “We have to go out there and show why we are a dominant team. I think that’s what has carried over from spring ball to summer workouts.”

Will Alabama’s defense be better or worse in 2022? Let’s take a look at some categories to decide if they will be better or worse.

Pressuring the QB: Better

Anderson led the country with 17.5 sacks last season. He was the key to Bama leading the country with 58.0 sacks. He’s back, which all but guarantees the Tide’s pass rush will be as good or even better than last year’s.

They did lose Phidarian Mathis and his 9.0 sacks, but there is plenty of reason to be optimistic with a solid core returning to rattle the opposing pocket.

Turner, an All-SEC freshman team honoree in 2021, had a breakthrough season at linebacker last year, and he could be on the verge of an explosive campaign, especially with the emphasis on Anderson. Tuner only started 3 games, but 10 of his 30 tackles were for losses. His 8.5 sacks totaled 52 yards, second only to Anderson (108 yards).

Linebacker To’o To’o had a team-high 112 stops, including 4 sacks. But he likely will apply more pressure this season, and his sack total should rise. Deontae Lawson and Jaylen Moody looked good in the spring, and this talented corps should make their contributions chasing down quarterbacks. They will be able to take pressure off the defensive front to produce.

The Tide will need more production from DJ Dale and Byron Young up front (2 sacks apiece in 2021). Tim Smith, Jamil Burroughs and Justin Eboigbe will be in the rotation up front, and the depth should be able to break through to cause havoc. Chris Braswell’s steadiness is often overlooked, but he’ll only add to the havoc.

Bottom line: There is plenty of talent and, given another Playoff run, the potential to approach 58 sacks or even better the mark this fall.

Run defense: Better

The Tide were 4th in the country in run defense last season, allowing an average of 2.7 yards per carry, 86 yards per game, along with 9 touchdowns. They recorded 122 tackles for loss, pushing opponents back 522 yards.

Alabama’s key to success here will be the development of its d-line. Their linebackers are very active and will register their share of tackles as they did last year. Their lone blemishes were against Florida, in which Malik Davis ran for 86 of his team’s 245 yards. Against Georgia in the national championship game, Zamir White galloped for 84 yards of the Bulldogs’ 190 rushing yards.

Look for their rush defense to be as strong as they were last year with the push coming from their linebackers as well as the secondary stepping up to make their share of stops.

Pass defense: Better

Alabama gave up 25 TD passes last season, by far the most since Nick Saban arrived.

They somewhat offset that by intercepting 15 passes, but the first goal for the revamped secondary has to be to reduce the TDs by at least 5, if not more. Remember, they led the SEC in 2020, allowing just 15 — and that was against an all-SEC schedule in the regular season, followed by 2 Playoff opponents.

Battle is regarded as one of the best safeties in the game, and Malachi Moore and DeMarcco Hellams are back from their injury-plagued seasons from last year. Hellams had 87 tackles and Battle notched 84. Each had 3 interceptions. Kool-Aid McKinstry, Kyree Jackson and Brian Branch will play their roles in a deep secondary unit.

LSU transfer Eli Ricks, who was a freshman AP All-American last season, will step in and immediately become the shutdown corner that the Tide lacked last year. One potential hiccup: Ricks was arrested for speeding, driving without insurance, and possession of marijuana in Mississippi in early May, and could face team disciplinary action.

The Tide tinkered with a creative 1-4-6 alignment in the spring — designed to get Anderson, Turner and Braswell attacking the QB — and they likely will implore some offshoots from it during the season. Along with the linebackers, this is a unit that can create some chaos, all of which benefits the secondary.

If they stay overall healthy, and the younger players reach their potential, the Tide will have a shutdown unit and certainly reduce their yardage allowed from 2021.

Special teams: Slightly better?

The punting unit hasn’t been the same since JK Scott left for the NFL in 2018.

Australian James Burnip and Jack Martin are back to try and improve on the overall 38.3 average. The Tide were 12th in the SEC and 124th in the nation.

Now, context is important. Field position can dictate whether the punter booms one, hangs it high to eliminate a return or aims for the sideline.

In the title game against Georgia, for instance, Burnip punted 4 times and forced the Dawgs into 4 fair catches. That’s good, but on 3 of the punts, Burnip had room to go for a bit more. The most damaging example came after a quick 3-and-out deep in the Tide territory midway through the 4th quarter. Alabama trailed 19-18. Punting from their 23, Burnip wasn’t able to flip the field. His 39-yard punt gave Georgia possession at their 38. The Dawgs drove 62 yards for a sealing TD.

Burnip did all of the punting last season, hitting 48 for a 39.1 average, and he had 1 blocked. Martin had three kickoffs and a field goal, but he never was given the chance to punt.

It will be interesting to see how this scenario plays out this season. The unit could be better based on experience.

Overall: Better

Based on personnel and depth, the Tide’s defense should return to their elite level.

Anderson already has projected this group to be as dominant as last year and become the first college football team since Alabama in 2015-2016 to top 50 sacks in back-to-back seasons.

Heading into the season, the only real question is the defensive front, and there seems to be enough bodies to form a steady rotation. Injuries can be the only stumbling block to the linebacking and secondary.

Since the spring, this unit appears hungry to silence their critics and play an integral role in bringing the team back to the national championship game. The spotlight obviously will be on Anderson, but he and the Tide unit will deliver.

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In fact, the Bulldogs set a record of 15 players taken overall in this past April’s draft — 8 defensive players and 7 on offense.

It will be nearly impossible to replicate the Bulldogs’ historic defense, which means the 2022 offense will bear a greater responsibility to win games rather than merely contribute.

Quarterback Stetson Bennett is back and this is his show to run. He’ll throw to a revamped receiving corps, but the Dawgs clearly have star-studded depth at tight end. How does the rest of the offense shape up? Let’s take a look.

Passing offense: Better

Bennett threw for 2,862 yards with 29 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, and it proved to be pretty pedestrian among the quarterback elite. However, his 86.7 quarterback rating was among the top 5, and he threw 15 touchdowns and had just 3 interceptions in his final 5 weeks, a stint that certainly played into the Bulldogs’ first national championship since 1980.

Arian Smith, who broke his leg last year, will be a big key to Bennett’s success this season, playing the role as the unit’s deep threat. Smith, a track star and perhaps the fastest player in the SEC, only has 5 career catches – albeit for an average of 37.6 a grab – but he should have a breakout season if he can stay healthy.

With Smith as a down-field threat, AD Mitchell and Ladd McConkey will be Bennett’s go-to targets at the X and Z positions, respectively. Mitchell is designated to replace George Pickens, and he should improve on his 29 catches from last season. McConkey is Bennett’s most reliable option. Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint should see time behind Mitchell, and Kearis Jackson and Dominick Blaylock will get their share of snaps in the slot. Overall, it is a promising group with talent and potential. The opening weeks of the season should dictate how far the group can develop and ripen.

Fortunately, Georgia also has the best tight end room in the country.

Brock Bowers once again can make Bennett’s life easier after his breakthrough freshman year, when he caught 56 passes for 882 yards with 14 touchdowns. Darnell Washington and Arik Gilbert are future pros, too, who give offensive coordinator Todd Monken plenty to mix and match along the way and raise the bar if the wide receivers don’t mature quickly.

Depth is the key to Bennett and the passing game. With that, he should have plenty of options to help spread the field. The Bulldogs have a solid presence up front returning to help give him the time he needs.

Running game: Worse

Run the football. It’s as much a constant and recognizable with Georgia football as the peach is with the state.

Monken will be put to the task here as the Bulldogs haven’t had a 1,00-yard rusher in the past 2 seasons, but they still were a solid group last season. The unit finished 6th in the SEC, averaging 190.93 yards per contest.

The Bulldogs’ tandem of Zamir White and James Cook helped salt away their victory over Alabama in the title tilt last year. They’re gone, so it will up to other Dawgs to share the load this season.

Kenny McIntosh and Kendall Milton appear to have the inside track. McIntosh’s breakout speed mixes well with Milton’s bulldozer style. Both also can contribute to the passing game out of the backfield.

McIntosh emerged as the Bulldogs’ No. 3 back last season, but Milton missed the part of the season’s second half with a knee injury.

Daijun Edwards saw some meaningful snaps late in games last season, and his role should increase. Freshman Branson Robinson is built to bull his way for yardage, and he should see time as the season progresses.

It’s Georgia, so the expectation is that the unit will be good, but it is too early to make a solid evaluation. McIntosh and Milton may be hard-pressed to duplicate the team’s 190 yards per game last season.

Kicking and return game: Better

Kicker Jack Podlesny is back after a 22-for-27 performance on field goals last season. He made a career-best 49-yarder against Alabama in the national title game last season.

McIntosh and Jackson both averaged better than 19 yards on kickoff returns, and another year under their belts should elevate their status.

Jackson has a workmanlike 8.5 average on punt returns, and look to McConkey to be more involved. He averaged better than 16 yards on just 5 returns.

This is a seasoned group, and their experience should make a difference in a few games this fall.

Overall: Slight worse but still dominant

The Bulldogs may fall a bit short of their 38.6 points per game average — which was aided by defensive scores and short fields — but they still will be among the nation’s best in offensive production.

Often lost in the narrative of how the defense did everything last year is the fact that Georgia led the SEC in average yards per play at 6.98.

Bennett, who is often underrated, is the pivotal part here, as his confidence and production will dictate how far they can go. Monken has the weapons, and he has the passing options to create a diverse scheme.

Bottom line: The Dawgs will average at least 30 points (and perhaps a touchdown more) for the 6th consecutive season. Among SEC teams, only Alabama (14 years) has a longer active streak.

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There’s an offensive line that has been retooled with the losses of tackles Evan Neal and Chris Owens. In the backfield, Brian Robinson is gone, but Georgia Tech transfer Jahmyr Gibbs already has alleviated some fears about a possible sub-par running attack.

Throw in a budding wide receiver situation with Jermaine Burton, Ja’Corey Brooks and Kendrick Law, who combined need to account for the graduated number of 3,775 yards. They haven’t all been under the bright lights for a long time.

Does it appear to be enough to get back to the big stage in early January 2023? Let’s take a closer look at whether Alabama’s offense will be better or worse this season than the group that led the SEC in scoring (39.9) last season.

Passing offense: Better

I am not totally sold yet, but I will give it a nod. This really is a tough call because Young’s skill, potential and ceiling are obvious. Whether the Tide throw for 4,500+ yards and 45+ TDs again will truly depend on the offensive line.

In an earlier piece, I predicted Young would have a banner season and become the Tide’s career leader in touchdowns and passing yards. He’ll begin the year with 48 career TD passes, 39 behind all-time leader Tua Tagovailoa.

I believe he can hit those marks in spite of some reworking of the o-line. The keys will be returner Seth McLaughlin at center, Javion Cohen at right guard and Vanderbilt transfer Tyler Steen at left tackle. Steen’s steadiness there will be a huge factor to Young’s passing attack, as he did start 21 games at left tackle at Vandy.

Damieon George Jr. or Emil Ekiyor will get the left guard nod, and JC Latham should be penciled in at right tackle.

Young does have the advantage of having returning OC Bill O’Brien calling the plays. He should help ease the transition to a new core of receivers.

Georgia transfer Burton is the catalyst to this corps. He caught 53 balls for 901 yards with 8 touchdowns last season. He’ll be considered the big-play threat but also is a good blocker and physical player. Burton will be the Tide’s playmaker with his size (6-0, 200) speed, and hands.

Brooks also has size (6-2, 200) and speed. He blossomed late in the year and served as a consistent kick returner all season. Brooks had 6 catches in the title game against Georgia, and his stock continues to rise.

Law will have to work his way up the depth chart, but he has garnered plenty of whispers as a freshman with the same qualities, and it will be hard for him to slip under the radar. Christian Leary and JoJo Earle also should be in the mix, as both had a consistent spring. Tyler Harrell, another transfer, will get ample opportunity, too.

The receiving corps isn’t as proven as last year, and probably not as dynamic, but there are still future pros at Young’s disposal.

Add Gibbs to be a variable outlet out of the backfield, as he caught 36 passes for 470 yards. Redshift senior tight end Cameron Latu is the stabilizing force to help make a smooth transition in the opening weeks.

O’Brien will need to make sure there are enough of Young’s attempts to the corps to help the anticipated lockdown attempts on Burton. He and Young have the chance to make it a special year as long as the line in front of Young can hold off any intruders in the backfield.

Alabama produced 214 first downs via the air last season, and the duo should be able to work together to be in the general vicinity this season.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Jalen Milroe turned some heads at the A-Game, and he should be No.2 behind Young. Milroe should get reps early in the season to unveil what he can do when Young likely departs for the NFL next spring.

Again, this can be a work in progress. But Young and O’Brien have enough weapons here to help the offense dangle the points per game right around the 39.9 mark and passing yardage in the vicinity of 338.20 from last season.

The key here will be Young’s maturity to help foster the relatively young receiving corps. There seems to be too much potential here to believe it can’t be productive.

Rushing: Worse

This is another area of contention that should resolve itself as the Tide move through the season. Although, there could be some significant early returns that can move the needle.

Gibbs rushed for 746 yards with 4 touchdowns and accounted for over 1,800 all-purpose yards last season for Georgia Tech. (He also returned kicks for Tech, quite successfully, too.) His style is different from Robinson’s (1,343 yards from scrimmage with 14 TDs last season). Robinson was the workhorse, and Gibbs will inherit the role.

Gibbs has drawn some rave reviews from the spring, especially as a receiving threat. The Tide rushed for an average of 150 yards per game last season, and this easily could also be a running back by committee format instead of the one-horse back.

Jase McClellan can be the perfect complement to Gibbs. Trey Sanders and Roydell Williams were spotted time last season, and their roles should increase.

A big difference here can be Gibbs running behind the Tide’s line and Georgia Tech’s from last season. O’Brien should be able to highlight him as a lead back, and Gibbs’ production can increase in the latter part of the season.

The running game should be able to do enough, but they won’t duplicate last year’s production.

Kicking game: Better

Will Reichard is back for the field goal duties and he converted 22-of-28 last season after he was a perfect 14-for-14 in 2020.

He was the lone bright spot in an overall inconsistent performance for the Tide’s special teams. They did lose return specialists  Jameson Williams and Slade Bolden to the NFL. Special teams coach Drew Svoboda was moved to a support staff job on the staff.

Veteran special teams guru Coleman Hutzler has taken over the reins, and he has a proven track record. Look to the Tide’s unit to improve.

Gibbs averaged 25.6 yards on 23 kickoff returns last season and could fill a void. Nick Saban has shown time and again that a starting playmaker will return kicks. But it will be a matter of his carries in the backfield.

Brooks and Earle could have their chances for returns. With Reichard’s consistency and the potential of the return game, this unit should be better.

Overall: Better

Yes, there are some obvious new pegs for the holes, but again this is a stacked ‘Bama team. The bottom line is about getting a rematch with Georgia in January.

Numbers might not tell the entire story, either. Last year’s team averaged almost 10 points fewer than the 2020 Alabama squad and was the Tide’s first group since the 2017 team to not top 40 a game. Still, nobody would have described the 2021 offense as a weakness.

The 2022 spotlight obviously will be on Young as he has the pieces in place for another star-studded season.

The running game won’t live up to last year’s rushing standards, but it should be serviceable. Gibbs will get his opportunity to reach the 1,000-yard plateau. And he’ll be a bigger threat out of the backfield.

Bottom line: Barring any serious and major injuries, the Tide once again will be one of the highest-scoring offenses in the nation.

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