Gamecocks face more difficult SEC schedule in 2008 (Ouch)

[Cockholio]

This guy doesn't show any mercy..

You can comment on the article if you're registered.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?id=3166016



Monday, December 24, 2007
Gamecocks face more difficult SEC schedule in 2008

By Chris Low
ESPN.com

What happened to 6-1?

What happened to the No. 6 ranking in the first BCS standings?

More importantly, what happened to the team that the Head Ball Coach predicted back in August was ready to compete for the SEC championship?

Maybe he meant to say "pretend to compete," because South Carolina's collapse during the second half of the season was the kind of thing Gamecocks' fans have suffered through since they began fielding teams in Columbia.
http://sports.espn.go.com/photo/2007/1222/ncf_g_spurrier_200.jpgSpurrier has a 21-16 record in his three years at South Carolina.Raise your hand if you're envisioning Charlie Brown trying to kick that football and Lucy yanking it away right at the last minute.

That's South Carolina football in a nutshell.

It was supposed to be different under Steve Spurrier and may still be, but even one of the game's most renowned minds is finding out that building a championship team at South Carolina (and doing it in the SEC's Eastern Division) is a Herculean task.

This is the first time one of Spurrier's teams hasn't been in a bowl game since his first year at Florida in 1990 when the Gators were on NCAA probation and ineligible to go. It's also the most losses Spurrier has suffered in a season as a college head coach since his first team at Duke finished 5-6 in 1987.

"We've learned some humility around here. I've learned some. I think the whole team has learned some," Spurrier said. "We won our last three [games] last year. We lost our last five this year. In the last game [a 23-21 loss to Clemson], we were a better call offensively, a better call defensively and some better execution from being 7-5, the same record we had last year … but we didn't do it."

For the record, Spurrier is now 21-16 in his three years at South Carolina with one bowl win. Lou Holtz's best three-year stretch in Columbia was 22-14 from 2000-2002 with two bowl wins.

The difference is that Spurrier has been able to beat Georgia, Florida and Tennessee. Holtz never beat Florida or Tennessee at South Carolina.

Many of South Carolina's problems this season revolved around a defense that couldn't stop the run. The Gamecocks (6-6) were last in the SEC in rushing defense and were never the same after middle linebacker Jasper Brinkley was lost for the season in the LSU game.

Spurrier hired former Georgia defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder to replace Tyrone Nix, who bolted for Mississippi. He also hired Ray Rychleski from Maryland to oversee special teams after the Gamecocks had three punts blocked in their last two games of the 2006 season, one of those returned for a touchdown.

With 10 of 11 starters returning, the Gamecocks should be better on defense next season, particularly if Brinkley makes a full recovery after tearing up his right knee. When healthy, he's one of the best middle linebackers in the league.

In vintage Spurrier style, he never really settled on a quarterback this season. Fifth-year senior Blake Mitchell (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=146834) was the guy to start the season. Then redshirt freshman Chris Smelley (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=190695) got his chance and helped guide the Gamecocks to their 6-1 start. But just prior to the Vanderbilt game, Spurrier announced that he was also going to play Mitchell.

Sure enough, South Carolina was abysmal offensively against Vanderbilt with one pre-snap penalty after another and lost 17-6. It was the first of five straight losses, leaving Spurrier frustrated and agitated. He questioned his players' effort and then backed off that and said it was their attitude he wasn't sure about.

Spurrier's hopeful that redshirt freshman Stephen Garcia (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=243503) will be the answer at quarterback next season. Garcia might have played this season had he not run into trouble off the field.

"We think we still have a bright future around here, but we have a lot of things we have to get better at if we're going to be challenging in the SEC," Spurrier said. "We're not that far off. We have to become a stronger team next year."
With Spurrier set to turn 63 (albeit a young 63) next spring, you can't help but wonder how much longer he will hang around if he sees that winning a championship at South Carolina just isn't going to happen. The Gamecocks will be better next season, but so will Florida, Georgia and Tennessee.

Here's something else to consider: The five-game stretch that led to South Carolina's undoing this season is the same next season … with one notable exception.

Cross out Vanderbilt and insert LSU.

Chris Low is a college football writer for ESPN.com. Send your questions and comments to Chris at espnclow@aol.com.

[CoverTwo]

The biggest difference is that we have two bye-weeks and 2 Thursday games...We should be fresh all season unlike this year where our defense was out of gas before we got to the Orange Crush..

[CaptainCrunch]

ouch, he is a hater.

[horseshoefootball]

yeah next season is much easier in my opinion. Instead of LSU, Arkansas, and Tennessee, and Georgia away, we have Kentucky, Vandy, Ole Miss, and Florida away (as far as the SEC goes). We have to play Clemson away, which will be more difficult, but the away team has won the past three years in that game.

Moving LSU back in the season will help us be ready for them, and the two off-weeks should help a good bit, especially the one right after LSU, which will allow us to rest and heal up before the Tennessee/Arkansas/Florida run.

[Spurred]

sorry I don't blame last year's collapse on not having a week off in the middle of the season. That one week off didn't help in the Clemson game.

[uscfreek88]

i like how UGA is a lil later in the season, maybe we can get into a rhythm, and its pretty cool how we start off with 2 Thursday night games

[jaytda4th]

lol.. nix "bolted" for ole miss.. -- Oh god.. we are screwed we only have a much more proven defensive coordinator that was never worse than 20th against the run in his 4 years at georgia! Tennesee being harder is a totaly streeeetch.. when did he write this last year? Maybe he doesn't realize Tenn just lost cutliffe and trooper. This guy is a moron.

not only that but also lsu is def. not going to be harder with the lose of dorsey. Florida will be harder he has that right though.

[Dr. Cock]

I disagree. It is fairly obvious that UGA and UF will be much improved next season... infact, both of them will probably be in the Top 5. However, UT and LSU lose key players and coaches (Cutcliffe and Pelini) and won't be as strong from top-to-bottom. Kentucky will be a non-factor without Woodson and Little, and Arkansas will be in a state of rebuilding with a new coach and without McFadden/Jones.

Another point somebody has already mentioned are the two bye weeks. Debate the subject all you like, but a bye week after our 2nd half collapse against UNC could have propelled us to a win over Vandy, and who knows what happens after that. These will come in handy next season.

But perhaps the biggest improvement of all in our schedule next year is the road schedule. UGA, UT, and LSU are all known as some of the toughest places to play in the nation. In 2008, we get them all at home. While we still have to play in The Swamp (which is never fun), our overall road schedule is 100x easier. I truly believe this will give let us rise up and take at least one of them down. Take for instance, our young QB, whoever he is, will not have to worry about calling audibles with the noise level you would find in these environments. That's just one advantage we will be gaining.

Now, in no means am I saying the schedule won't be tough. I am merely stating that the schedule will be easier than last year. A major part of our schedules the past 25 years was the SEC slate we face year-in and year-out. These guys will always be good no matter what, and if we want to win an SEC title here, we have to play on a different level we have been playing throughout the entire course of our program's history. Certainly no easy task, but that's why we brought Spurrier in. 2008 is a critical year because of the major struggles our coaches find in Year 4. I really believe, with both my heart and my head, that Year 4 in the Spurrier Era will be an improvement. Notice I did not say guranteed SEC title. A title in a division as tough as this one is never guranteed no matter who you are... ask LSU, who has the most talented team in the nation by a long-shot and still had to scrape by for the Championship. Look for about an 8 or 9 win season for the Gamecocks next year, with 9 being the more probable outcome.

/end rant. Been in my head for a while!

[TalkingHead]

I agree with Dr. Cock...plus add in our upgrade in coaches.

[BuCockyfan]

I like how everyone on here is saying "X" team wont be as tough and whatever. We thought with all the losses UF had last year, we would roll over them. Everyone said Tim Tebow couldn't pass, was a glorified fullback and whatever. Arkansas was only good 2 years ago because of its offensive line.

[Barry_gamecock]

Next year is going to be very tough again. And I dont know how much advantage we get by playing Georgia, Tenn, and LSU at home. Its not like we have a real homefield advantage. The only times we have beaten them under Spurrier was on the road.

[Lant]

I like how everyone on here is saying "X" team wont be as tough and whatever. We thought with all the losses UF had last year, we would roll over them. Everyone said Tim Tebow couldn't pass, was a glorified fullback and whatever. Arkansas was only good 2 years ago because of its offensive line.


It's the SEC, it will always be tough

[willy]

sorry I don't blame last year's collapse on not having a week off in the middle of the season. That one week off didn't help in the Clemson game.



NM.

[wincocks84]

This is the SEC its going to be tough...no matter if we play big teams at home or not.. I really think we will be good eventually once this team matures...however im not quite ready to say that'll be next years team..we are still young.

[Wazir]

It's going to be tough all the way through next season. We play in the best Conference in America and in the toughest division in that conference.
Not giving up, at all. See a possible 8-4 if the cards fall right or the ball bounces our way more than a time or two.

Feel our upgraded staff will help. Super concern again going on four years I beleive is our offensive line. No more waiting to gel or rotate so many guys that we don't know what we are doing until aroundthe 7th or 8th game into the season.
That ESPN article was certainly in the poorest of taste; even for them.

[Wazir]

But, lets prove those characters wrong!

[womfalcs3]

God what an abnoxious writer.

[ConwayGamecock]

All the other SEC teams consider seasons where the majority of the tough games are played at home to be easier seasons than the ones where they are played away. I guess we're not supposed to think along those lines.

Last season, ESPN's preview of our 2007 season was not good, because they said it would be too tough, playing games against UGA, LSU, UT, and AR in their stadiums. Now they say the '08 season is tougher than last season. Whatever.......that is why we play the games.....

[bioniccock]

The Gamecocks will be better next season, but so will Florida, Georgia and Tennessee.


This person doesn't know jack! Florida may be better. Ugay, LSU, and UcheaT will not be better.

[cockblood]

when does the 08 schedules come out?

[evilpoptart]

God what an abnoxious writer.

why because he isnt trying to flatter Spurrier or the Gamecocks? I completely agree with everything he said. Time to get over the spurrier honey moon and get real. I hope that the team is better next season.

[Will4144]

LSU won't be close to as good as they are this year without Glen Dorsey and Chevis Jackson. They also lose Matt Flynn (which may be a good thing).

[Dr. Cock]

why because he isnt trying to flatter Spurrier or the Gamecocks? I completely agree with everything he said. Time to get over the spurrier honey moon and get real. I hope that the team is better next season.

And when the "Honeymoon" is indeed over and we have no SEC Championship, who do we go after? Does any coach want to come to a football program that has failed to EVER accomplish a major feat within their entire existance? Even our athletic administration whole-heartedly agrees with the notion that if Spurrier can't get it done, who can?

I'm not attacking you, but in order to take a program to a level it has NEVER been at before is going to take some time. It's taken us years to get the right man for the job in Spurrier, and the University of South Carolina will never take the notion to run him off. Spurrier stays as long as he wants, barring an extremely rare circumstance.

I too hope our team is better next season. Like I said earlier, Year 4 has always been unkind to our past coaches. But, if we still fail to reach the 8-win mark (a realistic goal for this program as of now) next year, we brace up and shoot for it again the year after. Would I like it? Hell no. But we are talking about shaking up a power-hierchy that has existed in the SEC since it has been formed. To do so is going to require perseverence, great coaching, players making plays, and some luck. We got the coaching staff to do so and Spurrier is still fighting as hard as he can and isn't giving up. Now, it's time for the players to make the plays. When the happens, the luck will come, and we'll get our SEC Championship. It's just going to take some time.

[MEGA]

Great post Dr. Cock , it takes time , I know in time we will be making some noise in the SEC , the 2 new hires we have hired latley will sure make a huge impact on our team and in a good way ! I have faith in Spurrier and our other coaches , we have some great talent, when all that is added up, it has to be something good in the end.............just wait and see , it will happen , our day WILL COME !!

[uscnoklahoma]

The writer spoke the truth and sometimes we just don't want to hear it. He is right but we also have to play the games and just as East Carolina pulled off the upset so can we. It will be tough but I see us winning at least 8 next year.

[TalkingHead]

The Gamecocks will be better next season, but so will Florida, Georgia and Tennessee.


This person doesn't know jack! Florida may be better. Ugay, LSU, and UcheaT will not be better.

Georgia will be much better next year! They return their best tailback since Garrison Hearst in Moreno, add redshirted stud King behind the best offensive line in the East which all returns from last year. They return a junior QB and a stable of experienced receivers. Add to that an always stout defense and one of the most solid HCs anywhere.

Georgia and Florida will be a huge battle for the East with the winner taking Atlanta by storm.

[JRob]

I have to agree with the Doctor. Our hundred-plus years of football has never had a consistant winner. We have had a few good one-year-and-done teams, but no coach has produced a consistant program. We currently have a coach who can do that, but it will not happen overnight. He's building through recruiting and not going the quick-fx route with ju-co transfers. Generally, the third year is the roughest of a coach's tenure, things should begin to click more consistantly next season. We may not win the division, but we should make some of the favorites a bit nervous
This year's done. time to get over it and start our annual vigil for next year. This time though, there is reason to be optimistic about the next few next-years to come.

[Lant]

I too hope our team is better next season. Like I said earlier, Year 4 has always been unkind to our past coaches. But, if we still fail to reach the 8-win mark (a realistic goal for this program as of now) next year, we brace up and shoot for it again the year after. Would I like it? Hell no. But we are talking about shaking up a power-hierchy that has existed in the SEC since it has been formed. To do so is going to require perseverence, great coaching, players making plays, and some luck. We got the coaching staff to do so and Spurrier is still fighting as hard as he can and isn't giving up. Now, it's time for the players to make the plays. When the happens, the luck will come, and we'll get our SEC Championship. It's just going to take some time.



:clap: :clap: :clap:

[bktracker]

The way I look at it is that when we lost Jasper and Peppers we lost the leaders on the defense,and I don't see this team losing to Vandy and going on a 6 game loosing streak with them.This team should have been a 9-3 team IMO.The parity in the SEC is going to get better and better,and it's going to be VERY difficult for anyone to run the table in the SEC.We gotta take things one game at a time.This staff knows how to evaluate talent,and we are recruiting just as good of talent as the others.SPURrier will get it done.

[bioniccock]

Georgia will be much better next year! They return their best tailback since Garrison Hearst in Moreno, add redshirted stud King behind the best offensive line in the East which all returns from last year. They return a junior QB and a stable of experienced receivers. Add to that an always stout defense and one of the most solid HCs anywhere.

Georgia and Florida will be a huge battle for the East with the winner taking Atlanta by storm.

Yes, yes, yes. Ugay will be ready to compete in the Super Bowl. Weren't they odds on favorite to win it all this past year and didn't. They will be better, but so will we. Their defense was their strength and it will be better. However, it couldn't stop our anemic offense. The offense will be about the same. Big deal! Their recievers were not all that great this past year. Florida will be much better. I warned some of you skeptics earlier this year that I had personally seen Tebow play in high school and he had all the tools. He will only get better. Tenn. will struggle on offense. LSU will be down some. I don't see the east or our schedule being any tougher next year.

[TalkingHead]

Yes, yes, yes. Ugay will be ready to compete in the Super Bowl. Weren't they odds on favorite to win it all this past year and didn't. They will be better, but so will we. Their defense was their strength and it will be better. However, it couldn't stop our anemic offense. The offense will be about the same. Big deal! Their recievers were not all that great this past year. Florida will be much better. I warned some of you skeptics earlier this year that I had personally seen Tebow play in high school and he had all the tools. He will only get better. Tenn. will struggle on offense. LSU will be down some. I don't see the east or our schedule being any tougher next year.

Georgia is in a BCS bowl, and returns a better team than the one that beat Florida last year.

I never said I didn't think we would beat Georgia next year. I have said many times on this site I think we will beat them again next year. That said, Georgia will be improved over the great team they are now, as will Florida.

[wincocks84]

Man how i wish i could say that we are going to be a good 9-3 team next yr..but I cannot help but wonder if our youth will still hold us back..I say shoot for 8 wins regular season or 8 wins total with bowl.

[jstrom]

I disagree. It is fairly obvious that UGA and UF will be much improved next season... infact, both of them will probably be in the Top 5.

I can't disagree with anything else you wrote about, but I'm not convinced anyone (including us) is obviously going to be improved at all, much less "much" improved. On paper, nobody has the potential to be "much" better more so than Carolina. As to being in the top 5, that didn't seem to do much for a lot of teams this year, huh? lol I hate that we lost Boyd for next year, but more pressing is our need to have greatly improved OLine play.

[morgan n' 7]

Just my opinion....we will be in the hardest division(SEC East) in the history of college football. Everyone gets better. Yes, UT lost a lot, but they are still top 10. Florida will probably be #1, and UGA top 5. I don't think our record will be too much better, but we will be a better team. I think next year will be a fun team to watch, leading into the 2009 team. 2009, will be the closest thing to 1987 we've ever seen.

[jaydogg843]

looking to next year... lmao

[Spur]

Weren't they odds on favorite to win it all this past year and didn't.
Not really. Top 15-20 was where they basically were put in most pre-season polls - http://preseason.stassen.com/consensus/2007.html

As for their WR's, I am not sure a group of WR's played better in the 2nd half of this year than UGA's.....in the entire country....they had no drops from UF on to the end of the year which is some BIG games.

[Click]

Its football in the SEC. Every season will be tough. Building a program that will play tough year end & year out will take some time. What USC needs more than anything else is a little continuity for a change, and that's gonna require patience on the part of the fans and GCC members.

[CockynTN]

Like it or not, the guy is on point with everything in the article.

[CockynTN]

LSU won't be close to as good as they are this year without Glen Dorsey and Chevis Jackson. They also lose Matt Flynn (which may be a good thing).
And Early Doucet. And Ali Highsmith. And Craig Steltz.

[spartcock77]

We are going to face a tough schedule as long as we are in the SEC, so im not as worried about the schedule because if we play well enough then we should win regardless of who we play at hom or on the road or whatever year it is.

Also what i find to be more important is how a team will be playing going into the game rather than home or away. Just look at UGA this year, we played them at the right time and we played other teams at the wrong time when they were on top of their game.

[snoopcockycock]

sorry, but how can some of you say that the writer spoke the truth, when we all know that our schedule is a lot more friendly next season. we started the season with the second toughest schedule in the nation this last season, with all of the tough sec road games we had to endure, and with only one bye week, and that bye week came after 11 weeks of straight sec football. for those who said that the bye week didn't help us, how can you make an ignorant statement like that? how do you know for sure what helped us or not? did you see both senarios play out? of course you didn't, so you don't know anything for sure. having an opinion about it, is one thing, but to say something like that for sure, is ridiculous. there is, however, no doubt that it allowed our guys to heal up, which we definitely needed. we played clemson to a two point game, and should have won it. who knows what would have happened if we didn't have a bye week.
but, back on topic, all of those nasty road games we had last season, will be home games next season. that alone makes it an easier schedule. plus we drop a fast improving msu team, and pick up bottom of the sec west, ole miss. all of that with two timely bye weeks, and it is easy to see that this next season will be a much easier schedule than the one that we just went through.

[U-Dub Gamecock]

Like it or not, the guy is on point with everything in the article.


I disagree.. alot of his stuff was off-base (IMO).. he harped about the last 5 games.. Arkansas will not be near the team they were the past 2 years.. LSU will still be good.. but nowhere near the team(talent) they have now.. Tennessee's situation depends on if they can develop a QB.. Florida will be flat nasty.. and Clemson.. well..

[Spur]

for those who said that the bye week didn't help us, how can you make an ignorant statement like that?
Nothing ignorant about it when you look at the two games following our bye weeks. North Carolina which we eeked out and Clemson. Two games we did not play well in and well....as much as we "should have won" Clemson....we "could have lost" North Carolina

Some teams are not effected by bye weeks while others are....we don't seem to be a team that responds that great to them

Someone correct me if I am wrong but the two previous years saw our bye weeks being before the Vandy games thus I am not sure we can get too good of a judgment on whether they really helped or not

[usc89]

It is interesting how people who have never coached (like this writer) seem to take a perverse joy in our difficulties as fans. I do wonder, though, if QB play could have been part of our problem. I do realize, though, that the defense vs. the run was our biggest problem.

I just believe in the Joe Morrison theory of doing things----"If it an't broke, don't fix it."

GO GAMECOCKS!

[willy]

It is interesting how people who have never coached (like this writer) seem to take a perverse joy in our difficulties as fans. I do wonder, though, if QB play could have been part of our problem. I do realize, though, that the defense vs. the run was our biggest problem.

I just believe in the Joe Morrison theory of doing things----"If it an't broke, don't fix it."

GO GAMECOCKS!



But our's is BADLY broke.