what coach says speaks a lot to me

[RoosterCall]

In the past we have heard that we cant block we can not pass we can not do different things. from th outside looking in I do not see that this year. for the past couple of years we have heard that we can not name the O line because we don't know who can play. we now hear we do not now who we can start because we have depth. I hear that a lot in the media at diffrent positions. I feel good about this year. Not that we will be perfect but unitil we loose I allways say unidefeated and if we loose then we will be ?? and 1 lose. what do you think?

[Click]

This team has more depth & talent on paper than any in recent memory. I'm excited & anxious to see how good we can be this year.

[GamecockSuperVisor]

I think there is some truth to that. I've also wondered if he has toned down his criticism of the team when talking with the media for the purpose of trying to be a little more of a positive influence. But, truth be told, we do have more depth than in his previous 3 years and he does tend to speak the truth.

[2000grad]

Interesting that Climpson is facing OL questions this year and the spin that was put on it was: There will be a lot of competition so everyone is trying hard. Translation: Oh crap.

[SC Sandlapper]

I agree RC, and I always follow what coach says very carefully. However I thought Spurrier was a little over-optimistic last year. I'd personally rather hear him take a more subdued tone at this point.

If we do make a run at a championship, it won't be because of what Spurrier says into a microphone, so keep it low key and keep everyone guessing. Let the Taters get everyone's hopes up and then crash and burn (again) and let's us just do our talking on the field.

[Cwrooster]

Originally Posted by SC Sandlapper

I agree RC, and I always follow what coach says very carefully. However I thought Spurrier was a little over-optimistic last year. I'd personally rather hear him take a more subdued tone at this point.

If we do make a run at a championship, it won't be because of what Spurrier says into a microphone, so keep it low key and keep everyone guessing. Let the Taters get everyone's hopes up and then crash and burn (again) and let's us just do our talking on the field.

I hear people say that he was over optimistic, but what everyone seems to forget is that he said we could compete for the title on the night of the Liberty Bowl victory. At that point Sydney Rice said he was returning for certain. Having SR last year would have made a world of difference. I liked SR, but he hurt SC when he left. If we had him last year, I think 3 more wins. Vandy, Tenn, and Clemson.

[scfancp]

Originally Posted by Click

This team has more depth & talent on paper than any in recent memory. I'm excited & anxious to see how good we can be this year.

i agree. i can't wait to see what'll happen this year!

[SpuR48]

Originally Posted by Cwrooster

I hear people say that he was over optimistic, but what everyone seems to forget is that he said we could compete for the title on the night of the Liberty Bowl victory. At that point Sydney Rice said he was returning for certain. Having SR last year would have made a world of difference. I liked SR, but he hurt SC when he left. If we had him last year, I think 3 more wins. Vandy, Tenn, and Clemson.

I guess it doesn't mean too much at this point, but SOS had said we plan to compete for the SECE during last season's SEC Media days, at which point SR was loooooong gone. I think everyone, especially SOS, realized that he jumped the gun.

[U-Dub Gamecock]

Still too early to tell for me..... I think we will be improved.... but how much is the question.... I think we will know more about how good this team is after we play that team from Clarke County

[BigSpenda864]

What the coaches say (or don't say) is going to be interpreted differently by everyone. I don't like it when coaches are too confident; however, most coaches would be that way without some indication its true. I haven't found SOS to be a guy who over thinks what he is telling the media. He seems to call it like he sees it. I haven't heard quite as much negativity associated with the O Line this season. I don't think that's due to him trying to build anyone's confidence. It seems like the O Line if better than last year but the coaches aren't sure how good yet. They have only been practicing for a few weeks now. That's not much time to get the O Line together but since a bunch of these guys have been in the system and have logged significant playing time I think they will fair much better than last season.

[WayzUp]

Originally Posted by Cwrooster

I hear people say that he was over optimistic, but what everyone seems to forget is that he said we could compete for the title on the night of the Liberty Bowl victory. At that point Sydney Rice said he was returning for certain. Having SR last year would have made a world of difference. I liked SR, but he hurt SC when he left. If we had him last year, I think 3 more wins. Vandy, Tenn, and Clemson.

I agree 100%. He made the statement after Sid said he'd be back & when Sid declared for the draft...what's Spurrier to do? Change it? "Yeah, I know we said our goal was to win the SEC but now our best WR, maybe our best player, is going pro so now our goal is back to winning more than we lose and getting to a bowl game." ?? He kind of painted himself in a corner by making those statements so soon after the bowl game and the impression I got when he kept reiterating it after Sid left was an attitude more like "I HOPE we can challenge for the SEC" while he had his fingers crossed under the table.

As for the original post of this thread, I have to agree again...he's been far less critical of our players than he's been just about every fall since he got here. He taken on some of the blame with his "we gotta coach better" statements but I feel a lot more quiet confidence in SOS this fall than in prior years.

[USCULater]

That #6 ranking last year totally mind f'd the team.
It appeared that (especially in the Vandy game) they mailed it in.
The ranking doesn't win you the games, winning the games earns you the ranking
We have got to learn how to win.

[BigSpenda864]

Originally Posted by USCULater

That #6 ranking last year totally mind f'd the team.
It appeared that (especially in the Vandy game) they mailed it in.
The ranking doesn't win you the games, winning the games earns you the ranking
We have got to learn how to win.

Very true. There was way too much hype about the rankings. That early in the season they don't accurately reflect the standing necessarily. The team seemed to buy into it and it was over. Once you start that downhill slide its tough to stop the momentum.

[acjuf]

Originally Posted by USCULater

That #6 ranking last year totally mind f'd the team.
It appeared that (especially in the Vandy game) they mailed it in.
The ranking doesn't win you the games, winning the games earns you the ranking
We have got to learn how to win.

Spurrier didn't do a good job keeping his team grounded then. He obviously wasn't affected by the rankings and hype. I remember him calling the team a bunch of average stiffs at the high point of 6-1 and #6.

[willy]

Originally Posted by Click

This team has more depth & talent on paper than any in recent memory. I'm excited & anxious to see how good we can be this year.

I totally agree.

[CockySpaniel]

Originally Posted by Cwrooster

I hear people say that he was over optimistic, but what everyone seems to forget is that he said we could compete for the title on the night of the Liberty Bowl victory. At that point Sydney Rice said he was returning for certain. Having SR last year would have made a world of difference. I liked SR, but he hurt SC when he left. If we had him last year, I think 3 more wins. Vandy, Tenn, and Clemson.

Good point!
I wasn't aware that the quote came right after the bowl, we did have a good team coming back and we still could have competed with luck and no injuries.

[scfancp]

This should definitely be an exicitng year! I cannot wait

[sc455]

we have the ability to rock heads.

[Renegade68]

Originally Posted by sc455

we have the ability to rock heads.

and Rattle some teeth..

[RoosterCall]

I do appreciate all of the comments for this post. I normally do not get this response to anything i have posted and since I really have been away from posting for about a year ( allthough I do check the site often as I can) I really believe that its early in the year but i have this GUT feeling not that we will go undefeated or any thing like that but this can be a really great year for USC and the talent level is the best I have every seen since my dad took me to my first game when Sterling Sharp was there. He had stroke 2 years ago and I hope to get him to a game this year to see what could be a special season.