SB Nation User Blog: Gamecock Man

South Carolina at Wofford: A Quick Recap

Gamecock Man — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 16:25:24 -0000

The Gamecocks suffered a rough loss to Wofford last night in Spartanburg, losing 68-61. My hat goes off to the Terriers for outplaying us. Wofford has to be stoked about this win; they've lost several close ones to high-profile opponents, so taking us out must feel like a delayed gratification that was worth the wait. As for us, we probably should have expected to lose a game like this at some point while Dominique Archie and Mike Holmes are out, and a road game against a tough, hungry in-state opponent was a bear trap. However, this is still a team that we should have beaten, and the loss--even if the NCAAs discount losses suffered while key players were injured--will still hurt us come tourney time. We need to regroup and go at least 3-1 over the next four games to take the sting off of this one.

I didn't get to watch or listen to this game, but here are a few thoughts based on the box score and recap:

Perhaps the most surprising statistic in this game is that we got rocked on the offensive boards. Considering that Wofford started four guards--three of them at or under 6'2--losing the rebounding battle signals a breakdown in discipline while boxing out. That sort of breakdown, of course, is a classic element in a recipe for an upset. It's also characteristic of this team to some degree, as we have had problems with erratic play all season. The difference here is that we've always bounced back in past games.
Two other big difference makers were that the Terriers got to the foul stripe 11 times more than we did and committed seven less turnovers.

That's a wrap for this game. At the end of the day, sometimes good teams suffer losses like this. The question is how they bounce back. Next up is Furman, who should give us a chance to regain our bearings.

Saturday News and Notes: Chris Culliver Likely Staying in School, TSK and STS Decade Retrospectives

Gamecock Man — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:24:07 -0000

Happy Saturday before Christmas. Here's a bit of news and select writing to tide you over:

Chris Culliver expects to return. Says Culliver:

"I don’t think I am going to the NFL," Culliver said. "You don’t get that experience of playing another college football season back. That is what I really want to do. I want to come back next year and, hopefully, have fun."

I like the positive sound of this. I'm looking forward to seeing in a couple of weeks how much better mentally this team is than it was a year ago.

Shakin the Southland begins a look back at the biggest Clemson games of the decade, starting with The Brawl. I expect you'll probably see more Carolina games in this retrospective, although probably not the three you'd prefer to see.

Team Speed Kills looks back at the SEC over the past decade. If you haven't been following this series, you should start. This has been a banner decade for the SEC, and there are sure to be plenty of interesting stories to reminisce about.

Friday News and Notes: Papa John's Bowl, Lady Gamecocks Dominating the ACC

Gamecock Man — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 04:20:57 -0000

I'm going to be traveling over the next week and a half or so, so posting may be sporadic. I'll be around from time to time, though.

Here's the news for today:

A UConn site takes a look at Stephen Garcia. And they mostly have good things to say about him, aside from pointing out how many sacks he takes.

Also on the subject of Garcia... Steve Spurrier muses on Garcia last year at the Outback Bowl and Garcia now. As you might expect, Garcia now comes out ahead. It's really pretty startling how much progress he's made since then. It's also pretty startling that we're soon going to be calling him a "seasoned veteran." Who would have thought that day would come a couple of springs back?

Lady Gamecocks Beat Wake Forest. That makes two victories over ACC clubs this week for Dawn Staley's team. Music to my ears. This really appears to be a program that's on its way up the ladder. La'Keisha Sutton led the Gamecocks with 18 points.

Richmond at South Carolina: A Quick Recap

Gamecock Man — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:55:38 -0000

More photos » by Richard Shiro - AP

14 days ago: South Carolina head coach Darrin Horn watches his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Clemson, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009, at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, S.C. Clemson defeated South carolina 72-61. (AP Photo/Richard Shiro)

Browse more photos »

The Court 'Cocks just finished up a convincing 76-60 victory over a solid Richmond team. The Spiders played tough and led at the half, but we completely took over in the second half on the strength of improved shooting and toughness on the boards. Devan Downey led the way for us with 18 points, while Justin Harper led the Spiders with 15.

Here are my thoughts on the game:

This was a solid win. Richmond is a talented, experience team that is projected to dance this year. They currently have nice wins over Mississippi State and Missouri. Dominating them like we did in the second half without two of our starters was impressive. If we can continue to play at this level, I have no doubt that we can win most of our remaining games before Dominique Archie returns, at which point we'll be ready to handle the SEC.
We're definitely a second half team. That's not surprising, as our up-tempo style is designed to yield dividends as the opponent tires late in the game.
We dominated the boards in this game, and that's part of what made the difference. We took a full 11 more FGA than Richmond, mostly due to all of our offensive boards. The big performers here were Sam Muldrow, Jhondre Jefferson, and Austin Steed. Jefferson, in particular, played quite well; his continued development is important for us as we stare down possibly being without Mike Holmes for the rest of the year.
Ramon Galloway is really playing well. This guy is the surprise of the season so far for me. I knew he was good, but he's beginning to make me think he might be a star in the making. Along with Lakeem Jackson and Jefferson, he's got me thinking that this year's freshman class is going to be better than expected.
Evaldas Baniulus, on the other hand, is not playing well. He's cold as ice from the field right now, and since he's always been a defensive liability, he's really not worth much to us for the time being. Hopefully he'll get it together and start shooting like he did last year.

Well, that's a wrap on this one. Next up is a road game at Wofford. The Terriers are a decent team this year, so hopefully we'll be ready for them. Go 'Cocks.

All-SEC Ballot: Draft

Gamecock Man — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 23:00:42 -0000

The SEC Power Poll is hosting an All-SEC poll. Here is a draft that reflects my first impressions--let me know what you think, and we may revise a bit if necessary.

Offense

QB: Ryan Mallett (Arkansas Razorbacks)

RB: Mark Ingram (Alabama Crimson Tide)

RB: Dexter McCluster (Ole Miss Rebels)

OG: Mike Johnson (Alabama Crimson Tide)

OG: Mike Pouncey (Florida Gators)

OT: Ciron Black (LSU Tigers)

OT: John Jerry (Ole Miss Rebels)

C: Maurkice Pouncey (Florida Gators)

TE: Aaron Hernandez (Florida Gators)

WR: A.J. Green (Georgia Bulldogs)

WR: Shay Hodge (Ole Miss Rebels)

Defense

DE: Cliff Matthews (South Carolina Gamecocks)

DE: Antonio Coleman (Auburn Tigers)

DT: Terrence Cody (Alabama Crimson Tide)

DT: Malcolm Sheppard (Arkansas Razorbacks)

LB: Eric Norwood (South Carolina Gamecocks)

LB: Rolando McClain (Alabama Crimson Tide)

LB: Rennie Curran (Georgia Bulldogs)

CB: Javier Arenas (Alabama Crimson Tide)

CB: Patrick Peterson (LSU Tigers)

S: Eric Berry (Tennessee Volunteers)

S: Joe Haden (Florida Gators)

Special Teams

PK: Blair Walsh (Georgia Bulldogs)

P: Drew Butler (Georgia Bulldogs)

RS: Javier Arenas (Alabama Crimson Tide)

You've got some explaining to do...

Many of these choices go without questions; nobody, for instance, will disagree with me about Mark Ingram, Rolando McClain, or Eric Berry. However, I do have a few bones to pick with conventional wisdom. Here's how I see such cases:

Ryan Mallett / Tim Tebow

As most people around here know, I'm a pretty big Tebow fan. The guy has had a great career, and although his sanctimonious, humble-but-really-not attitude can get to you sometimes, overall I don't have too many problems with him as a media phenomenon. It is what is. However, while I've been as guilty as anyone when it comes to giving Tebow confidence by inertia, I've come to believe it has to stop somewhere: Mallett was just better this year.

By the way, Ryan, if you're reading this, go to the NFL.

Dexter McCluster / Anthony Dixon

OK. I believe Anthony Dixon had a better year than McCluster at RB. However, I also believe that McCluster was one of the best and most valuable players in the SEC. I'm talking about on a par with Tebow, Ingram, you name it. So, I think we have to get him on the list somewhere. This is where I'm putting him. Unfortunately for him, McCluster was probably never used in the right way enough; this guy really was a minor Reggie-Bush-like talent.

Cliff Matthews / Carlos Dunlap

Dunlap is a jackass that showed his true colors when he signed with Florida instead of Sou...wait, when he drunkenly fell asleep at the wheel before the biggest SECCG ever. He failed his team. Despite his talent, that failure will always make him worse than Matthews in my mind.

Rennie Curran / Brandon Spikes

What can I say? I know it's surprising to see an UGA player on the defensive first team, but I think Curran is a great player. That might have something to do with his success against USC, but whatever. If this guy had a halfway decent DC, he'd be the talk of the nation. Spikes is a great player, but he's also a cog in a machine to some degree.

Well, that's a wrap on this draft. Let me know what you think.

Coaching Carousel 2009: Offensive Line Candidates

Gamecock Man — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:52:22 -0000

We still haven't heard official word that Eric Wolford is leaving, but I expect we'll get that tomorrow or Wednesday. There is a little talk this evening about Coach Spurrier trying to talk Wolford into staying and making him a counteroffer, so we can keep our fingers crossed that he might stay. However, I don't like our chances; it just seems that there's too much going against us on this one.

If Wolford does indeed leave, it'll be time to think more about who our next line coach will be. In addition to Robbie Caldwell, who I mentioned yesterday, I'm hearing three other names that seem reasonable to me: Mississippi State's J. B. Grimes, Syracuse's Greg Adkins, and South Alabama's Mitch Rodrigue. This is all very preliminary at this point, especially considering that Wolford to YSU isn't official yet, but it's fun to wonder about, and since we don't have much else to talk about right now, let's take a closer look at these guys.

J. B. Grimes

Grimes last coached the line for Sylvester Croom's Mississippi State Bulldogs. Now, before you say "Wait a damn minute, didn't their offenses suck?", you should know that State was known for having a physical, effective line during Grimes's tenure. This line paved the way for many solid rushing seasons under Croom's watch; unfortunately, though, State tended to lack any semblance of a passing game during these years, leading to overall bad offenses. Prior to coaching for Croom, Grimes had solid tenures coaching for more successful programs at Arkansas, Virginia Tech, and Texas A & M.

The positives on Grimes are that he is a solid tutor of fundamentals and toughness. His State lines were known for playing hard and smart, and Grimes got the most out of a relatively untalented group. The negatives on Grimes are that he's a bit older than what I think we'd like. Grimes is supposedly a decent recruiter, but it's no mystery that what the recruits like about Wolford is that he's young and personable in addition to being a great, intense coach. Now, I'm sure Grimes is personable, as well, but there's something about youth that goes a long way in empathizing with high school guys. I'm not sure if Grimes still has that.

Greg Adkins

Adkins is currently the line coach at Syracuse, where his offense has had a pretty average year. However, what Adkins is known for is his tenure as Phil Fulmer's line coach at Tennessee, a position he held for six years. Adkins also coached at Georgia. Adkins helped coach many fine offenses at these schools and has placed many a great lineman in the NFL. He can be excused for the bad year at the 'Cuse.

Adkins is certainly known for being a good coach, but he's most famous for his recruiting prowess. He was a major player in Fulmer's recruiting machine at Tennessee, which means that he has the recruiting acumen to help us bring in players that can help compete and that he has pipelines to SEC prep talent.

Of course, maybe without those hostesses... (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Mitch Rodrigue

Rodrigue currently coaches the line at South Alabama, which just finished its inaugural year of football. Why woud we be going after a guy in a position like that? Well, before he went to USA, Rodrigue was a nationally recognized line coach for many years under Jeff Bower at Southern Mississippi, leaving that program when Bower was surprisingly let go last year. Rodrigue was known for loading the All-CUSA team with his linemen and for helping lead prolific offenses during these years.

Rodrigue's pluses, like Adkin's, mainly concern his recruiting prowess. He was known for bringing lots of talent to Hattiesburg during his time at USM. His minuses, though, are probably the other side of that coin. Recruiting for USM and for an SEC school are two different bags, and it would remain to be seen if Rodrigue was up to the task.

Summing Up

If Wolford goes, I would think we have a good chance at landing any of these guys. One thing all have in common is that each is a good coach that is in exile because they lost their old job along with an ousted head coach. That means that each would probably love a chance at the USC job. Each is also familiar with blocking schemes that in various ways would mesh with what Spurrier wants to do here at USC.

If I had my pick, I'd take Adkins. (Well, other than Wolford.) Adkins has had plenty of success as an SEC line coach, having coached in multiple SEC title games and major bowl games. He has a good pedigree: he has coached with offensive genius David Cutcliffe, and he learned to recruit under Philip Fulmer. Well. Maybe that last one isn't such a great thing, but anyways. Adkins looks like a good coach, so I hope we make a strong push for him or Vandy's Robbie Caldwell if Wolford doesn't pan out.

Eric Wolford to Youngstown State

Gamecock Man — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 04:28:57 -0000

It appears that Eric Wolford will in all likelihood be named the new head coach at Youngstown State over the next couple of days. Multiple reliable outlets are reporting that this is done deal, and since it all makes sense to me, I'm going to choose to believe it. I say thanks to Coach Wolford for his time in Columbia and wish him luck. I would have loved to see him stick around and help us get to the next level, but I can't blame him for wanting a head coaching job close to home.

The two questions we now face are who our next line coach will be and how this will affect recruiting. As far as our next line coach goes, I expect you'll see us make another push for Vanderbilt's Robbie Caldwell. Caldwell--as we know--is one of the best line coaches around. He's a guy that consistently has good lines at Vanderbilt despite having to play with very few athletes that elite SEC schools would ever consider giving scholarships to. Caldwell, though, has close ties to Vandy coach Bobby Johnson. He's rebuffed us before, so we're going to have to do some convincing to get him to Columbia. I hope we make a strong push for him, but if we can't get him, I'm confident that Coach Spurrier will get us a good line coach, just like he did last year.

Recruiting, on the other hand, I'm a little worried about. Coach Wolford has been instrumental in getting verbal commitments from several high-profile prep linemen this year. Our coaching staff now faces the challenge of convincing these guys to stay with their verbals. For those that are truly committed to the program, that shouldn't be a huge problem. For others that had developed bonds with Coach Wolford, though, it might not be so easy. I'm especially worried about the highly touted Eric Mack, who has been a little equivocal about his commitment to us. You can bet opposing coaches will be in Mack's ear as quickly as possible trying to get him to back off his commitment. Hopefully our losing Wolford won't prompt Mack to reopen his recruitment. Marcus Lattimore is also now more of a question mark. My thinking before this was that Lattimore--even if he waited until National Signing Day to make it official--was 100% Gamecock. Now, though, I'm not so sure. Lattimore apparently had a good relationship with Wolford and liked his fit with Wolford's offensive philosophy. The good thing we still have going for us with Lattimore, of course, is that he's a born and bred Carolina guy and has several friends who are also planning on playing ball for us. That might not matter, though, is an elite program gets in his ear and makes a strong case.

In the end, we're going to need to make a good hire quickly, and that new coach is going to have to talk to these players and make them believe that he and Carolina are right for them. If we can do that, we can get out of this unscathed. If we drag our feet on the hire or make a poor choice, things could get ugly in what is a key recruiting year.

Wolford Rumors Continuing to Heat Up

Gamecock Man — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 01:17:48 -0000

Wolford Rumors Continuing to Heat Up

Leftover Hot Dog reports that some YSU media outlets are reporting that Eric Wolford will be named as YSU's coach this week. Stay tuned...

Blogger Heisman Results Announced

Gamecock Man — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 23:58:29 -0000

By now, you've surely heard that the Downtown Athletic Club awarded the Heisman trophy to Alabama tailback Mark Ingram, who narrowly beat out Stanford tailback Toby Gerhart for college football's most prestigious individual award. Well, the blogging community disagrees. As you'll remember, I participated in the blogger Heisman organized by The Blue Workhorse (TBW). TBW award goes to Gerhart instead of Ingram. In fact, Ingram finished third in TBW's tally, with Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh finishing second. Gerhart beat Suh by only one vote, making his margin even slimmer than the margin between Ingram and Gerhart for the official trophy.

Although I voted for Ingram, Suh, and Gerhart in that order from first to third (I also voted for C. J. Spiller as an honorable mention), the results of TBW's tally aren't all that surprising to me. A good bit of popular support has arisen among bloggers and other informed spectators for Gerhart and Suh over the past week. If anything, I'm surprised that Suh didn't win the blogger trophy, as he has, reasonably so, been the focal point of criticism of the Heisman regarding its bias towards skill-position players. Indeed, the more one thinks about it, the one one falls into line with this line of thinking. Suh had an absolutely unbelievable year for a defensive tackle. If ever a defensive player deserved the award, it was Suh. Unfortunately, I doubt you'll ever see a defensive tackle bring home the trophy in New York; a defensive back like Charles Woodsen that does something else like return kicks or runs the Wildcat can win it by combining stellar defensive play with some other statistical measure, but a big guy like Suh that doesn't have many opportunities to score TDs is just at too huge a disadvantage to sway a crowd of voters that believe jaw-dropping stats equal Heisman. It's really a minor miracle that Suh made it to New York this year in the first place; maybe we should take that, along with the fact that neither Tim Tebow nor Colt McCoy won the award, as evidence that the often embattled award is moving in a good, more credible direction.

A few other notables about TBW's outcomes:

Like myself, the bloggers believed Clemson's C. J. Spiller was more deserving than Tebow or McCoy. The fact that the disappointing Tebow and McCoy got to go to New York in Spiller's stead shows that things might not have really changed all that much this year, at least in the sense that although most voters didn't vote for Tebow or McCoy to win the award, many did leave them on their ballots, seemingly out of inertia.
Tebow finished with no first-place votes. It's really pretty shocking how far Tebow's stature has fallen over the course of this season. Basically no one outside of Gainesville, FL and Bristol, CT still believe in the power of the Almighty Tebow. He's still a great player, but the aura is gone.
I'm really fairly surprised that Gerhart did so much better than Ingram in the blogger's minds. When you compare the stats and the defenses the two played against, I see little reason to believe that Gerhart had a better year. What am I missing?
George Rogers is still the only player from a college in South Carolina to win the Heisman. Suck it, Clemson. (Unfortunately for them, Auburn fans have lost the right to make these kinds of jokes about their rival.)

More Possible Infractions at UT

Gamecock Man — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 01:59:00 -0000

Wow. Just wow. Tennessee is apparently now under investigation for even more violations.

Hamilton said in a telephone interview that the SEC was looking into the actions of a Tennessee recruiting intern, Steve Rubio, who flew to South Florida with Coach Lane Kiffin recently and visited the athletic powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale.

Under N.C.A.A. rules, Rubio, who graduated from Aquinas and volunteered there, is not allowed to recruit off the Tennessee campus. Hamilton said the concern was whether Rubio did recruiting work and contacted players while he was at the high school.

Maybe Lane should get back to work studying for that test he supposedly aced.

In all seriousness, this could get ugly for UT. They look like the very acme of lacking institutional control right now.