South Carolina Gamecocks
Southeastern Conference
Injuries and “other incidents” have somewhat derailed what was supposed to be a superb South Carolina team this season. They are still a very good squad, just lacking on offense the talent they came into the 2011 season with. Previously hopeful of an SEC East crown and a trip to the conference championship, instead the Gamecocks will have to settle for something not quite as glamorous but a good bowl game nonetheless. In what shaped up to be a historic Southeastern conference this season, with three elite teams and a fourth very good team, perhaps that is not something to be ashamed of.
2011 Record: 10-2, 6-2
Last Bowl Appearance: 2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl vs. Florida State (L 17-26)
Big Wins: 9/10 at Georgia (45-42), 11/26 Clemson (34-13)
Bad Losses: 10/1 vs. Auburn (13-16), 11/5 at Arkansas (28-44)
Coach: Steve Spurrier (54-35 at South Carolina, 196-75-2 overall)
Bowl Record: 1-4 at South Carolina, 7-10 overall
Offensive Coordinator: Steve Spurrier
Defensive Coordinator: Lorenzo Ward
Strengths:
Defense, as with most of the upper tier SEC teams, is the strength of the Gamecocks. They rank superbly in scoring defense and overall defense but especially elite in pass defense and pass efficiency defense. Led by ends Melvin Ingram and Jadeveon Clowney, the USC defensive front has been great, holding opponents down, getting to the quarterback and tackling ball carries for losses. This was the case even in their debilitating loss to Auburn that was the difference in Georgia topping them for the SEC East title. By virtue of the pass rush, South Carolina’s defensive backs had a stellar season. Led by Stephan Gilmore, the most talented Gamecock DB, USC saw nine different players intercept passes this season, with four players picking off at least three individually. On the other side of the ball, before an injury took down their running game, South Carolina was effective running the ball. Of course that strength has now been tempered but it is still the most effective part of their offensive game.
Weaknesses:
Quarterback and running back are hard positions to fill if starters go down. South Carolina lost their starting quarterback to…something. Whether you want to call it emotional differences, craziness, unpleasant team behavior, conduct detrimental to the team, or something else, Stephen Garcia could not start and play for South Carolina. This, unfortunately, was determined midseason and not decided upon before the year began to give Connor Shaw time to get acclimated. On the other hand, running back was originally held down by South Carolina’s very best player, Heisman hopeful and future NFLer Marcus Lattimore. After he got hurt in the Mississippi State game, the offense had no consistency. A unit that was going to rely on their star power, including wide receiver Alshon Jeffery to go along with Lattimore, became an offense with no leader and no rudder. Of course scheduling and other factors play a part in this but in the four conference games that Lattimore started and finished, South Carolina averaged over 33 points per game. In the four he did not play, including the game he went down in, they averaged just over 18 points per contest. Even though Lattimore’s replacement, freshman back Brandon Wilds, has been pretty good, that drastic of a difference in conference play has a lot to do with their best player not being there.
Statistical Leaders:
Rushing: Marcus Lattimore, RB, 818 yards
Passing: Connor Shaw, QB, 1,218 yards
Receiving: Alshon Jeffery, WR, 614 yards
Tackles: Antonio Allen, LB, 81
Sacks: Melvin Ingram, DE, 8.5
Interceptions: Antonio Allen, LB, 3; Stephon Gilmore, CB, 3; D.J. Swearinger S, 3
2011 Team Stats:
Rushing Offense: 198.00 (27th in nation, 3rd in conference)
Passing Offense: 177.42 (97, 7)
Total Offense: 375.42 (75, 5)
Scoring Offense: 30.08 (44, 5)
Rushing Defense: 135.92 (48, 6)
Pass Defense: 133.00 (2, 2)
Total Defense: 268.92 (4, 3)
Scoring Defense: 18.83 (13, 4)
Turnover Margin: .25 (39, 5)
Sacks: 2.08 (43, 3)
Sacks Allowed: 2.25 (80, 9)
