GTmorris1970
09-19-2005, 02:25 AM
Posted on Mon, Sep. 19, 2005
Spurrier promises changes
Coach doesn’t specify what alterations are coming for lineup or schemes
By JOSEPH PERSON
Staff Writer
WHO: Troy (1-2) at South Carolina (1-2)
WHEN: Saturday, 7 p.m.
WHERE: Williams-Brice Stadium
TV: Pay-per-view (digital channel 549 on Time Warner Cable in Columbia area, for non-digital customers, call TWC, 252-2253
LINE: To be announced
Anytime he strode to a podium or stood in front of a bank of microphones during the summer, first-year USC coach Steve Spurrier talked about putting a team on the field that fans would be proud of when they left the stadium.
Pride likely was not one of the emotions felt by the USC fans who left Williams-Brice Stadium early on Saturday.
“There’s no way our fans could be proud of that performance and effort,” Spurrier said Sunday of Alabama’s 37-14 pounding of the Gamecocks.
Given a day to digest the worst home defeat of his 16-year collegiate coaching career, Spurrier promised to make personnel and scheme changes this week as USC (1-2) tries to avoid its worst start since an 0-11 finish in 1999 in Lou Holtz’s first season in Columbia.
“That was a poor performance by our team. Fans deserve a better performance, and we’re going to find some guys that really want to play and play all out effort-wise,” Spurrier said. “I’m not going to mention any names, but we didn’t have an effort level that was near good enough.”
Spurrier said the coaching staff could consider using more freshmen this week against Troy.
“We can’t watch some of these older players play like this because then the younger guys say, ‘Hey, they get to play like that, so when I get on the field I’m supposed to play like the older guys,’” Spurrier said. “We’ve got to make sure we’re demanding on how our players play the game.”
The lack of effort defensively showed up in missed tackles. On Alabama’s second possession, USC linebacker Ryan Brown and cornerback Fred Bennett both failed to bring down receiver Keith Brown, turning a 6-yard gain into a 46-yard touchdown.
Spurrier said he would announce personnel changes in two or three days. He also will address defensive schemes after watching the Gamecocks allow 576 rushing yards in losses to Georgia and Alabama. USC is 104th nationally in run defense, allowing 219.7 rushing yards a game.
Both Georgia and the Crimson Tide exposed the stand-up technique used by USC’s defensive linemen in passing situations, according to Spurrier.
“We need to anchor down in there and (find) a way to not let people have those gashing holes,” he said.
Spurrier also plans to re-evaluate his offensive play calling. After taking the lead for good late in the first quarter, Alabama played a three-man defensive front and “dared” USC to run the ball, Spurrier said.
The Gamecocks couldn’t, finishing with 71 yards on 19 carries to fall to 114th (of 117 Division I-A schools) in rushing offense with 48.7 yards a game.
Spurrier wondered whether USC’s 17-15 loss to then-No. 9 Georgia created a sense of complacency.
“We had some issues against Georgia,” said Spurrier, mentioning his team’s failure to run and stop the run. “But for some reason it was a close game and we had our chances to win. ... Maybe there was a feeling around here that we were pretty good.”
Bad word. Spurrier said there’s one four-letter word he never utters: “flat,” the adjective USC quarterback Blake Mitchell and other players used to describe their performance against Alabama.
“That’s a bad excuse. I’ve never liked it and you won’t ever hear me say that,” Spurrier said. “That’s a poor excuse if one of our guys said that. And that’s all it is — an excuse for getting your tail end kicked and not playing with complete effort. That’s just a bad excuse word.”
Extra points. Spurrier said walk-on Thomas Coleman, who filled in for the injured Jabari Levey at tackle, could play guard this week if Levey’s sore knee and ankle improve. ... With a touchdown catch against Alabama, redshirt freshman Sidney Rice has scored in his first two games. ...
Reach Person at (803) 771-8496 or jperson @thestate.com.
Spurrier promises changes
Coach doesn’t specify what alterations are coming for lineup or schemes
By JOSEPH PERSON
Staff Writer
WHO: Troy (1-2) at South Carolina (1-2)
WHEN: Saturday, 7 p.m.
WHERE: Williams-Brice Stadium
TV: Pay-per-view (digital channel 549 on Time Warner Cable in Columbia area, for non-digital customers, call TWC, 252-2253
LINE: To be announced
Anytime he strode to a podium or stood in front of a bank of microphones during the summer, first-year USC coach Steve Spurrier talked about putting a team on the field that fans would be proud of when they left the stadium.
Pride likely was not one of the emotions felt by the USC fans who left Williams-Brice Stadium early on Saturday.
“There’s no way our fans could be proud of that performance and effort,” Spurrier said Sunday of Alabama’s 37-14 pounding of the Gamecocks.
Given a day to digest the worst home defeat of his 16-year collegiate coaching career, Spurrier promised to make personnel and scheme changes this week as USC (1-2) tries to avoid its worst start since an 0-11 finish in 1999 in Lou Holtz’s first season in Columbia.
“That was a poor performance by our team. Fans deserve a better performance, and we’re going to find some guys that really want to play and play all out effort-wise,” Spurrier said. “I’m not going to mention any names, but we didn’t have an effort level that was near good enough.”
Spurrier said the coaching staff could consider using more freshmen this week against Troy.
“We can’t watch some of these older players play like this because then the younger guys say, ‘Hey, they get to play like that, so when I get on the field I’m supposed to play like the older guys,’” Spurrier said. “We’ve got to make sure we’re demanding on how our players play the game.”
The lack of effort defensively showed up in missed tackles. On Alabama’s second possession, USC linebacker Ryan Brown and cornerback Fred Bennett both failed to bring down receiver Keith Brown, turning a 6-yard gain into a 46-yard touchdown.
Spurrier said he would announce personnel changes in two or three days. He also will address defensive schemes after watching the Gamecocks allow 576 rushing yards in losses to Georgia and Alabama. USC is 104th nationally in run defense, allowing 219.7 rushing yards a game.
Both Georgia and the Crimson Tide exposed the stand-up technique used by USC’s defensive linemen in passing situations, according to Spurrier.
“We need to anchor down in there and (find) a way to not let people have those gashing holes,” he said.
Spurrier also plans to re-evaluate his offensive play calling. After taking the lead for good late in the first quarter, Alabama played a three-man defensive front and “dared” USC to run the ball, Spurrier said.
The Gamecocks couldn’t, finishing with 71 yards on 19 carries to fall to 114th (of 117 Division I-A schools) in rushing offense with 48.7 yards a game.
Spurrier wondered whether USC’s 17-15 loss to then-No. 9 Georgia created a sense of complacency.
“We had some issues against Georgia,” said Spurrier, mentioning his team’s failure to run and stop the run. “But for some reason it was a close game and we had our chances to win. ... Maybe there was a feeling around here that we were pretty good.”
Bad word. Spurrier said there’s one four-letter word he never utters: “flat,” the adjective USC quarterback Blake Mitchell and other players used to describe their performance against Alabama.
“That’s a bad excuse. I’ve never liked it and you won’t ever hear me say that,” Spurrier said. “That’s a poor excuse if one of our guys said that. And that’s all it is — an excuse for getting your tail end kicked and not playing with complete effort. That’s just a bad excuse word.”
Extra points. Spurrier said walk-on Thomas Coleman, who filled in for the injured Jabari Levey at tackle, could play guard this week if Levey’s sore knee and ankle improve. ... With a touchdown catch against Alabama, redshirt freshman Sidney Rice has scored in his first two games. ...
Reach Person at (803) 771-8496 or jperson @thestate.com.