GTmorris1970
09-20-2005, 02:20 AM
Posted on Tue, Sep. 20, 2005
USC must work it out quickly
By JOSEPH PERSON
Staff Writer
When Steve Spurrier came out of retirement late last year, college football’s biggest free-agent coach said one of the most attractive aspects of the USC job was the opportunity to build a winner at a school that counts one championship in its 111-year history.
He did not say it would happen overnight — or by the end of September.
Three games into his first season at USC, Spurrier already has issued an apology and made changes following Saturday’s 37-14 loss to Alabama, the worst home loss of Spurrier’s 16-year collegiate coaching career.
Losses to Georgia and Alabama mean the Gamecocks (1-2) have to go 5-3 the rest of the way to reach Spurrier’s stated goals of a winning season and bowl berth. USC will fall short unless it corrects fundamental flaws exposed in the first three games.
1. Inability to run the ball
Best known for his passing game while at Duke and Florida, Steve Spurrier’s Gator teams usually featured an effective rushing attack, too. But the Gamecocks’ ground game has floundered, averaging 48.7 rushing yards a game — a figure that ranks 114th out of 117 Division I-A teams.
The struggles should have been expected; the Gamecocks lost their two leading rushers from 2004. Tailbacks Demetris Summers and Cory Boyd combined for 796 yards and averaged five yards a carry last year.
Those losses (Boyd should return from suspension next year) have forced Spurrier to rely on two freshmen at tailback; and neither Mike Davis nor Bobby Wallace has been able to break loose, averaging less than three yards per carry.
Solution: Tailback Daccus Turman is not going to win many races and elusiveness is not his strong suit. But the fifth-year senior showed against Georgia that he hits the hole hard and keeps his legs churning. Turman broke Herschel Walker’s single-season rushing record in Georgia, and deserves more than the one carry he received against Alabama.
2. Inability to stop the run
Co-defensive coordinators John Thompson and Tyrone Nix had the Gamecocks’ linebackers and defensive linemen moving and shifting before the snap, with linemen abandoning their traditional three-point stance and standing up in passing situations.
The look seemed to confuse Central Florida. But Georgia and Alabama simply checked to running plays whenever they saw USC’s linemen standing up. Nix said Monday that the stand-up wrinkle is no longer a major part of the defensive package.
USC’s linebackers, thought to be a strength, have been MIA. Seniors Ricardo Hurley and Lance Laury are third and fourth on the team in tackles despite missing a lot of hits. That has left rover Ko Simpson to clean up the mess, usually after sizable gains.
Solution: Defensive tackle Stanley Doughty, listed at 328 pounds, is a load to move and needs to be on the field. Doughty is tied for the team lead with four tackles for loss, despite coming off the bench the first two games. Scrapping the stand-up routine also will help.
3. No big plays
USC’s three longest running plays this year have been 20-yard gains by receivers Syvelle Newton and Carlos Thomas and a 16-yard scramble by quarterback Blake Mitchell. With no big-play threat in the Gamecocks’ backfield, opposing defenses are playing three-deep zone coverage in the secondary and taking away USC’s downfield passing game.
The receiving corps also has lacked game-breakers. Noah Whiteside got open for a 49-yard touchdown catch on the Gamecocks’ first series against UCF. But the junior from Greenville, still gimpy from offseason ankle surgery, scarcely has been heard from since. Kris Clark has dependable hands and Newton good moves, but neither has separation speed.
Defensively, Simpson has not been the ball-hawk he was as a freshman, when he picked off six passes and had two defensive touchdowns. The SEC’s freshman of the year in ’04 has dropped three would-be interceptions.
Solution: Redshirt freshman receiver Sidney Rice has proved in two games that he is one of USC’s best playmakers. Spurrier said he was “dumb” for not calling more plays for Rice against Alabama. Spurrier must get the ball in the hands of Rice and Newton more often.
4. Inconsistent offensive line play
There were questions about the Gamecocks’ front five during the preseason. If anything, the line’s play through three games has raised additional concerns. Senior tackles Jabari Levey and Na’Shan Goddard have combined for 48 career starts, but have been beaten much too often on the edge.
Depth is also a concern. Line coach John Hunt played the starters the entire game against Georgia. Injuries to Levey and right guard Freddy Saint-Preux forced Hunt to use more players against Alabama, but the backups did not make a strong case for increased playing time.
The line must take some of the responsibility for the running woes. But the pass protection has been equally poor. USC has allowed nine sacks, compared to four at this point last year. The linemen have been slow to adjust to the increased pressure the Gamecocks are facing because of Spurrier’s passing attack.
Solution: The Gamecocks could try different personnel, but the line’s fortunes rest with Levey and Goddard.
5. No rush off the edge
Much like the tailback position, USC is feeling the pinch of personnel losses at defensive end. George Gause and Moe Thompson started opposite each other for three years before Gause exhausted his eligibility and Thompson was dismissed following a burglary arrest.
The two struggled in ’04 and still finished as the Gamecocks’ sack leaders: five by Gause and three by Thompson. De’Adrian Coley and Josh Johnson have been benched after combining for zero sacks in the first three games.
Size seems to be a problem for the ends, who get stood up at the line by tackles and tight ends. Johnson, Coley and backup Jordin Lindsey all weigh 240 pounds or less.
Solution: Linebacker Orus Lambert’s move to end has not had much of an effect. Tweaking the scheme to take advantage of this group’s speed might help the ends get better penetration.
USC must work it out quickly
By JOSEPH PERSON
Staff Writer
When Steve Spurrier came out of retirement late last year, college football’s biggest free-agent coach said one of the most attractive aspects of the USC job was the opportunity to build a winner at a school that counts one championship in its 111-year history.
He did not say it would happen overnight — or by the end of September.
Three games into his first season at USC, Spurrier already has issued an apology and made changes following Saturday’s 37-14 loss to Alabama, the worst home loss of Spurrier’s 16-year collegiate coaching career.
Losses to Georgia and Alabama mean the Gamecocks (1-2) have to go 5-3 the rest of the way to reach Spurrier’s stated goals of a winning season and bowl berth. USC will fall short unless it corrects fundamental flaws exposed in the first three games.
1. Inability to run the ball
Best known for his passing game while at Duke and Florida, Steve Spurrier’s Gator teams usually featured an effective rushing attack, too. But the Gamecocks’ ground game has floundered, averaging 48.7 rushing yards a game — a figure that ranks 114th out of 117 Division I-A teams.
The struggles should have been expected; the Gamecocks lost their two leading rushers from 2004. Tailbacks Demetris Summers and Cory Boyd combined for 796 yards and averaged five yards a carry last year.
Those losses (Boyd should return from suspension next year) have forced Spurrier to rely on two freshmen at tailback; and neither Mike Davis nor Bobby Wallace has been able to break loose, averaging less than three yards per carry.
Solution: Tailback Daccus Turman is not going to win many races and elusiveness is not his strong suit. But the fifth-year senior showed against Georgia that he hits the hole hard and keeps his legs churning. Turman broke Herschel Walker’s single-season rushing record in Georgia, and deserves more than the one carry he received against Alabama.
2. Inability to stop the run
Co-defensive coordinators John Thompson and Tyrone Nix had the Gamecocks’ linebackers and defensive linemen moving and shifting before the snap, with linemen abandoning their traditional three-point stance and standing up in passing situations.
The look seemed to confuse Central Florida. But Georgia and Alabama simply checked to running plays whenever they saw USC’s linemen standing up. Nix said Monday that the stand-up wrinkle is no longer a major part of the defensive package.
USC’s linebackers, thought to be a strength, have been MIA. Seniors Ricardo Hurley and Lance Laury are third and fourth on the team in tackles despite missing a lot of hits. That has left rover Ko Simpson to clean up the mess, usually after sizable gains.
Solution: Defensive tackle Stanley Doughty, listed at 328 pounds, is a load to move and needs to be on the field. Doughty is tied for the team lead with four tackles for loss, despite coming off the bench the first two games. Scrapping the stand-up routine also will help.
3. No big plays
USC’s three longest running plays this year have been 20-yard gains by receivers Syvelle Newton and Carlos Thomas and a 16-yard scramble by quarterback Blake Mitchell. With no big-play threat in the Gamecocks’ backfield, opposing defenses are playing three-deep zone coverage in the secondary and taking away USC’s downfield passing game.
The receiving corps also has lacked game-breakers. Noah Whiteside got open for a 49-yard touchdown catch on the Gamecocks’ first series against UCF. But the junior from Greenville, still gimpy from offseason ankle surgery, scarcely has been heard from since. Kris Clark has dependable hands and Newton good moves, but neither has separation speed.
Defensively, Simpson has not been the ball-hawk he was as a freshman, when he picked off six passes and had two defensive touchdowns. The SEC’s freshman of the year in ’04 has dropped three would-be interceptions.
Solution: Redshirt freshman receiver Sidney Rice has proved in two games that he is one of USC’s best playmakers. Spurrier said he was “dumb” for not calling more plays for Rice against Alabama. Spurrier must get the ball in the hands of Rice and Newton more often.
4. Inconsistent offensive line play
There were questions about the Gamecocks’ front five during the preseason. If anything, the line’s play through three games has raised additional concerns. Senior tackles Jabari Levey and Na’Shan Goddard have combined for 48 career starts, but have been beaten much too often on the edge.
Depth is also a concern. Line coach John Hunt played the starters the entire game against Georgia. Injuries to Levey and right guard Freddy Saint-Preux forced Hunt to use more players against Alabama, but the backups did not make a strong case for increased playing time.
The line must take some of the responsibility for the running woes. But the pass protection has been equally poor. USC has allowed nine sacks, compared to four at this point last year. The linemen have been slow to adjust to the increased pressure the Gamecocks are facing because of Spurrier’s passing attack.
Solution: The Gamecocks could try different personnel, but the line’s fortunes rest with Levey and Goddard.
5. No rush off the edge
Much like the tailback position, USC is feeling the pinch of personnel losses at defensive end. George Gause and Moe Thompson started opposite each other for three years before Gause exhausted his eligibility and Thompson was dismissed following a burglary arrest.
The two struggled in ’04 and still finished as the Gamecocks’ sack leaders: five by Gause and three by Thompson. De’Adrian Coley and Josh Johnson have been benched after combining for zero sacks in the first three games.
Size seems to be a problem for the ends, who get stood up at the line by tackles and tight ends. Johnson, Coley and backup Jordin Lindsey all weigh 240 pounds or less.
Solution: Linebacker Orus Lambert’s move to end has not had much of an effect. Tweaking the scheme to take advantage of this group’s speed might help the ends get better penetration.