Week #8 - My thoughts and observations …

Friday Fun – KCock93 and I departed Cayce around 8:15 a.m., on Friday and stopped for a McDonald’s breakfast in Clinton, S.C., that took an unexpected 20 minutes for drive through service – not a good start … After checking the weather throughout the week, neither of us were prepared for drizzling rain or a gray day which is what we encountered until we reached the other side of Asheville, N.C. … However, from that point on there was never a cloud in the blue sky that hovered above the entire weekend … We rode on fumes to Jellico, Ky., as we stopped for gas and in lieu of lunch we opted to make time to get to Lexington for an afternoon at Keeneland Race Track … We checked into the Holiday Inn Express (HIE) on Elkhorn Dr., around 2:45 p.m., and made it over to Keeneland for the final three races of the day … What an experience! … This was my third trip to Keeneland and it is an incredible way to spend a college football weekend in the Bluegrass … The scenery (people, horse track, rolling hills, etc.) is just unbelievable and when you win some $$$ on each race, well, it makes the day that much better … I’m not a big “bettor”, but I do like to have a rooting interest in the events I’m attending and some luck was on my side as I came out a good bit ahead while enjoying cold Bud Light beers and people watching and, of course, the horse races … It was hot (85 degrees) and the sun just baked everyone there but what a great time … KC93 didn’t fare as well on his bets, but we were able to leave knowing that we were “to the good” as far as our financials … Georgia fans used to get the benefit of playing UK every other year in the month of October while the short horse race season is in full force at Keeneland – fortunately, USC is the benefactor these days … I hope that will continue in the future and encourage any Gamecock fans to plan a visit to Lexington in the future because the UK game is truly the most underrated Southeastern Conference football experience – especially when Keeneland is open, the leaves are changing on the scenic drive from SC to KY, and considering that South Carolina usually fares pretty well on the gridiron at Commonwealth Stadium … After polishing off a couple of cold Natural Lights post-race at the Ford Explorer SporTrac, we headed to the hotel for a brief respite and then ventured out for a good meal … After driving around spotting out some places near our exit we found a place called Raffertys, but it wasn’t exactly what we had in mind but luckily ran into several members of the Ultimate Tailgaters (UTGs), who are just about everywhere the Gamecocks play in football, basketball, and baseball … We decided to pass on Rafferty’s Restaurant & Bar and ended up at Carrabba’s Italian Grill – a place that KC93 and myself had never dined even though there is one out in Harbison in the Midlands area … Generally speaking, I would rather spend my money in locally owned type restaurants and businesses, thus when I want Italian fare I opt for the likes of Villa Tronco, Moe’s Grapevine, Dianne’s, etc. … I had always heard the hype of Carrabba’s, but I found the place very bustling and loud … We had time to enjoy a Moretti beer at the bar before we were herded to our seats and then were waited on by a waitress that seemed more interested in starting her night on the town … We each ordered the veal marsala and on a scale of 1 to 10, the entrée received a 5.5/6 and the rest of the meal (bread/oil, salad, etc.) was only average … Guess I’m glad that I tried this away from Columbia, because now I will definitely continue to patronize the ‘locals’ … After a long day traveling, betting, and boozing, we called it a night after watching Louisville/Memphis on ESPN to get ready for a critical SEC contest for USC on Saturday.

UTGs – The Ultimate Tailgaters are a special breed of Gamecock fans – they support Carolina Athletics with their time, money, and unwavering allegiance … Their moniker is, “First to Arrive, Last to Leave” and when Chris F., informed me Friday night that they would be setup near the stadium at 7 a.m., I had no doubt that they would keep their word … True enough, I received a text Saturday morning while eating a decent breakfast at the HIE – scrambled eggs, hard boiled egg, bacon, and cranberry juice – informing us that they were ready to go bright and early … KC93 and I stopped by a filling station for some ice, water, chips, and deli sandwiches to snack on … With the early kickoff there was no time for lunch … The UTGs (Chris F., Kathy F., Kirk H., Woodie C., Brad F., Ronnie G., Ray S., Mark B., Jessica L., etc.) were stationed at the former Hal Mumme Pass now named Sports Center Drive right off of Cooper Drive … Tailgating adjacent to the Nutter Football Training Center on a grassy knoll provided a great venue for the full day’s activities … Manning the ‘mic’ from time to time were Mark and Chris as the USC theme music blared out of the speakers while everyone enjoyed their favorite beverages and snacks … I never got the nerve to try the Wild Turkey American Honey, but assume it would go down pretty good after a big dinner for dessert … The group had checked out a place called Liquor Barn on Friday and told me about their expansive selections of just about everything, including the Wild Turkey variation … Bill M., Alex C., Rhonda, and Anita showed up a little later to complete the group … Really a fun time tailgating with the UTGs and I’m sure we’ll join their tailgates in the future!

Midnight Madness – I didn’t attend the tip-off of basketball season at Rupp Arena Friday night, but some friends of mine did and I watched some small clips of video from the production and was most impressed by the Big Blue faithful … Apparently, more than 23,000 showed up for the event, including 12 of the Top 50 national recruits for next year … The pictures and videos showed a spirited and hyped-up atmosphere in a facility that is nice when it comes to nostalgia, but pales in comparison of South Carolina’s Colonial Life Arena in terms of amenities, center court scoreboard, etc. … Just another reason why USC should continue its dominance on the gridiron because the UK faithful live for hoops – that, and the fact that Joker Phillips is the heir apparent to Coach Rich Brooks in football.

Commonwealth Stadium – This facility is one of the newer ones in the SEC as it was completed in the early 1970s and provides a beautiful setting for college football … The grounds around the stadium are well kept and the place is immaculately clean … Inside, the low upper decks make sure that there is not a bad seat in the house and from my lower deck perch a few rows behind the USC Band in Section 116 we had a great view from the corner of the end zone on the South Carolina bench side … The announced crowd was 70,822 this past Saturday, which was the largest ever to see the Gamecocks and Wildcats in Kentucky and their improvements to C.M. Newton Field are definitely noticeable … This was my sixth USC/UK game in Lexington and the games have been notoriously close in the past and this past weekend proved no different as South Carolina’s seven-point victory was the sixth straight contest that was decided by single digits in the Bluegrass: ’08 (24-17); ’06 (24-17); ’04 (12-7); ’02 (16-12); ’00 (20-17); ’98 (28-33) … Prior to the game talking to some UK fans that greeted us with “Go Cats” and our response of “Go Cocks”, you could sense that they felt 2008 was the year to break the eight-game losing streak to South Carolina and end the Steve Spurrier jinx after 15 losses in as many tries – wait ‘til next year UK fans!

7-Up! – All four of South Carolina’s 2008 SEC games have been decided by seven points and the Gamecocks own a 2-2 record, including a 2-1 mark on the road … Under Steve Spurrier, USC is now 13-11 in games decided by single digits and 13-7 in decisions of double digits … Overall in SEC contests, Coach Spurrier owns a 13-15 record (8-7 on the road) since 2005 and Carolina is 17-19 in SEC play since 2004 … Records through seven games under Coach Spurrier: 4-3 (’05); 5-2 (’06); 6-1 (’07); 5-2 (’08) for a total of 20-8 … USC is 6-10 after the seventh game since 2005, including just a 2-6 mark in Columbia … Below are the SEC records sine 2000:

.731, 49-18, Louisiana State
.721, 49-19, Florida
.710, 49-20, Auburn
.701, 47-20, Georgia
.657, 44-23, Tennessee
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.493, 33-34, Alabama
.493, 33-34, Arkansas
.471, 32-36, SOUTH CAROLINA
.373, 25-42, Mississippi
.242, 16-50, Kentucky
.239, 16-51, Mississippi State
.176, 12-56, Vanderbilt

60:00 Men – If there is one fact that Steve Spurrier has relayed to his troops it’s the notion of playing the full 60 minutes and checking what the scoreboard reveals at the end of the game … In reality, when it comes to any athletics, all you can ask of your players are to leave 100% of your efforts on the field and see where that gets you when the final whistle blows … I believe this team has competed for 60 minutes in every contest except one and that was at Vanderbilt when I questioned the commitment of several players after observing their actions and antics from behind their sideline … Fortunately, the message seems to have permeated the USC team and as long as Carolina puts forth that type of effort, then win or lose, I can proudly support the Garnet & Black.

Folly 4s – For the fourth time since 2001, South Carolina has reeled off four consecutive wins in a season … In 2001, USC opened the year with a 5-0 mark before losing at Arkansas … A year later, following a 1-2 start, the Gamecocks were victorious in four straight games before falling at LSU … In 2005 with a 2-3 mark, Carolina won five consecutive games before losing the regular season finale vs. Clemson … This season at 1-2, USC has tallied four straight wins and will host LSU on Saturday … Every winning streak involved a victory vs. Kentucky … Ryan Succop missed four of five field goal attempts … USC turned the ball over four times in the first half with two interceptions and two fumbles.

Wild West – USC owns an 11-14 mark vs. SEC West Division foes since 2000, including a 1-0 record this year with the 31-24 victory at Ole Miss … USC will host LSU this Saturday and Arkansas next month to round out the 2008 slate … 5-0 vs. Miss. State, 2-2 vs. Alabama, 3-5 vs. Arkansas, 1-2 vs. Ole Miss, 0-2 vs. Auburn, and 0-3 vs. Louisiana State.

White Out – I have always liked the all white uniforms Carolina has worn throughout the years, but this season’s attire is just plain out sharp! … I really like the Under Armour duds and when the temperature gauge reads 80 degrees or more (no way was it 73 degrees at game time) then I’m all for wearing the Storm Trooper outfits.

Dirty “D” – I have been thoroughly impressed with the South Carolina defense this year and stated in the preseason that the Gamecocks’ biggest recruit of 2008 was the hiring of Ellis Johnson as Defensive Coordinator … I was fairly critical of Tyrone Nix’s schemes and styles when a lot of the local media really didn’t want to point the finger at the former DC due to his temperament and friendliness to them – amazing how personal relationships interfere with simple and just analysis when it comes to the scribes and on-air personalities … This group is as “sure tackling” 1-11 as I can remember and absolutely has some studs that will definitely be in the NFL in the near future … In my 30th year of Carolina Football, USC has a chance to make this the most feared defensive unit to set foot on the gridiron … The 1987 unit was my favorite with its “Black Death” persona and the skull and cross-bones celebrations … Take a look at the best “Ds” the past three decades:

141 - 1987 (8-4, 11.8)
*** 105 - 2008 (5-2, 15.0) ***
181 - 2000 (8-4, 15.1)
200 - 1980 (8-4, 16.7)
205 - 1979 (8-4, 17.1)
230 - 2001 (9-3, 19.2)

yUcK – Folks, as pleased as I was with the win in Lexington, let’s face it – you can’t spell sUcKs without UK … The Wildcats’ offense is abysmal as is their quarterback play with Mike Hartline … Joker Phillips, the offensive coordinator who used to coach at South Carolina (2002), has his work cut out for him, because the Wildcats have zero playmakers outside of Dicky Lyons, Jr., who was injured early in the second quarter on a legitimate tackle by Carlos Thomas – hey UK sideline reporter, it wasn’t a horse collar! … Hartline has a weak arm and literally shot-puts the ball in an upright position – not very athletic at all … The dink-and-dunk philosophy just illustrates how weak their receiving corps is and the lack of any production from the ground game left the Big Blue in neutral all afternoon … Not once did I feel that UK could drive the ball on South Carolina … Their offense is a shell of the one that featured the 2007 high flying exploits of Andre Woodson, Jacob Tammie, Rafael Little, Keenan Burton, Steve Johnson, etc., that averaged 37 points per game … For Kentucky to improve on its 4-2 record then the Wildcats are going to have someone step to the front on offense and from what I saw on Saturday, I’m not sure they have the personnel to do so … I would seriously consider getting Randall Cobb under center from here on out.

Muddin’ – Neither team generated anything on the ground as Carolina averaged just 2.2 yards per carry and Kentucky 2.8 en route to 78 and 62 yards, respectively … That would be understandable with poor field conditions, but on a clear and dry day in Horse Country, that wasn’t the case … USC opted to run the ball on 1st Down 18 times while attempting 12 passes on the same down … Carolina gained 36 yards on 17 carries and also had 1 carry for 25 yards on that down … Throwing the ball, USC was 5 of 11 for 44 yards and one sack … In short yardage situations on 2nd Down and 3rd Down, Carolina chose to run the ball five times compared to zero passes … Out of the shotgun formation, USC attempted eight rushes and 28 passes compared to 22 runs and 13 passes from under center … I’m pretty much resigned for USC to sling the ball around the yard 45-50 times per game, because through 2/3 of the season I don’t see the running game getting any better for the Gamecocks.

Charlie Strong? – I know the former USC DC (1999-2002) is at Florida these days, but new UK Defensive Coordinator, Steve Brown, could have been mistaken for the old Carolina saying of “3rd and Long Charlie Strong” … Geesh! … I remembered him from his NFL playing days with the Houston Oilers of the 1980s and he must be having a nightmare this week as he reviews the film of all the 3rd-and-Long plays Carolina converted on Saturday … 13 times USC faced a distance of greater than 3rd-and-5 and eight times the Gamecocks converted, though two plays did result in Chris Smelley interceptions … 3rd Down Catches: Jason Barnes (2-44yds); Jared Cook (2-24 yds); Joseph Hills (1-24 yds); Mike Davis (1-18 yds); Weslye Saunders (1-13 yds); and Kenny McKinley (1-11 yds) … All told, USC was 8 of 17 on 3rd Down and that is where Carolina won the game as the Wildcats converted just one of 16 opportunities.

Highs – Stephen Garcia completed 10 of 14 passes for 169 yards (16.9 yard average) with a beautiful game-winning touchdown pass to Weslye Saunders … Garcia looked outstanding in the second half and engineered the Gamecocks’ second consecutive come from behind road victory … Kenny McKinley hauled in seven passes for 88 yards and a score and looks 100% healthy … Jason Barnes continues to come up with big plays with four catches for 88 yards … Jared Cook tallied four receptions for 36 yards and Saunders had two catches for 20 yards from the tight end spot … Joseph Hills had a big third down conversion with a 24-yard catch and gallop … Spencer Lanning again watched most of the game as the USC punter, but contributed two punts for a 43.5 yard average … Captain Munnerlyn picked up a blocked field goal by Jordin Lindsey and raced 81 yards for a touchdown … Munnerlyn also returned a kickoff 84 yards that setup another score … The linebacker trio of Jasper Brinkley (8 TKL), Darian Stewart (7 TKL), and Eric Norwood (6 TKL) were everywhere for USC as the D-Line neutralized the UK line of scrimmage and allowed them to do their job with aplomb … Marvin Sapp was sure handed as well with five stops … Akeem Auguste is going to be a mainstay in the secondary with five stops and Emanuel Cook continues to prove he’s Carolina’s best football player with five tackles … Clifton Geathers is starting to come on with ½ a sack and one stop and supplied pressure all day … Jordin Lindsey was active as well (½ a sack) and even played defensive tackle at times in the second half … Chris Culliver is going to be a star at free safety as his two picks and three assists can attest – time for the staff to let him concentrate on these duties and get him off the kick return team … USC’s defense limited UK to a 6.5 yard average per play and only 218 yards in total … I thought Coach Spurrier called a whale of a game offensively and USC left so many points out on the field that I am encouraged about the final stretch of 2008 that we might get to see what he has been trying to build in Columbia … I don’t know if I have ever seen that many wide open receivers in a game.

Lows – As good as Chris Smelley’s numbers (9-of-23, 2 INTs) were in Oxford, they were a 180 of that in Lexington … Terrible performance despite him connecting with McKinley on the only ball that he threw really well all day for the TD … The run blocking and running backs performance left a lot to be desired at UK – and for the entire season regarding that matter … Captain, I love your tenacity and competitiveness, but you have to learn about punt returns and that is when you can’t field them to run away from the ball – don’t track it down on the roll … Addison Williams turned in his first positive play at USC by falling on a deflected ball by Munnerlyn and four returns for a -1 yard average will get you killed vs. a better opponent …

Quotes – Chris Culliver, “The whole game it was really us making mistakes, not them making plays. When we corrected them, we shut them down. We knew they wasn’t going to score on us as long as we kept our intensity up. We dominated them today. Dominated.” … Ellis Johnson, “We just got out of some situations. I didn’t think we put very good pressure on the quarterback. I thought there were several times that we had coverage situations where Kentucky had a chance to make the play and just didn’t.” … Jason Barnes, “We were waiting on Garcia to go in. He came out with a lot of poise and a lot of confidence. He was zinging them in there like he’d been doing it his whole life. That’s what I like to see. That’s what we needed on offense.” … Micah Johnson (UK Linebacker), “When they changed quarterbacks, the pace of the game changed. It was tough for us to get the right personnel out there to match up against their offense.” … Steve Spurrier, “To have four turnovers in the first half and miss four field goals and win the ball game, maybe that’s a first in South Carolina history. We’re going to play Garcia now. We’re going to play Stephen. He’s earned it. He’s our quarterback.” … Stephen Garcia, “That’s pretty much storybook. I’m just gonna stay low to the ground and keep a low profile and go from there.”

Forecast – I like South Carolina to defend the Williams-Brice turf and send the Bayou Bengals from Red Stick home with a 23-19 loss!