Seventh in a series previewing SEC football teams.
LITTLE ROCK — Steve Spurrier has averaged exactly seven victories a season in his five years at South Carolina, a school record for a five-year period.
He knows it’s not good enough.
“We need to get past seven wins,” Spurrier said. “We need to win big at South Carolina.”
Gamecocks fans keep on packing Williams-Brice Stadium at a rate of more than 80,000 per game, and the football team would like to reward that dedication.
Spurrier is convinced South Carolina has its best collection of athletes in his five years, and the Gamecocks don’t see why this can’t be their year.
“The opportunity is there for us to win,” defensive end Cliff Matthews said. “We can’t beat ourselves anymore.”
Last season, South Carolina opened at 5-1, including a victory over No. 4 Ole Miss, but the Gamecocks lost fiveof their last seven games, including a 33-17 setback at Arkansas.
“We’ve been a couple of wins away from having a big season,” H-back Patrick DiMarco said. “It’s all about proving ourselves. Enough with all the hype and saying we have talent. We have to go out there and prove that.”
There have been impediments to South Carolina’s progress, such as powerful teams at Florida, Georgia and Tennessee since the Gamecocks joined the SEC in 1992.But this is seen as a down year behind two-time division champion Florida, which lost a load of talent. South Carolina was picked third in the East by SEC media, a point behind second-place Georgia.
South Carolina landed running back Marcus Lattimore, a Parade All-American out of Duncan, S.C., and the heralded recruit should assist what has been a lackluster running attack for the Gamecocks under Spurrier. South Carolina ranked 91st in the nation with 121 rushing yards per game last season.
However, the crux of South Carolina’s offensive improvement must come at quarterback, where Spurrier has pushed, prodded, cajoled and criticized Stephen Garcia since he’s been on campus.
“Sometimes our local media guys think I’m critical of him a lot,” Spurrier said. “He may be playing the best he can. I don’t know yet. You know, you coach and you coach and you coach and you coach. At some point, players don’t really make better decisions or play better, then that’s the best they can be. That’s all you can do.”
DiMarco, who has been roommates with Garcia, said the quarterback has had trouble dealing with Spurrier’s public critiques at times.
“At first, he took them rough, but he realizes Coach Spurrier wants the best for him,” DiMarco said. “Coach Spurrier knows what it takes to be a great quarterback, and that’s what he’s trying to do for Stephen.”
Garcia has been more active in film study and in throwing with teammates during the summer, in part because freshman Connor Shaw is seen as someone who could challenge him for a starting job.
“Last year he didn’t really have someone pushing his button,” DiMarco said. “This year we feel if Connor really continues to step up and play the way he’s been playing, he can do it.”
One other option that Spurrier has seemed reluctant to unleash is using Stephon Gilmore, a blue-chip cornerback signee in 2009, in the Gamecocks’ version of the Wildcat formation.
The receiving corps, led by Alshon Jeffery and Tori Gurley, could challenge Arkansas for best in the league. The status of tight end Weslye Saunders, who was being investigated for possible dealings with an agent, is still up in the air.
Assistant head coach Ellis Johnson, who runs the defense with coordinator Lorenzo Ward, lost three standout performers from last season in Eric Norwood, Darian Stewart and Clifton Geathers. However, Gilmore heads a gifted secondary, which also includes cornerback Chris Culliver and safety Akeem Auguste, that should be better in 2010.
“We think we’re going to have a real good defense and hopefully get a few more turnovers this year,” Spurrier said.
NEXT GeorgiaAbout the GamecocksLAST YEAR 7-6 (3-5, tied for fourth in SEC East) RETURNING STARTERS Offense 9, defense 7 SURE THING Receiver, secondary UNSURE THING Offensive line, quarterback OFFENSIVE MVP WR Alshon Jeffery DEFENSIVE MVP DE Cliff Matthews SEC TITLE SCENARIO The Gamecocks haven’t been consistent at quarterback and haven’t put up a truly balanced offensive attack in half a decade under Spurrier. If junior Stephen Garcia shows marked improvement in consistency and freshman Marcus Lattimore provides a jolt as expected to South Carolina’s run game, the Gamecocks could be formidable. The defense has been consistently solid under Ellis Johnson, and despitethe loss of a few key players, it should be again in 2010. If South Carolina can take care of Georgia in Week 2, it could reach a Nov. 13 road date at Florida with a lot on the line.
SCHEDULE DATE OPPONENT Sept. 2 Southern Miss Sept. 11 Georgia Sept. 18 Furman Sept. 25 at Auburn Oct. 9 Alabama Oct. 16 at Kentucky Oct. 23 at Vanderbilt Oct. 30 Tennessee Nov. 6 Arkansas Nov. 13 at Florida Nov. 20 Troy Nov. 27 at Clemson
Sports, Pages 21 on 07/28/2010