After a middling first five years at the helm, University of South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier has turned a perpetually mediocre program into one of college football’s elite teams. Spurrier’s Gamecocks have recorded back-to-back 11-win seasons and Top Ten finishes – both firsts in school history – and this year’s squad enters the 2013 campaign ranked No. 7 in the nation.
Does any of that impress the “Head Ball Coach?” Not really …
Spurrier is working hard this preseason to downplay expectations for his squad – telling reporters after a practice this week that his team is “unknown” and has “a long way to go” if it hopes to live up its lofty expectations.
“Our expectations, hopefully with our players, need to be known: We are not a super-duper team by any means,” Spurrier said. “We don’t have a bunch of superstars right now. Hopefully as the year plays out, a bunch of these guys will develop into maybe all-conference players. But we’re an unknown team. We’ve got one superstar and that’s it. Everybody knows who he is. But one superstar doesn’t win many championships as we all know. Hopefully a bunch of guys can come around. I think our guys have got the message that we’ve got a long way to go.”
Spurrier added that the Gamecocks rank “next to the bottom of the SEC in all-conference players” with only one returning first-team performer – unanimous All-American (and Heisman Trophy candidate) Jadeveon Clowney.
South Carolina does have to address several critical personnel losses from the past two seasons – most notably running back Marcus Lattimore, wide receiver/ kick returner Ace Sanders, defensive back D.J. Swearinger, defensive back DeVonte Holloman and defensive end Devin Taylor.
Of course the Gamecocks have been forced to play without Lattimore for extend periods in each of the last two seasons due to a pair of season-ending knee injuries he suffered – and were able to post a 9-1 record in those games. USC also manhandled Missouri last year with Swearinger out of the lineup due to a suspension.
South Carolina opens its 2013 season at home on August 29 against the University of North Carolina. The game – which kicks off at 6:00 p.m. – will be televised nationally by ESPN.
62 comments
If they have a good season, beat Clemson, and win a bowl game, I’ll be happy. We lost some good talent, that’s for sure, but we still have plenty left.
I’m there with you. I can’t be disappointed with 9-3 (10-3 with a bowl win) and beating Clemson given our history. I do think that this year is by far the best chance for us to win the SEC, though.
You do realize that Alabama, LSU, Texas A&M and an improved Ole Miss are still in the SEC, over there is the west? I do hope USC wins the SEC but I can’t see how its prospects are any better this year. I think the big chance was the one Garcia literally f**ked away against Auburn.
How spoiled we have become. 10-3 would be one of the best seasons in our 100+ year history.
If they have a good season, beat Clemson, and win a bowl game, I’ll be happy. We lost some good talent, that’s for sure, but we still have plenty left.
I’m there with you. I can’t be disappointed with 9-3 (10-3 with a bowl win) and beating Clemson given our history. I do think that this year is by far the best chance for us to win the SEC, though.
You do realize that Alabama, LSU, Texas A&M and an improved Ole Miss are still in the SEC, over there is the west? I do hope USC wins the SEC but I can’t see how its prospects are any better this year. I think the big chance was the one Garcia literally f**ked away against Auburn.
How spoiled we have become. 10-3 would be one of the best seasons in our 100+ year history.
If we beat the Dawgs in Week 2… Watch out. Barring injury or a collapse, we’d be favored in every game from there on out. Obviously anything can happen, but the schedule sets up nicely for a run
Already looking at week ? Smooth
If we beat the Dawgs in Week 2… Watch out. Barring injury or a collapse, we’d be favored in every game from there on out. Obviously anything can happen, but the schedule sets up nicely for a run
Already looking at week ? Smooth
The Gamecocks kick off vs UNC at 6, not 6:30.
The Gamecocks kick off vs UNC at 6, not 6:30.
Speaking of the season and it’s huge early game against Georgia, it seems bizarre that
all of the pundits expect Georgia to beat South Carolina. Not that history is
an indicator, but South Carolina has won four of the past five meetings between
the schools (the last one by four touchdowns) and things have not changed significantly
for either program this year, except that each has slightly diminished defenses and South Carolina will have to make due with Mike Davis instead of Marcus Lattimore, who was marginalized by Georgia after 2010 and only essential in the 2011 squeaker in Athens.
The media love for Georgia and its super-duper nice coach is boundless but
doesn’t help Georgia much on the field. All of the Heisman hype for the
great Aaron Murray hasn’t helped him lead the Dawgs to victory over USC in
Columbia or Athens, and don’t get me started on how the hype turned out last year for “Gurshall”.
Speaking of the season and it’s huge early game against Georgia, it seems bizarre that
all of the pundits expect Georgia to beat South Carolina. Not that history is
an indicator, but South Carolina has won four of the past five meetings between
the schools (the last one by four touchdowns) and things have not changed significantly
for either program this year, except that each has slightly diminished defenses and South Carolina will have to make due with Mike Davis instead of Marcus Lattimore, who was marginalized by Georgia after 2010 and only essential in the 2011 squeaker in Athens.
The media love for Georgia and its super-duper nice coach is boundless but
doesn’t help Georgia much on the field. All of the Heisman hype for the
great Aaron Murray hasn’t helped him lead the Dawgs to victory over USC in
Columbia or Athens, and don’t get me started on how the hype turned out last year for “Gurshall”.
I’m gonna love it when Carolina gets their ass handed to them on national TV.
USC or UNC? Dirt Peckers have been butt hurt recently by USC being considered University of Southern California and Carolina being North Carolina.
and since you idiot taters keep thinking that, THE USC has been beating your ass year after year.
Why would you think I’m a “tater”? Just another knee-jerk reaction from a dirt pecker fan?
“Well garsh dang Cletus, if’n he ain’t a cock fan he must be a ‘tater fan.”
I guess I gave you credit for not being a total dumbass without ties to either school going around butting his/her useless opinion in on here. Must not have much of a life to have to do that.
“well shucks. my life aint worth dog piss so I gonna make myself feel better by talking trash to or about teams I got nothing to do with.”
Sorry, I don’t need your credit… I’ve got plenty.
When South Carolina beats your ass for the 5th straight year will you just take solace in the fact that more people across the country associate USC with Southern Cal and Carolina with North Carolina?
If that unlikely event occurs, TBG will, yes, he will.
That…and booze. Copious amounts of booze.
And strippers. Strippers with really big boobs.
TBG is with you Capt Ambiguity. (I think.)
TBG would love to see the ‘Heels mop the floor with Sakerlina with a following week annihilation by the Dawgs, still smarting from their 5 TD loss to Clemson…
I’m gonna love it when Carolina gets their ass handed to them on national TV.
USC or UNC? Dirt Peckers have been butt hurt recently by USC being considered University of Southern California and Carolina being North Carolina.
and since you idiot taters keep thinking that, THE USC has been beating your ass year after year.
Why would you think I’m a “tater”? Just another knee-jerk reaction from a dirt pecker fan?
“Well garsh dang Cletus, if’n he ain’t a cock fan he must be a ‘tater fan.”
I guess I gave you credit for not being a total dumbass without ties to either school going around butting his/her useless opinion in on here. Must not have much of a life to have to do that.
“well shucks. my life aint worth dog piss so I gonna make myself feel better by talking trash to or about teams I got nothing to do with.”
Sorry, I don’t need your credit… I’ve got plenty.
When South Carolina beats your ass for the 5th straight year will you just take solace in the fact that more people across the country associate USC with Southern Cal and Carolina with North Carolina?
If that unlikely event occurs, TBG will, yes, he will.
That…and booze. Copious amounts of booze.
And strippers. Strippers with really big boobs.
TBG is with you Capt Ambiguity. (I think.)
TBG would love to see the ‘Heels mop the floor with Sakerlina with a following week annihilation by the Dawgs, still smarting from their 5 TD loss to Clemson…
The run game worries me a lot. Brandon Wilds is a potential sleeper candidate for break-out player, but the HBC is right: we don’t know what this team can do. The schedule is pretty limp, but Georgia is early. I hope the Taters beat the shit out of them.
There. I said it. I hope Clemson wins.
The run game worries me a lot. Brandon Wilds is a potential sleeper candidate for break-out player, but the HBC is right: we don’t know what this team can do. The schedule is pretty limp, but Georgia is early. I hope the Taters beat the shit out of them.
There. I said it. I hope Clemson wins.
Georgia minus 10. Minimum bet two packs of Marlboros or a 30 minute phone card.
Can we get some over/under action for a can of mackeral?
Georgia minus 10. Minimum bet two packs of Marlboros or a 30 minute phone card.
Can we get some over/under action for a can of mackeral?
It makes you wonder how serious some of these players are. Clowney, Ellington, and Byrd were too hurt to practice this week. Yet a video came out showing Clowney and Ellington screwing around in the weight room and Ellington dunking a basketball… with his too injured to practice hamstring pull.
It makes you wonder how serious some of these players are. Clowney, Ellington, and Byrd were too hurt to practice this week. Yet a video came out showing Clowney and Ellington screwing around in the weight room and Ellington dunking a basketball… with his too injured to practice hamstring pull.
“All three of them were out here. They did not all practice. They’re injured,” Spurrier said. “They weren’t in the locker room jivin’ around and playing on their cell phones, like they were last night. That’s my fault.”
” jivin’ around ” – Steve Spurrier speak for “fucking around”.
“… one of college football’s elite teams….”
Check back with me when you win a championship. ANY championship. Not district runner-up.
you’re right. being one of only 4 teams in the entire country to finish with back to back 11 wins as well as back to back top 10 rankings as well top 15 in total wins from all BCS schools in the last 3 years (32) doesn’t mean shit I mean an ACC title is so big and important that they can have a 6-6 team in the championship game and also have a team out of the top 15 win it in the last 2 years. we know you are really a tater hiding behind the screen name LSU.
Even if SC has another 10 game winning streak, they still won’t be picked to play in the four team playoff championship. No way the NCAA will allow more than one SEC team in the playoffs.
If they are in the top 4 of the BCS standings at the end of the year they can. There is no automatic bid for winning a conference. It gets a boost for you if you win it, but it still comes down to rankings. If Clemson was the champ, as they were 2 years ago, and also ranked outside of the 15 (as they were), they would not have gotten in just because they won the ACC, and the SEC champs LSU would have been one of the 4 along with the #2 in the BCS, Alabama. The other 2 would have been Ok. St. and Stanford. Last years playoffs would have been Notre Dame, Bama, Florida, and Oregon. So yes the NCAA would allow two from the conference if they are one of the best 4 for the playoffs. So USC could go unbeaten all the way to the SEC champ game. be #1 or 2 in the BCS and then get beat. If they lose to a team like Bama or LSU if they are unbeaten they wont drop from 1 or 2 past 4 if the other teams have a loss. So they would be in.
And doesn’t that start next year, not this year?
you are mistaken. i am an LSU man who played football there and graduated from LSU. I attended SC games faithfully for 12-13 years, purchasing four season tickets. Win a championship. Any championship. Then we’ll talk.
“… one of college football’s elite teams….”
Check back with me when you win a championship. ANY championship. Not district runner-up.
you’re right. being one of only 4 teams in the entire country to finish with back to back 11 wins as well as back to back top 10 rankings as well top 15 in total wins from all BCS schools in the last 3 years (32) doesn’t mean shit I mean an ACC title is so big and important that they can have a 6-6 team in the championship game and also have a team out of the top 15 win it in the last 2 years. we know you are really a tater hiding behind the screen name LSU.
Even if SC has another 10 game winning streak, they still won’t be picked to play in the four team playoff championship. No way the NCAA will allow more than one SEC team in the playoffs.
If they are in the top 4 of the BCS standings at the end of the year they can. There is no automatic bid for winning a conference. It gets a boost for you if you win it, but it still comes down to rankings. If Clemson was the champ, as they were 2 years ago, and also ranked outside of the 15 (as they were), they would not have gotten in just because they won the ACC, and the SEC champs LSU would have been one of the 4 along with the #2 in the BCS, Alabama. The other 2 would have been Ok. St. and Stanford. Last years playoffs would have been Notre Dame, Bama, Florida, and Oregon. So yes the NCAA would allow two from the conference if they are one of the best 4 for the playoffs. So USC could go unbeaten all the way to the SEC champ game. be #1 or 2 in the BCS and then get beat. If they lose to a team like Bama or LSU if they are unbeaten they wont drop from 1 or 2 past 4 if the other teams have a loss. So they would be in.
And doesn’t that start next year, not this year?
you are mistaken. i am an LSU man who played football there and graduated from LSU. I attended SC games faithfully for 12-13 years, purchasing four season tickets. Win a championship. Any championship. Then we’ll talk.
There is no need to worry about TurdHoles. They can’t beat Dutch Fork HS.
There is no need to worry about TurdHoles. They can’t beat Dutch Fork HS.
(Throat-clearing noises) Ahem.. On the off-chance that I might lose a few friends here, let me simply say that I favor a win for South Carolina. I do not claim any knowledge of mighty accomplishment or potential energy waiting to spring to life on the field, as if a miracle were to happen. All I know is if football fans brag, they often lose. So I do not. Gentlemen and lady, let us play the game and then see who wins.
(Throat-clearing noises) Ahem.. On the off-chance that I might lose a few friends here, let me simply say that I favor a win for South Carolina. I do not claim any knowledge of mighty accomplishment or potential energy waiting to spring to life on the field, as if a miracle were to happen. All I know is if football fans brag, they often lose. So I do not. Gentlemen and lady, let us play the game and then see who wins.