GAMECOCKS LOOK TO REGROUP …
|| By FITSNEWS || After five years of mediocrity, University of South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier elevated the Gamecock football program to unprecedented heights between 2010-13.
In over a century of football, South Carolina had never won more than ten games in a given year. Or finished a season ranked in the Top Ten.
Then it happened … and not just once, but three times. South Carolina also won a New Year’s Day bowl game three times in a row – downing a trio of national powerhouse programs in the process.
Most importantly, Spurrier’s teams beat arch-rival Clemson University five times in a row … and not some pushover Clemson team, either, we’re talking about a Tiger squad that was armed to the teeth with quarterback Tajh Boyd and wide receiver Sammy Watkins. A team that rewrote the Clemson record book … even as it entered a period of unprecedented futility against its arch rival.
But within the Gamecocks’ streak of success there were missed opportunities …
South Carolina only captured one SEC east championship during its four-year run … and the program never made a bowl championship series (BCS) appearance. And obviously the Gamecocks never got close to that elusive national championship.
Still, Spurrier entered 2014 cockier than ever … only to watch his program implode.
South Carolina was the most disappointing team in college football last year … by a country mile. And the offseason hasn’t been much better.
Will 2015 see a return to national prominence? Or another year of “rebuilding?”
The early reports aren’t good … with an analyst for Athlon Sports recently warning that South Carolina was “in danger of becoming (an) SEC East bottom feeder.”
Ouch …
Gamecock fans will get a first look at their 2015 squad on April 11 when the program hosts its annual Garnet and Black spring game. Admission to the game – which will be held at Williams-Brice Stadium – is free. (For more information, CLICK HERE).
Obviously South Carolina has to make monumental improvements on the defensive side of the ball after getting shredded last season to the tune of 432.7 yards and 30.6 points per game. Hopefully new co-defensive coordinator Jon Hoke can help in that regard.
But there are also serious question marks on the offensive side of the ball, too.
Spurrier is now calling the plays for the Gamecock offense (which should clear up some confusion), but he enters this season without a proven quarterback for the first time in years. There are also question marks along the offensive line with the departure of A.J. Cann and Corey Robinson. That’s a shame, because South Carolina returns Pharoh Cooper – one of the top wide receivers in the nation – as well as considerable depth at running back, wideout and tight end.
South Carolina opens its 2015 slate against North Carolina in Charlotte, N.C. on Thursday, September 3. It gets Kentucky, Central Florida, LSU, Vanderbilt, Florida, The Citadel and Clemson at home … and Georgia, Missouri, Texas A&M and Tennessee on the road.
Pic: Laurie Giarratano
84 comments
Lulz…Cock fans brag about how great Clemson football was when you beat them (now) all the while saying how much they sucked (then).
Which one was it?
I could ask the same thing of Clemson fans who kept pointing to history and the overall series record when they were getting their rears handed to them five years in a row. Fans of winning teams live in the moment. Fans of losing teams either live in the past or try to live in the future. It’s the way it goes everywhere.
Wouldn’t the loss streak of 5 years in a row now be history?
Clemson had several win streaks of 3 and 4 in a row, and once, 7 in a row. I never hear that mentioned.
But that wasn’t really the point that you obviously missed. To USCe Fans, when Clemson plays USCe, Clemson “sucks”. But later, as Fits explained, Clemson was “record setting”, inasmuch to help make USC’s wins look better.
Yeah, it’s history now. At any time during the streak it would have been considered “the moment”. To your second point, USC did suck last year and Clemson was recorded setting during part of the five year streak. I don’t personally care to bring that up because a win is a win and a loss is a loss, regardless of any biased qualifiers one fan base or another might throw into it. Nevertheless, it’s not necessarily wrong if someone decides to point it out.
Neither is the total domination of the series by Clemson. But I understand that at least for cock fans, history started 6 years ago, and ended last year.
You sucked then…and you suck now…Dumb@$$…You’ll ALWAYS SUCK playing in that WEAK-@$$ conference…
Hope that clears it up…LMAO…
Wow, what a brilliant and lucid comeback.
Typical fan BS, gutter-level trash talk from a juvenile. See my response to this for a more mature and less menacing response.
You are trite and predictable. Your claims are broken before you start…
See one liberal’s post, or Clemson fan’s response —you’ve pretty much seen them all. No need to look.
No, YOU are trite and predictable and I’ve spelled why numerous times. You just throw the claim up on the wall a million times hoping it will stick. I’m neither liberal nor a Clemson fan. That’s not even what this is about. It’s about acting like a rational adult, as opposed to an irrational little child. Learn how to conduct yourself properly, or keep on being a menace.
B-O-R-I-N-G…..
Hahaha…Is that what you’re reduced? It’s always boring when there is rational and clear thinking and you can’t understand it. I guess it’s much more to read and traffic in psychotic rants and profane diatribes. Thank you, as usual, for showing who you are by not answering the question and running away.
You do realize that the only conference championship USCe has won is an ACC championship decades ago. Maybe USCe should consider transferring back to a conference where they can actually compete.
I’d RATHER have a team in the BEST college football Conference in America…than play little boy football in the ACC…SEC football is EXCITING and the games are BIG and meaningful…
Clemson has done well in the little joke conference. Good for you…but ACC Saturdays are laughable.
ACC games are pretty much irrelevant…except people praying your “powers” LOSE because you do not deserve credit for your wins…most of the time…
When I tune in on TV and see it’s an ACC game, it’s depressing…Small Time, almost D-II-like football…
There’s an argument to be made the Pac12 is a far deeper conference than the SEC, especially looking at how the SEC played in bowls this last season.
As for DII like football, perhaps you should look at a history of Carolina football before the last four years.
Least in the East is all Carolina can hope to be – in their Golden Age all they won was the opportunity to get anally probed by Auburn down in Atlanta.
Typical ACC Dumb@$$…You have one less that totally SUCKY year…and you take it that you’ve killed the KING…All your weakness is gone…Dumb@$$…
Didn’t the ACC get the S#!t kicked out of it in the bowl games…even corrupt FSU was far less powerful…Clemson got its @$$ beat by Ga. Even SC, in an off year…beat Ga.
And look at SC playing Miami…SC had a horrible year..and still beat the F*#k out of one of the ACC’s premier football programs…
You’re not THAT stupid are you???
Wow, we beat Miami! So did Louisville, Virginia, and Pittsburgh. We’re in good company.
Yes, we beat Georgia and Clemson lost to them. But we beat them at home and they lost on the road. Not only that, but that was with Cole Stoudt as their starter and Watson playing limited snaps. Just because we’re Gamecock fans doesn’t mean we have to try and find every avenue to weasel our way out of the fact that we sucked this year.
If you’re the shittiest team in a good conference, does it matter?
Being the midget that hangs out with the basketball team doesn’t make you any taller.
You get that, right?
SC has one of the BEST records in the nation’s BEST conference in the last 5 years…you IGNORANT F*#k…
And where has that gotten them? One division title during a down year, no conference championship, no BCS bowl invite, etc… They could have gone 6-6 and likely drawn a bid to the same bowls.
Not surprising, you enjoy being the whipping boy here, so nobody should be shocked that you want your team to be the whipping boy of the conference.
So what you’re saying is that USCe can only win a championship in a little joke of a conference such as the ACC.
As it’s been noted before about USCe fans… “Alabama mouth, Vanderbilt trophy case”.
SC has one of the BEST records in the SEC in the last 4 or 5 years….You ignorant F*#k…
Too bad they have nothing to show for it.
Let the ignorance, hate and bile flow through you.
We understand that you just aren’t that intelligent, and how you portray yourself is proof of that.
I wish that you were just an internet parody, but sadly, you aren’t.
Don’t worry Dumb@$$…SC will be back to Kicking your WEAK program’s @$$ again in 2015. You have NO Chad Morris for a security blanket…
And: I PRAY you let Dabo run the offense…PLEASE!!!…Pretty PLEASE…LMAO…
A big prediction for such a weak-minded person. I hope you’re right, but it’s not like Chad Morris was a security blanket the previous five years against us. So, as usual, your argument makes no sense. You better hope we win, otherwise the Clemson fans will be quoting this post of yours in response to any and everything you say.
I don’t know why I’m even arguing with you. It’s not like your trying to engage in debate. Your just trying to vomit up the same self-assuring bilge you always do to satisfy your hate-filled and menacing appetite. I know I’m just asking for more of your irrelevant garbage to come back as a response, but it’s alright. Trolls have to eat, too.
If Morris is irrelevant…why was he the highest paid assistant in America…
It makes you look like a Dumb@$$ to pay him like that if he is so disposable…
Either you’re going to miss him…or you have a very stupid head coach for clinging to Morris like Dabo did…
I guess because Dabo doesn’t have a couple sons that need jobs like the Head Ball Sack.
I assume because he did build an offensive identity. Now that the offensive identity has been established and talent is on the roster, he’s not as relevant any loner. DeShaun Watson is essentially idiot proof. You don’t have to be a genius play-caller to win games with him. Same thing with Connor Shaw. They will make you look like a genius, but if it’s Tommy Beecher or Cole Stoudt throwing the passes, all of a sudden the genius play-callers start looking like idiots.
Pretty pathetic when your life revolves around a football team that considers it a successful year to finish above mid-level in their division.
Apologies for my Tiger brethren, Grand Tango.
TBg is willing to stipulate that your knowledge of suck, sucking and all things suckitude far outweighs any of our individual…HELL, all our knowledge combined and multiplied by some huge national debt type number. Carry on good sir.
That’s some real useful, insightful “reporting” right there.
Spurrier called into the Dan Patrick show and spoke to Dan and to Darius Rucker today. Say what you want but Steve Spurrier has been and continues to be a class act who shines a positive light on South Carolina and the University. This state will always be indebted to him for making this his home for so many years.
I remember when he was with Florida and USCe fans used to spit on and throw shit at him as he passed through the tunnel to the locker room.
How the f am I indebted to Spurrier for anything? Him being here, or not, doesn’t affect me in the least. Not one iota.
“Class act”. Funny, thats not what USCe fans used to say about before he lied to the Florida fans and left the next day.
I’m surprised Spurrier and Ray didn’t have a “Five in a Row” trophy made up to go with the fifth place rings. Since “five in a row” seems to be the only thing fans can cling to from the “Glory Years.”
I hear it’ll go nice with their conference 2nd place ring he handed out.
That and the ridiculous 80′ tall banner of Spurrier on the stadium.
I rode through that shithole last week and got the best laugh from that poster–I’d never seen it in person. It’s ridiculous, and I think it pretty much shows who the real star is at that stadium: an old man who drinks too much and dyes his hair.
Keep it classy, cocks.
Were you driving through to pick up truck parts or to drop off your forklift for repair?
Don’t let the bright lights and indoor plumbing of Columbia intimidate you. You orange boys just need to remember one thing: you don’t have to be lonely, at farmersonly.com.
Bright lights, are you talking about the neon signs in the windows of the industrial park businesses or the high end Bojangles out side the stadium? If Columbia has indoor plumbing, why are all those people who live around the stadium pissing outside, are they afraid someone will steal their BiLo shopping cart if they leave it unattended? Nothing intimidates a visiting team like driving up and entering a stadium that looks like a parking garage guarded by an intimidating 80 foot toll attendant.
“Keep it classy, cocks.” This from someone whose handle is E Norma Scok? Not sure your orange dolts can handle an intimidating text, but try looking up the definition of irony in the dictionary.
When I’m paid 3 million a year and am in the public eye, I’ll worry about that kinda thing, sport.
Low expectations for South Carolina coincide with extremely high expectations at Clemson. The only things Clemson fans seem to worry about are injuries. Expectations can be tricky as South Carolina found out last year.
FITS already jumping on the media cliche wagon to Bash the Gamecocks…
Hey FITS, you tried going after Spurrier before…and he slapped the S#!t out of you…w/ 3, 11 wins seasons……you didn’t learn ANYTHING from that @$$-kickin he put on you…????
What about you and RT surmising that Clowney was over-rated by SC fans…???…that blew up on you too…idiot…LMAO…
I know you Dumb@$$#$ will try to get all the mileage you can out of 2014…but you’re going to look like the stupid F*#k you are…if Spurrier picks up where he left off in 2013…and Clemson tanks w/o Chad Morris…
Nothing funnier than seeing FITS with S#!t all over his face…and it happens a lot…thank goodness…
“…media cliche wagon to Bash the Gamecocks…”
Everybody is aginst you! Always the victim, huh? That’s right out of the liberal playboook.
Yep, that’s the irony I’ve always tried to point out to him. Just about everything he says is straight out of the liberal playbook. He will never acknowledge or give credence to it. He will simply ignore it or say something that changes the subject completely.
No…how’d you get that stupid conclusion…I said (in effect) FITS, like you, is a Dumb@$$…LMAO…
Please tell us what a “Media cliche” is.
Idiot.
Go look in the mirror…Dumb@$$…LMAO…
Liberal idiot.
The great thing about college football is you never really know how good or bad a team is going to be year to year. Last year expectations for USC (The real on, you know the one founded in 1801 before the state that other school is in was even at state) where through the roof. It turned out to be a bad year, no one knows about this year, it’s all speculation until they start play games in the Fall. We’ll know something in September.
Corey Miller says “bout like last year”
Corey Miller is likely just trying to stay on USCe’s good side so he can keep his job.
He works for WACH TV?!?
I don’t think he meant it as a compliment either. He was concerned about the same stuff, quarterback, defense etc
He’s P!$$#d because SC thought his son would be WAY more trouble than he’d be worth, because Miller is such a liability…
You already said that, now we all know you like to listen to yourself talk (because nobody else will). But how about shutting the fuck up for a minute.
I think WACH TV news/weather/sports ratings are slightly below those of ETV’s.
Regardless, he’s hardly a shill for USC – are you suggesting we’ll be worse?
I think that will be determined by which never taken a meaningful snap quarterback you go with.
You mean somebody like Connor Mitch who threw for 12,000 yards in high school and ranks number 2 all time for offensive production.?
Well guess Dylan’s stats will be shattered this year… because high school football = SEC football.
Unlikely 7-5. Likely 6-6.
Unless the wheels fall off…
Then it could get ugly.
Or you THAT stupid you did not understand what he said?
Have you ever listened to Miller talk? I doubt most understand what he says.
You are a TRUE Clemson fan…that’s for sure…LMAO…
Maybe one of these days I’ll go see them play.
He says that for Stupid F*#ks like you..because you buy anything he says…and you want to hear it…
Miller is mad at SC because they did not kiss his @$$ – or hire him and who he told SS to hire…And SC did not recruit his son, because they did not want him sniping at their @$$ daily…
Miller got fired from VOC-Radio because he failed to show up for a post-game show. He claimed he “ain’t like white people.” He’s scared of lightening….
Miller always predicts the Gamecocks down..until he got lucky in 2014…when the D collapsed and blew 3 games…and made SC’s detractors happy for a season…
If Hoke fixed the problem…you’ll go back to looking like the same Dumb@$$ you were before issues on D…
The defense is going to be vastly improved this year. It was going to be whether Hoke came in or not. That’s because talent and experience were lacking, whereas they will not be this year. So, this year’s improvement on D will be neither an indictment on Ward nor a complete commendation for Hoke. Just FYI. I know you don’t like certain things cutting into your preconceived notions.
So you think Miller is WRONG…Way to go…
FITS says SC has to make MONUMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS on D…
He Dumb@$$…SC barely lost 3 games because the D played well all but about the last 5 minutes of the game…
That does not indicate MONUMENTAL issues…unless you’re a panicked Dumb@$$ like FITS…
Also: No “PROVEN” QB…Garcia was a PROVEN QB when he was benched for Conner Shaw…Dumb@$$…And I’m SURE you would have called Shaw UNPROVEN..and bashed him for every pound he weighs…before he won…and Shut you TFU….
100 more points and you’d have been national champs, amiright?
“SC barely lost 3 games”
Is that like you barely getting your sister pregnant?
I’ll simplify it for you, since you seem to be a Dumb@$$…
It means getting COACHING help – not monumental – help could improve SC’s D…Dumb@$$…
How does that make a drastic impact when you still have 11 special admit student-athletes on the field who are afraid to get hit?
Go Bobcats (Ohio U.)!
The key to Carolina’s season, just as last season, is Defense.
The key to Defense is Linebacker play.
If USC allows that worthless Defensive Coordinator, Lorenzo Ward, from last year to be anywhere near the Linebacker play strategy, it will be another year of regrets.
I remember some ragging last year at this time about certain countdown clocks.
Slow day so far at Fits. I’d even be willing to read more about the fighting between the Honey Badger and the Honey Beaver.
“I’d even be willing to read more about the fighting between the Honey Badger and the Honey Beaver.”
Pics of the Honey Beaver accompanying such a write up would be nice as well.
Good to see Liz writing for Athlon this year. STF Home Fits if you dont like it. Not like u give a nickle to GCC anyway. All Mouth All The Time. Just like your idol Dat-Boy!!!
Hell, Fits doesn’t know which end of the ball goes on the tee !
Sold Old Corey a vehicle years ago. Had a basketball problem involving bouncing.
Corey is a Democrat shrill. He about busted a nut the day that Joe Biden was in town a few weeks ago. He posted all types of Twitter pics of them hobnobbing together at a local wing joint. He was so excited you couldn’t help noticing his hardon. It was almost as bad as that local weatherman who is being used as Obama’s pawn for global warming and was corrupted with a day at the White House interviewing the president. These guys can’t hide their bias.
Carolina will be lucky to pull out a winning season this year. Watch the bandwagon empty…