One more first down probably would have made the difference, but South Carolina couldn’t get it. Leading by a slim margin in the fourth quarter and facing a third-and-short, the Gamecocks threw the ball incomplete – giving Kentucky the opportunity it needed to stun USC last season in Commonwealth Stadium. Mark Stoops would like this season’s to go just a little better.
Advertisement
The Wildcats are on a 22-game road losing streak, and Stoops is 0-9 on the road as a head coach. “I’ve always believed last year’s game with whomever you played is history”, Spurrier told reporters.
South Carolina had its own problems with finishing strong.
In fact, Spurrier was complimentary of the Wildcats at his press conference Tuesday.
” Injury update: Linebacker Ryan Flannigan wore a red no-contact jersey at Thursday’s practice, Stoops said, and looks “very doubtful” for Saturday’s game against the Gamecocks with a lingering shoulder injury”. “I don’t think we did a very good job of getting some guys open for him”. They scored a lot of points last week.
“No, we haven’t done that”, Spurrier replied, when asked about scripting plays. “We’re hoping he will improve as the season goes”.
There wasn’t much to compliment the Gamecocks about offensively, at least through the air. In the receiving end, Pharoh Cooper had 45 yards and one touchdown in three receptions while Wilds added 44 yards in four receptions.
Spurrier has talked up his running game this week, especially the performance of senior Brandon Wilds (14 carries for 51 yards against North Carolina, 3.6 avg.). Carson’s long run also bailed out the offense, which needs to be better in the passing game after Connor Mitch finished 9-for-22 for 122 yards and a touchdown last week.
Allowing big chunks of rushing yardage and poor tackling discipline were the Gamecocks biggest areas of concern last week. What happened (against UNC), we went out there and North Carolina wasn’t out there yet, so our guys just stood around and waited. Hood’s absence on the field in the game’s final six minutes has been the subject of many a Tar Heel message board rant this week. The Wildcats figure to be pass-happy under new offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson, but they might want to lean on the run against a South Carolina defense that had a tough time stopping the ground game last week.
Advertisement
United Kingdom hasn’t won at Williams Brice Stadium since 1999.
