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Carolina Football 2014
Posted on 1/4/14 at 3:38 pm
Posted on 1/4/14 at 3:38 pm
What does it look like? Word is your linebackers will be good, but you lose alot on the DL. What about the secondary? Will you continue your reputation as a top shelf defense or have a rebuilding year, moving some people around, making adjustments week to week to address issues from the previous week's game, like UGA's defense did all this year?
What about QB? Are you sold on DT? Who else is in the wings that will be fighting for the job?
I know Davis is back, what about Wilds?
How will the OL stack up?
Any beastly receivers going to make a name for themselves?
I know... lots of questions... feel free to answer in chunks.
SCrooster, I'm particularly interested in your opinions, and even though you hate me, because I am a fork-tongued cur, I still like you.
What about QB? Are you sold on DT? Who else is in the wings that will be fighting for the job?
I know Davis is back, what about Wilds?
How will the OL stack up?
Any beastly receivers going to make a name for themselves?
I know... lots of questions... feel free to answer in chunks.
SCrooster, I'm particularly interested in your opinions, and even though you hate me, because I am a fork-tongued cur, I still like you.
5
Posted on 1/4/14 at 4:25 pm to deeprig9
It is of my opinion that no fan of a team that has not had three consecutive 11-win seasons should be able to post on this specific board.
You'll know who what our team looks like next year when we beat y'all's arse in the Brice next year.
I know this doesn't answer all of your questions but I thought it was a point worth sharing.
You'll know who what our team looks like next year when we beat y'all's arse in the Brice next year.
I know this doesn't answer all of your questions but I thought it was a point worth sharing.
Posted on 1/4/14 at 5:03 pm to deeprig9
quote:
What does it look like? Word is your linebackers will be good, but you lose alot on the DL. What about the secondary? Will you continue your reputation as a top shelf defense or have a rebuilding year, moving some people around, making adjustments week to week to address issues from the previous week's game, like UGA's defense did all this year?
What about QB? Are you sold on DT? Who else is in the wings that will be fighting for the job?
I know Davis is back, what about Wilds?
How will the OL stack up?
Any beastly receivers going to make a name for themselves?
I know... lots of questions... feel free to answer in chunks.
SCrooster, I'm particularly interested in your opinions, and even though you hate me, because I am a fork-tongued cur, I still like you.
The defense will be once again rebuilding at some positions. At Defensive Tackle we are in great condition despite losing Quarles: we return starter Surratt, and have talented depth with Dixon Jr., Dukes, Griffin, and Green returning. We'll have incoming DT Lamin and Stallworth to fill out depth.
Defensive End will be the main concern: we return Harris, English, and Dixon who all played extensively this season. Gerald Turner, David Johnson and David Washington were red-shirted and should add to the depth, and incoming talent such as Dante Sawyer and Jhaustin Thomas could also factor in.IMO they can replace the production of Sutton (who IMO didn't produce like he was hoped to), and may come close to the 2013 Clowney production, but nowhere near the 2012 Clowney production. They certainly won't get the attention/respect that Clowney got from opposing defenses and DCs...
Linebacker position should be a strength next season with sick depth. We'll actually have trouble getting everybody playing time with Lewis (10 starts), Roberts (9 starts), Moore (4 starts), and Holloman (3 starts) rotating as the projected 2-deep, but also Walton, Bryant (top prospect in 2013 class), and Cedrick Cooper as well as stud incoming prospect Allen-Williams trying to find some snaps next season...
Cornerback will be an issue like DE for next season: we lose both our starters as well as our #3 CB who transferred out. We return only one CB in McWilliams who saw any extensive playing time, with 2 starts (1 start in the bowl game due to Hampton being punished for missing bowl-week curfew). We'll return JUCO Martin who missed 2013 with an injury, Groves from a red-shirt season, and walk-on Rhodes who actually may seriously compete for a starting spot. Very little returning game experience here: incoming CB commitment Al Harris Jr. is young and smallish, and was injured during his senior yr. at HS, so I don't know what contributions he could give. We continue to have a recruiting need for the CB position, as 4* Wesley Green was a commit but opened back up: we're in the running for both him as well as D.J. Smith who is rated by several sites as being better than Green - it's imperative we get at least one of them, but getting both wouldn't hurt either. They both could compete for a starter's spot right off the bat...
Safety we're much, much better in shape: returning entire 2-deep in Williams (11 starts), Marcus (7 starts), Gurley (2 starts), and Elder (6 starts), and also have Fleetwood, Moody, and Sasser as young depth (all true or RS freshmen this season). The Safety position as well as the LB's ability to pass cover on shallow routes (which they did fairly well at this season) will be called upon to help out the CB position next season...
Spur is also solid as primary starter Golightly returns and had his best season yet as a Gamecock this season. Also Diggs returns with Bryant possibly moving from LB to here will help the depth. The LB and Spur positions should again be a strength for USC in 2014...
Despite questions about USC's secondary pass defense coming into this season due to losing Swearinger, USC acutally improved from 2012's numbers in this area, moving from 5th to 3rd in the SEC, and from 21st to 12th nationally. We actually allowed 2 more passing yds per game (196 vs 194 last season), but the passing offenses overall nationally took a step up from last season. And our DL stats as far as pressuring the QBs - in TFL and sacks - declined substantially this season from last, so it couldn't be due to our DL helping the secondary out much.
So perhaps we'll have enough talent and coaching to maintain a solid if not stout passing D next season. IMO we may truly see a substantial decrease in defense in 2014: drop from the top 15-25 to perhaps top 40-50. It will depend on how well the newcomers improve during the season, like the LB position did...
This post was edited on 1/4/14 at 5:50 pm
Posted on 1/4/14 at 5:12 pm to ConwayGamecock
Shaq Roland
Skai Moore
David Williams
Pharoh Cooper
Chaz Elder
Skai Moore
David Williams
Pharoh Cooper
Chaz Elder
Posted on 1/4/14 at 5:19 pm to deeprig9
The linebackers are going to be fricking nasty. Skai Moore could be All-SEC at WLB with Kaiwan Lewis and TJ Holloman alternating at MLB when both could start on most teams in the SEC
We replace Clowney Quarles and Sutton on the Dline, but there is a lot of experienced depth there and a lot of new talent coming in. JUCO Abu Lamin might take over Quarles starting spot. The DEs we have coming back are a little too light right now but either they add add weight in the offseason or JUCO Jhaustin Thomas and true freshman Dante Sawyer contribute more early as the are already 260+
CB will be interesting to see and weak early on similar to our linebackers this year. We only have 3 scholarship CBs coming back and none of them have any significant experience. We already have 2 commits in Al Harris and Darin Smalls but both suffered ACL injuries this season so its critical that we land Wesley Green and DJ Smith. If we could get Lammons to flip from Florida it'd be huge.
It'll be an open competition between Thompson- a redshirt senior, Brendan Nosovitch-a redshirt sophomore and Conor Mitch-a redshirt freshman.
Some fans are convinced Thompson will start, others are excited Mitch and think he will since he was the highest rated coming out of highschool.
I personally think that Nosovitch will win the job in spring or fall camp because he is a dual threat QB similar to Shaw but thicker while the other two are more prototypical drop back passers. With Nosovitch the offense can continue to do what we've done since 2010 and run the zone read
Wilds is coming back and redshirt freshman David Williams will get some carries. Heard a lot about him in fall camp but the staff decided to redshirt him
Oline should return 4 out of 5 starters with RG the only open spot. Although the replacement will be young it should be an upgrade in talent with either DJ Park, Brock or maybe Clayton Stadnick and Na'Ty Rodgers probably earning the spot.
Returning are redshirt seniors Corey Robinson at LT and AJ Cann at LG, redshirt freshmen Clayton Stadnick and Cody Waldrop at C and redshirt junior Brandon Shell at RT with Robinson Cann and Shell starting all 14 games. All could potentially end up on All-SEC
Shaq Roland and Pharoh Cooper have the potential to be the best WR combo in the SEC next year and could earn All-SEC next year. Cooper already landed on it this year in the all purpose role I believe
Byrd and Jones will return for their senior seasons with Shaq Davidson and Terry Googer coming in as true freshmen.
We didn't do that this year and I don't expect to do it next year. Ward identified who he thought gave him the best chance to win early on and stuck with them, making only one big change in moving Brison Williams back to SS and starting Chaz Elder at FS, which is when the defense settled down.
If Grantham was doing things like that all year its not surprising why UGA's defense was so bad or why hes a terrible coach
We replace Clowney Quarles and Sutton on the Dline, but there is a lot of experienced depth there and a lot of new talent coming in. JUCO Abu Lamin might take over Quarles starting spot. The DEs we have coming back are a little too light right now but either they add add weight in the offseason or JUCO Jhaustin Thomas and true freshman Dante Sawyer contribute more early as the are already 260+
CB will be interesting to see and weak early on similar to our linebackers this year. We only have 3 scholarship CBs coming back and none of them have any significant experience. We already have 2 commits in Al Harris and Darin Smalls but both suffered ACL injuries this season so its critical that we land Wesley Green and DJ Smith. If we could get Lammons to flip from Florida it'd be huge.
quote:
What about QB? Are you sold on DT? Who else is in the wings that will be fighting for the job?
It'll be an open competition between Thompson- a redshirt senior, Brendan Nosovitch-a redshirt sophomore and Conor Mitch-a redshirt freshman.
Some fans are convinced Thompson will start, others are excited Mitch and think he will since he was the highest rated coming out of highschool.
I personally think that Nosovitch will win the job in spring or fall camp because he is a dual threat QB similar to Shaw but thicker while the other two are more prototypical drop back passers. With Nosovitch the offense can continue to do what we've done since 2010 and run the zone read
quote:
I know Davis is back, what about Wilds?
How will the OL stack up?
Wilds is coming back and redshirt freshman David Williams will get some carries. Heard a lot about him in fall camp but the staff decided to redshirt him
Oline should return 4 out of 5 starters with RG the only open spot. Although the replacement will be young it should be an upgrade in talent with either DJ Park, Brock or maybe Clayton Stadnick and Na'Ty Rodgers probably earning the spot.
Returning are redshirt seniors Corey Robinson at LT and AJ Cann at LG, redshirt freshmen Clayton Stadnick and Cody Waldrop at C and redshirt junior Brandon Shell at RT with Robinson Cann and Shell starting all 14 games. All could potentially end up on All-SEC
quote:
Any beastly receivers going to make a name for themselves?
Shaq Roland and Pharoh Cooper have the potential to be the best WR combo in the SEC next year and could earn All-SEC next year. Cooper already landed on it this year in the all purpose role I believe
Byrd and Jones will return for their senior seasons with Shaq Davidson and Terry Googer coming in as true freshmen.
quote:
moving some people around, making adjustments week to week to address issues from the previous week's game, like UGA's defense did all this year?
We didn't do that this year and I don't expect to do it next year. Ward identified who he thought gave him the best chance to win early on and stuck with them, making only one big change in moving Brison Williams back to SS and starting Chaz Elder at FS, which is when the defense settled down.
If Grantham was doing things like that all year its not surprising why UGA's defense was so bad or why hes a terrible coach
Posted on 1/4/14 at 5:39 pm to deeprig9
quote:
What does it look like? Word is your linebackers will be good, but you lose alot on the DL. What about the secondary? Will you continue your reputation as a top shelf defense or have a rebuilding year, moving some people around, making adjustments week to week to address issues from the previous week's game, like UGA's defense did all this year?
What about QB? Are you sold on DT? Who else is in the wings that will be fighting for the job?
I know Davis is back, what about Wilds?
How will the OL stack up?
Any beastly receivers going to make a name for themselves?
I know... lots of questions... feel free to answer in chunks.
SCrooster, I'm particularly interested in your opinions, and even though you hate me, because I am a fork-tongued cur, I still like you.
On offense, I expected to see one of the top offenses in USC's history this season, and pretty much got what I expected. Set a new program record for total yards per game and for the season: I was looking for points per game to be around 35+ - we scored 34.1 ppg, so it was pretty much there...
We should have the potential of again having a solid to record-setting offense next season, provided we remain relatively healthy.
At Quarterback, it seems like ages ago that a large portion of the Gamecock fanbase were seriously arguing that Dylan Thompson should start over Connor Shaw. Shaw went great lengths to quell those notions, but it doesn't change the fact that Thompson has performed solidly to spectacularly whenever he's been called on. Dylan will not run as often as Shaw, and he's a bigger physical QB than Shaw was, if not so much more tougher. He could maybe hold up better for a season than Shaw was able to.
Thompson is capable of throwing every pass and has a wealth of starting experience, so we should be fine here. He'll be backed up by Nosovitch who's a similar dual threat body to what we had in Stephen Garcia, and RS-Freshman Mitch who'll be getting his 1st opportunity to play college FB. Both backups are very talented: Noso more of the dual threat, Mitch like Thompson more of the passer....
Offensive Line we should be stout and have one of the more experienced lines in the SEC for 2014. All returning OL are expected to return, and for the 2nd yr in a row we return 4 of 5 starters. We have great depth behind them with 4* Stadnick, 4* Park, 4* Rodgers, and incoming 4* Stanley who has the body that may be ready for CFB off the bat (some questions about strength development but we'll see). USC improved in most every attributable stats this season (TFL allowed, sacks allowed, rushing offense, interceptions committed), and the OL played a role in that.
Running Back will also be a strength in 2014: Mike Davis led the SEC in rushing ypg, rushing tds, and total offensive yds from scrimmage per gm through the first 8-9 gms of the season. Then the constant wear and tear started to get to him and his production diminished. Davis is not the workhorse every-carry back that Lattimore was: he works better rotating in and out of games in a tandem, and churning off huge chunks of yardage in a limited number of carries. When our #2 RB Wilds was lost after 2-3 games to injury and Davis had to carry the workload, it wore him down IMO.
Next season USC will have Davis, Wilds returning, Carson, and red-shirt Freshman 4* David Williams who the staff is very excited about. Also will have Jamari Smith who switched from CB to RB this season and may return to CB due to depth concerns there. USC will no longer have the X-Factor of QB Connor Shaw peeling off big 3rd-down runs and serving as another quality RB on offense. The depth may be thinner in this regard but will still be stellar and very talented. We just need to stay healthy here...
At Wide Receiver Gamecock fans were once again for the 2nd off-season hit with stunning news of a leading receiver leaving early for the NFL. Losing Ellington will be a huge loss for sure, but the depth at WR at USC has been increasing with every season. USC returns two legit deep-threat receivers in Roland and Byrd, as well as returning a solid possession receiver in Jones. 4* talents Smith and Fuller also return and will get their best chance to make their marks in the offense, while true freshman sensation Pharoh Cooper will have a season of experience under his belt. Incoming 4* talents Davidson and Googer as well as another Cooper-type talent Samuel will add to the depth. We should be fine at WR...
Tight End is another position sick with depth of talent. The position has been maligned by the fanbase as not being utilized enough to our satisfaction, considering the wealth of athletic talent it holds. USC should return entire depth of Anderson, Adams, Owens, and Rainey, as well as adding to it with incoming 4* Crosby and 4* Ritchie (although both of these may end up as a HB and DE instead).
I expect USC's offense to again be capable of high-scoring and moving the ball. We may actually need to more than at any other time under Spurrier, if our defense takes an expected dip in performance. But we have the depth, talent, and experience on that side of the ball to accomplish this, despite the losses of Shaw, Ellington, and Patrick...
Posted on 1/4/14 at 5:52 pm to Cockopotamus
quote:
CB will be interesting to see and weak early on similar to our linebackers this year. We only have 3 scholarship CBs coming back and none of them have any significant experience.
That was UGA's problem on defense. Corners are among the last positions you want to play freshmen at, on this level. It used to be that if you could stop the run, your defense will be fine. The game has changed. That's no longer necessarily the case.
quote:
If Grantham was doing things like that all year its not surprising why UGA's defense was so bad or why hes a terrible coach
On Grantham, it depends on who you ask. One person says "Stop Changing People, They Can't Get Better" and another person says "If It Isn't Working, Change It." I'm sure the staff has had that conversation a few times.
Posted on 1/4/14 at 5:57 pm to ConwayGamecock
quote:
Roland
I forgot about him.
He good.
Posted on 1/4/14 at 6:22 pm to deeprig9
quote:
He good.
He really turned it on second half of the season, had some amazing catches. He should go ham next year.
Posted on 1/4/14 at 7:00 pm to atlgamecockman
quote:
He really turned it on second half of the season, had some amazing catches. He should go ham next year.
Yeah, that 3-gm suspension he got really threw him off-track: the first 3 gms he played in before the suspension, he was leading the team in receiving yds. Then when he was suspended, Byrd took his spot and really came on with 12 receptions for 229 yds (76.3 ypg) and 2 tds in those 3 games. Roland came back for the UT game, but Byrd also had his best game as a Gamecock then with 4 catches for 121 yds and a td, then would have another 4 catches for 76 yds vs Missouri...
If anything, Ellington's departure may help getting both Byrd and Roland on the field at the same time, and both are capable of filling the role Ellington served as a receiver. You can't replace Ellington's leadership and big-play capability, but the others returning can all contribute in their own way enough to fill in for the loss in production IMO, just like they did for when Sanders left last season....
Posted on 1/4/14 at 11:48 pm to deeprig9
quote:
SCrooster, I'm particularly interested in your opinions, and even though you hate me, because I am a fork-tongued cur, I still like you.
Never-too-early-to-peek-at-the-possibilities-for-2014-a.aspx
Already been doing this thread ... and I've been saying for the better part of two years now that 2014 was going to be SCAR's year. I've stated why ... I've also stated that 2013 would be the toughest year, top to bottom in SEC history and the bowls would prove that out (although I fully expected Bams to win their game), and I've stated 2014 will be even tougher.
I thought 2013 would be the year for SCAR to beat Bama in Atlanta, and I still believe they would have ... except we shite the bed in Knoxville and Bama was beaten by Auburn.
2014's SEC Championship might well be a repeat of 2010 ... there will be the game between SCAR and Auburn in Auburn and then the game between the same two teams in Atlanta ... except this time there should be a different outcome in both games, if I'm correct.
Why?
Because SCAR will finally simply be good from top to bottom and deep at all positions. No major superstars, just a team full of great players two deep with excellent chemistry. All the pieces are in place, all the coaching staff is stable and in place, all the fans are in place ... 2014 will show no weaknesses on the team with the exception of possibly the kicking game - and that had better be fixed in the off season, no excuses.
We're loaded at RB/TB and the world is going to be shocked at how good a redshirted David Williams is going to be next year.
We're loaded at WR.
We're loaded at QB.
We're loaded and deep on the OLine.
The questions about our DLine ... I'm not worried in the least. These are some of the most highly recruited players in the country, many/all of them having had been offered by Saban at Bama, Richt at UGA, etc. Plus we bring-in Abu Lamin and a couple of others ... we'll be more than fine along the DLine.
We're loaded at LB.
The Secondary is a big question mark but, as most Gamecock fans know, we reload in the secondary ...
The big question is chemistry ... and that's where we will excel this coming season.
We open at home, with games in the Cock Pit against A&M, ECU and UGA. We get through those, go 3-0, and we're off to the races before heading to Nashville to face Vandy. Then we get Mizzou back in the Cock Pit ... let's hope we run our home winning streak to what, 22 consecutive by the time Mizzou leaves? Then we go to Kentucky, then open date before the warm up return game against Furman. Then we go to Auburn, after-which we come home to face Tennessee in the Cock Pit. Then we've got an open date before we go to The Swamp, then we come home to face S. Bama, then we go to Clemson.
Our schedule is perfect. It sets-up perfectly for us to run the table with the team we are returning.
Posted on 1/5/14 at 1:43 am to scrooster
good write up.
Posted on 1/5/14 at 11:01 am to ConwayGamecock
quote:
At Quarterback, it seems like ages ago that a large portion of the Gamecock fanbase were seriously arguing that Dylan Thompson should start over Connor Shaw. Shaw went great lengths to quell those notions, but it doesn't change the fact that Thompson has performed solidly to spectacularly whenever he's been called on. Dylan will not run as often as Shaw, and he's a bigger physical QB than Shaw was, if not so much more tougher. He could maybe hold up better for a season than Shaw was able to.
Thompson is capable of throwing every pass and has a wealth of starting experience, so we should be fine here. He'll be backed up by Nosovitch who's a similar dual threat body to what we had in Stephen Garcia, and RS-Freshman Mitch who'll be getting his 1st opportunity to play college FB. Both backups are very talented: Noso more of the dual threat, Mitch like Thompson more of the passer....
I am firmly in the Nosovitch camp at the moment. I think his tools are a mirror image of Shaw so the drop off will be less severe. Though, with the past two Heisman winners in mind, Connor Mitch would be an interesting idea if we want to go to a more traditional QB route...
I like DT fine, but I just don't think he is the starting QB we need to excel next year. I would be completely OK with being wrong on that, though.
Posted on 1/5/14 at 2:12 pm to Loathor
quote:
I am firmly in the Nosovitch camp at the moment. I think his tools are a mirror image of Shaw so the drop off will be less severe. Though, with the past two Heisman winners in mind, Connor Mitch would be an interesting idea if we want to go to a more traditional QB route...
I like DT fine, but I just don't think he is the starting QB we need to excel next year. I would be completely OK with being wrong on that, though.
Agree with all of this. Don't have anything against Thompson and if hes the best we've got then great, I just think that Nosovitch provides the best chance to win since he has the legs to keep the offense like it was with Shaw
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