Questions abound for USC

By DENNIS BRUNSON
Item Sports Editor
dennisb@theitem.com

Steve Spurrier’s four-year tenure as the head football coach at the University of South Carolina has had its moments of promise; they’ve almost always been followed by moments of disappointment.

The first season — 20005 — ended with just a 7-5 record, but included were victories over Tennessee and Florida. That had Carolina fans thinking only better things were yet to come. USC went 8-5 the next year, winning the Liberty Bowl, but helping Florida win the national title when it had three kicks blocked in a 17-16 loss.

The past two seasons have been extremely frustrating for Gamecock fans. USC opened the ‘07 season with a 6-1 record and a No. 6 national ranking only to lose its last five games. Last season, it was 7-3 before getting blown out by eventual national champion Florida. The Gamecocks failed to show up in its final two games, lopsided losses to Clemson and to Iowa in the Outback Bowl.

As Spurrier enters his fifth season in Columbia on Thursday when South Carolina travels to North Carolina State, Gamecock fans would like to think this is the season when the corner is finally turned. Spurrier has a couple of top 10 recruiting classes under his belt and reportedly surrounded himself with the the greatest group of assistant coaches in his 21-year college coaching career.

It may very well happen, but the Gamecocks certainly have to prove themselves. There is a lot of optimism when it comes to the quality of the athletes now in the program, but the majority of those athletes are listed under that evil word that begins with the letter P — potential — than under another, more important word that begins with P — productive.

Start at the quarterback spot. Stephen Garcia obviously is filled with potential; that’s the only way he could have survived as long as he has at USC with all of his suspensions. He’s supposed to be the man this year, yet your last memory of him was throwing three interceptions in one half in the loss to Iowa after having basically a month to prepare for the game. The performance left one wondering about Garcia’s ability to retain information.

Then there’s the offensive line. Yes, everyone returns except for Justin Sorenson, but then you look back and see Carolina rushed for 94.1 yards a game and gave up 31 quarterback sacks. With true freshman Jarvis Giles, South Carolina looks to have a running back who can make another team



pay when the O-line gives him a crease to run through, something it didn’t possess last year. But it remains to be seen if new offensive line coach Eric Wolford can mold this group into a line that can do more than open just a small hole.

Now go to the defense. Jasper Brinkley is gone; defensive backs Emmanuel Cook, Captain Munnerlyn and Stoney Woodson are gone, even though in the cases of Cook and Munnerlyn, that may not be a bad thing. They seemingly were more focused on the National Football League than USC’s ’08 season.

That being said, they still have to be replaced and USC will be without defensive tackle Ladi Ajiboye and defensive end Clifton Geathers for N.C. State due to suspensions.

As with the above-mentioned positions and units, it remains to be seen.

As optimistic a football fan as you want to be — and USC fans are among the most eternally optimistic — you have to be at the very least, cautiously optimistic. If the Gamecocks can come through the first six games — road games at N.C. State and Georgia followed by four straight home games with Florida Atlantic, Mississippi, South Carolina State and Kentucky — with at least a 4-2 record, then it might begin to turn into real optimism.

USC will have to play the second half of the season though and that’s where it’s struggled the past two years. There will be road games at Alabama, Tennessee and Arkansas and home games against Vanderbilt, Florida and Clemson. There are certainly no easy pickings in that group.

There will be a lot of Carolina fans taking a wait-and-see attitude — perhaps one that lasts the entire season.