football tab 2012

2012 Football Preview

Chris Keohane / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Contents4 10

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2016

Offense previewCover story

Season predictions

Defense preview

Opponent previewsVideo board

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2012 Football PreviewCOVER STORY

B4

W hen the footbal l team took victory over Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl last season, USC President Harris Pastides, an avid sports fan, was swept up in the moment.

He was caught up in the celebration over the team’s 11th win , a program-

high , and he led the fans in Orlando, Fla. , in a “Game–Cocks” cheer, admitting later it wasn’t his most presidential moment.

But as the news from State College, Pa., came out in the following months, Pastides said he was swept in the opposite direction. High-ranking Penn State off icials had allegedly concealed their knowledge that Jerry Sandusky, an assistant football coach, was molesting adolescent boys on campus.

Once the “Oh my God” reaction had passed, Pastides said he began thinking introspectively. He asked himself if that situation could have happened at South Carolina. What would have happened if it did happen at USC?

Has the changing culture and landscape of college football made the sport too powerful on a campus? As college football continues to grow and evolve, the Gamecocks f ind themselves in the middle of one of the

sport’s most captivating seasons.In between realigning conferences,

future playoff scenarios and a jaw-dropping scandal at one of the premier institutions, USC is coming off its most successful season ever and is faced with the same question as college football:

Where do you go from here? “I not only thought of it, but I am

concerned that college football can get too big, and that’s why there’s a

A CHANGING LANDSCAPEUSC in middle of college

football culture shiftIsabelle Khurshudyan

[email protected]

File Photo

COVER ● B32

2012 Football PreviewB6OFFENSE

Lattimore not changing running style

At this point last season, the biggest question surrounding the Gamecocks’ passing game was who would be their starting quarterback.

Connor Shaw started USC’s season opener against East Carolina in 2011, struggling to put up 21 yards in the first quarter before being pulled for Stephen Garcia. But he won his next start in commanding fashion, leading USC to a dominating 54-3 victory against Kentucky.

This year, the junior signal caller is not only USC’s undisputed No. 1 quarterback, but a player his teammates expect to step up and lead them. Shaw will continue to take advantage of his running game while looking to improve the Gamecocks’ passing offense.

“Connor is a player. His dad is a head high school coach,” said coach Steve Spurrier at SEC Media Days. “That sort of tells you his upbringing. He’s been around football his whole life, pretty much dedicated to that. He doesn’t

have a lot of outside interests other than be the best quarterback he can to help our team win games and be successful, and hopefully win an SEC [championship].”

Shaw struggled with his reads at times last year, and Spurrier acknowledged he is better on the

ground than in the air, but the Gamecocks will rely on Shaw to lead both aspects of their offense.

“Connor is a running and passing quarterback. He’s both,” Spurrier said. “I’ve never quite had [a quarterback] that’s been maybe a little bit better runner than he is passer. Hopefully he’ll be a little bit better passer this year, but he’s still going to keep running the ball because that’s what he does very well.”

But unless the passing game is successful, the Gamecocks will not force that aspect of their offense.

“I think the last four games of the season, [Shaw] was the highest-rated passer quarterback in the country,” Spurrier said. “We only threw 18 passes per game. We were pretty much a 40, 45-run, 20-pass type team last year. We may be that way this year. If we can’t throw it very well, we’re not going to try to.”

After last year’s uncertainty at the position, the key thing USC will look for from its quarterback is consistency.

“We’ve struggled with just one quarterback a

Shaw brings consistency as starterJunior quarterback looks for breakout year following preseason without competition

Paulina [email protected]


USC coach Steve Spurrier wants to see quar-terback Connor Shaw become a better passer.

After everything changed for South Carolina tailback Marcus Lattimore last season with one play against Mississippi State, the junior is determined for everything to stay the same.

The play, where Latt imore was blocking for sophomore running back Bruce Ellington and tore his ACL, causing him to miss the remainder of the 2011 season, has replayed in Lattimore’s mind over and over again. The conclusion: He wouldn’t change anything.

“Anybody who would have been out there blocking like I was would have

torn their ACL,” Lattimore said. “I’d never had a serious injury, so I’m not really even concerned about doing what I do. The way I run is the way I run. I know I’m going to be healthy.”

Though Lat t imore’s br u is ing, downhill running style isn’t going anywhere, he said he expects the rushing attack to be more spread out with the depth the Gamecocks have at running back this season.

Ellington, senior Kenny Miles , sophomore Brandon Wilds , redshirt f reshman Shon Carson and t rue freshman Mike Davis could all be fixtures in the backfield, along with dual-threat quarterback Connor Shaw . Carson is out indefi nitely with a wrist

Star tailback said rushing attack will be spread out

Isabelle [email protected]

RUSHING ● B9

PASSING ● B9


Tailback Marcus Lattimore said he’s confi dent he’ll be healthy in 2012.

When wide receiver Alshon Jeffery was taken by the Chicago Bears with the No. 45 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the South Carolina Gamecocks lost 33 percent of their catches, 40 percent of their receiving yards and 41 percent of

their receiving touchdowns from the last two seasons .

The departure of Jef fery lef t a tremendous void in the Gamecock receiving corps, one the team has worked all summer to fill. With the addition of freshman wide receiver Shaq Roland and the return of wideouts like junior Ace Sanders and senior D.L. Moore , wide receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. believes his group will be just fi ne in 2012.

“D.L. Moore has got a chance to be a really good player,” Spurrier Jr. said. “He’s had an excellent preseason, so I’m really counting on him to have his best year as a Gamecock. Hopefully, DeAngelo (Smith) comes in there and gets ready for his opportunities to play. Jeffery had 49 catches a year ago, and I think we’ll be able to replace that. We’ll probably spread it out a little bit more this year and should have a good season.”

As for Sanders, he takes over Jeffery’s No. 1 spot and No. 1 jersey. With that top spot comes added responsibility for the 5-foot-8-inch, 175-pound Florida native. While Jeffery was able to out jump defenders for the ball, Sanders will use his quickness and route running to separate himself from opposing secondaries. A positive for Sanders this summer has been the consistency at the quarterback position, unlike his

previous two seasons on campus.“It has been a big improvement

working with the same quarterback,” Sanders said. “We don’t have to go through working with two of them now. Only time will tell, but I feel really confi dent in what we’ve got going on.”

In addition, Sanders has become a veteran on the team, and that means the younger receivers, like Roland, now look up to him. The new role is one Sanders has embraced.

“I try my best to guide the guys in the right direction,” Sanders said. “It has been a lot more teaching this year, more of me being a coach and a player. It has been a learning experience.”

Sanders is eight inches shorter than Jeffery, but with only three receivers on the roster who are taller than 6 feet 1 inch, there isn’t expected to be much

2012 Football Preview B7OFFENSE

RECEIVING ● B9

Receiving corps takes on new faceSanders leads group

without JefferyKyle Heck

[email protected]


Wide receiver Ace Sanders is the leading returning receiver from last year.

The departure of starting left tackle Rokevious Watkins left a major question mark for USC’s offensive line, making returning players crucial to the unit’s success this year.

The Gamecocks will rely on the leadership of senior center T.J. Johnson, who has started every game South Carolina has played in the past two years . Along with sophomore starter A.J. Cann, Johnson will anchor a line on which several returning players will see a greater role.

The rotation for tackles has yet to be determined by South Carolina, but the team will need strong play from reserves

as well as starters.“Ideally, I would like to end up with

a four-man rotation,” said offensive line coach Shawn Elliott. “We have six tackles. An ideal situation is to get two great ones and two really good ones to back them up.”

Sophomores Cody Gibson and Mike Matulis are front-runners for starting spots as tackles, and Elliott praised the work they’ve done in training camp.

“Cody has worked really hard,” Elliott said. “He’s gotten strong over the summer. He’s done a lot of good things over the summer. Mike is working hard also.”

Matulis was almost redshirted last season, until an injury to Kyle Nunn made him indispensable to the offensive line. Gibson will see more time on the field after playing in seven of South Carolina’s last 10 games in 2011. He has high expectations for himself entering

this season.“I don’t want to give up any sacks or

pressures like that,” Gibson said. “I want to be the best I can. I am not going to settle for anything less than that.”

Freshman Brock Stadnik has also impressed coaches in camp, but he will probably not have a major role on this year’s team unless there is an injury.

“[Stadnik] is fitted to play the inside position. He probably can play all three of them,” Eliott said. “I don’t envision him cracking the two deep right now. I think he needs to have some time to develop, get strong — probably sit, have a redshirt year. But you know, injuries play a huge role in that.”

On the outside, the Gamecocks will look for continued improvement from Cann, who started every game as a redshirt freshman last season.

“Now [Cann] is coming into his second full year at being that guy at left guard,” Elliott said. “He is knowing what to do; he is confi dent in what he is doing. He is a strong and mobile athlete. I expect a big

year out of him.”Although junior Ronald Patrick will

likely move into the starting lineup at right tackle, coaches still expect him to improve his technique. Patrick played in nine games last season, including the last six.

“Ronald has done well this fall,” Elliott said. “He has to get a little better with his footwork, but that comes with repetition. He is as solid as I think he should be. He’s got to get a lot better to be a really good football player. But I think he will be OK.”

As a unit, the offensive line is prepared to start the season strong and contribute to the success of South Carolina’s passing game.

“We are defi nitely coming together and clicking a lot better,” Gibson said. “Just reading blitzes better, making calls, being vocal, just understanding our assignments better.”

2012 Football PreviewB8OFFENSE

Offensive line to rely on Johnson, newcomersStarting spots up for grabs late into preseason camp



Center T.J. Johnson (55) has started every USC game for the last two years.

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injury. “The whole season that’s what we’re

going to do — we’re going to share the load,” Lattimore said. “With all of the talent we’ve got, we’ve got to share the load.”

Lattimore hasn’t taken more than a handful of carries in scrimmages, but running backs coach Everette Sands told reporters he’s looking to Lattimore to get 75 percent of the snaps in a typical game.

Miles’ role could involve more receiving, which he’s been successful at through preseason scrimmages, diving for an 18-yard pass in the Gamecocks’ last open scrimmage. Head coach Steve Spurrier said Miles solidifi ed himself as the No. 2 running back.

Miles has also seen Latt imore’s confi dence in his knee return.

“In the last scrimmage, he felt a whole lot better after getting hit around and knocked around a little bit and getting a feel for it,” Miles said.

“There’s a lot of things you can learn from a Heisman candidate and a guy like Marcus Lattimore,” Davis said. “He tells me what to do and what things to look out for and he’s a great role model.”

Davis said he’s unsure if coaches intend for h im to redsh i r t t h is season, and he doesn’t have a personal preference. With Carson out indefi nitely and Wilds’ sprained ankle, running back depth has thinned in the preseason. Freshman Kendric Salley is a likely redshirt candidate, having not practiced yet as he recovers from a knee injury suffered last fall.

“My thought is to make sure I have three guys ready to go,” Sands said. “The top two guys will get the bulk of the reps, but I want to have three ready to go.”

The injury didn’t change Lattimore’s style, and it didn’t change his cemented spot as the No. 1 rusher for the team. Powering forward for a fi rst down in a short yardage situation at a scrimmage, the crowd applauded the hard-nosed running it’s used to seeing from its star.

“I just block it out and remember how hard I worked for those nine months, knowing that I’m strong enough to be able to take a hit or be able to make that cut,” Lattimore said.

2012 Football Preview B9OFFENSE

RUSHING ● Continued from B6


little bit here and there,” Spurrier sa id. “At t imes Stephen Garcia played very well. Sometimes Blake Mitchell, Chris Smelley, all those guys played pretty well at times. But we didn’t have a real consistent game-after-game-after-game type quarterbacking.”

With no quarterback competition to worry about ahead of this year’s opener, Shaw said his focus during training camp was different from 2011.

“I think I can focus more on winning ball games now,” Shaw said. “Nothing is set in stone. I still have to compete to the best of my abilities in fall camp, but it is different than last year ... I expect myself to take my game to the next level.”

Other players have noted the leadersh ip Shaw br ings to t he Gamecocks.

“Connor is a tremendous leader,” said free safety D.J. Swearinger at SEC Media Days. “He went into the spring knowing he’s the starter, and this is his team this year. We look up to Connor, and Connor’s going to be a great quarterback this year.”

USC averaged 181 passing yards per game last season, and it will look to grow that total behind Shaw.

“[Shaw] showed up ready to roll in August,” said quarterbacks coach G.A. Mangus. “We expect him to play well.”

PASSING ● Continued from B6


change in the route running from a year ago.

“The only thing that is really different is the players that are out there,” Sanders said.

It won’t only be wide receivers mak ing up for lost production, as several tight ends have also made their mark over the summer.

Head coach Steve Spurrier has repeatedly praised the efforts of f reshman t ight ends Jerel l Adams , Drew O we n s a nd K e l v i n Rainey. Owens missed all of the preseason with a k nee injur y, while Rainey missed some of the preseason with a concussion.

With the return of

Ror y A nderson and Justice Cunningham , who combined to catch 26 passes for 330 yards and four touchdowns last year, more than one tight end could be on the fi eld at the same t ime. Tight end sets became popular in the NFL last year, as the New England Patriots were successful with it in their offense. Adams, a Fork Union Military Academy transfer, has particularly impressed Spurrier with his ability to use his 6-foot-6-inch frame to his advantage.

“I knew he was a guy who could really play basketball,” Spurrier said. “If you can play basketba l l , you ca n usually run and catch, and he can run and

catch. He’s a talent.”When the Gamecocks

take the f ield against V a n d e r b i l t n e x t Thursday , there will be a noticeable difference in who is running down the sideline in the No. 1 jersey; however, the 2012 group is ready to get out and prove they will be just fi ne this season.

“Everyone is excited about the Vandy game,” Roland said. “First night (of college football), national television — I’m sure it’s going to be crazy.”

RECEIVING ● Cont. from B7


Nothing about the Gamecocks’ secondary is set in stone except that playing time is anyone’s to win.

South Carolina has lost multiple key defenders, including first-round draft pick Stephon Gilmore and senior Akeem Auguste, who recently underwent surgery for a right thigh injury that is projected to keep him out of the lineup for four to fi ve weeks.

Veterans D.J. Swearinger, Jimmy Legree and Victor Hampton will look to lead the secondary, but they will have

to compete for time on the field with incoming freshmen who impressed the coaching staff during training camp.

Swearinger started all 13 games last year , playing a key role on a defense that tied for second in the SEC with 19 interceptions. The senior safety expects USC’s defense to develop into one of the top units in the country in 2012.

“I think our defense is one of the best in the nation, not just in the SEC,” Swearinger said at SEC Media Days. “We’ve got to work to earn it though, and we’re working hard in the offseason to try and get in the No. 1 spot this year.”

Legree, a junior who played safety last

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DEFENSE2012 Football Preview

Gurley, freshmen impress coaches during preseason practices


Swearinger, returners fi ght for starting spots

SECONDARY ● B14

B10

The biggest advantage of South Carolina’s defensive line is speed — and the Gamecocks have both the players and the schemes to exploit that strength.

Despite the depar t ure of l inemen Melv in Ingram and Travian Robertson , USC returns two elite defensive linemen in senior Devin Taylor and sophomore Jadeveon Clowney.

Taylor begins the season with increased strength and speed, and Clowney has the benefi t of a year of college football experience. With these improvements, the two Gamecocks are prepared to lead the defensive line in accomplishing their greatest task: affecting the quarterback.

“I don’t gage [success] by sacks,” said defensive line coach Brad Lawing . “Affecting the quarterback is the most important thing. I hope our pass rush will be good. We’ll see. Every year is a new year.”

Taylor, who started every game in 2011, came into camp able to bench 30 pounds more than last season.

“I wanted to focus on my strength [in the offseason], as well as my speed and agility, and keep those maintained because that’s one thing you can’t lose. You have to do it to get better,” Taylor said. “I’ve progressed tremendously [as far as strength], a lot more than even I thought I was going to do.”

Last year, Clowney was among the top 10 in the nation in both sacks and forced fumbles, including one sack that led to the game-winning touchdown against Georgia. He played mostly as a defensive end , but this year he will have a different role for USC.

“We have a spinner package,” Lawing said. “We plug [Clowney] into the pass rush ... We use that guy as a picker, move him around. Sometimes he may be up the middle, he may be over at tackle or guard. He may be the guy coming in from outside. We move him around. We call that our spinner package.”

Lawing said the spinner package was originally created for Eric Norwood and Melvin Ingram. Clowney, Lawing said, has the talent to succeed in different positions. One major improvement he

2012 Football Preview B11DEFENSE

Clowney takes on spinner packageTaylor to lead defensive line with improved

strength, knowledge of playbook



Jadeveon Clowney returns for his sophomore season with improved defensive knowledge.

D-LINE ● B13

For senior linebacker corps , Aug. 30 can’t come soon enough, as linebackers Shaq Wilson said he and Reginald Bowens have been watching film of Vanderbilt ’s of fense since spring practice.

Wilson, who ca l ls Bowens h is “brother from another mother,” said he, Bowens and fellow senior safety D.J. Swearinger turn on some music to go with the silent fi lm and study the Vanderbilt offense. The dedication, even months before the season opener, is just one of the ways the veteran group is setting the standard for the young reserves.

All-American spur Antonio Allen was one of the leaders of the 2011 defense after racking up 88 tackles, 9.5 for loss, forcing four fumbles and intercepting three passes . While Allen is now playing in the NFL , Wilson, Bowens, Swearinger and another senior, spur DeVonte Holloman, are looking to replicate that success.

On the most recent depth chart, the three seniors are listed at the three linebacker spots (including the spur posit ion, which is a hybrid safety) heading into the 2012 season .

The experience will prove valuable to Holloman, who is moving from his strong safety spot to take over the spur position . After seeing the kind of success Allen had at the position last year, Holloman is ready for the opportunity.

“Everybody wants to go on to the next level, so my mindset isn’t any different than anyone else,” Holloman said. “I

want to be a little bit more physical (than Allen), but I want to be just as productive as he was, if not more so.”

The senior leadership now present in the middle of the defense provides linebackers coach Kirk Botkin with the added luxury of swapping out players during games.

“I’ve got three seniors at the Mike and Will (linebacker spots) and a senior at spur, so if they get a little tired, we can expel you for a couple plays,” Botkin recently told reporters after practice. “So I tell those guys to go as hard as you possibly can, until you get tired.”

From the player’s perspective, the veteran experience allows for more harmony between the positions.

“We all have the same goals, and we want to go out on top,” Holloman said. “We have a lot of guys coming back — a

2012 Football PreviewB12DEFENSE

Linebacker corps anchored by senior leadershipWilson, Bowens, Holloman

top 3 after preseason

Kyle [email protected]

LINEBACKERS ● B15Chris Keohane / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

After playing last season at strong safety, Holloman (21) is the spur.

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2012 Football PreviewDEFENSE

has made over last year is the ability to quickly make reads.

“The difference with [Clowney] between last year and this year as far as seeing is that the game is much more slowed down to him,” Taylor said. “He’s able to read plays more and actually act off it rather than just play off talent coming straight out of high school.”

Senior Aldrick Fordham joins Taylor and Clowney as a major force on the defensive line, playing both tackle and end.

“[Fordham is] a good football player, very intelligent, knows our scheme inside and out,” Lawing said. “I have a lot of confidence in him. He’s always where he’s supposed to be. He’s an experienced football player. I wish he was a redshirt junior instead of a senior.”

Gerald Dixon , Gerald Dixon Jr. and Deon Green, all redshirt freshmen, will be ready to take the field for the Gamecocks if needed. Freshman Darius

English , who is listed as a defensive end, will also have an opportunity to earn playing time, although he will not challenge Fordham for his spot.

“[English] is a guy that’s very talented, and I just have to decide what to do with him,” Lawing said. “If he can help us win, we’re about winning now. He showed signs of being a very talented player ... He’s not a first- or second-down end right now. He’s a pass rusher.”

USC’s defensive line has shown i mprovement i n u nder s t a nd i ng assignments, and led by Taylor and Clowney, it will take advantage of speed to affect opposing quarterbacks.

“We’ve made a lot of progress as far as guys knowing what to do,” Lawing said. “When you know your assignments, when you have a lot of confidence in that, you can play fast, and we’re getting better at that.”

D-LINE ● Cont. from B11


B13


fall, will see action as a cornerback this season, and he is confident he will be able to contribute to the secondary from what he called his more natural position.

“My [strengths] would be bump and run — get up on the line. I can reroute the receiver pretty good and just run with them,” Legree said. “This year I am excited. I have a chance to redeem myself, so I am just ready to step in and make big plays.”

Hampton will compete for time at the cornerback position after recording 14 tackles and one interception for the Gamecocks last year. After serving a suspension at the beginning of the 2011 season, the redshirt sophomore returned to play in South Carolina’s last 10 games.

“[ H a mpton] ha s a lway s been important,” assistant special teams coordinator Grady Brown said. “Victor is doing a good job. He’s a really good football player. He has a high football IQ. He comes to practice to work every day, and we expect him to play a big part in our success this year.”

D e s p i t e t he e x p er ie nc e t h at Swearinger, Legree and Hampton bring to the table, Brown said the nature of positions in the secondary makes it possible for new players to succeed even without previous experience. T.J. Gurley, Chaz Elder and Ahmad Christian are three freshmen who may earn substantial playing time.

“I don’t know if I would say [they] ‘have to play,’ but more so, they may be ready to play,” Brown said of the freshmen. “If guys come in, they’re moving around, making checks and making plays, we’ll get them on the fi eld if they can make plays for us.”

Even with players from last year missing, South Carolina’s secondary has the depth to replace their production and be one of the top units in the SEC.

“A lot of those guys are gone — we’ll miss them tremendously — but we believe we’ve got the players that can step in and fi ll those shoes,” Swearinger said.

SECONDARY ● Cont. from B10



D.J. Swearinger (36) said USC’s defense is one of the best in the nation.

B14

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lot of leaders — so we’re just out there talking and communicating. It’s a whole lot better when there is a lot of minds thinking.”

W hile sen ior Damar io Jef fer y is no longer the starter at one of the linebacker spots, expect the Columbia native to battle Bowens, who is currently No. 1 on the depth chart , for playing time.

“Day in and day out, they’re all pushing each other,” Botk in said. “Competition brings out the best in everybody, so you never know. But if we were to play today, Reginald would start.”

Senior Quin Smith and sophomore Sharrod Golightly are also expected to get playing time at the linebacker and spur positions, respectively , though Golightly is suspended the first three games of the season for a violation of team rules . In addition, freshman Jordan Diggs has been pushing for playing time

and, according to Botkin, is a “really sharp player.”

With the recent groin injury to defensive back Akeem Auguste , the Gamecocks will now likely start Victor Hampton and Jimmy Legree, who have a limited amount of experience, at the two cornerback spots .

With the lack of game experience on the corners, the veterans up the middle understand they will be the leaders of the defense this season. Since most are seniors, it will be the last opportunity they have to make an impact on the Gamecocks.

“We want to do everything right,” Wilson said. “We want to show the young guys how it’s done, how you do everything at full speed. That’s how we got to the top and that is how we are going to go to the top. It’s our last go-round, and we have to do things the right way.”


LINEBACKERS ● Cont. from B12

B15

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2012 Football PreviewVIDEO BOARD

The highly anticipated addition of a much larger, high-definition video board is still set to be completed and ready to go by USC’s fi rst home football game on Sept. 8.

Last year’s football game attendees watched replays on a video board that clocked in at 20 feet high and 29 feet long. That size left USC at the No. 10 spot out of the then-12 SEC schools for video board size . Now, with the increase to a high-defi nition 36-foot high, 124-foot wide board towering over the end

zone , the university sits comfortably at No. 3 in the conference.

A ccord i ng to We s H ick m a n , university spokesman , the new video board will cost $6.5 million, all from private donations.

USC President Harris Pastides saw the new video board recently when he visited the marching band at the stadium.

“I am so psyched ... I spoke to them, then I looked over my shoulder and there was the new scoreboard. It blew me away,” he said. “I think it’ll be great in the daytime, but a night game with the colors, I think the technology is the best. I’m excited about that.”

Video board, tailgating area still on track for fi rst gameParking spots in ‘Garnet Way’

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BOARD ● B17

B16

CAROLINA 2012

2012 Football PreviewVIDEO BOARD

The renovations to the video board fall in line with the $200 million master plan of facilities that included a new baseball stadium and facility, the Dodie Anderson Academic Enrichment Center and the new Carolina Tennis Center.

“We have spent millions of dollars throughout our athletics venues to enhance our presentation in an effort to recruit the best and the brightest student-athletes, but this one is geared toward the fans,” Hickman wrote in an email response. “The in-stadium experience at Williams-Brice Stadium is going to be fantastic with the addition of the new video board.”

Pastides said he hopes for a boost in attendance from the completion of the board.

“I hope we’ll increase attendance,” he said. “Even though we have good attendance, I’d like it to be perfect attendance, so to speak.”

Outside of the stadium, in the space formerly occupied by the farmers market, a brand new $15.5 million tailgating area has also been built. It is funded by athletic revenue bonds and is also expected to be completed by the fi rst home game.

“I’m excited about the farmers market,

which will have a new name,” Pastides said. “I think it’s going to be called Carolina Park ... The whole thing is going to be a better experience. I always thought it was an A-plus experience, but if that was A-plus, then this will be A-double-plus.”

A USC spokesman confirmed that the “Carolina Park” name for the tailgating area is one of the names being considered, but has not offi cially been chosen.

The area will include approximately 3,000 parking spots — each with a 10-foot-by-10-foot “tent zone” — 368 of which will be “VIP” spots that will include power and cable television connections, according to Hickman.

Pricing for season passes for the spots ranges from $750 for the VIP section to $250 for a spot in the back of the lot. Hickman said Gamecock Club members have already purchased all of the approximately 2,000 reserved spaces.

“The exc itement a nd dema nd for this new tailgating area has been extraordinary,” he wrote.

The area will also have four bathroom buildings, an amphitheater for the band and cheerleaders and a centrally located grassy promenade dubbed the “Garnet Way.”

The promenade will be lined with scarlet oaks, and it will be home to new traditions like the “Gamecock Walk,” a parade of football players, marching band members and cheerleaders on their way to the stadium.

Hickman said the area will also soon be used for an indoor practice facility and football practice fi elds, as well as an outdoor entertainment venue.

In addition, the video control rooms in Williams-Brice Stadium will be upgraded to include “appropriate air conditioning for rooms of this nature and acoustical measures in the ceilings and walls,” according to Hickman.

Before the recent renovations, the control rooms had not been updated in more than a decade.

I sabelle Khurshudyan contributed reporting to this story.

Andrew Askins / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

The new video board will be completed by the fi rst USC home football game.


BOARD ● Continued from B16

B17

Head Coach: Ruffi n McNeill (11-14 in two seasons at ECU, 12-14 in two-plus seasons overall)

The Gamecocks opened their 2011 season against the Pirates, and after a tight fi rst half, USC pulled away for a 56-37 victory . ECU isn’t expected to be as formidable this season after the graduation of All-Conference quarterback Dominique Davis , who torched USC for 260 yards and four touchdowns in the game last year . Expect the Pirates to still toss the ball around in their spread offense . Last season, ECU threw it 524 t imes in 12 games. Rio Johnson, Shane Carden and Cody Keith are all battling it out to take over the quarterbacking duties . However, the Pirates return

all of their top receivers from 2011, so whoever takes over the signal calling duties will be in good shape . Sophomore Justin Hardy is the top returning receiver after hauling in 64 catches for 658 yards and six touchdowns last season . Overall, the Pirates return four receivers who caught more than 40 passes last year . In addition, ECU returns its top three tacklers from a year ago . Sophomore linebacker Jeremy Grove, who racked up 122 tackles as a f reshman in 2011 , returns along with junior safety Damon Magazu (80 tackles in 2011) and senior linebacker Daniel Drake (74 tack les) . ECU has a 5-11 career record against the Gamecocks .

Head Coach: James Franklin (6-7 record in one season at Vanderbilt, 6-7 career coaching record)

In Franklin’s f irst season, the Commodores won six games , which was two more than the previous two seasons combined . Despite shaky quarterback play, Vanderbilt still averaged 26.7 points per game and returns most of its fi repower this season. Senior running back Zac Stacy returns after rushing for 1,193 yards and 14 touchdowns last season . The top returning wide receiver is Jordan Matthews, who caught 41 passes for 778 yards and five touchdowns last season . The quarterback position should be a little bit more stable this year as

Jordan Rodgers, brother of Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers , is expected to be the No. 1 guy for the season. Rodgers passed for 1,524 yards and nine touchdowns to go along with 10 interceptions in limited playing time in 2011. The Commodores do lose the services of cornerback Casey Hey ward, who picked of f seven passes a season ago ; however, Trey Wilson returns for his senior season after intercepting three passes his junior campaign . A big reason for the turnaround last season was the Commodores’ ability to score in the red zone. Vandy scored 77 percent of the t ime when inside its opponents’ 20-yard line, and

2012 Football PreviewB20OPPONENT PREVIEWS

2012 OPPONENT PREVIEWS

Week 1: @VANDERBILT (6-7, 2-6 SEC IN 2011)

58 percent of those possessions went for touchdowns . With a year of coaching experience under his belt, Franklin’s team should only improve this season. Expect the

Commodores to put up a tough fi ght when the Gamecocks come to town on the fi rst night of college football .

Week 2: EAST CAROLINA (5-7, 4-4 C-USA IN 2011)

Courtesy of MCT CampusVandy coach James Franklin has high expectations for this year’s squad.

PREVIEWS ● B21

Kyle [email protected]

2012 Football PreviewOPPONENT PREVIEWS

Head Coach: Garrick McGee (fi rst season as head coach)

McGee takes over a Blazer team that got off to an 0-6 start last year and one that has struggled mightily recently. McGee spent the last two seasons as offensive coordinator for the Arkansas Razorbacks , where he helped the Hogs torch the Gamecocks two years in a row . USC should be careful with UAB because the Blazers return a lot of talent from last year’s — albeit unsuccessful — team. The Blazers return a junior quarterback in Jonathan Perry , who made eight starts as a freshman . In those eight starts, Perry completed 58 percent of his passes for 2,042 yards and 10 touchdowns, and he also rushed for 294 yards and three touchdowns . In a game against Memphis last season,

Perry threw for 410 yards and four touchdow ns . Per r y ’s top t h ree receiving targets return, including junior Jackie Williams, the leading returning wideout with 58 catches and 607 yards last year . Williams did not catch a touchdown last season but rushed for three . The Blazer’s also return an experienced defense where 10 of the 12 projected starters are upperclassmen. Senior safety Jamie Bender has racked up 213 tackles in his two years at UAB, including 119 in 2011 . Bender’s 9.92 tackles per game were good enough for 24th in the nation . UAB is looking for a resurgence under the of fensive-minded McGee and has the weapons to give USC a run for its money.

Week 3: ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM (3-9, 2-6 C-USA IN 2011)

PREVIEW ● Continued from B20

PREVIEWS ● B22

B21


Head Coach: Gary Pinkel (85-51 in 11 years at Missouri, 158-91-3 in 21 seasons overall)

The Tigers are entering their fi rst season of SEC play , joining Texas A&M as the other Big 12 school to figuratively move east. Missouri is expected to compete right away as they return one of the top quarterbacks in the count r y in jun ior James Franklin . In 2011, the dual-threat quarterback rushed for 981 yards and 15 touchdowns while passing for 2,865 more yards and 21 touchdowns . In addition, Franklin completed 63 percent of his passes and threw just 11 interceptions in 13 games . Pinkel is entering his 12th season as coach of Courtesy of MCT Campus

Missouri returns its top receiver from last season, senior T.J. Moe.

PREVIEWS ● Continued from B21

PREVIEWS ● B23

Week 4: MISSOURI (8-5, 5-4 BIG 12 IN 2011)

B22


the Tigers and his team is returning a lot of talent from the Independence Bowl-winning team from last year . Junior running back Henry Josey is back after a sophomore campaign where he rushed for 1,168 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging a whopping 8.1 yards per carry . Also,

the top four receivers from a year ago return for the Tigers, with senior T.J. Moe as the top returnee, with 54 catches 649 yards and four touchdowns in 2011 . Not only is the offense stacked, but Missouri’s top fi ve tacklers and top two sack leaders from last season are back in uniform .

Week 5: @KENTUCKY (5-7, 2-6 SEC IN 2011)


Head Coach: Joker Phillips (11-14 in two seasons at Kentucky and overall)

A yea r a f ter ea r n i ng a bowl appearance, Phillips’s team took a step back with a 5-7 campaign in 2011 . The downfall of the 2011 Wildcat team was inconsistency at the quarterback position. Sophomore Maxwell Smith has been named the starter for 2012 after a freshman season that saw him complete 55 percent of his passes for 819 yards and four touchdowns and four interceptions in eight games

played . Smith is looking to improve on last year and will have a little help as the top two receivers, La’Rod King and Matt Roark, return . King was one of the SEC leaders with seven touchdown catches to go along with 40 receptions and 598 yards , and is the most dynamic returning player for the Wildcats. The defense lost its top three tacklers from a year ago, including All-SEC linebacker Danny Trevathan , who had 143 . Senior

PREVIEWS ● B24

B23


linebacker Ronnie Sneed returns, however, after compiling 71 tackles and picking off two passes in 2011 . A little more pressure will be placed

on Phillips as he is expected to fi nally carry the Wildcats over the .500 mark . With relative inexperience at


Courtesy of MCT CampusUK coach Joker Phillips is on the hot seat this season after a poor 2011.

PREVIEWS ● B25

B24

the quarterback position, Phillips will likely rely on the running game more this year, with sophomore back Josh Clemons returning after compiling 279 yards and two touchdowns last year . The Wildcats hope to better

against the Gamecocks this year, as last year they were blown out in Columbia, 54-3, in quarterback Connor Shaw’s coming out party .

2012 Football Preview B25OPPONENT PREVIEWS

Week 7: LSU (13-1, 8-0 SEC IN 2011)Week 6: GEORGIA (10-4, 7-1 SEC IN 2011)


Head Coach: Mark Richt (106-38 in 11 seasons at Georgia and overall)

After a 0-2 start last season (losses to Boise State and South Carolina) , Bu l ldog f a n s were c a l l i ng for Richt’s departure; however, UGA proceeded to win 10 games in a row en route to an SEC Eastern Division championship . After the strong fi nish to 2011, expectations are once again sky-high for the Bulldogs, reflected by their No. 6 ranking in the AP preseason poll . However, spirits were dampened a bit when highly

touted returning running back Isaiah Crowell was k icked off the team earlier in the summer . Despite that, UGA does return a sure 2013 National Football League f irst-rounder in junior quarterback Aaron Murray . Murray passed for 3,149 yards with 35 touchdowns and just 14 interceptions while completing 59 percent of his passes last year . He will get his top-two wide receiver prospects back in senior Tavarres King (705 yards, eight touchdowns in 2011) and sophomore Malcolm Mitchell (665 yards, four

Courtesy of MCT CampusAfter an 0-2 start last season, coach Mark Richt led UGA to an SEC East title.

touchdowns) . While Murray did lose tight end Orson Charles to the NFL , the Tampa native is talented enough to do without him. On defense, the Bulldogs return safety Bacarri Rambo, who had eight interceptions last fall , and outside linebacker Jarvis

Jones, who had an impressive 13.5 sacks last season . The game will likely be the most important one of the season for the Gamecocks as the two teams are favorites in the SEC East .

Head Coach: Les Miles (75-18 in seven seasons at LSU, 103-39 in 11 seasons overall)

After look ing l ike one of the best teams in the history of college football through 13 games last year, the Tigers were beaten by conference rival Alabama 21-0 in the BCS National Championship game to end the season on a sour note . The Tigers have had an interesting offseason starting with the dismissal of Heisman f inalist cornerback Tyrann Mathieu, who had 76 tackles, two interceptions and two defensive touchdowns last year while also being a force on special teams. LSU did

receive some good news when former Penn State quarterback Rob Bolden announced his transfer to the Tigers . The move was great for LSU as both Jarret Lee and Jordan Jefferson, who fl ip-fl opped at quarterback last year, are gone . Bolden and junior Zach Mettenberger are expected to compete for the starting job . The Tigers lost star receiver Reuben Randle to the NFL , taking out a big chunk of receiving yards, touchdowns and receptions. LSU does return its top tackler and sack leader from a year ago in senior safety Eric Reid

PREVIEWS ● B26

(76 tackles, two interceptions) and junior defensive end Sam

Montgomery (49 tackles, 13.5 for loss, nine sacks)

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2012 Football PreviewB26OPPONENT PREVIEWS

Courtesy of MCT CampusLouisiana State head coach Les Miles led the team to a No. 2 ranking last season.

Week 8: @FLORIDA (7-6, 3-5 SEC IN 2011)

PREVIEWS ● Cont. from B25

H e a d C o a c h : W i l l Muschamp (7-6 in one year at Florida and overall)

In Muschamp’s first year as head coach, the Gators went through a lack luster season that UF fans are not used to seeing. Florida averaged just 25.5 points per game in 2011 , a low for its standards, and its leading receiver was running b a c k C h r i s R a i ne y w i t h 381 yards . Both Rainey and speedster Jeffery Demps are gone , leaving the Gators with a depleted backfield. Senior Mike Gillislee is the leading returning rusher with 328 yards

and two touchdowns last season . Meanwhile, tight end Jordan Reed is the leading returning receiver with 307 yards and two touchdowns last season . At the quarterback position, sophomores Jeff Driskel and Jacoby Brissett are still in a tight competition for the starting spot . Whoever comes out on top will need to improve on the 13 passing touchdowns in 13 games last year if the Gators hope to have more checks in the win column. UF does return quite a bit of talent on defense,

PREVIEWS ● B27

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2012 Football Preview B27OPPONENT PREVIEWS

with senior linebacker Jon Bostic back after a 94-tackle, three-sack season last year . In addition, junior linebacker

Jelani Jenkins returns after racking up 75 tackles in 2011 .


Courtesy of MCT CampusJunior linebacker Jelani Jenkins returns after tallying 75 tackles in 2011.

Head Coach: Derek Dooley (12-13 in two seasons at Tennessee and overall)

After a successful fi rst season as the Volunteers’ coach, Dooley’s team took a step back last season, winning just one SEC game . Injuries played a huge role in the decline as UT lost both its top receiver and quarterback in a matter of weeks. Overall, the Volunteer team is extremely young, hav ing played 47 f reshmen in Dooley’s two years on campus . In a game against Memphis, seven true freshmen started . The good news for the Vols is that those freshmen have now grown up and will play important roles on the 2012 team.

On the most recent depth chart for UT, 16 upperclassmen are slated to start . Quarterback Tyler Bray is one of the top junior signal callers in the nation. Before suffering an injury in the eighth week of 2011 , Bray led the SEC in total offense. The California nat ive returned against Vanderbilt and f inished 2011 with 1983 yards to go with 17 touchdowns and six interceptions in seven games . Junior receiver Justin Hunter also returns from a third-week injury that sidelined him for the rest of the 2011 season . Through those three games, Hunter had 314 receiving yards ; however, junior

Week 9: @TENNESSEE (5-7, 1-7 SEC IN 2011)

PREVIEWS ● B28

OPPONENT PREVIEWS2012 Football Preview

wideout Da’Rick Rogers , who had 1,040 yards receiv ing and nine touchdowns last year , is suspended indef initely to start the season . On defense, the Vols do lose the services of defensive back Austin

Johnson, who had 81 tackles and four interceptions last season . They return sophomore linebacker A.J. Johnson, who notched 80 tackles a season ago .


Courtesy of MCT CampusTennessee quarterback Tyler Bray missed the second half of last season.

PREVIEWS ● B29

B28


Head Coach: John L. Smith (fi rst season as Arkansas head coach, 132-86 career record in 19 seasons)

The Razorbacks have had a rather interesting offseason. Former head coach Bobby Petrino, who led the Hogs to a Sugar Bowl in 2010 and a Cotton Bowl victory last season, was fi red after an extramarital affair was exposed. While that puts a damper on the 2012 Razorback season, the Hogs still return a lot of talent. Senior quarterback Tyler Wilson returns after a huge junior season where he passed for 3,638 yards, 24 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 13 games . In addition, Wilson completed 63 percent of his passes in 2011 . Junior running back Knile Davis also returns

after missing all of last season with a knee injury . In 2010, Davis rushed

Week 11: ARKANSAS (11-2, 6-2 SEC IN 2011)

Week 10: BYE


PREVIEWS ● B30

Courtesy of MCT CampusTyler Wilson is Arkansas’ quarterback.

B29

Head Coach: Mike Ayers (162-111-1 in 24 years at Wofford and overall)

Ayers leads a team that, since 2002, has had the second-highest winning percentage in the FCS, behind perennial national power Appalachian State . The last time the Terriers visited Columbia, in 2008, the Gamecocks just squeaked by, 23-13 . The Terriers ran a successful triple-option attack that produced 365 rushing yards and 32 points per game last year . Senior fullback Eric Breitenstein returns after rushing for 1,474 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2011 . Over the last two years, the

5-foot-11-inch , 230-pound bruiser has accounted for 41 touchdowns . Junior half back Donovan Johnson also returns after a 967-yard, nine-touchdown season in 2011 . The Terriers do return little experience at the quarterback position with junior Brian Kass, the most experienced player after seeing action in six games last year . Three freshmen and one sophomore make up the rest of the signal callers. On defense, Wofford returns junior linebacker Alvin Scioneaux, who terrorized defenses last season for 85 total tackles, 17 for loss and 8.5 sacks in 12 games .


for 1,322 yards and 12 touchdowns and averaged six yards a carry . Arkansas does lose its top two receivers from a year ago. While losing their top two tacklers from 2011, the Hogs do return senior linebacker Alonzo Highsmith, who had

80 total tackles, 12.5 for loss and 4.5 sacks last year . There is no telling how the departure of Petrino will affect the team, but the good news is that Smith has plenty of coaching experience. The Razorbacks have dominated the Gamecocks of late, winning three straight in the series .


Week 12: WOFFORD (8-4, 6-2 SEC IN 2011)

PREVIEWS ● B31

B30

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Head Coach: Dabo Swinney (29-19 in four years at Clemson and overall)

The Tigers got off to an 8-0 start last season before losing four of their final six games, including a 70-33 loss to West Virginia in the Orange Bowl to cap off the season . Clemson returns virtually all of its firepower from a team that averaged 441 total yards and 34 points a game last season . Junior quarterback Tajh Boyd burst onto the scene last year, throwing for 3,828 yards to go along with 33 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 14 games . Boyd gets two of his favorite receiving targets back, including All-American Sammy Watkins, who had 82 catches for 1,219 yards and 12 touchdowns last season , and DeAndre Hopkins (72 catches, 978 yards, five touchdowns in 2011) . Senior running back Andre Ellington is also back after rushing for 1,178 yards and 11 touchdowns despite

missing a game to injury . On defense, the tackles leader from last season, safety Rashard Hall , is back after amassing 89 tackles in 2011 ; however, the Tigers do lose the services of Andre Branch and have a very inexperienced offensive and defensive line.

Week 13: @CLEMSON (10-4, 6-2 ACC IN 2011)


Courtesy of MCT CampusClemson coach Dabo Swinney’s Ti-gers return the bulk of the starters.


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2012 Football PreviewB32COVER STORY

balance — because I want it to be big,” Pastides said. “The freshmen who are here this year are excited about that fi rst home football game. I don’t want it not to be big.

“My point is, don’t you ever compromise the well-being of one person, whether it’s a student, a visitor to campus or certainly not a child because of your wanting to protect something about the athletics program.”

Pastides said the desire to protect a football team at any cost stems in part from a culture where sport is the “tail that wags the dog.” After some self-described “soul searching,” he said he doesn’t think USC has that culture.

Though the Penn State scandal was horrific, Pastides said lessons can be taken from it. He called it a “shot across the bow” — a warning to universities across the nation to install the necessary changes to prevent something similar from happening there.

Though Penn State caused college football to pause in that regard, the sport moved forward in another, with the approval of a four-team playoff to take affect in 2014 to determine a national champion.

The current Bowl Championship Series uses a voting system that pits the top two teams against each other. While discussion about a playoff has been going on for years, Pastides said hesitation abounded especially in the Southeastern Conference, the home of the last six national champions.

Ultimately, Pastides, as a fan, understood why sports fans wanted to see a system similar to college basketball’s, where a champion isn’t crowned by seemingly arbitrary voting.

“There was always that year when the big championship game wouldn’t satisfy me that the two very best teams were in it,” Pastides said. “It was always, always one of the very best teams, but the other one, I might have felt wasn’t in that game.”

With change, criticism of change naturally follows. Is a four-team playoff enough, or should the change have been more drastic?

“Well, if I were calling the shots, I would have eight teams going to play,” said USC head football coach Steve Spurrier at SEC Media Days.

Pastides has his reservations, though.“There are a lot of people saying, ‘If it could just

be eight teams,’” Pastides said. “I’m concerned about adding games. I’m concerned about playing football deep into the basketball season. I’m concerned about student distraction.”

Along with the coming playoff, this season will mark the fi rst season the SEC has had 14 teams, as Missouri and Texas A&M join. From a player’s perspective, senior defensive lineman Devin Taylor said he doesn’t pay very much attention to changes around the sport.

“You just kind of focus on what we have to do ahead of time right now, as far as preparing for Vanderbilt and everything and getting that rolling,” Taylor said.

As for changes on his own team, Taylor always hears the question about how the Gamecocks will replace former All-American defensive lineman Melvin Ingram . Offensively, the receiving corps has new look without wide receiver Alshon Jeffery.

Change is inevitable for the sport and for the Gamecocks, though some things stay the same. Fans and opponents alike have come to expect classic Spurrier quips about Georgia or how USC’s schedule is unfairly challenging.

Does Pastides still get a laugh out of Spurrier’s one-liners?

“I do,” he said. “We understand each other, and I understand where he’s coming from.”

COVER ● Continued from B4


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2012 Football PreviewB34SEASON PREDICTIONS

Isabelle Khurshudyan Paulina Berkovich

Kyle Heck

Assistant Sports Editor

Staff Writer

Sports Editor

National Championship: Southern Cal 24, LSU 17

SEC Championship: LSU over Georgia

Heisman: Southern Cal quarterback Matt Barkley

Coach of the Year: Southern Cal coach Lane Kiffi n

South Carolina record: 11-2

Surprise BCS Bowl team: NC State

National Championship: LSU 34, Michigan State 20

SEC Championship: LSU over South Carolina


Coach of the Year: Ohio State coach Urban Meyer


Surprise BCS Bowl team: Georgia Tech

National Championship: Southern Cal 24, Florida State 17

SEC Championship: South Carolina over LSU


Coach of the Year: Southern Cal coach Lane Kiffi n


Surprise BCS Bowl team: Missouri

Be sure to check out our weekly football Blitz

special sections this semester!

The fi rst will preview the season opener against

Vanderbilt and will run on the day of the game — Thursday, Aug. 30.

The following Blitz sections will print on Fridays before

each game.

football tab 2012

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