2 usc VS florida citadel

4 Schedule

5 Gameday Poster: USC vs. Florida

6 Opponent Previews: Florida, Citadel

7 Opponent Rosters: Florida, Citadel

9 USC Roster, Coaches, Depth

12 Explaining The Game: Lorenzo Ward

13 Senior Profile: Rokevious Watkins

14 GamecockCentral.com’s Recruit to Watch: Brendan Nosovitch

14 Gamecocks Not Finished Rewriting History

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Contents

Gotta win anywayGamecock Football Aims to channel ray tanner

ON THE COVER: brandon Wilds carried for 137 yards against tennessee on Oct. 29. Photo by Paul Collins.

10

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3usc VS florida citadel

4 usc VS florida citadel

carolina footBall s c H e d u l e 2 0 1 1

sept. 03 vs east carolina w, 56-37chArlOtte, N.c.

sept. 10 at GeorGiaH w, 45-42AtheNS, GA.

sept. 17 vs navy w, 24-21cOlumbiA

sept. 24 vs vanderBiltH w, 21-3cOlumbiA

oct. 01 vs auBurnH l, 16-13cOlumbiA

oct. 08 vs kentuckyH w, 54-3cOlumbiA

oct. 15 at mississippi st.H w, 14-12StArkville, miSS.

oct. 29 at tennesseeH w, 14-3kNOxville, teNN.

nov. 05 at arkansasH 7:15 p.m.

FAyetteville, Ark.

nov. 12 vs floridaH tBa

cOlumbiA

nov. 19 vs tHe citadel noon

cOlumbiA

nov. 26 vs clemson tBa

cOlumbiA

H= SEC game

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*The Side Line went to press before the Arkansas game.

*

5usc VS florida citadel

6 usc VS florida citadelusc VS FLORIDA cITADEL6

7usc VS florida citadelusc VS FLORIDA cITADEL6 usc VS FLORIDA cITADEL 7

8 usc VS florida citadelusc VS FLORIDA cITADEL8

sixth-Year Linebacker Rodney Paulk

VANDERBILTROSTER

AUBURNROSTER

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9usc VS florida citadel

deptH

Gamecocks roster30 Corey Addison SS 6-0 204 RS SO Jacksonville, Fla./Andrew Jackson26 Antonio Allen SPR 6-2 202 SR Ocala, Fla./Trinity Catholic/Fork Union

Military81 Rory Anderson TE 6-5 207 FR Powder Springs, Ga./McEachern47 Landon Ard P/K 5-10 175 FR Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe3 Akeem Auguste CB 5-10 182 SR Hollywood, Fla./Chaminade-Madonna/Fork

Union Military28 Eric Baker TB 6-0 208 RS JR Jacksonville, Fla./Edward H. White/Fork

Union Military43 Jacob Baker TB 5-9 191 RS JR Ridgeland, S.C./Thomas Heyward Academy4 Jason Barnes WR 6-4 214 RS SR Charlotte, N.C./Independence34 Joshua Blue TB 5-6 178 RS FR Tatum, S.C./Marlboro County32 Reginald Bowens LB 6-2 248 RS JR Holly Springs, N.C./Garner16 Payton Brady TE 6-3 226 RS JR Lincolnton, N.C./East Lincoln/Charleston

Southern/Campbell80 K.J. Brent WR 6-3 180 FR Waxhaw, N.C./Marvin Ridge74 Kaleb Broome OG 6-6 326 JR Aiken, S.C./Aiken/Georgia Military College83 Zach Broome WR 6-2 201 RS FR Richmond Hill, Ga./Richmond Hill/

Armstrong Atantic State3 Damiere Byrd WR 5-9 161 FR Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek40 Billy Byrne FB 5-11 235 RS SO Palm Harbor, Fla./East Lake60 Terrence Campbell OG 6-3 296 RS SR Austell, Ga./South Cobb50 A.J. Cann OG 6-3 299 RS FR Bamberg, S.C./Bamberg-Ehrhardt7 Shon Carson RB 5-8 190 FR Scranton, S.C./Lake City1 Ahmad Christian CB 5-10 182 FR Jacksonville, Fla./Trinity Christian12 Andrew Clifford QB 6-2 212 RS SO Tampa, Fla./Wharton7 Jadeveon Clowney DE 6-6 254 FR Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe48 Matt Coffee FB 5-11 230 SO Mary Esther, Fla./Fort Walton Beach18 Cedrick Cooper LB 6-2 207 FR Lithonia, Ga./Lithonia58 Ryland Culbertson OG 6-4 252 RS FR Laurens, S.C./Laurens Academy87 Justice Cunningham TE 6-3 265 JR Pageland, S.C./Central72 Kenny Davis OG 6-3 318 RS JR Newberry, S.C./Newberry44 Gerald Dixon DE 6-2 271 FR Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe95 Gerald Dixon, Jr. DT 6-3 311 FR Rock Hill, S.C./Northwestern52 Phillip Dukes DT 6-3 300 FR Manning, S.C./Manning23 Bruce Ellington WR 5-9 197 RS FR Moncks Corner, S.C./Berkeley85 Patrick Fish P 5-11 193 RS FR Shelby, N.C./Burns61 Travis Ford OC 6-3 278 RS SO Fork, S.C./Lake View/Coastal Carolina57 Aldrick Fordham DE 6-3 274 JR Jamestown, S.C./Timberland85 Riley Gallaher WR 6-1 175 FR Apex, N.C./Garner78 Cody Gibson OT 6-6 284 RS FR Tallahassee, Fla./Lincoln43 Qua Gilchrist LB 6-1 244 RS JR Abbeville, S.C./Abbeville/Butler County CC5 Stephon Gilmore CB 6-1 193 JR Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe9 Sharrod Golightly SS 5-10 185 RS FR Decatur, Ga./Southwest Dekalb93 Deon Green DT 6-3 266 FR Windermere, Fla./Olympia29 Chaun Gresham LB 6-2 265 RS SO Auburn, Ga./Apalachee15 Austin Hails QB 6-2 215 FR Collinsville, Ill./Collinsville96 Jamal Hall DE 6-2 216 RS SO Ladson, S.C./Fort Dorchester/Brevard

College27 Victor Hampton CB 5-10 187 RS FR Darlington, S.C./Darlington59 Coleman Harley LS 6-2 265 FR Aiken, S.C./South Aiken70 Kyle Harris OL 6-3 273 FR Silver Creek, Ga./Pepperell34 Mason Harris DE 6-3 208 FR Fort Oglethorpe, Ga./Ridgeland35 Ben Harvey CB 5-9 176 FR Columbia, Md./Our Lady of Good Counsel24 Josh Hinch TB 5-7 183 RS SR Knoxville, Tenn./Austin East/MidAmerica

Nazarene21 DeVonte Holloman SPR 6-2 232 JR Charlotte, N.C./South Pointe91 Walker Inabinet LS 5-10 199 RS JR Columbia, S.C./Hammond School6 Melvin Ingram DE 6-2 276 RS SR Hamlet, N.C./Richmond County1 Alshon Jeffery WR 6-4 229 JR St. Matthews, S.C./Calhoun County33 Damario Jeffery LB 6-3 237 JR Columbia, S.C./Columbia8 Shamier Jeffery WR 6-1 208 FR St. Matthews, S.C./Calhoun County77 Byron Jerideau DT 6-1 319 RS JR Green Pond, S.C./Colleton County/Fort

Scott C.C.55 T.J. Johnson OC 6-5 316 RS JR Aynor, S.C./Aynor10 Nick Jones WR 5-9 188 RS FR Moore, S.C./Byrnes21 Marcus Lattimore TB 6-0 232 SO Duncan, S.C./Byrnes15 Jimmy Legree CB 5-11 185 RS SO Beaufort, S.C./Beaufort86 Blair Lowery WR 6-0 180 RS JR Irmo, S.C./Dutch Fork25 Kadetrix Marcus CB 6-1 183 FR Stone Mountain, Ga./Stephenson39 Marty Markett CB 5-10 162 RS SR York, S.C./York Comprehensive8 Martay Mattox CB 6-1 192 FR Athens, Ga./Clarke Central76 Mike Matulis OL 6-5 274 FR Boynton Beach, Fla./Park Vista19 Tanner McEvoy QB 6-6 207 FR Hillsdale, N.J./Bergen Catholic92 Byron McKnight DE 6-5 235 RS SR Laurinburg, N.C./Scotland County41 Connor McLaurin FB 6-0 227 RS FR Raleigh, N.C./Garner31 Kenny Miles TB 5-10 193 RS JR Lawrenceville, Ga./Brookwood82 D.L. Moore WR 6-4 203 RS JR Bowling Green, Ky./Bowling Green62 Davis Moore LS 6-0 216 RS SO Buford, Ga./Mill Creek/Emory & Henry

no. name pos. HGt. wGt. cl. Hometown/HiGH scHool/last colleGe no. name pos. HGt. wGt. cl. Hometown/HiGH scHool/last colleGe

Steve Spurrier - Head CoachJohn Butler - Special Teams CoordinatorShawn Elliott - Offensive Line/Running Game CoordinatorCraig Fitzgerald - Director of Football Strength & ConditioningJay Graham - Running Backs/Tight EndsJeep Hunter - SafetiesEllis Johnson - Asst. Head Coach/Asst. Coach - Defense/LinebackersBrad Lawing - Defensive LineG.A. Mangus - QuarterbacksJamie Speronis - Director of Football OperationsSteve Spurrier Jr. - ReceiversLorenzo Ward - Defensive Coordinator/CornerbacksRobbie Liles - Director of High School RelationsScott Morgan - Recruiting AssistantPatrick Shine - Administrative Coordinator for Recruiting

coacHes

2011 South Carolina Football

SOUTH CAROLINA GAME NOTES VS. ARKANSASGame9

15

Offense 1 Alshon Jeffery 6-4 229 JR-2L St. Matthews, S.C. 6 DeAngelo Smith 6-0 193 SO-SQ Kingsland, Ga. 11 Lamar Scruggs 6-3 218 SO-1L Jacksonville Beach, Fla. 9 Ace Sanders 5-7 175 SO-1L Bradenton, Fla. 23 Bruce Ellington 5-9 197 FR-RS Moncks Corner, S.C.OR 3 Damiere Byrd 5-9 161 FR-HS Sicklerville, N.J.

10 Nick Jones 5-9 188 FR-RS Moore, S.C. 82 D.L. Moore 6-4 203 JR-2L Bowling Green, Ky.OR 4 Jason Barnes 6-4 214 SR-3L Charlotte, N.C.

73 Rokevious Watkins 6-4 340 SR-1L Fairburn, Ga. 76 Mike Matulis 6-5 274 FR-HS Boynton Beach, Fla.

50 A.J. Cann 6-3 299 FR-RS Bamberg, S.C. 77 Byron Jerideau 6-1 319 JR-1L Green Pond, S.C. OR 70 Kyle Harris 6-3 273 FR-HS Silver Creek, Ga. 55 T.J. Johnson 6-5 316 JR-2L Aynor, S.C. 61 Travis Ford 6-3 278 SO-SQ Fork, S.C. 60 Terrence Campbell 6-3 295 SR-2L Austell, Ga. 67 Ronald Patrick 6-1 302 SO-SQ Cocoa, Fla.

78 Cody Gibson 6-6 284 FR-RS Tallahassee, Fla. 73 Rokevious Watkins 6-4 340 SR-1L Fairburn, Ga. 87 Justice Cunningham 6-3 265 JR-2L Pageland, S.C. 81 Rory Anderson 6-5 207 FR-HS Powder Springs, Ga. 14 Connor Shaw 6-1 204 SO-1L Flowery Branch, Ga. 17 Dylan Thompson 6-3 213 FR-RS Boiling Springs, S.C.OR 12 Andrew Clifford 6-2 212 SO-SQ Tampa, Fla.

46 Dalton Wilson 6-0 227 JR-2L Williston, S.C. 41 Connor McLaurin 6-0 227 FR-RS Raleigh, N.C. 22 Brandon Wilds 6-1 223 FR-HS Blythewood, S.C. 31 Kenny Miles 5-10 193 JR-2L Lawrenceville, Ga. 28 Eric Baker 6-0 208 JR-2L Jacksonville, Fla.

Defense 98 Devin Taylor 6-7 260 JR-2L Beaufort, S.C. 90 Chaz Sutton 6-4 250 SO-1L Savannah, Ga. 92 Byron McKnight 6-5 235 SR-3L Laurinburg, N.C.

42 Travian Robertson 6-4 303 SR-3L Laurinburg, N.C. 97 J.T. Surratt 6-2 297 FR-RS Winston-Salem, N.C. 77 Byron Jerideau 6-1 319 JR-1L Green Pond, S.C. 99 Kelcy Quarles 6-4 271 FR-PG Hodges, S.C. 57 Aldrick Fordham 6-3 274 JR-2L Jamestown, S.C.

6 Melvin Ingram 6-2 276 SR-3L Hamlet, N.C. 7 Jadeveon Clowney 6-6 254 FR-HS Rock Hill, S.C.

45 Rodney Paulk 6-0 242 SR-3L Columbia, S.C.OR 54 Shaq Wilson 5-11 223 JR-2L Jacksonville, Fla. 43 Qua Gilchrist 6-1 244 JR-SQ Abbeville, S.C.

24 Quin Smith 6-1 238 JR-2L Lenoir, N.C.OR 32 Reginald Bowens 6-2 248 JR-1L Holly Springs, N.C.

26 Antonio Allen 6-2 202 SR-2L Ocala, Fla. 33 Damario Jeffery 6-3 237 JR-2L Columbia, S.C.

5 Stephon Gilmore 6-1 193 JR-2L Rock Hill, S.C. 27 Victor Hampton 5-10 187 FR-RS Darlington, S.C. 21 DeVonte Holloman 6-2 232 JR-2L Charlotte, N.C. 11 Brison Williams 5-10 206 FR-PG Warner Robins, Ga. 9 Sharrod Golightly 5-10 185 FR-RS Decatur, Ga.

36 D.J. Swearinger 5-10 208 JR-2L Greenwood, S.C. 15 Jimmy Legree 5-11 185 SO-1L Beaufort, S.C.

39 Marty Markett 5-10 162 SR-1L York, S.C. 12 C.C. Whitlock 5-10 178 SR-3L Chester, S.C.

WR

WR

WR

LT

LG

C

RG

RT

TE

QB

FB

TB

DE

DT

DT

DE

MLB

WLB

SPUR

CB

SS

FS

CB

Specialists 18 Jay Wooten 6-3 204 SR-1L Laurinburg, N.C. 49 Joey Scribner-Howard 6-0 210 SR-SQ Irmo, S.C. 18 Jay Wooten 6-3 204 SR-1L Laurinburg, N.C. 49 Joey Scribner-Howard 6-0 210 SR-SQ Irmo, S.C.

49 Joey Scribner-Howard 6-0 210 SR-SQ Irmo, S.C. 18 Jay Wooten 6-3 204 SR-1L Laurinburg, N.C.

13 Seth Strickland 6-2 194 JR-1L Laurens, S.C.

36 D.J. Swearinger 5-10 208 JR-2L Greenwood, S.C.OR 23 Bruce Ellington 5-9 197 FR-RS Moncks Corner, S.C. 5 Stephon Gilmore 6-1 193 JR-2L Rock Hill, S.C.

9 Ace Sanders 5-7 175 SO-1L Bradenton, Fla. 5 Stephon Gilmore 6-1 193 JR-2L Rock Hill, S.C.

91 Walker Inabinet 5-10 199 JR-1L Columbia, S.C. 62 Davis Moore 6-0 216 SO-SQ Buford, Ga.

KO

PK

P

H

KR

PR

LS

DEPTH CHART

2011 South Carolina Football

SOUTH CAROLINA GAME NOTES VS. ARKANSASGame9

15

Offense 1 Alshon Jeffery 6-4 229 JR-2L St. Matthews, S.C. 6 DeAngelo Smith 6-0 193 SO-SQ Kingsland, Ga. 11 Lamar Scruggs 6-3 218 SO-1L Jacksonville Beach, Fla. 9 Ace Sanders 5-7 175 SO-1L Bradenton, Fla. 23 Bruce Ellington 5-9 197 FR-RS Moncks Corner, S.C.OR 3 Damiere Byrd 5-9 161 FR-HS Sicklerville, N.J.

10 Nick Jones 5-9 188 FR-RS Moore, S.C. 82 D.L. Moore 6-4 203 JR-2L Bowling Green, Ky.OR 4 Jason Barnes 6-4 214 SR-3L Charlotte, N.C.

73 Rokevious Watkins 6-4 340 SR-1L Fairburn, Ga. 76 Mike Matulis 6-5 274 FR-HS Boynton Beach, Fla.

50 A.J. Cann 6-3 299 FR-RS Bamberg, S.C. 77 Byron Jerideau 6-1 319 JR-1L Green Pond, S.C. OR 70 Kyle Harris 6-3 273 FR-HS Silver Creek, Ga. 55 T.J. Johnson 6-5 316 JR-2L Aynor, S.C. 61 Travis Ford 6-3 278 SO-SQ Fork, S.C. 60 Terrence Campbell 6-3 295 SR-2L Austell, Ga. 67 Ronald Patrick 6-1 302 SO-SQ Cocoa, Fla.

78 Cody Gibson 6-6 284 FR-RS Tallahassee, Fla. 73 Rokevious Watkins 6-4 340 SR-1L Fairburn, Ga. 87 Justice Cunningham 6-3 265 JR-2L Pageland, S.C. 81 Rory Anderson 6-5 207 FR-HS Powder Springs, Ga. 14 Connor Shaw 6-1 204 SO-1L Flowery Branch, Ga. 17 Dylan Thompson 6-3 213 FR-RS Boiling Springs, S.C.OR 12 Andrew Clifford 6-2 212 SO-SQ Tampa, Fla.

46 Dalton Wilson 6-0 227 JR-2L Williston, S.C. 41 Connor McLaurin 6-0 227 FR-RS Raleigh, N.C. 22 Brandon Wilds 6-1 223 FR-HS Blythewood, S.C. 31 Kenny Miles 5-10 193 JR-2L Lawrenceville, Ga. 28 Eric Baker 6-0 208 JR-2L Jacksonville, Fla.

Defense 98 Devin Taylor 6-7 260 JR-2L Beaufort, S.C. 90 Chaz Sutton 6-4 250 SO-1L Savannah, Ga. 92 Byron McKnight 6-5 235 SR-3L Laurinburg, N.C.

42 Travian Robertson 6-4 303 SR-3L Laurinburg, N.C. 97 J.T. Surratt 6-2 297 FR-RS Winston-Salem, N.C. 77 Byron Jerideau 6-1 319 JR-1L Green Pond, S.C. 99 Kelcy Quarles 6-4 271 FR-PG Hodges, S.C. 57 Aldrick Fordham 6-3 274 JR-2L Jamestown, S.C.

6 Melvin Ingram 6-2 276 SR-3L Hamlet, N.C. 7 Jadeveon Clowney 6-6 254 FR-HS Rock Hill, S.C.

45 Rodney Paulk 6-0 242 SR-3L Columbia, S.C.OR 54 Shaq Wilson 5-11 223 JR-2L Jacksonville, Fla. 43 Qua Gilchrist 6-1 244 JR-SQ Abbeville, S.C.

24 Quin Smith 6-1 238 JR-2L Lenoir, N.C.OR 32 Reginald Bowens 6-2 248 JR-1L Holly Springs, N.C.

26 Antonio Allen 6-2 202 SR-2L Ocala, Fla. 33 Damario Jeffery 6-3 237 JR-2L Columbia, S.C.

5 Stephon Gilmore 6-1 193 JR-2L Rock Hill, S.C. 27 Victor Hampton 5-10 187 FR-RS Darlington, S.C. 21 DeVonte Holloman 6-2 232 JR-2L Charlotte, N.C. 11 Brison Williams 5-10 206 FR-PG Warner Robins, Ga. 9 Sharrod Golightly 5-10 185 FR-RS Decatur, Ga.

36 D.J. Swearinger 5-10 208 JR-2L Greenwood, S.C. 15 Jimmy Legree 5-11 185 SO-1L Beaufort, S.C.

39 Marty Markett 5-10 162 SR-1L York, S.C. 12 C.C. Whitlock 5-10 178 SR-3L Chester, S.C.

WR

WR

WR

LT

LG

C

RG

RT

TE

QB

FB

TB

DE

DT

DT

DE

MLB

WLB

SPUR

CB

SS

FS

CB

Specialists 18 Jay Wooten 6-3 204 SR-1L Laurinburg, N.C. 49 Joey Scribner-Howard 6-0 210 SR-SQ Irmo, S.C. 18 Jay Wooten 6-3 204 SR-1L Laurinburg, N.C. 49 Joey Scribner-Howard 6-0 210 SR-SQ Irmo, S.C.

49 Joey Scribner-Howard 6-0 210 SR-SQ Irmo, S.C. 18 Jay Wooten 6-3 204 SR-1L Laurinburg, N.C.

13 Seth Strickland 6-2 194 JR-1L Laurens, S.C.

36 D.J. Swearinger 5-10 208 JR-2L Greenwood, S.C.OR 23 Bruce Ellington 5-9 197 FR-RS Moncks Corner, S.C. 5 Stephon Gilmore 6-1 193 JR-2L Rock Hill, S.C.

9 Ace Sanders 5-7 175 SO-1L Bradenton, Fla. 5 Stephon Gilmore 6-1 193 JR-2L Rock Hill, S.C.

91 Walker Inabinet 5-10 199 JR-1L Columbia, S.C. 62 Davis Moore 6-0 216 SO-SQ Buford, Ga.

KO

PK

P

H

KR

PR

LS

DEPTH CHART

20 Edward Muldrow LB 6-3 190 FR Snellville, Ga./South Gwinnett68 Kyle Nunn OT 6-6 295 RS SR Sumter, S.C./Sumter31 Matt O’Brien SPR 6-0 188 RS SO New Milford, N.J./Bergen Catholic88 Drew Owens TE 6-5 241 FR Charlotte, N.C./Ardrey Kell67 Ronald Patrick OG 6-1 302 SO Cocoa, Fla./Cocoa45 Rodney Paulk LB 6-0 242 RS SR Columbia, S.C./Richland Northeast99 Kelcy Quarles DT 6-4 271 FR Hodges, S.C./Greenwood/Fork Union

Military48 Marcquis Roberts SPR 6-0 218 FR Powder Springs, Ga./McEachern42 Travian Robertson DT 6-4 303 RS SR Laurinburg, N.C./Scotland County94 Corey Robinson DT 6-8 350 RS FR Havelock, N.C./Havelock51 Kenny Robinson FS 5-9 178 RS FR Hilton Head Island, S.C./Hilton Head Island4 Sheldon Royster FS 5-11 187 FR Woodbridge, N.J./St. Peter’s Prep9 Ace Sanders WR 5-7 175 SO Bradenton, Fla./Manatee10 Cadarious Sanders CB 6-0 184 RS FR LaGrange, Ga./Troup County49 Joey Scribner-Howard P/K 6-0 210 RS SR Irmo, S.C./Dutch Fork/Carson-

Newman11 Lamar Scruggs WR 6-3 218 RS SO Jacksonville Beach, Fla./Fletcher14 Connor Shaw QB 6-1 204 SO Flowery Branch, Ga./Flowery Branch71 Brandon Shell OT 6-6 322 FR Goose Creek, S.C./Goose Creek89 Corey Simmons TE 6-4 260 RS FR Lawrenceville, Ga./Greater Atlanta

Christian6 DeAngelo Smith WR 6-0 193 RS SO Kingsland, Ga./Camden County24 Quin Smith LB 6-1 238 JR Lenoir, N.C./Hibriten75 Will Sport OL 6-5 282 FR Milton, Fla./Pace13 Seth Strickland QB 6-2 194 RS JR Laurens, S.C./Laurens97 J.T. Surratt DT 6-2 297 RS FR Winston-Salem, N.C./Parkland90 Chaz Sutton DE 6-4 250 RS SO Savannah, Ga./Jenkins/Fork Union Military36 D.J. Swearinger SS 5-10 208 JR Greenwood, S.C./Greenwood98 Devin Taylor DE 6-7 260 RS JR Beaufort, S.C./Beaufort

17 Dylan Thompson QB 6-3 213 RS FR Boiling Springs, S.C./Boiling Springs73 Rokevious Watkins OT 6-4 340 RS SR Fairburn, Ga./Creekside/Georgia Military17 Angelo Watley LB 6-1 225 FR Lawrenceville, Ga./Peachtree Ridge12 C.C. Whitlock CB 5-10 178 SR Chester, S.C./Chester22 Brandon Wilds TB 6-1 223 FR Blythewood, S.C./Blythewood11 Brison Williams FS 5-10 206 FR Warner Robins, Ga./Northside/Fork Union

Military84 Mike Williamson P 6-1 188 RS SO Norway, S.C./Orangeburg Prep/Columbia

University46 Dalton Wilson FB 6-0 227 RS JR Williston, S.C./Williston-Elko54 Shaq Wilson LB 5-11 223 RS JR Jacksonville, Fla./First Coast40 Josh Woods FS 5-10 180 RS SO Spartanburg, S.C./Gaffney/South Carolina

State18 Jay Wooten P/K 6-3 204 RS SR Laurinburg, N.C./Scotland County/North

Carolina81 Adam Yates PK 6-1 213 RS JR Sparks, MD/Hereford

no. name pos. HGt. wGt. cl. Hometown/HiGH scHool/last colleGe

10 usc VS florida citadel

B Y D A V I D C L O N I N G E R

Gotta win anywayGamecocks Football Aims to channel ray tanner

missing a handful of games, oth-ers missing half the season.

Yet, USC still won the SEC and swept through the postsea-son without a loss. In the final game of the College World Series, one of those injured stars, Jackie Bradley Jr., caught the last out on another national title.

The mantra for the team became one of Tanner’s favorite expressions. He’s said it for years, but last season is when it really hit home: “Gotta win anyway.”

Hurt? Tough. Playing three Top 10 teams in the span of two weeks? Oh well. Going through a pitching or hitting slump where nothing’s going right? No excuses.

Win anyway.Baseball is baseball and foot-

ball is football, but as the football season has progressed, many are thinking the baseball team’s code has transferred across campus to Williams-Brice Stadium. The Gamecocks have won seven of

their first eight games despite their offense being stuck in first gear. And at Mississippi State on Oct. 15, the hammer dropped.

On what would become the game-winning touchdown drive, USC’s gas tank ruptured. Tailback Marcus Lattimore — Heisman trophy hopeful and the man the offense is designed around — couldn’t hurdle a diving tackler in time, caught his left leg underneath and felt something rip.

It looked bad after the game, and the announcement came the next day that it was even worse than it had looked. Lattimore has a torn ligament and cartilage damage in his left knee, nixing the rest of his season and putting him on a long road to recovery. While chances are excellent that Lattimore can return to what he was, that’s a year away.

In the meantime, USC was left staring at a sizable void in its

it’s often fruitless to compare success rates between different

teams at one school. Just because a school is a powerhouse in women’s basketball, for example, doesn’t mean it will be a powerhouse in men’s basketball.

Quarterback connor Shaw runs the ball during tennessee game on Oct. 29. PHOTO By PAuL COLLinS

But at South Carolina, espe-cially this year, comparisons offer reason for hope.

The Gamecocks’ baseball team has won two straight national championships, the last coming during a year that coach Ray Tanner labeled his most stag-gering in terms of injuries. Key player after key player went down to a medical problem, some only

11usc VS florida citadel

offense. During Lattimore’s fresh-man season, it was a troubling statistic that the Gamecocks looked completely lost whenever Lattimore didn’t play. While his rushing total have been lower in 2011 — mainly because of opponents focusing so much on the threat he represents — he still meant so much to the Gamecocks that it was frightening to think of continuing without him.

Then the cry was issued: Win anyway. No matter how painful it is to see Lattimore on crutches, the situation has not changed. USC is still leading the SEC East, could still clinch it and play for the SEC championship and could still go to a BCS bowl game.

They just have to win anyway.“We talked about it and we

said that everything is right there in front of us,” senior captain Travian Robertson said, describ-ing a players-only meeting that the Gamecocks called after the Mississippi State game. Lattimore attended as well, and he told the group not to feel sorry for him or itself, because the goals were still attainable.

USC regrouped during its bye week, then traveled to Tennessee and won 14-3, just the second time the Gamecocks have ever won in Neyland Stadium. Fresh-man Brandon Wilds took over at tailback and bulled his way to 137 yards to replace the running cog in the Gamecocks’ offense, while quarterback Connor Shaw helped out with 64 rushing yards, 87 passing yards, one rushing touchdown and one passing touchdown.

It was not a pretty win, but not many this season have been. The important thing is that it was a win.

“Even though it wasn’t pretty for television, we’re glad to get to 7-1,” coach Steve Spurrier said. “I’m not much of a passing coach anymore, but we’re 7-1, some-how.”

The Gamecocks return home for their final three games with their goals still in front of them. While hard-charging Georgia is breathing down USC’s neck in pursuit of the division title, all USC has to do is win — anyway

— and the Bulldogs will go away.To do that, the Gamecocks

will face a curious Florida team, one that is struggling to find its way under first-year coach Will Muschamp, and one that has plenty of talent but has yet to put it together. The Gators were 4-4 going into their game on Nov. 5, a losing skid caused by an injury to quarterback John Brantley.

The game could decide the SEC East champion, which then turns the focus to finishing strong at home. The Citadel would be first up, giving the Gamecocks the chance to correct a mistake of long ago (losing to the Bulldogs in 1990, the last entry in the series). Then another opportunity comes knocking: Clemson has lost its last two straight games to USC, and the Tigers will probably be coming into the match-up with its ticket punched for the ACC Championship Game. The Tigers

are riding a magnificent offense to a stellar season and will no doubt be looking to avoid their first three-game losing streak to the Gamecocks since 1968-70.

Those games are in the future, though. As USC has all year, it is not focusing on Georgia or its injuries or its could-be scenarios. Only the next game, and what the Gamecocks must do to win that next game.

“It was tough losing Mar-cus, but we can’t accept that as, ‘Our season is over,’” center T.J. Johnson said. “He’s still around us, encouraging us, and we know that all of our goals are still right in front of us. We’re not going to give up.”

Tanner hasn’t spoken to the football team about trying to win anyway, but the Gamecocks have grasped the concept already. What keeps everyone hopeful that USC can see this season

through is the way the Game-cocks have won many of their previous games: late rallies, hit-ting the big plays, having the ball bounce their way for a change. These are foreign concepts to a program that has been mired in mediocrity.

It’s happening now. USC has not scored first in any game this season, yet the Gamecocks have won seven of their first eight games. It has won despite not having a fluid passing attack, its rushing game beginning to be held up and its top offensive player going down to a knee injury.

“We don’t think too much about how we’re doing it,” safety D.J. Swearinger said. “That won’t do us any good.”

The Gamecocks also don’t mention the key phrase, since everybody is doing it for them.

Win anyway.

injured running back marcus

lattimore at uSc-tennessee game,

Oct. 29.PHOTO By PAuL COLLinS

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recruit to watcHB Y C H R I S C L A R K

for the second straight recruit-ing cycle, South Carolina’s football staff nabbed a quarter-

back prospect out of the North-east. Last year, the staff signed New Jersey’s Tanner McEvoy; this year, it is Pennsylvania signal-caller Brendan Nosovitch, who will sign with USC in February.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Nosovitch fits the mold of what quarterbacks coach G.A. Mangus is looking for these days: a strong arm, the ability to scramble, moxie and smarts. Nosovitch led his Allentown Central Catholic team to an undefeated state champi-onship season during his junior year. Along the way, he put up huge numbers, passing for 3,112 yards and 43 touchdowns and rushing for 1,647 yards and 25

more scores.This season, Central Catholic’s

defense has not played as well, but Nosovitch has still had a big year. He is now the all-time leader for both rushing and passing yardage among quarterbacks in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, ahead of names like Terrelle Pryor.

For Nosovitch, USC was a perfect fit.

“I’ve been pretty high on South Carolina this whole recruiting process,” he told Gamecock-Central.com after he committed in the summer. “I feel like it’s a good place for me. I knew where I wanted to go. I’m really excited about playing for South Carolina.”

Playing for Steve Spurrier and Mangus, with whom Nosovitch

Gamecockcentral.com

QuarterBack Brendan nosovitcH

Gamecocks not finished rewriting History

O P I N I O N B Y J A M E S H A R L E Y

students of Gamecock football history will be delighted to know that a new textbook is

on order, authored by coach Steve Spurrier with substantial contribu-tions from prominent members of the current roster. Replacing the outdated previous edition, Mediocrity Defined, the new version includes chapters on USC’s first SEC East title; their win over No. 1 ranked Alabama; their longest true road-game winning streak ever; their first consecutive wins over Clemson since the 1960s; the most winning senior class in history; their redefined bowl eligibility stan-dards; and their first ever consecu-tive seasons with wins over both Georgia and Tennessee.

In short, the new history reflects USC’s upgraded status in the state of South Carolina, the wider world of college football and especially the SEC. But though the Gamecocks have successfully put themselves above Clemson, Georgia and now

Tennessee, the book isn’t finished yet. While they often managed to play the Bulldogs and Volunteers close even in defeat, USC’s history against Florida has been far from hopeful, with the Gators ruthlessly dominating the series. This chapter still needs a rewrite, and a chance to put Florida down in consecu-tive seasons for the first time since joining the conference offers an excellent opportunity to do so and officially announce USC’s new ownership of the SEC East, regard-less of the outcome of the division race.

Georgia might still back its way into the title over Carolina, but defeating all of the traditional East powerhouses two years in a row and losing the title only because of West division teams would still indicate that the Gamecocks are dominant in their own division. It’s impor-tant not to lose sight of that, and of what’s going on in the big picture of Carolina football in general, even

if the season as a whole does not turn out as perfectly as one might dream. The wins or losses of a given letdown weekend, as tough as they are to swallow sometimes, are part of college football and cannot erase the new history of true overall com-petitiveness that is being written by Spurrier. The Gamecocks have a legitimate elevated status, and can validate that strongly with another win over Florida as part of a solid three-game home stand to finish the season.

But there is a lot of history to overcome in this particular match-up. It seems like the Gators really took offense to the Gamecocks ruining their only undefeated sea-son ever with a 6-6 tie game back in 1911, and they have taken it out on USC ever since, winning 23 of the subsequent 30 meetings. Since USC joined the SEC in 1992, the Gators have racked up a brutal 17-2 ad-vantage over the Gamecocks. That period included a 13-game losing streak for USC that was only broken when Spurrier showed up on the scene and shocked his former team with a 30-22 Gamecock victory in 2005. Still, the Gators returned to domination immediately, taking the next four games before last

year’s championship USC team finally broke through again.

With nothing less than another potential SEC East title at stake, the question is whether the Gamecocks can finally put Florida behind them like Georgia and Tennessee. It won’t be easy. The Gators have not lost to both USC and UGA in the same year since 1939, and it’s hard to imagine that they’ve truly slid as far as it appears they have. Look for this one to be a high-stress event and plan accordingly when you make your pre-game beer run if you’re watching at home.

Whether or not USC gets to finally edit the Florida chapter and claim another title, the team should at least get to erase another ugly piece of history next week when they face the Citadel for the first time since an embarrassing loss in 1990. With fingers crossed to avoid any lingering curse, the Bulldogs should provide a nice de-stressing for both the team and fans after the insane drama that is part of life in the top half of the SEC. We will need it.

Keep up with Harley’s Side Line blog at free-times.com and his Side Line column in the weekly edition of Free Times.

has developed a good relationship, was too much to pass up for the three-star prospect.

“It’s an unbelievable oppor-tunity to get a chance to play for [Coach Spurrier],” Nosovitch said. “Not many people get to do that. Hopefully, I will take advantage of that opportunity. The SEC is definitely the best conference in college football.”

Central Catholic coach Harold Fairclough absolutely raved about Nosovitch shortly after the quar-terback pledged to USC.

“Hands down, he’s the best athlete I’ve ever coached,” Fair-clough said. “I’ve been around some good ones. He has such a low-key demeanor that if you saw him walking down the street, you wouldn’t really know that it’s Bren-dan Nosovitch, the best player in Pennsylvania.”

The coach was asked back in July to point to one moment that demonstrated “vintage Nosovitch” during the season. It was not lead-

ing his team to a game-winning drive in the state title game, though. It was the week before.

“I would go back to the game before the state championship,” Fairclough said. “The game was tied at halftime and I kind of said to him ‘Now is your time. Put the team on your back and make it happen.’”

Nosovitch responded with 602 total yards and seven touchdowns in the game to help his squad make it to state.

Indeed, Fairclough is not the only person who believes Noso-vitch is the best in the Keystone State. He was named the Gatorade Player of the Year after his junior season in the state. What is it that makes him such a good player?

“He’s a winner,” said Fair-clough. “By his numbers, you can tell he produces whether he runs the ball or passes it. He has all the intangibles. Great kid overall, humble, great work ethic. He’s the ultimate competitor.”

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