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December 4, 2013 • Volume 35 • Issue 36
‘I don’t know how it feels to lose to Clemson. I’m not going to know how it feels either.’ - JD Clowney
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five!
2 • Spurs & Feathers
December 4, 2013
GIMME FIVE! South Carolina claims fifth straight win over Clemson by brian hand bhand@spursandfeathers.com COLUMBIA, S.C. - In the first-ever top10 showdown in the 111-year history of the rivalry, No. 10/9 South Carolina claimed its record fifth straight win over No. 6/4 Clemson in a 31-17 victory over the Tigers before a crowd of 84,174 at Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 30. The victory over Clemson (10-2) allowed South Carolina (10-2) to extend the nation’s longest home winning streak to 18 games. The Gamecocks have now won 41 games over the course of the last four seasons. The Gamecocks have also now won 10 games in a season for three straight years. South Carolina was a perfect 7-0 at home in the 2013 season. “It’s a wonderful win for our guys,” South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier said. “You know I just started thinking that it’s amazing that when we play these guys from Clemson, the script follows the same thing … they had 57 plays, we had about 78 and somehow or other we made a bunch of third downs early and late. In between we really got stymied trying to run the ball, but fortunately the quarterback draw got us out of a jam. I guess when the game was tied there in the fourth and Connor made about 11 yards there on third and 12 and then we got them offside on fourth down was a big play in the game. “Our defense again was very good. I guess we got a couple of turnovers on special teams … but anyway it’s a wonderful win for us. We’re very happy. We were very fortunate and we know that. They’re a good team that continues not playing well when they play us for some reason,” Spurrier continued. Clemson received the opening kickoff and looked to be threatening to score in the inaugural minutes of the game. The Tiger drive was stalled though when a trick play was intercepted by the Gamecocks. South Carolina safety Brison Williams intercepted the football in the end zone when wide receiver Sammy Watkins’ pass from the right side off an originating Tajh Boyd pass was floated into Williams’ waiting arms. The Gamecocks took advantage of the interception, marching 80 yards on 17 plays to take a 7-0 advantage with 4:23 remaining in the first quarter. Quarterback Connor Shaw’s three-yard keeper capped a drive that lasted 8:13 for the Gamecocks. The 17-play drive was the longest of the season and the fourthlongest drive of Spurrier’s tenure at South Carolina. After Clemson responded on its next offensive possession to tie the game at 7-7, the Tiger defense forced a Gamecock three-andout on South Carolina’s next offensive pos-
photo by allen sharpe
Defensive tackle Kelcy Quarles set a new career high with 2.5 sacks in the Gamecock win. session. Tyler Hull’s punt was then muffed by the Tigers to give the Gamecocks opportune field position at Clemson’s 44-yard line. Skai Moore recovered the fumble that gave the Gamecocks the football. Once again, the Gamecocks took advantage with Shaq Roland catching a nine-yard touchdown pass from Shaw. The touchdown catch from Roland concluded a five-play, 1:27 drive that garnered the Gamecocks a 14-7 lead with 14:54 to play in the first half. The Gamecocks would go on top by 10 points a little while later when Elliott Fry connected on a 21-yard field goal. The Fry field goal with 8:25 left in the opening half finished a drive that encompassed 13 plays and 65 yards. Clemson would close the first half with a
38-yard field goal by Chandler Catanzaro. The field goal left the Gamecocks leading Clemson, 17-10, at the halftime break. South Carolina owned a large advantage in time of possession in the first half at 19:4210:18. The Gamecocks converted eight of their 11 third downs in the first half of action. South Carolina had 199 yards of total offense on 45 plays in the first half, while Clemson had 195 yards of offense on 27 plays. Neither team could really get any offensive momentum going in the first few minutes of the second half, but with 3:01 to play in the third quarter Clemson had evened the game at 17-all after a Roderick McDowell fouryard touchdown run. The touchdown run by McDowell concluded a 15-play drive that
lasted 6:48. The Gamecocks would take the lead back just over four minutes into the fourth quarter when Mike Davis powered his way up the middle into the end zone from two yards out. The Davis touchdown that gave the Gamecocks a 24-17 lead was the culmination of a 11-play, 75-yard drive for the Gamecocks that took 6:14 off the clock. Clemson looked to be putting itself in scoring position on its next offensive possession, but a Boyd fumble that was forced by Chaz Sutton delivered the football back to the Gamecocks at their own 30-yard line with under nine minutes to play in the contest. The Gamecocks would not be able to score on their next possession, but the Tigers once again coughed up a Hull punt to give the Gamecocks the football at the Clemson 34-yard line. South Carolina’s Kaiwan Lewis forced the fumble that gave the Gamecocks the football back with 5:18 left in the game. The Gamecocks would utilize the Clemson miscue with wildcat quarterback Pharoh Cooper connecting with running back Brandon Wilds for a 26-yard touchdown. Wilds’ touchdown pushed the Gamecock advantage to 31-17 with 3:44 remaining. Clemson from there would turn the ball over twice more to allow the Gamecocks to kneel down in victory formation to claim the 14-point victory. South Carolina closed out its win owning a large 38:09-21:51 advantage over Clemson in time of possession. Clemson actually finished with more yards than the Gamecocks at 352-318. Clemson turned the football over six times in the contest. In finishing his time at Williams-Brice Stadium a perfect 17-0 as a starting quarterback, Shaw passed for 152 yards and ran for another 94. He rushed for one touchdown and threw for another. Lewis and Kelcy Quarles led the Gamecocks with six tackles each. Lewis had one sack, while Quarles had 2.5 sacks in the contest. South Carolina defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward was extremely complimentary of the effort of his defense in the win over Clemson. “They knew what this ball game was about and they showed a lot of pride,” Ward remarked. “A lot of those guys that were out there playing, this is their last game in this stadium ever. We had an opportunity to go out there and get better and I thought we did. I thought we improved as the season went as a defense.” Boyd passed for 225 yards. He was 19-for27 overall. Boyd threw two interceptions in the loss to the Gamecocks. McDowell closed out Clemson’s loss with 111 yards rushing. He had one touchdown in the game.
Spurs & Feathers • 3
December 4, 2013
Spurs & Feathers Published by Aiken Communications, Inc.
What’s Inside? - Table of Contents Postgame notes/quotes................................................4 What Clemson had to say in loss...............................5 Recruiting Roundup................................................9-10 Sand volleyball learns from competition.............11
Contact Us: 218 Richland Ave. W. Aiken, SC 29801 (803) 335-1399 To subscribe: Please call 800-559-2311; annual subscription price is $50 Scott B. Hunter Publisher & President Aiken Communications, Inc. Tim O’Briant General Manager tobriant@spursandfeathers.com (803) 335-1400 Ext. 500
Men’s soccer scores great season...........................12 “Inside the Chart”.........................................................14 Fairfield County small, but active chapter...........15 2014 softball schedule...............................................17 Lanning teams with “Kicking for the Dream”......18 Tigerburn 2013..............................................................19 Captain’s take on start of basketball season.......20 Cross country took huge strides.............................21
Brian Hand Executive Editor bhand@spursandfeathers.com (803) 335-1399 Ext. 506
Gamecock women down Southern Cal...............22
Mike Kucharski Reporter mike@spursandfeathers.com (803) 335-1399 Ext. 507
Columbia Touchdown Club final meeting..........24
Ed Girardeau Contributing Editor ed@spursandfeathers.com (803) 335-1399 Ext. 501
Ed Girardeau’s column................................................30
Dee Taylor Advertising Director (803) 644-2371 Kathy Boyette Advertising Sales Manager (803) 644-2349 kboyette@spursandfeathers.com Matt Socha Graphic Designer Postal Information: Spurs & Feathers (ISSN 074454368) is published weekly by Aiken Communications, 326 Rutland Drive, Aiken, South Carolina 29801. Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Prices is pending at Aiken, SC. POSTMASTER: please send address changes to Spurs & Feathers, 326 Rutland Drive, Aiken, SC 29801.
Radio/Television information...................................23
A family affair in the radio booth............................27
Spurs & Feathers publication schedule changing to monthly until football returns in the Fall The end of a fantastic Gamecock football season is upon us and it is bittersweet in many ways. Sadly, there will be no more tailgating at Williams-Brice this year and we’ll have to wait until August to extend the nation’s longest home win streak of 18 straight. Another change will be in the delivery of your Spurs & Feathers. As a member of the Gamecock Club, you receive this publication weekly during football season and monthly for the remainder of the year. We will continue to provide full coverage of all the exciting sports action at the University of South Carolina on a daily basis through Tim O’Briant spursandfeathers.com and will be sending out General electronic versions of the publication regularly Manager to those on the e-mail list. Don’t miss all the coverage of Frank Martin’s promising young Men’s Basketball program as they wade into SEC competition in January. You’ll certainly want to keep up with Dawn Staley and the 14th-ranked Women’s Basketball team that is poised for truly great things this season. Of course, Gamecock Baseball is just around the corner and we’ll be there every step of the way as Chad Holbrook and his squad hope to continue that program’s winning ways. We hope that we will be able to extend the delivery of the printed newspaper in the future so we can cover all the student-athletes at the University of South Carolina in the same immediate and in-depth way we’ve handled the exploits of Steve Spurrier’s highly successful 10-2 Gamecocks each week this fall. For now, funding for the newspaper simply does not allow for that. As we make progress toward hopes of extending delivery to weekly throughout the year, we’ll let you know. For now, look for new editions to come to your mailbox on the following schedule: January, (TBA) the Wednesday following bowl appearance. January 29, Football season wrap-up slick magazine. Newspapers will also be delivered February 19, March 19, April 23, May 21 and June 25. Following that, we’ll return to the weekly delivery in Mid-August as we prepare for the 2014 football campaign. Thanks for reading, happy holidays and ... Go Cocks!
Congratulations!
Congratulations to Richard L Cox III! He was the winner of the signed Steve Spurrier football. Frankie Thompson Jr. won a $50 gift card from Salsarita’s for his contribution in the top South Carolina-Clemson memory contest. Alicia Owens won a $50 gift card from Schlotzsky’s for her Carolina-Clemson memory. More chances to win signed material and other prizes will be available in the future. Tell all your friends to like Spurs & Feathers on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @SpursFeathers to obtain future opportunities. Go Gamecocks!
4 • Spurs & Feathers
December 4, 2013
South Carolina-Clemson postgame notes/quotes south carolina athletics media relations General • No. 10/9 South Carolina’s 31-17 victory over No. 6/4 Clemson extends the Gamecocks’ winning streak to five games over the Tigers, their longest in the 111-year history of the Palmetto State rivalry. South Carolina has won all five contests in the stretch by double digits. • The win also increases the South Carolina home winning streak to 18, extending its school record. The streak is the longest current home winning streak in the country. • After tonight’s victory, the Gamecocks have won 41 games in the last four years, extending the school record. After logging 10 wins just once in school history prior to the 2011 season (1984), the Gamecocks have now posted a 10win season for the third-straight year. • South Carolina has won 14-straight games against non-conference foes. • The announced attendance of 84,174 is a season high and the seventh-highest total all time. • South Carolina has scored 62 points off turnovers while allowing none for Clemson in the last five years. Offense • Senior quarterback Connor Shaw earned his school-record 26th career victory as the starting quarterback for the Garnet & Black. Shaw is 26-5 as a starter and is 17-0 in his starts at Williams-Brice Stadium. Shaw is now fifth in school history in career pass completions with 458 after going 14for-26 tonight. • The Gamecocks’ first drive and score of the night was 17 plays, the longest scoring drive by plays of the season and the fourth-most by plays in the Steve Spurrier era. • Freshman wide receiver Pharoh Cooper completed the first touchdown pass of his career to sophomore tailback Brandon Wilds in the fourth quarter. • With his four receptions on the night, junior wide receiver Bruce Ellington became the 14th Gamecock in school history to log 100 receptions in his career. • With his fourth-quarter touchdown, sophomore tailback Mike Davis tallied his 11th touchdown of the season, tying him with Derek Watson (2000) and Marcus Lattimore (2012) for the sixth-most in a season at South Carolina.
•
Junior fullback Connor McLaurin’s 15-yard reception for a first down in the first quarter was his first career reception. Defense • Junior defensive end Jadeveon Clowney moved into third place in school history with 24.0 career sacks after recording one. • Junior defensive tackle Kelcy Quarles set a new career high with 2.5 sacks on the night. • Sophomore linebacker Kaiwan Lewis recorded the first sack and the first forced fumble of his career. • The Gamecocks had three interceptions in the contest, a total also recorded at UCF and vs. Mississippi State earlier this season. Junior strong safety Brison Williams nabbed the first of the night for his third career interception. Fourth-quarter interceptions were hauled in by freshman linebacker Skai Moore, the second of his career, and by redshirt freshman linebacker T.J. Holloman, the third of his career. • Senior defensive end Chaz Sutton forced a fumble in the fourth quarter and collected the fumble recovery. It was his fourth career forced fumble and the first fumble recovery of his career. Special Teams • Freshman wide receiver Pharoh Cooper rattled off a 55-yard kickoff return to start the second half for the Gamecocks’ longest kick return of the season. Cooper had 80 return yards on two kick returns and 98 total allpurpose yards. • South Carolina recovered fumbles on two punt returns. Freshman linebacker Skai Moore recovered the muffed punt at the end of the first quarter for his first career fumble recovery. Freshman wide receiver Kwinton Smith collected a fumbled punt in the fourth quarter for the first of his career. • Freshman placekicker Elliott Fry improved to 15-of-18 on the year with his 21-yard field goal in the second quarter. Head Coach Steve Spurrier Opening Statement “Wonderful win for our guys. I started thinking, amazingly when we play these guys from Clemson, the script follows the same thing. [The score was] 31-17, they had 57 plays and we had about 78. Somehow we made a bunch of third downs, early and late but we didn’t make much in between. We really got stymied trying to run the ball,
but fortunately quarterback draw got us out of the jam. I guess when the game was tied there in the fourth, Connor made about 11 yards on third and 12 and then we got them off side on fourth down, which was a big play in the game. Our defense again was very good, I guess we got a couple of turnovers, special teams dropped two punts. It was a wonderful win for us. We’re happy and very fortunate. They’re a good team but continue to not play very well when they play us for some reason. Connor Shaw, best quarterback in school history. He’s probably the difference maker for us. Running the ball and throwing the ball he had a successful game.” On the Defense “The defensive guys were super, all those interceptions at the end, Skai Moore and TJ Holloman, those freshman linebackers. [Jadaveon] Clowney said let’s give a game ball to those freshman linebackers, so we gave a bunch of game balls out.” On Winning 10 Games “We have an excellent coaching staff here and it’s pretty neat to go 10-2 with this team that was one time called the youngest team in America. They’ve really achieved and I’m really proud of this team. I was thinking back of all the teams I’ve had, these guys may have achieved the most for such a young bunch of guys that haven’t played all that much and don’t have that much experience. They’ve really played well this year so give them credit.” On the Clemson Series and Playing at Home “Well if you look at the stat sheet, [the last few games versus Clemson] all very similar, 31-17, 34-13. We did have a 29-7 in there and 27-17 last year. They’re all similar scores and fortunately we got ahead enough we could relax a little bit the last minute of the game. But they had turnovers and I don’t think we had any. That’s four home games in a row with no turnovers. Our guys play well here at Williams-Brice. The fans were super. That was one of the loudest [atmospheres] we’ve had here. It was neat. We know we’re sort of blessed. We’re not that great of a team, but the guys hang in there and just keep on playing. It was a good win for all Gamecocks.”
what you’re doing then you get the turnovers. We’re really proud of the way the guys played tonight.” Senior Quarterback Connor Shaw On being 17-0 at home “It’s just special, man. Special to me, special to the players, the seniors, the program. This is why we came to South Carolina and to finish out the seniors not losing to them is huge.” Junior Defensive Tackle Kelcy Quarles On what it means to have five wins in a row against Clemson “I feel like it’s bigger for the school than for myself, that’s why I came here - to break records, to start new trends around here. Clemson is a good team, they have a great quarterback, great receivers and everything. Fortunately, we came out here needing to win and we won, you know I am just happy to be a part of this team.” Junior Defensive End Jadeveon Clowney On never losing to Clemson “Tonight sealed the deal. I will not lose to Clemson. I am very excited. This is a great team with a great coaching staff. It feels great to be a part of this. I could have gone anywhere in the country and I chose to come to South Carolina. It’s been the best decision of my life probably.” On playing in Williams-Brice Stadium “I’m going to miss the crowd. There’s no crowd in the country better than South Carolina. They cheered me on all season long when everyone was talking bad about me. The crowd had my back and every time I came out on the field they cheered me on. I am every excited to be a part of this program.” Junior Corner Victor Hampton
On beating Clemson 5 times in a row “It means a lot, especially to end it like this. I’m proud of the guys. We earned it. It wasn’t given to us. I’m happy for the things we’ve done this year. I’m at a loss for words. This is Defensive Coordinator Lorenzo Ward a great achievement.” What the wins mean to the fans On the six turnovers Clemson had in the It means a lot. It has never been done game before. That’s what we have tried to do ev“Well, it’s always big anytime you get an ery year that I have been here. We’ve been opportunity to give your offense the ball achieving things that South Carolina has back and we were tough and turnovers came never done. That’s what I keep telling the on special teams, they made some blunders. guys - don’t stop at five, go for the sixth win But you know I thought the guys had started and continue next year. The hard work we to play a lot more physical, so when you start put in all year, not just during the season, it to play a lot more physical, when you know paid off.
Spurs & Feathers • 5
December 4, 2013
What Clemson had to say after fifth straight loss to Gamecocks south carolina athletics media relations Head Coach Dabo Swinney Opening Statement “Well, obviously very disappointing, just a very painful loss. I thought our guys fought really hard. The first half we were very disappointed they were 8-for-11 on third downs. We had a couple turnovers and they kept the ball 20 minutes to our 10 as a result. It was a one-score game at the half. I thought we played much better in the third quarter, kind of got the momentum back. [With the score] 17-17 in the fourth quarter, we had a chance to win the game and we had critical mistakes. We really fought hard, but we didn’t play smart. We had some critical penalties but the story of the game is the turnovers. You can’t turn the ball over and beat good teams. We had four turnovers in the fourth quarter. Four of our turnovers, two were in plus territory and two were on punt returns. So, that’s the difference in the game, there’s no question about it. Give all the credit to South Carolina, because they took care of the ball. Connor
Shaw played tremendous, just tremendous. What a great football player he is. I have all the respect in the world for Connor Shaw. He’s a great runner. There’s a reason why they’re undefeated at home and why he has never lost a game here at home. He is a tremendous competitor and I have a lot of respect for him. Obviously, our locker room is hurting greatly and so is our fan base. This is a game that everyone wants and it’s nobody’s responsibility but mine, period. We didn’t get it done. Again, our guys played very hard, but we did not do the things that you have to do to win the game. You’re not going to beat anybody. It’s actually a miracle that with all the turnovers we had that it’s a 17-17 game at the start of the fourth quarter. It got away from us with a couple of series there, and we could not get it back. Very disappointing, and it’s one that we’re going to have to live with for another year, and it hurts for everybody. The bragging rights stay with South Carolina and they’ve earned it. I give them all the credit and congratulate their staff. We’ll see what’s next for us in the postseason. We missed a great opportunity tonight, but I love our team. I love everybody in that locker
room and I know that we all wanted to win and we didn’t get it done. It’s been a very disappointing run against these guys, no doubt about it. It’s been a very good season for us. We’ll see what we have in the postseason and try and get our 11th win. That’s what we have to do. We have to pick ourselves up. Again, our heart goes out to our players because I know how much they’re hurting in that locker room. I love every one of them and I appreciate every one of them. I wish the outcome had been different, but it’s not.” Sammy Watkins • Wide Receiver • Junior On making mistakes against South Carolina “We beat ourselves. That isn’t Clemson football. It seems like every year some tragedy happens. That is what happened tonight and they won.” Tajh Boyd • Quarterback • Redshirt Senior On the coaches’ message to the team af-
photo by allen sharpe
ter the game “We just shot ourselves in the foot, we had opportunities and did not take advantage of them. We are playing a top-10 team, and every year we have lost the turnover margin. Ultimately, I think that sums up the story every year.”
6 • Spurs & Feathers
December 4, 2013
We are in the Golden Age of Gamecock football The sun shines golden these days on the University of South Carolina football program and the glow is unmistakable for anyone who cares to take a look. No, it’s not perfect, nothing ever is when you look closely enough, but with an opportunity to win 11 games for the third consecutive seaBart Wright son, with a historic fifth consecutive victory over Contributing the rival safely tucked Writer away, it is obvious to all that we are smack dab in the middle of the Golden Age of Gamecock football. It’s a thought worth taking in with a deep breath and then expelling all the years of worry and disappointment, which have been shifted ever so comfortably onto the backs of the in-state rival. There’s work to be done, a conference championship to be won, another division title, more victories against Clemson,
which, once again found itself embarrassed in defeat after more turnovers, continued inability to sustain drives with a county fair carnival offense that folds up in a fetal position against Carolina. Saturday night’s 31-17 result continued the streak of double-digit wins against a Clemson team that has developed a knack for big plays and lots of points when it plays most of the teams in its conference, but it has for five years in a row developed the jitters against South Carolina. The stage seems a bit too big for them, the players across the line a little bigger, faster and tougher than what they are used to in most of their conference games. In all, Saturday’s turnover show gave Clemson 15 of them in its last five defeats to the Gamecocks. Their record looks good from a distance but a closer inspection reveals they are 21-0 in the last two years against everyone else, 0-4 against South Carolina and Florida State, programs that make a living one step above the Clemson level. Will they continue winning against typical ACC-level programs if, as most everyone
Hand Writing
suspects, offensive coordinator Chad Morris leave for a head-coaching job? That will be interesting to watch. Under its current head coach, Clemson was 19-15 prior to the Morris hire; it has been 31-8 after he took the job. Enough for the problems of others. The Gamecocks’ problems these days, if that’s how you want to look at it, are mundane by comparison to their rivals who talk all day about the importance of running a large number of plays, yet, in another big game, the Carolina offense kept shutting down Clemson’s offense and coach Steve Spurrier’s offense kept making big plays on third down all night long. Keep it going, that’s “the problem,” at Carolina and it is one Spurrier and staff have dealt with successfully year after year. The recruiting continues to improve, more top talent wants to be a part of the program and it almost feels as though the momentum gathers a little more with every victory, every double-digit winning season. At the end Saturday night, the Head Ball Coach reminded anyone who was paying attention how his sharp insight builds on his
talent and confounds opponents. It is teams like Clemson that seek to win with deception, a jumble of motion and misdirection plays that take defenses away from where they should be. So when the running game was slowed, Spurrier went to ground gains from senior quarterback Connor Shaw and from freshman wildcat back Pharoah Cooper. That tactic cleaved big gains out of the Clemson defense and when Cooper pulled up and threw a 26-yard pass to Brandon Wilds for the final touchdown, completing a drive started on a takeaway, it was the deception of the play that closed out another victory. A championship opportunity was lost this season up in Knoxville and, thinking back on it, you see a spectacular, one-handed catch down the sidelines by Tennessee’ Marquez North and really, that was all the separated Carolina from a chance to knock the grin off Auburn’s Tigers. Those are the things coaches go over in the offseason, the play here, the play there. But at Carolina, looking ahead has never been as much fun as it is right now, in the Golden Age.
by brian hand bhand@spursandfeathers.com
in the Upstate would constantly kindly remind you that this is not a rivalry, it’s a domination. To be honest, it was hard to argue against. I Life is all about perspective. always loved when South Carolina won to get Everybody sees things the way they were the bragging rights for the year, but it was just a raised, or rather how they want to at the end of drop in the bucket in a series that had long been the day. That is sociology lesson No. 1. colored orange. Now the Gamecocks have won I am only 33 years old right now, but when my five straight. now 5-year-old son was born in May of 2008 It is no secret that we want better things for the Gamecocks had only beaten Clemson seven our children than we had. times in my lifetime. People used to laugh when I told them that Seems unbelievable now, but that was the one of the things that I hoped changed when count in a rivalry that for the most part was my 5-year-old Alexander was born was that dominated by the Tigers until 2009. the tone of the South Carolina-Clemson rivalry I grew up an outsider in Tiger country in the changed forever. Upstate of South Carolina. Every Gamecock People scoffed. Not because it was a trivial wants to beat Clemson, but for those of us that thing because as we all know this rivalry is and are Gamecock fans in the Upstate this game always will be that important in the Palmetto means maybe even that much more because for State. so long all we have heard is how great it is to be They laughed because to them there was no a Clemson Tiger. way that South Carolina would be able to make Day-by-day friends, family, the local media the rivalry competitive. and almost everybody you came in contact with Alexander has now been alive for six Clem-
photo by allen sharpe
son games and I am proud to say that the Gamecocks are 5-1 in his lifetime. So in his short life he has seen just two less Gamecock wins over Clemson than I had in my entire lifetime up to the time of his birth. I am and will always be proud to be a Gamecock, but I cannot keep from smiling right now when I think about this. Obviously Alexander’s birth has nothing to do with what Steve Spurrier and the Gamecocks have been able to do on the field in the recent domination against Clemson, but it is a great thing for all Gamecocks. It is also a great thing for the Palmetto State in general. Carolina’s fifth straight win over Clemson came in a national top-10 showdown. It is tremendous for this state when both teams have good football teams.
I had remarked to Spurs & Feathers Contributing Editor Ed Girardeau that Clemson fans had reminded me all week on social media of what it had been like for Gamecock fans prior to 2009. They were scared and not very confident that their beloved Tigers were going to win. Shortly before kickoff when the Clemson team locked arms and took it upon themselves to for some reason taunt the South Carolina student section, I knew the game was already won for the Gamecocks. I had seen it before. Spurrier and the Gamecocks were in Clemson’s head. I have been waiting all my life for this to happen. It is still a full year away, but I can already not wait for next year’s Palmetto State showdown. GO GAMECOCKS!
Spurs & Feathers • 7
December 4, 2013
South Carolina Gamecocks
2013
football Schedule
Standings Team
SEC
Pct. Overall
Pct. Home Away Neutral Streak
7 - 1
.875
11 - 1
.917
6-1
5-0
0-0
W4
South Carolina 6 - 2
.750
10 - 2
.833
7-0
3-2
0-0
W5
Georgia
5 - 3
.625
8 - 4
.667
5-1
2-3
1-0
W2
09/28/13 .... at UCF..............................Orlando, Fla. ................W, 28-25
Vanderbilt
4 - 4
.500
8 - 4
.667
5-2
3-2
0-0
W4
10/05/13 .... vs. Kentucky.....................Columbia, S.C. ............W, 35-28
Florida
3 - 5
.375
4 - 8
.333
3-3
1-4
0-1
L7
Tennessee
2 - 6
.250
5 - 7
.417
4-3
1-4
0-0
W1
Kentucky
0 - 8
.000
2 - 10
.167
2-5
0-4
0-1
L4
08/29/13..... vs. North Carolina ............Columbia, S.C. ............W, 27-10
Eastern
09/07/13 .... at #11 Georgia..................Athens, Ga. ..................L, 41-30
Missouri
09/14/13 .... vs. Vanderbilt....................Columbia, S.C. ............W, 35-25
10/12/13 .... at Arkansas.......................Fayetteville, Ark. ............W, 52-7 10/19/13 .... at Tennessee....................Knoxville, Tenn. ............L, 23-21
Western
10/26/13 .... at #5 Missouri...................Columbia, Mo. .. W, 27-24 (2OT)
Auburn
7 - 1
.875
11 - 1
.917
8-0
3-1
0-0
W8
Alabama
7 - 1
.875
11 - 1
.917
7-0
3-1
1-0
L1
LSU
5 - 3
.625
9 - 3
.750
7-0
1-3
1-0
W2
11/16/13 ..... vs. Florida.........................Columbia, S.C. ............W, 19-14
Texas A&M
4 - 4
.500
8 - 4
.667
6-2
2-2
0-0
L2
11/23/13 ..... vs. Coastal Carolina..........Columbia, S.C. ............W, 70-10
Ole Miss
3 - 5
.375
7 - 5
.583
5-2
2-3
0-0
L2
Mississippi St.
3 - 5
.375
6 - 6
.500
5-2
1-3
0-1
W2
Arkansas
0 - 8
.000
3 - 9
.250
3-4
0-5
0-0
L9
11/02/13 ..... vs. Mississippi State.........Columbia, S.C. ............W, 34-16
11/30/13 ..... vs. #4 Clemson.................Columbia, S.C. ............W, 31-17
8 • Spurs & Feathers
December 4, 2013
Spurs & Feathers • 9
December 4, 2013
South Carolina Gamecocks
Recruiting roundup by phil kornblut
WR Tyshun Samuel of Chapman could soon be joining USC’s 2014 commitment class after receiving an offer from the Gamecocks last Saturday. “I just loved everything about it,” he said. “I loved the whole football side of things with the way they do things, to the locker room... and the academics were really nice.” “I know he’s super excited,” Chapman coach Mark Hodge said. “I won’t be surprised or disapPhil Kornblut pointed if that’s what he decides Contributing to do (commit to Writer USC). He was flattered. It’s a top ten school, you can’t do much better than that. He knows some kids down there and the coaches have treated him real nice.” Hodge said it’s possible Samuel could make the pledge Saturday while in Columbia for the Clemson game. Or because he’s still in the playoffs and he’s saddled with some important school work, Samuel may hold off on the final decision for a couple of weeks. Samuel has mentioned December 14th but Hodge is not sure about that date because it’s a Saturday and Samuel is taking the SAT that day. “I’d like for him to get it done before the Shrine Bowl,” Hodge said. USC receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. recently scouted Samuel and once the Panther standout received a qualifying test score, USC decided to make the offer. “His test score is fine and he’ll be core eligible,” Hodge said. “His grades are good.” And so are his receiving skills. Though he’s missed the equivalent of three games this season with injuries, Samuel still has 52 catches for 927 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s also rushed for 827 yards and 12 scores, has 302 yards on returns and has 4 interceptions with 2 returned for touchdowns. Samuel scored 20 touchdowns last season. North Carolina is the other school Samuel has had strong interest in but the Tar Heels have not officially offered. Vanderbilt was another favored program but he’s not heard much from there recently. DE Dante Sawyer of Suwanee, GA will make his college decision known on his birthday, December 17th. Sawyer has had
USC, Auburn, Tennessee and Missouri as his favorites. Sawyer has been to games this season at USC, Auburn, Tennessee and Georgia. Sawyer said last month that USC was “up there” with him as recruiter Deke Adams is selling him on the fact the Gamecocks are losing both of their starting defensive ends. Sawyer has never publicly stated a favorite. DB Wesley Green of Lithonia, GA made another trip to USC for the Clemson game, and he has set his official visit with the Gamecocks for December according to his coach. “Right now he’s concentrating on getting his official visits set up,” Cortez Allen said. “He does have a date set with the coach at South Carolina.” The USC visit will be the first of the four Green plans to take. The others will be Tennessee, Ole Miss and Georgia. There have been reports of Green trending more towards Georgia now after having been committed to USC, but Allen says he’s given him no such indication. “Not that we’ve discussed,” he said. “That’s what he has on the table. He’s looking at those four and those are the ones he’s going to make a decision off of. After he takes his trips he’ll sit down and map out everything from there. As far as a favorite out of the top four, I don’t know that he has one.” Allen said as Green goes on the visits, he’ll be checking on certain things. “How does he fit with the guys he meets, the atmosphere of the students on the campus, the surroundings of the city and town each school is in and can he see himself being there for the next four or five years. Just finding out what’s the best fit for him.” Allen added that his junior DE Arden Key remains open after once being committed to USC. “He’s working on school, getting ready for basketball and dealing with the end of the season type things.” Allen said Green and Key remain very interested in USC despite backing off their pledges which he said was done only because the pair felt it was best to go thru the recruiting process a little bit more. Key planned to be at USC Saturday. There will not be a quick decision from RB Derrell Scott of Havelock, NC who made his official visit to USC for the Florida weekend. “Derrell has not made a decision,” said his coach Jim Bob Bryant. “He has not given any indication when he will make decision.” Scott also made official
visits to Tennessee and NC State. Scott has been USC’s top running back target for this class and the Gamecocks have been perceived as the leaders throughout the recruiting process. However, Tennessee apparently made a move with Scott as a result of his official visit there. Havelock is now in the playoffs and Bryant said they are focusing on the postseason right now. Scott rushed for over 1400 yards in the regular season. OL Kareem Are of Fort Scott JC, KS said Monday he could be ready to make his decision soon after he makes his official visit to USC this weekend. Are has also visited Florida State and Penn State. He has thought about visiting Ole Miss but that seemed less likely Monday. ‘I’ve got a lot of school work,” Are said. “I’m enjoying all the visits but I’ve got to get caught up on all my work.” Are said he enjoyed his visit to Penn State, as he did when he went to Florida State the previous weekend. He went alone on those visits and will travel solo to USC. He talked with Gamecock recruiter Deke Adams Monday. “He let me know they are excited for me to be there and it’s going to be a great game,” Are said. “I’m excited to be going there and hopefully the experience is great. I should have an idea about what I’m going to do after that. I’ll talk to my mom about it and make my decision. To be honest, right now I don’t have a leader. I’m looking for an opportunity to compete for a starting job, that’s the main thing.” Down to four schools, DB DJ Smith of Marietta, GA took an unofficial visit to USC for the Florida game. It was enough to convince him to return for an official visit. Smith is down to USC, Clemson, Georgia and Tennessee, in no order and plans to take official visits to each school. He will visit USC in January but has not determined which weekend it will be. He has not set the date for any of his other official visits either. “It was a good visit,” Smith said. “The fans were real loud. I enjoyed the game. The visit helped USC’s (status) with me.” His final four schools will likely have to wait until National Signing Day to find out what that decision will be. DE Andrew Williams of McDonough, GA will set official visits with Clemson, USC, Auburn and Ole Miss. He said he probably will take a fifth visit but is undecided about where. Notre Dame, Auburn and Tennessee also are on his short list. His
last unofficial visit was to Auburn for the Georgia game and might make it to Columbia this Saturday. Williams also has visited Clemson, Tennessee and Georgia Tech for games this season. He does not claim a leader at this point. WR Jamil Kamara of Norfolk, VA had scheduled an official visit to USC for the Clemson weekend but he reduced his list to a final three of Wisconsin, Pittsburgh and Virginia. Juniors: OL Mason Veal of Charlotte has USC, Clemson and North Carolina as his early favorites in no order. Veal was at USC for the Florida game. Veal has offers from USC, Clemson, North Carolina, Virginia and NC State. He is hearing from Tennessee among others. His other visits were to Clemson, North Carolina and Tennessee. He won’t be back to Columbia this weekend because the family is going to Florida for the holiday. Both of his parents attended USC and his father played for the Gamecocks. WR JJ Arcega-Whiteside (6-3 205) of Dorman finished his season with 75 catches for 1500 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has been offered by Appalachian State and Elon while USC, Clemson, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, Duke and East Carolina are interested. He has been to USC, Clemson, Appalachian State, Charlotte and North Carolina for games and he will be at the Clemson-USC game. Right now he feels North Carolina is recruiting him the hardest and thinks they will offer. QB Kevin Johnson of Atlanta, whose father played at USC, holds offers from USC and Boston College. He went up to BC earlier this month and plans to be at USC for the Clemson game. He also visited USC for the Vanderbilt game. While he has a USC offer, Johnson said the Gamecocks wouldn’t take his offer right now. “They are telling me it’s a numbers, a waiting game,” he said. “They have a 2014 commit and they will wait until after their season. I’m coming down for junior day and we’ll see what happens. Coach Ward has offered but coach Mangus has to sign off on it.” Johnson is also drawing interest from Notre Dame, Miami, Yale, NC State, West Virginia and Southern Cal. He doesn’t have favorites. This season he has 24 touchdowns passing and 2 running. ATH Jeffery Holland (6-3 232) of JackPlease see Roundup, Page 10
10 • Spurs & Feathers
sonville has 59 offers and counting as he approaches the end of his junior season. USC is among the offers. “I like South Carolina,” he said. “They were one of my first offers. Me and coach Spurrier Jr. are pretty cool. I visited them last summer and one of my former teammates, Ahmad Christian, is there and he says good things. Holland plans to be at USC Saturday. He has been to Florida and Miami this season and right now Florida and Ohio State are recruiting him very hard. He does not have favorites or a timetable on a decision. DE D’Andre Walker (6-3 210) of Fairburn, GA is having a big season with 15 sacks to this point. He plays mostly defensive end though he can also play outside linebacker. Walker has 39 offers with USC among them. “ I know South Carolina has good defensive ends and I’ve been thinking about what would happen if I was to go there,” he said. Walker has not yet visited USC. He has been to Auburn and the Tigers along with Georgia and Louisville have been showing the strongest interest to this point. Some of his other offers include Alabama, Florida State, Florida, Miami, Ohio State, Tennessee and Southern Cal. DB Kaleb Chalmers of Greenwood has what he calls a “soft offer” from USC but that didn’t diminish his excitement about being at the Florida game. “It was great,” Chalmers said. “It was a good visit overall. I had a good talk with coach Mangus. I enjoyed the visit overall. I watched the secondary and they played pretty good over-
December 4, 2013
all. It was a great atmosphere.” That was Chalmers’ second game visit to USC this season. He was also in for Vanderbilt and was back for the Clemson game. As for USC’s interest, Chalmers said, “it’s a soft offer. They have offered me but it’s a soft offer.” Chalmers also has offers from Clemson, Tennessee, Georgia Tech, Duke, Stanford, North Carolina and Georgia Southern. He does not have a favorite at this point and there is no order with the schools right now. A trip to USC last summer impressed DB Rico McGraw (6-0 195) of Nashville and has the Tennessee product interested in the Gamecocks. McGraw connected with defensive backs coach Grady Brown while on the visit. “I liked South Carolina a lot. They showed me what I wanted to see.” His offers include USC, Clemson, Alabama, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Florida State, Vanderbilt, Ohio State and LSU among others. His only other visit was to Alabama when the Crimson Tide hosted LSU. McGraw does not have any favorites. DL Albert Huggins of Orangeburg-Wilkinson will make his first appearance at a USC game this season when the Gamecocks host Clemson Saturday. Huggins has only made it to one other game this season when he witnessed the Clemson-Florida State game in October. Interest level is building in Huggins who already has several offers and is looking to add more. His list of offers include USC, Clemson, Florida State, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Louisville, Georgia, NC State, North Carolina, Auburn and
SC State. Huggins said that Clemson, USC, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida State appear to be showing the most interest in him. He does not have any favorites. USC and Miami are the current favorites of DB Rashard Causey of Fort Lauderdale and he’s flying to Columbia Friday to spend the weekend with the Gamecocks. Causey is not ready to make a final decision. “I have the same feeling between the two,” he said, “but if I had to choose, I would choose South Carolina. I like their defensive style and one of my best friends, Skai Moore, plays for them and it would be nice to play with him again.” Causey plans to make a decision before his senior season. This will be his second trip to USC. He stopped by in July while making a tour of several schools. USC recruiter Grady Brown was down to check on Causey recently and he says the two talk every day, as he does with his Miami recruiter. “We talk about the basic stuff,” he said of Brown. “He tells me about the defense and where I would fit in. I play corner and they are not taking that many corners.” Pittsburgh and Penn State are Causey’s most recent offers. Some of his others are UCLA, Florida, Florida State, NC State, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Notre Dame, West Virginia and Arkansas. This season Causey totaled 40 solo tackles, 3 interceptions and 2 sacks. RB Bryce Love of Wake Forest, NC attended Saturday’s game with his family. Love has visited each school this season and has offers from
both. Love has ties to both programs. “My mom and dad went to USC but I also know people that went to Clemson ... so I like them both,” he said. Love’s last visit was to Ohio State in October and he had planned to visit Tennessee prior to this weekend but was unable to make that trip. Love has several offers to include USC, Clemson, Tennessee, North Carolina, Ohio State, Penn State, Georgia Tech, Northwestern, Stanford, NC State, Duke, Arkansas, East Carolina and Virginia Tech. He does not have any favorites. RB Nyheim Hines of Garner, NC did not make it to USC as he had planned for the Florida game but did make it in for the Clemson game. Hines went to Tennessee this past weekend and was at Duke before that. Virginia Tech was the most recent school to offer and that happened last week. He also has offers from USC, Clemson, NC State, North Carolina, East Carolina, Duke, Wake Forest, Tennessee and Connecticut. Hines said he has not formulated a favorite’s list and all the schools which have offered are under consideration. He plans to graduate early and wants to make his commitment around next October. Hines has rushed for around 2700 yards and has scored 51 touchdowns this season. Basketball News: 5-6 Bianca Cuevas of Bronx, NY signed with USC last week completing Dawn Staley’s class for 2014. She joins Doniyah Cliney, Kaydra Duckett and Jatarie White as the signees.
Spurs & Feathers • 11
December 4, 2013
Sand volleyball digs into learning from competition by mike kucharski mike@spursandfeathers.com
action. “One of the things that we focused on a lot is that we mixed our kids around this entire fall The Gamecock sand volleyball team gained ex- so that we really didn’t allow them to develop a perience and perspective from its first collegiate solid relationship with any one person,” Moritz competition against some of the best teams in the explained. “We had a couple pairs that started nation. off really strong with a lot of energy and maybe Head coach Mortiz Moritz said that the confaded a little bit. We had the ability in this event to ditions were great with a little swirling wind, switch it around to find some combinations that similar to what they can see at their own facility, maybe worked a little bit better chemistry-wise. which gave them a great backdrop for the match“That allowed them to compete at a growth leves against Florida State and Georgia State. el more than anything. The emphasis was never “It was a lot of fun and a lot of perspective to go down in this first competition and “win, gained. I think that is the huge thing for us and win, win!” It was ‘what are we learning? What for what we took from it,” Moritz said. “I didn’t are we seeing that they’re doing because they stress the wins and losses right now, but I wanted are successful and that we can take from that?’” them to compete against some of the best teams Moritz continued. in the country.” After watching the other programs and coachThe team got better as the day went along es, Moritz had a pleasant realization. which pleased Moritz. He said the team may have “The cool thing is that it’s not so different. It’s felt some first-match jitters, but those teams had not like I’m telling my kids anything significantly experience, were well-coached and were good different from what they’re telling theirs or the teams. Moritz added that experience is a huge organization is completely different,” Moritz factor, but they are hoping to build their own and commented. “Sure there’s some little tweaks here overcome that of other teams. and there, but I think we’re on track and that’s Moritz said that his team is learning as a new pretty cool. program, but the other coaches told him they are “That will be the fun thing when we get our still learning new things every day, even now whole group together and do start to develop in their third year of competition. He said that it chemistry between pairs that are going to more was a neat experience for his team to see its first likely be together for the season. We can develop
that relationship and how they’re going to compete … it’s really going to give them the ability to compete at that level and be comfortable doing that,” Moritz said. Moritz said that he schedules the way he has - against some of the best competition in the country - to gauge where the program is and get the team used to competing against the best teams. He said it may cause a sharp learning curve at the beginning, but in the long run it will help the team grow and learn in order to reach the ultimate goal of competing for the AVCA Championship. “I think the huge thing for us is that we ended strong. We played our best volleyball at the end of the day,” Moritz said. “It wasn’t us adjusting to what Florida State or Georgia State was doing. There was really no point where we focused at all on what our opponents were doing. “It was always ‘what are we doing? what are we doing to control our ball control, our communication or the way that we’re competing so we can play at a high level?’ Down the road we want to make more adjustments to what our opponents are doing because we’re comfortable playing next to each other,” Moritz added. Coming back from Tallahassee, Moritz was able to make notes on each player and things to work on going forward to build for the spring season. He said the experience helped to build
perspective on where they are and what they will need to do to get to the next level. Moritz said there are process goals that must be accomplished to build toward the bigger goals of winning in the spring. He said he is happy with the baseline the team has established and is ready to continue working on the little details - whether technique, communication or other skills - that the team needs to focus on to build a winning program. “I think that they did a good job and played well and I think they got to see what high-level teams do and how they do it,” Moritz noted. “I think they also realized ‘yes, these guys have been doing this for years and years and they have more experience and we’re behind, but we’re not that far behind.’ “Ultimately if that’s where they are at year three, then maybe we can be there by year three. Maybe we could even be better than that by year three. That’s pretty cool and pretty encouraging,” Moritz concluded.
12 • Spurs & Feathers
December 4, 2013
Men’s soccer scores strong season by mike kucharski mike@spursandfeathers.com
The Gamecock men’s soccer team took a young squad through many challenges, picking up positive results against multiple ranked teams in a strong year that will help build a foundation for this group to have a successful future. Head coach Mark Berson said that he felt the team showed great improvement throughout the year, particularly for such a young team. “At times we started four and sometimes five freshmen and in spite of kind of a rough start - I think the schedule was very, very difficult early - this group went from Sept. 15 until Nov. 9 without losing a game,” Berson explained. “In that stretch we were in the hunt for the conference regular-season top-two spots. “I thought they did extremely well and we were in every game this year … we had five draws, we had eight overtime games and we had nine one-goal games in which we were 5-4. I think overall we played what I saw at one point in the season ranked as the thirdmost difficult schedule and these guys were in every game,” Berson said. Berson was pleased with the progress the team showed over the course of the year for a season that he felt very positive about. He was pleased with the way the young players were able to contribute during the year on a team with only five seniors. “All of them (the seniors) played a good role in this team this year, both on the field and in the locker room, really helping to keep this group moving in the right direction. We’ll certainly miss our seniors, but at the same time a lot of really young players played a critical role in the season,” Berson said.
Freshman goalkeeper Marco Velez earned special mention from Berson for coming in after starter Robert Beebe was injured in the fourth game of the year and playing strong throughout the season. Also freshmen Ive Burnett, Koty Millard, Kurtis Turner and Eli Dent got recognition from Berson for their play as freshmen. “A number of other guys also came in and played good roles for us. It’s a good team, it’s a young team, I think they grew tremendously and I was really, really pleased with what they accomplished this season,” Berson noted. Berson said that he is very proud of the players who received all-conference honors for their play this season. Junior defender Mahamoudou Kaba was selected to the Conference USA first-team, junior midfielder Braeden Troyer to the second-team and Turner and Velez both earned all-freshman team accolades. “What I think is pretty neat is our conference, like a lot of other conferences, you don’t vote for your own players. So it’s very good recognition that these guys were selected by the other coaches,” Berson said. “I was really pleased with those selections; I think they were well-deserved. Obviously all those guys are back so that’s a big plus for us and I think that overall the experience that this group learned will benefit them next year. “I think the schedule and the way we played had us just about where we wanted to be at the end. It was just a little bit difficult with the injuries and the youth of this group, but we learned a lot,” Berson noted. Berson said that the program runs a yearround schedule and that the players are already actively involved in the next phase of preparation for next year. Berson added that he is very optimistic about the spring ses-
sions and the progression of this group going forward in the program. The Gamecock student-athletes also excelled in the classroom this year earning the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Team Academic Award and claiming the highest team GPA in the nation at 3.54. This is the fifth-straight year the Gamecocks have been honored by the NSCAA with the Team Academic Award and the second time in the last five years earning the top cumulative GPA (2009-10 season). “I’m really proud of this achievement for our guys … it’s not a one-off kind of thing; we’ve won it twice in the last few years and for that I credit our guys. It’s a remarkable achievement to achieve a 3.54 grade point average when you consider the averages,” Berson commented. “For instance, it’s much more difficult with 28 guys averaging that as opposed to a smaller team. “So I’m very proud of that and honestly, in the scheme of things, it’s one of the most remarkable achievements that we’ve had here. Any student at the University that
achieves a 3.5 is outstanding, but to have 28 of them average a 3.5 is remarkable,” Berson continued. Lastly, Berson recognized the support staff around the program that help make the season a success. He recognized strength and conditioning coach Dan Austin, trainers Brainard Cooper and Miranda Jensen, Eddie Ruchugo and DeAnte Brown who help with the travel, administrative assistant Allison Orvin who coordinates many things for the program and of course, assistant coaches Joey Worthen and Spencer Lewis for their contributions this year. “All in all, from start to finish, it’s a team effort and I was really pleased with that. Another group that I do have to thank is our fans,” Berson said. “Our fan support this year was outstanding. The student support at our matches was fantastic as well. “That was huge at home. Our home crowds have been great and our record at home was 5-2-2 which was excellent. I was really pleased with that,” Berson continued. “It was a good year, I’m very pleased. It’s a solid base, something to build on for next year.”
December 4, 2013
Spurs & Feathers • 13
14 • Spurs & Feathers
Victor Hampton does not want the spotlight. That may not make sense, given the way Hampton plays. The Gamecock cornerback patrols the field with a live-wire intensity. He preens, flexes and talks smack after big plays. He’s the emotional leader of a Gamecock secondary that finished third in the SEC in pass defense. But when it comes to his Andy Demetra activities in the Contributing Writer community, Victor Hampton prefers to stay quiet. He doesn’t like to draw attention to himself. The Gamecocks’ chattiest defender would rather discuss anything else. “It’s not like I do this for reporters. If it was behind closed doors and no one ever found out about it, I would continue to do it,” he said. Now in his junior season, Hampton has emerged as one of the Gamecocks’ most sought-after public speakers. In the last calendar year, the Darlington, S.C. native trails only quarterback Dylan Thompson for the most speaking engagements by a Gamecock football player. Elementary schools. Middle schools. Youth football banquets. Hampton has spoken to them all, trying to relate his story and send a positive message to kids. That revelation may not fit his image on the field. It certainly
December 4, 2013
doesn’t fit the image that Hampton built for himself early in his career – the cocky cornerback, gifted but immature, his future at Carolina at a constant fork in the road. That’s part of the point, Hampton says. “I’ve been through a lot these last couple years. I like to go to the schools and give back. I’m in a position to be a positive role model,” he said. Erica N. Nelson, South Carolina’s Coordinator of Life Skills and Community Outreach, handles many of Hampton’s speaking requests. Nelson says he not only accepts the requests, he often asks for more. “Whenever I see him, it’s probably going to be part of the conversation, ‘hey, is anything going on? I’m free Friday,’” she said. Gamecock fans might have had a different perception of Hampton when he arrived at South Carolina following an All-American senior season at Darlington High School. The cornerback redshirted in 2010. The following June, he was kicked off the team for a violation of team rules. He returned a week later, but served a three-game suspension at the beginning of the 2011 season. “Talented but troubled” threatened to be his permanent label. Hampton says he’s grown up since then. Now, he’s eager to share the wisdom that he’s gained from his journey. That maturity – and a desire to hold himself accountable to it – is one of his motivations for speaking. “I don’t like to go to the schools telling one thing and then I go do another,” he said. Hampton says he never writes anything out, preferring his speeches to come from the heart. A few themes usually emerge. “You may hear it every day, but you can
honestly be whatever you want to be. I really do believe that. I try to give them some examples from myself - either from my freshman year to where I am now, or not having a father in my home and not using that as a crutch,” he explained. Nelson joins Hampton on many of his visits. Even she remarks at the contrast between Hampton the player and Hampton the speaker. The hard edges soften. The player who glowers through his facemask on game days, his aggression at a constant boil, turns warm and approachable in front of kids. “He’s patient, he’s engaging. He’ll go to the kid in the back of the room who’s maybe not engaging and want to get to know him. He wants to let them know he’s there not just to sign posters,” she said. Nelson often has to leave because she only blocked an hour for his appearance. An hour-and-a-half later, Hampton is still talking. And then there are the interactions that have happened spontaneously, but have left a lasting impression on those around him. Nelson tells a story from the Outback Bowl in Tampa when the Gamecocks spent time with pediatric cancer patients during a community service visit. Hampton met two brothers, one of whom was undergoing cancer treatments.
Photo by Travis Bell/Sideline Carolina
After the bowl game, he stayed in touch with them. A year later, when South Carolina played UCF in Orlando, Hampton made sure the boy and his family had tickets -- and another visit from him. All of this hasn’t been told before. Hampton probably preferred to keep it that way. The cornerback known as “The Bandit” loves coverage, just not this kind. When it comes to his speaking engagements, he’d rather keep the spotlight off him. That’s a shame. If anything, Victor Hampton deserves the spotlight even more.
Spurs & Feathers • 15
December 4, 2013
Fairfield County chapter is smaller but dedicated group by mike kucharski mike@spursandfeathers.com
Lexington county, to help with fundraisers for the Gamecock Club. He said that much like the recently covered Darlington county chapter, The Fairfield County Gamecock Club is a Fairfield takes advantage of team efforts with smaller chapter that takes advantage of enother chapters. thusiastic members and its Facebook page to Despite the smaller number in the chapter increase involvement. Schofield said that his group remains dedicated The Fairfield chapter has begun utilizing its and supportive of the Gamecocks, particularly Facebook page which president Gene Schofield the officers. said has been beneficial for the turnouts and “They’re as dedicated as anyone as far as participation of late. Schofield said the page doing anything you ask of them. The problem was created in August and has been an asset comes when you try to get the crowd there in ever since. the rural areas like where we are,” Schofield “I’m satisfied and it has really helped as far said. “When you’re dealing in a rural environas getting some response. We had an increase ment in a small area, it’s a different world. The in our last meeting in August and we had an members that are involved are just as enthusiincrease this time,” Schofield said. “We had astic as a group; it’s just harder to pull things a couple of members that used to participate off than with some of the larger clubs. We’ve years ago come back this time. So everything got a small group, but we’ve got an enthusiastic is looking really positive for the program. group.” “The Facebook page I really think has helped Schofield complimented the chapter’s ofbecause we have about 100 likes now. We’re ficers for their hard work and dedication and starting to take a different approach to notify- noted that they have been fairly constant over ing people; it’s a bit of a different environment the past few years. The chapter recently held now,” Schofield continued. elections for the officers positions and SchoSchofield said it is a challenge for his smaller field was elected to serve as president once chapter to do some of the events the larger again. chapters do, but Fairfield has worked in conOther officers elected were Sandy Bleiler as junction with other chapters in the past, such as vice president, Chris Blackwelder as secretary,
Ricky Broom as treasurer and Schofield’s wife, Jan, as the member-at-large/media coordinator. Schofield was complimentary of all their efforts, including his wife for helping to run the Facebook page and take care of many details for the chapter. “To be honest with you, I love to give them recognition every chance that I can. It’s not just my horn that I’m tooting and I couldn’t do it without all their efforts,” Schofield commented. The most recent meeting went well for the chapter with a decent turnout and great door prizes where all in attendance had an enjoyable time together. One of the goals to help increase attendance and involvement in the chapter is to get some former members to return back to the group. “That’s going to be the most positive way we can go right now. It’s like having a church where you start losing congregation, getting them back is tough,” Schofield said. “The overall thing that is helping us right now is the successes that we’re seeing with the Gamecock teams. “If the program is winning and doing well, then it’s easy to get people involved. If your program is not doing as great, then things start getting difficult. Right now our athletics
Submitted Photo
are probably at an all-time height,” Schofield added. Schofield said all the programs are doing well and he feels this is the best group of coaches South Carolina has ever had across the board. He said that he hopes the successes of all the programs will help to draw in more members. To find out more about the Fairfield County Gamecock Club chapter, you can like them on Facebook or email the Schofields at gamecockspecial@aol.com.
16 • Spurs & Feathers
December 4, 2013
South Carolina Gamecocks Football Roster # Name Pos. 1 Damiere Byrd WR 1 Rico McWilliams CB 3 Nick Jones WR 3 Jamari Smith CB 4 Ahmad Christian CB 4 Shaq Roland WR 5 Brendan Nosovitch QB 5 Darius English DE 6 Chris Moody FS 6 Connor Mitch QB 7 Jadeveon Clowney DE 7 Shon Carson TB 8 Kaiwan Lewis LB 8 Shamier Jeffery WR 9 Sharrod Golightly SPR 10 Skai Moore LB 10 Perry Orth QB 11 Pharoh Cooper WR 11 T.J. Holloman LB 12 Brison Williams SS 13 Grant Davitte QB 13 Tyler Hull P 14 Ali Groves CB 14 Connor Shaw QB 15 Austin Hails QB 15 Jimmy Legree CB 16 Kelvin Rainey TE 16 Nick St. Germain PK 17 Chaz Elder SS 17 Dylan Thompson QB 18 Patrick Fish P 18 Cedrick Cooper LB 19 Landon Ard PK 19 Jody Fuller WR 20 T.J. Gurley FS 21 Marcquis Roberts LB 21 Andrew Bunch WR 22 Brandon Wilds TB 23 Bruce Ellington WR 24 Ronnie Martin CB 24 Kendric Salley TB 25 Kadetrix Marcus FS 26 Jasper Sasser S 27 Victor Hampton CB 28 Jonathan Walton LB 28 Mike Davis TB 29 Elliott Fry P/K 30 Sidney Rhodes CB 31 Jordan Diaz FB 31 Mohamed Camara SPR 32 Larenz Bryant LB 33 Gerald Turner DE 33 David Williams TB 34 Mason Harris DE
Hgt. 5-9 5-11 5-7 5-10 5-10 6-1 6-1 6-6 6-1 6-3 6-6 5-8 6-0 6-1 5-10 6-2 6-1 5-11 6-2 5-11 6-3 6-2 5-10 6-1 6-2 6-0 6-3 5-9 6-2 6-3 6-0 6-2 5-9 5-11 5-10 6-1 5-11 6-2 5-9 5-11 5-9 6-1 6-0 5-10 6-0 5-9 6-0 5-10 6-1 6-1 6-0 6-2 6-1 6-3
Wgt. 166 187 174 183 189 190 220 226 212 227 274 219 221 207 195 205 212 184 228 218 190 206 184 209 214 187 233 175 199 218 195 213 172 217 196 225 185 223 196 179 183 195 192 202 234 215 150 167 233 181 215 256 200 218
Cl. JR RS FR RS JR FR RS SO SO RS FR RS FR RS FR FR JR RS SO SO RS SO RS JR FR RS FR FR RS FR JR FR RS JR FR SR RS SO RS SR RS FR RS FR RS FR RS JR RS JR RS SO SO RS FR SO RS SO RS FR SO JR JR RS FR JR FR RS JR FR SO FR JR RS JR FR FR FR FR RS SO
Hometown/High School/Last College Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek Hampton, Ga./Lovejoy Moore, S.C./Byrnes Jacksonville, Fla./Fletcher Jacksonville, Fla./Trinity Christian Lexington, S.C./Lexington Allentown, Pa./Central Catholic Powder Springs, Ga./McEachern McDonough, Ga./Henry County Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe Scranton, S.C./Lake City Mays Landing, N.J./St. Joseph St. Matthews, S.C./Calhoun County Decatur, Ga./Southwest DeKalb Cooper City, Fla./University Ponde Verda, Fla./Ponte Verda/Fla. State College Havelock, NC./Havelock Stone Mountain, Ga./St. Pius X Warner Robins, Ga./Northside/Fork Union Columbia, S.C./Irmo Mount Airy, N.C./Mount Airy/Guilford College Stone Mountain, Ga./Stephenson Flowery Branch, Ga./Flowery Branch Collinsville, Ill./Collinsville Beaufort, S.C./Beaufort Yulee, Fla./Yulee Powder Springs, Ga./McEachern Union City, Ga./Banneker Boiling Springs, S.C./Boiling Springs Shelby, N.C./Burns Lithonia, Ga./Lithonia Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe Charlotte, N.C./Sun Valley Cairo, Ga./Cairo Powder Springs, Ga./McEachern Mt. Pleasant, S.C./Bishop England/Presbyterian Blythewood, S.C./Blythewood Moncks Corner, S.C./Berkeley Spartanburg, S.C./Spartanburg/Georgia Military Williston, S.C./Williston-Elko Stone Mountain, Ga./Stephenson Jacksonville, Fla./Wolfson Darlington, S.C./Darlington Daphne, Ala./Bayside Academy Lithonia, Ga./Stephenson Frisco, Tx./Prince of Peace Christian Easley, S.C./Wren/Western Carolina Hamilton, N.J./Hamilton West Cumming, Ga./Forsyth Charlotte, NC./Vance Goose Creek, S.C./Goose Creek Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter Fort Oglethorpe, Ga./Ridgeland
Coaches Steve Spurrier - Head Coach Deke Adams - Defensive Line Kirk Botkin - Linebackers/Spurs Grady Brown - Secondary/Assistant Special Teams Coordinator Shawn Elliott - Co-Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line G.A. Mangus - Quarterbacks
# Name Pos. 35 Jeff Homad TE 36 Kyle Fleetwood SS 39 Max Huggins P/K 40 Andrew Komornik P 41 Kyle Morini LB 41 Connor McLaurin FB 42 Jordan Diggs SPR 43 James King LB 43 Garrison Gist FB 44 Gerald Dixon DE 45 Brandon Sturdivant FB 47 Drew Williams LS 48 Caleb Kelly PK 49 Garrett Shank S 49 Devin Potter TB 50 A.J. Cann OG 51 Cody Waldrop OC 51 Devin Washington DE 52 Phillip Dukes DT 52 Bryce King OG 53 Corey Robinson OT 54 Clayton Stadnik OC 55 Na'Ty Rodgers OT 55 David Johnson LB 57 Cedrick Malone SPR 58 Ryland Culbertson LS 59 Coleman Harley LS 65 Brock Stadnik OG 67 Ronald Patrick OG 69 D.J. Park OT 70 Alan Knott OC 71 Brandon Shell OT 73 J.P. Vonashek OT 74 Mason Zandi OT 75 Will Sport OG 76 Mike Matulis OT 78 Cody Gibson OT 80 K.J. Brent WR 81 Rory Anderson TE 82 Kwinton Smith WR 83 Carlton Heard WR 84 Matthew Harvey WR 85 Kane Whitehurst WR 86 David Wilkins WR 87 Drake Thomason WR 88 Drew Owens TE 89 Jerell Adams TE 90 Chaz Sutton DE 92 Gerald Dixon, Jr. DT 93 Deon Green DT 94 Kelsey Griffin DT 95 Michael Washington DE 97 J.T. Surratt DT 99 Kelcy Quarles DT
Hgt. 6-2 5-11 6-1 6-5 5-10 6-0 6-0 6-0 5-10 6-2 6-2 6-2 6-0 6-0 5-10 6-4 6-2 6-3 6-3 6-3 6-8 6-3 6-5 6-1 6-0 6-4 6-1 6-5 6-2 6-4 6-4 6-6 6-6 6-9 6-5 6-5 6-7 6-4 6-5 6-4 6-0 6-8 5-11 6-1 6-1 6-6 6-6 6-5 6-3 6-4 6-2 6-3 6-2 6-4
Wgt. 220 216 185 225 212 237 214 235 255 268 212 190 184 171 200 314 319 225 315 281 341 281 296 268 201 265 264 286 315 334 272 323 283 293 294 266 286 188 242 212 178 225 179 182 205 244 237 263 318 287 292 243 307 298
Cl. RS JR RS FR FR FR JR RS JR RS FR SO RS SO RS SO RS FR FR RS FR FR FR RS JR RS FR FR RS SO FR RS JR RS FR FR FR RS FR RS JR RS SO RS FR SR FR FR RS SO FR RS FR RS SO JR RS JR RS SO JR RS FR SO SO RS SO SR RS JR RS SO SO SR RS SO RS SO FR SO RS JR JR
Hometown/High School/Last College Hilton Head Island, S.C./Hilton Head/UNCP Stone Mountain, Ga./Stephenson Myrtle Beach, S.C./Myrtle Beach Fort Mill, S.C./Nations Ford Lexington, S.C./White Knoll/Gray Military Raleigh, N.C./Garner Fort Myers, Fla./Island Coast Goose Creek, S.C./Goose Creek/Benedict Rock Hill, S.C./Northwesterm Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe Fort Mill, S.C./Nation Ford/York Tech Irmo, S.C/Dutch Fork Cayce, S.C./Brookland-Cayce Marietta, Ga./Lassiter Granite Falls, N.C./South Caldwell Bamberg, S.C./Bamberg-Ehrhardt Seffner, Fla./Armwood Orlando, Fla./Jones Manning, S.C./Manning Dillon, S.C./Dillon Havelock, N.C./Havelock Greensboro, N.C./Western Guilford Waldorf, Md./McDonough Lithonia, Ga./Lithonia Camden, S.C./Camden/Coastal Carolina Laurens, S.C./Laurens Academy Aiken, S.C./South Aiken Greensboro, N.C./Western Guilford Cocoa, Fla./Cocoa Dillon, S.C./Dillon Tyrone, Ga./Sandy Creek Goose Creek, S.C./Goose Creek Saint Marys, Ga./Camden County Irmo, S.C./Chapin Milton, Fla./Pace Boynton Beach, Fla./Park Vista Tallahassee, Fla./Lincoln Waxhaw, N.C./Marvin Ridge Powder Springs, Ga./McEachern Hamer, S.C./Dillon Athens, Ga./Clarke Central/Garner-Webb Rock Hill, S.C./Rock Hill Duluth, Ga./Chattahoochee/Arkansas Cowpens, S.C./Broome Greenville, S.C./Eastside Charlotte, N.C./Ardrey Kell Pinewood, S.C./Scott's Branch Savannah, Ga./Jenkins/Fork Union Military Rock Hill, S.C./Northwestern Windermere, Fla./Olympia Buford, Ga./Mill Creek Allendale, S.C./Allendale-Fairfax/S.C. State Winston-Salem, N.C./Parkland Hodges, S.C./Greenwood/Fork Union
Joe Robinson - Special Teams Coordinator Everette Sands - Running Backs Jamie Speronis - Associate AD/Football Operations Steve Spurrier Jr. - Co-Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers/ Recruiting Coordinator Lorenzo Ward - Defensive Coordinator Robbie Liles - Director - Recruiting Operations Patrick Shine - Administrative Coordinator - Recruiting
Spurs & Feathers • 17
December 4, 2013
South Carolina Gamecocks
2014 softball Schedule
Date ................Opponent/Event ............Location ........................... Time Carolina Classic 02/07/14 ............vs. Iowa.................................. Columbia, S.C. ............ 4:00 p.m. ET 02/08/14 ............vs. Ohio.................................. Columbia, S.C. .......... 12:30 p.m. ET 02/08/14 ............vs. Presbyterian..................... Columbia, S.C. ............ 3:00 p.m. ET 02/09/14 ............vs. UNC Greensboro............. Columbia, S.C. ............ 3:00 p.m. ET 02/12/14 ..............at UNC Charlotte......................Charlotte, N.C. ...............3:00 p.m. ET Florida Atlantic Strike Out Cancer Tournament 02/14/14 ..............vs. LIU Brooklyn.......................Boca Raton, Fla. ............ 11:00 a.m. ET 02/14/14 ..............vs. Providence............................Boca Raton, Fla. ..............1:00 p.m. ET 02/15/14 ..............vs. Maryland..............................Boca Raton, Fla. ..............1:00 p.m. ET 02/16/14 ..............at Florida Atlantic.....................Boca Raton, Fla. ............ 11:00 a.m. ET Gamecock Invitational 02/21/14 ............vs. Gardner-Webb.................. Columbia, S.C. ............ 3:00 p.m. ET 02/21/14 ............vs. Boston University............. Columbia, S.C. ............ 5:00 p.m. ET 02/22/14 ............vs. Michigan State.................. Columbia, S.C. ............ 3:00 p.m. ET 02/23/14 ............vs. UNC Wilimington............ Columbia, S.C. ............ 5:00 p.m. ET 02/25/14 ............vs. Western Carolina............. Columbia, S.C. ............ 3:00 p.m. ET 02/25/14 ............vs. Western Carolina............. Columbia, S.C. ............ 5:15 p.m. ET Arizona State Louisville Slugger Invitational 02/27/14 ..............at Arizona State.........................Tempe Ariz. .....................9:30 p.m. ET 02/28/14 ..............vs. Minnesota.............................Tempe Ariz. .....................2:15 p.m. ET 02/28/14 ..............vs. Ball State...............................Tempe Ariz. .....................4:30 p.m. ET 03/01/14 ..............vs. Detroit...................................Tempe Ariz. .....................2:15 p.m. ET 03/04/14 ............vs. Charleston Southern........ Columbia, S.C. ............ 6:00 p.m. ET 03/07/14 ..............at Alabama #..............................Tuscaloosa, Ala................7:30 p.m. ET 03/08/14 ..............at Alabama #..............................Tuscaloosa, Ala. ..............3:00 p.m. ET 03/09/14 ..............at Alabama #..............................Tuscaloosa, Ala. ..............2:30 p.m. ET 03/11/14 ............vs. Eastern Kentucky............. Columbia, S.C. ............ 6:00 p.m. ET 03/14/14 ............vs. Texas A&M #.................... Columbia, S.C. ............ 6:00 p.m. ET 03/15/14 ............vs. Texas A&M #.................... Columbia, S.C. ............ 2:00 p.m. ET 03/16/14 ............vs. Texas A&M #.................... Columbia, S.C. ............ 1:00 p.m. ET 03/19/14 ............vs. Minnesota ........................ Columbia, S.C. ............ 6:00 p.m. ET
03/21/14 ..............at Tennessee #............................Knoxville, Tenn. ........................... TBA 03/22/14 ..............at Tennessee #............................Knoxville, Tenn. ........................... TBA 03/23/14 ..............at Tennessee #............................Knoxville, Tenn. ........................... TBA 03/25/14 ............vs. Furman............................. Columbia, S.C. ............ 5:00 p.m. ET 03/25/14 ............vs. Furman............................. Columbia, S.C.............. 7:15 p.m. ET 03/28/14 ............vs. Ole Miss #......................... Columbia, S.C. ............ 6:00 p.m. ET 03/29/14 ............vs. Ole Miss #......................... Columbia, S.C. ............ 2:00 p.m. ET 03/30/14 ............vs. Ole Miss #......................... Columbia, S.C. ............ 1:00 p.m. ET 04/01/14 ............vs. Presbyterian..................... Columbia, S.C. ............ 7:00 p.m. ET 04/04/14 ..............at Georgia #................................Athens, Ga. .................................... TBA 04/05/14 ..............at Georgia #................................Athens, Ga. .................................... TBA 04/06/14 ..............at Georgia #................................Athens, Ga. .................................... TBA 04/08/14 ............vs. Campbell.......................... Columbia, S.C. ............ 6:00 p.m. ET 04/11/14 ..............at Arkansas #..............................Fayetteville, Ark. ........................... TBA 04/12/14 ..............at Arkansas #..............................Fayetteville, Ark. ........................... TBA 04/13/14 ..............at Arkansas #..............................Fayetteville, Ark. ........................... TBA 04/15/14 ............vs. Winthrop.......................... Columbia, S.C. ............ 6:00 p.m. ET 04/18/14 ............vs. LSU #................................ Coulmbia, S.C. ............ 7:00 p.m. ET 04/19/14 ............vs. LSU #................................ Columbia, S.C. ............ 4:00 p.m. ET 04/20/14 ............vs. LSU #................................ Columbia, S.C. ............ 1:00 p.m. ET 04/25/14 ............vs. Longwood......................... Columbia, S.C. ............ 4:00 p.m. ET 04/26/14 ............vs. Longwood......................... Columbia, S.C. ............ 1:00 p.m. ET 05/02/14 ............vs. Auburn #.......................... Columbia, S.C. ............ 7:00 p.m. ET 05/03/14 ............vs. Auburn #.......................... Columbia, S.C. ............ 4:00 p.m. ET 05/04/14 ............vs. Auburn #.......................... Columbia, S.C. ............ 1:00 p.m. ET SEC Tournament 05/07/14 ............First Round............................ Columbia, S.C. ......................... TBA 05/08/14 ............Quarterfinals......................... Columbia, S.C. ......................... TBA 05/09/14 ............Semifinals.............................. Columbia, S.C. ......................... TBA 05/10/14 ............Championship Game............ Columbia, S.C. ......................... TBA All times Eastern.. Dates and times subject to change. # denotes SEC game................................................Bold denotes home game
18 • Spurs & Feathers
December 4, 2013
Former Gamecock, current NFL punter teams up with ‘Kicking for the Dream’ by brian hand bhand@spursandfeathers.com Ovarian cancer is often referred to as the “silent killer” due to the fact that most women do not discover the fact that they have the disease until the late stages. Due to this, many women succumb to ovarian cancer rather quickly. Currently there is no standard early detection procedure in place. These unfortunate circumstances hit home for NFL veteran and current Cleveland Browns kicker Billy Cundiff when his mother-in-law Colleen Drury was diagnosed with late-stage ovarian cancer in 2007. Drury eventually passed away from the disease, but Cundiff and his wife, Nicole, took up the cause to help others by starting Colleen’s Dream Foundation, which began in 2012 as a way to support research for early detection and improved treatment for ovarian cancer. Cundiff shortly thereafter had the idea to start “Kicking for the Dream” as a way to support Colleen’s Dream Foundation. It was fashioned as a way for kickers/specialists to raise money through their performance. “We wanted to start it at a very grassroots level and as we started to go along we started to get a lot of other people that wanted to be involved … kicking coaches and then I had some NFL guys that wanted to be involved. Nick Novak (San Diego Chargers) was one of the first guys that showed some interest. He lost a close friend of his to ovarian cancer,” Cundiff said. Novak was just the tip of the iceberg for “Kicking for the Dream” as numerous current and retired NFL specialists became involved with helping the cause. Some of the current NFL players included in helping the cause in addition to Cundiff and Novak are Spencer Lanning (Cleveland Browns), Ryan Quigley (New York Jets) and Morgan Cox (Baltimore Ravens). Retired NFL players such as Morten Anderson, Mat Stover, Neil Rackers, Michael Husted, Craig Hentrich, Mike Hollis and Nick Murphy are also helping “Kicking for the Dream.” “What we do as a foundation is we give grants to young investigators; those are people that are under the age of 40, five-to-10 years postdoc that’s committed their life to ovarian cancer research,” Cundiff commented. “We want to give them money to really fuel those big ideas that they have that they may not be able to get elsewhere. “We consider it like a venture capital model of research giving,” the first-team All-American at Drake in 2001 continued. “We’re trying to push the envelope so we’re helping these people with some research that’s going to move the needle. The stats are pretty awful when it comes to ovarian cancer. Out
Cundiff considers it very humbling that so many other people in the NFL have wanted to help raise awareness for ovarian cancer research. “The interest has been overwhelming,” Cundiff mused. “It’s exciting to see where this organization is going to be going moving forward.” A four-year letterman for the Gamecocks and the current starting punter for the Cleveland Browns, Lanning lost his grandmother to ovarian cancer. “I would say that one of the major experiences in my lifetime would be the loss of my grandmother,” Lanning said. “That went hand-in-hand with her not being diagnosed early enough with ovarian cancer. Obviously I wanted to be a part of it (‘Kicking for a Dream’) and it started out as just one of those things … we set a pretty low initial fund and I told him that I would willing to give anywhere from $2,-$5,000, but we wanted to make it so it wasn’t just based on giving money, but was based on linking it up with performance. “We established that every punt that was inside the 20, I’d donate $100. People could match if they wanted to or they could donate through my page on Billy’s foundation. It’s just sort of taken off ever since then,” the former Gamecock punter and kicker continued. Lanning sees his involvement in the foundation as one way of using his status as an NFL player to do great things. “To me, this is what having a platform is all about, especially being this young and being able to give back on something that really affected our family,” Lanning expressed. “The things that the foundation stands for - the young investigators and the early diagnosis and prevention - our family was directly affected by those issues. “My grandmother was misdiagnosed with Diverticulitis, which is just generic stomach pain,” Lanning articulated. “We look back and it is just one of those things where we sort of kick ourselves because if we would’ve south carolina athletics media relations just known. I think if we can reach one family and they can learn from our experiences of all women that are diagnosed, 25 percent ly detection test or try to find more humane and they can potentially save a loved one, of them are going to die in the first year. You treatment options because the treatment they that’s what it’s all about.” are looking at only about 15 percent of the do for women’s ovarian cancer is really dehu- Through 11 games this year with the cases are caught in stage one or two, which manizing … it’s really harsh on them, their Browns, Lanning has 18 punts inside the if it’s caught early they have a 93 percent standard of living goes way down. It’s just a 20-yard line. He is averaging 44.4 yards-perchance of survival. If it’s not caught early, really bad situation,” Cundiff commented. punt on 61 punts. then you’re looking at less than a 40 percent Cundiff and his wife, Nicole, run Colleen’s Colleen’s Dream Foundation is a qualified chance of surviving for these women. So it’s Dream Foundation They do not get paid for 501 (c)(3) tax exempt non-profit organization a pretty awful situation.” their efforts, but rather it has become their based in Phoenix, Ariz. Finding an early detection test and betpassion. To learn more about “Kicking for the ter treatment options is first and foremost “We just want to help raise money to fund Dream,” please visit http://www.kickingforto “Kicking for the Dream” and Colleen’s ovarian cancer research and to help spread thedream.com/index.html. Dream Foundation. the word so hopefully more women will If you would like to donate to Lanning’s “The point being is we want to fuel the re- know the signs and symptoms because they “Kicking for the Dream” page, please visit search done by young investigators to really are there. If they can catch it early, you can http://donate.kickingforthedream.com/spenpush the science forward to try to find an ear- save lives,” Cundiff said. cerlanning.
Spurs & Feathers • 19
December 4, 2013
Tigerburn 2013 held before record crowd by Brian hand bhand@spursandfeathers.com
The 2013 Tigerburn was held before a record crowd according to the University of South Carolina. The event is the annual pep rally before the rivalry contest with Clemson. The event was held on the intramural field on Greene Street right beside the Colonial Life Arena. This year’s Tiger was built by the student group, American Society of Mechanicial Engineers. The Tiger reached almost 30 feet. The night commenced with football studentathlete Victor Hampton rallying those in attendance with inspiring words before closing out his time on stage with a Gamecocks cheer. Numerous acts then performed on the stage adjacent to the large Tiger that was set to be burned a few short yards away. While students and fans were watching the acts perform they could also pick up popcorn and refreshments. There was even a large Tigerburn cookie cake provided by Great American Cookies. The acts on stage would give way to Cockappella, an A cappella group who then sang the alma mater before the Gamecock cheerleaders and Cocky came out to “2001.”
photos by allen sharpe
A “Burn that Tiger” chant then permeated the works lighted up the sky the cheerleaders led crowd before the gigantic Tiger went down in the crowd in the fight song before “Sandstorm” flames. While the Tiger was burning and firewas blasted over the speakers.
History of the Tigerburn The history and tradition of Tigerburn is one that dates back to when the Gamecock mascot made its first appearance in 1902. In that first season as the Gamecocks, Carolina defeated a highly favored Clemson 12-6. But it was the full-scale riot that broke out in the wake of the game that’s remembered most. Reports suggest that the Carolina fans that week were carrying around a poster with the image of a tiger with a gamecock standing on top of it, holding the tiger’s tail as if he was steering the tiger by the tail. Naturally, the Clemson fans didn’t take too kindly to that. After the game on Thursday, the Clemson team told the Carolina students that “if you bring this poster, which is insulting to us, to the big parade on Friday, you’re going to be in trouble.” And of course, the Carolina students brought the poster to the parade. As expected, a brawl broke out before both sides agreed to mutually burn the poster in an effort to diffuse tensions. The Carolina-Clemson game has been played every year since and every year each school burns an object that represents the other. (Courtesy South Carolina Student Organizations)
20 • Spurs & Feathers
December 4, 2013
The Captain’s take on start of the year for the Gamecocks Former Gamecock basketball player (199295) and radio host Carey Rich (Sports Radio 560 The Team in Columbia) gives his take on the South Carolina’s men’s basketball team’s early-season performance and progress.
and play because they’re still figuring out how to play at this level. It’s much easier to get up to play against Baylor than it is to get up to play against a team that, in their minds, is a team they should beat and it backfired. Mentally they weren’t ready, they weren’t locked in and I would have to say that they are a little bit again it goes back to that game against Baylor, ahead of the schedule that I thought they would which they should have won, it gave them a be at up until this point because none of us false sense of confidence. expected Ty Johnson to be eligible right now. It was a good lesson to show them not only So we thought they would have to handle that are you going against guys that are a little bit position by committee, so to speak, and have older, but now you also have access to a scoutto do it with young guys, unproven commodi- ing report. So now they’re going to try to take ties. Regardless of the level of talent, that’s a away Sindarius Thornwell. What Sindarius difficult task. needs to realize as the team’s best offensive I will say with the way they played against player, the biggest threat, every other team’s Baylor, it was very, very encouraging. The flip defensive game plan is going to be centered side to that is I think it gave not only some around him. He has to have the mental and of the players a false sense of confidence, I physical toughness to overcome that. As an think it gave some of the fans a false sense of 18-year-old that hasn’t really faced that yet at confidence with the Clemson game because this level, that was a little bit difficult for him. I they expected those guys to go in and play a think it was an early lesson. Overall I’m happy different Clemson team with the same type of where the Gamecocks are at moving forward energy and this team wasn’t ready for them. and just from the eye test, looking at this team The Clemson game was more of a true road from size, athleticism and playmakers, having test than the Baylor game was. We’ve still got offensive weapons and options, it’s not even a team whose top guys are all freshmen with close to last year. It’s night and day. one or two second-year guys, so even as good On depth allowing head coach Frank as Ty Johnson is playing, he’s still having to Martin to bring players like Brenton Wilbecome acclimated to playing all over again liams and Jaylen Shaw off the bench … because he hasn’t played in almost two years. When it comes to Jaylen Shaw, you saw JaySo I think a lot of people expected South len Shaw play very freely. You didn’t see him Carolina to come off that performance against play with the responsibilities and duties that Baylor to just show up and go in against a normally come along with the point guard. If tough, defensive-minded, older team in Clem- you go back and look at his minutes, he was son and we saw some of the youthfulness always off the ball; he never played point when come out for South Carolina. They weren’t he was in the game. Playing point guard at this able to withstand the defensive resistance that level is a different beast; it’s totally different. Clemson brought to the floor. Clemson was For a guy that was already labeled as a combo going to make it difficult, they were going to guard, it was going to be difficult to make that push you out, they were going to be physitransition on the fly because there are so many cal. For the young guys that have never been responsibilities that come along with playing through it before, it was going to be difficult that position. We saw a guy in Jaylen Shaw for them and I thought it was a good lesson for that played freely off the ball because he does especially the young guys. have the ability to score in half court. He was a On my show and on Twitter people try scorer his entire high school career. to contest me on this, but I said “it is much Brenton Williams, I never thought I would easier for a bunch of freshmen to get up and say it, but he’s a guy that can flat out score excited to play a Baylor basketball team than the basketball. I watched him closely over the Clemson.” You’ve got to think, there are few summer and because he’s playing on a team programs that are more celebrated than Baylor where he doesn’t have to be the guy every over the last four or five years. The reason be- time, it helps him. He can just play off of the ing, not only have they done a tremendous job other guys, spot up, you can bring him off the of recruiting, but look at them going into the bench and put him in situations score and get NCAA Tournament. So that’s a story and now baskets. He’s really, really good at stretching they come in ready to play that Baylor basthe defense. He’s a guy that will be a tremenketball team. Those 18-,19-year-old kids, they dous asset for South Carolina as they move know about Baylor and kids not from the state forward. To show how important he will be of South Carolina, they don’t understand the coming off the bench and generating offense, importance of beating Clemson yet. just look back at the Clemson game where he They have to try to figure out how to play, didn’t even get a basket at Clemson. so they don’t understand the importance of Whether the quick progression of Demebeating Clemson yet. They will learn, but they trius Henry as a post threat is a surprise … don’t know how they’re going to need to go out Yes and no. Yes because I saw him in the
summer league and he didn’t show a whole lot of scoring. I knew at some point he would be able to get some offense; he would be able to provide that balance that you need offensively from both perimeter and post. If you look at his physical makeup, he’s not a real big guy, he’s somewhat slim, so I didn’t know how he was going to deal with just the physical pounding and physicality that goes along with playing in the post. No, I’m not surprised because he was a truly highly-talented guy. He was a four-star guy and it came down to South Carolina and Miami in recruiting. Miami was just coming off of the great year that they had last year and he was down playing in Miami and he chose us over Miami. So you knew he had to offer some value, you knew he was good enough, so I would have to say yes and no when it comes to me being surprised. On Duane Notice … Being ready physically with the muscle he has is the difference between him and some other freshmen. I think he’s a year older coming in because he went to prep school, but I’m not sure. You can see the difference in his physical stature, his physical makeup and the style that he plays with. He’s a guy that just knows how to play the game. Of course he’s going to go through this growing pains every freshman will go through, but the one thing that I will say is he is taking advantage of learning opportunities. The coach wasn’t happy with the group collectively in guarding the perimeter. You often heard Frank talk about perimeter defense. He wants those guys to be better in guarding the perimeter starting with the point guard because guarding the perimeter starts with the point. Duane Notice and Ty Johnson have to be better and that’s one thing that Duane will have to continue to work on. Also Ty Johnson, as good as he has been offensively, he still needs to improve on guarding his man and containing penetration from the top. On Michael Carrera … He hasn’t played nearly up to the potential that he needs to play; Michael Carrera is the key to this basketball team. The reason being is because he plays so hard and he’s the one guy that has any type of playing experience last year. So that experience needs to go toward helping these other guys, helping to navigate these young guys through the tough times and the rough patches. He hasn’t done that yet. Last year this team relied on Michael Carrera to score points; they didn’t have any options outside of Michael Carrera and Bruce Ellington. This year Michael Carrera doesn’t have to be relied upon as much to score points because he has help. He has Ty Johnson; he has Sindarius Thornwell, Demetrius Henry and Brenton Williams. Last year not only did he need to score
photo by allen sharpe
Freshman forward/center Demetrius Henry
points, but he had to give that Herculean-type of effort; he was that utility-type guy, he was that junkyard dog-type of guy. South Carolina still needs him to be all of those things, but also they need a little bit of scoring to go along with that. He’s the key to this basketball team. He needs to be locked in and he needs to be a leader. I don’t think he’s necessarily embraced wanting and needing to be a leader which is why you see him in and out of the lineup, but he’s the key to this team. I think a focused Michael Carrera could be the difference between South Carolina winning three to five more games. On upcoming schedule and outlook … I watched that Oklahoma State team play for the first time about a week ago and they are tremendously good. Not only are they good, but this will be a difficult challenge for these guys going on the road. I don’t care how senior-oriented a team is going into Stillwater, Okla., it’s still going to be difficult. I saw a senior-oriented Memphis basketball team go into Stillwater and almost get blown out of the water in the first half. It’s a tough environment to play in, but I think it’s a needed test for those guys to play in before they get ready for conference play. I don’t know how well they’re going to do; it all depends on how much those young guys have grown up, but realistically it’s going to be difficult to get it done. The one thing I will say is next year, this South Carolina basketball team is one year bigger, better, stronger and more experienced and the same guys they’re playing on the road, especially the three big teams, all three teams are coming to Columbia next year. So imagine how much of a difference that could make eventually when these guys are one year bigger, better and stronger.
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December 4, 2013
Cross country took big strides as a team this season by mike kucharski mike@spursandfeathers.com
last year, in the past dozen years, the best we’ve ever finished is 14th. So we essentially equaled our second-best finish in the past South Carolina’s cross country team had dozen years which is actually a pretty good a strong season, blending together a mix of team performance for us. Obviously we’re youth and experience for good showings at trying to work our way up to top-10 and top-5 the SEC Championships and NCAA Southand being in the hunt for NCAA qualifying, east Regionals. but I feel like the team performed up to its “To me as I look at the season I’m always ability level during the course of the season trying to put things in a historical perspective given the personnel that we were missing,” … as a team obviously we want to do as well Allden continued. in the SEC and in the Regional as we can. On Allden noted that he felt the story of this the SEC side, based on our record we went team’s season surrounded the dichotomy in ranked 13th and finished 12th,” assistant of the youth and experience of the studenttrack coach for distances and cross country athletes. Andrew Allden explained. “We dropped back “We had two athletes, one a veteran and one a little bit from our ninth position last year, a freshman, who made extraordinary jumps which was a little bit of a step up from our in terms of performance at number one and historical levels, but we were missing our one, number two,” Allden said. “Both of those three and five runners in terms of our return- were very promising in terms of not just this ers due to injury. The good news is that our season’s finish, but the future as well.” one, three and five are still with us and hopeThe team’s top two runners this year were fully we will be able to insert them back into Meredith Mill, who is graduating in Decemthe lineup next year in addition to all of the ber, and Mary Reiser, the first-semester freshreturnees that we have. man. Mill claimed four of the top-15 6K times “The team this year, in terms of regional fin- in program history this season and Reiser was ish, we were 10th last year which was the best the second-highest finishing freshman in a regional finish we’ve ever had. This year we Regional in program history and an Freshman finished 14th. We started the year unranked, All-SEC performer as well. worked our way up to 15th and finished one Mill made huge improvements throughout place better than we were ranked. Other than the season from her previous time; last year
she finished 85th at the SEC Championships and she took 15th this season. Mill finished one second from being named All-SEC and four seconds from being an All-Region performer, a fact Allden described as “brutal margins.” “One of the tough things for her is to come that close, but at the same time, a year ago we wouldn’t have even been discussing it … she said ‘week by week I had to wrap my head around these rising expectations’ and I had to do the same thing,” Allden said. “She literally got better week-by-week-by-week during the course of the season in a real linear fashion and then raced up to her fitness level, which not everybody does. So she did a great job and the nice thing with her is yes, she’s a good captain, but also she is a down-to-business person. ‘I’m here to race, I’m going to lay it out there and then I’m done and I’m going to go back to studying.’ “To her credit, she wrapped her head around the rising expectations. She would ask me what I thought she could do and then she would go out there and do it … she just wanted to hear somebody say that it was possible to do what she was thinking was possible. She did a great job with that,” Allden continued. Allden said that Reiser had a similar season to Mill in that she continued to improve throughout the year and raced up to the level
of her fitness, if not beyond it. “She’s a great racer. She just loves to go out there and pick people off; it’s like a video game to her,” Allden said. “She had a great race at conference to make the SEC AllFreshman team and she had an even better race at Regionals to get within four spots of All-Region … she just literally has gotten better and better every week all the way through the Regionals. “She’s done a great job racing for us; she’s got a wonderful attitude in terms of her disposition … she’s done an outstanding job and I think we’re looking ahead to her having a great track season concentrating on distances probably,” Allden said. Some aspects that pleased Allden in his first season back with the Gamecocks was the team’s ability to set personal records and its improvement throughout the season. He said that the team will return eight of the 10 runners that traveled to the Conference meet, which helps to create a promising future. Allden also said that much of the team will run track in the spring ranging form the 800-meter up though the 5- or 10K races handling many of the distance events. He said many of the younger runners will benefit from running track as well and hopefully that can carry over to next fall’s cross country season.
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photo by allen sharpe
Sophomore guard Tiffany Mitchell concluded South Carolina’s 20-point, 70-50 victory over Southern Cal on Monday, Nov. 25 with 22 points, six rebounds and four assists.
Mitchell’s career high drives Gamecocks past Southern Cal south carolina athletics media relations
which let the Gamecocks work from the free throw line, where they went 7-of-9, late in the half. LOS ANGELES - No. 17/14 South Carolina The score was tied five times in the first was outstanding in the second half of its 70- period, the last coming a 11-11 with 13:14 on 50 win at Southern Cal. The 20-point win the clock. The Trojans took a lead on a free was the seventh of the season for the Game- throw, but Alaina Coates put the Gamecocks cocks, who got a career night from sophoback on top with a move on the right block. more Tiffany Mitchell, who scored 22 points Both teams turned the ball over, but Khadito go with six rebounds and four assists. jah Sessions turned an offensive rebound Leading by six at the half, South Carolina from Aleighsa Welch into a 3-pointer from (7-0) scored the first six points of the second the left wing to put South Carolina up 16-12 half en route to 65.0 percent shooting in the midway through the half. After a steal, Elem period to stamp its authority on the game. Ibiam put back her own miss to stretch the The first half was a back-and-forth affair advantage to six. Ariya Crook scored on a with neither team able to fully wrest control move inside, but the Gamecocks took adof the game. For the Gamecocks, Mitchvantage of another Trojan turnover to score ell did a bulk of the damage early, driving on consecutive possessions. The first was a relentlessly to the basket. The aggression well-timed backdoor layup by Tina Roy on helped the fouls pile up for Southern Cal, a pass from Wilka Montout. Mitchell’s free
throws gave South Carolina its largest lead of the half at 22-14 with 5:36 to go in the period. Crook scored six straight points on aggressive drives to the basket, but the Gamecocks held their own on the other end to take a 3024 lead into the locker room at halftime. The Gamecocks steamed into the second half, aggressively building a 12-point lead with six unanswered points. Mitchell drove the lane and dumped it off to Ibiam on the right block for the first bucket of the half. Asia Dozier delivered in transition off a great lead pass from Mitchell off a defensive rebound. Another one-and-done possession for the Trojans triggered a transition layup from Welch to put the Gamecocks up 36-24 less than two minutes into the half. The lead grew to 15 with 14:55 left to play on a free throw from Mitchell and a tough basket in traffic by Coates after Mitchell drove and dumped
it off to her. South Carolina fed the Trojans more of the same throughout the half with the lead stretching as wide as 18 before half the period was gone. The Trojans scored six straight off three Gamecock turnovers to draw within 12 with 4:22 to go, but the Gamecocks went back to their starting lineup to settle things down. Joining Mitchell in double figures was Welch with 12, eight of which came in the second half, and Roy with a season-high 11. The Gamecocks finished with 50.0 percent shooting from the field and hit 76.9 percent from the free throw line (20-of-26). Coates paced the Gamecocks on the glass with nine to go with her eight points. South Carolina returns to Colonial Life Arena for a 7 p.m. tipoff against North Carolina Central on Monday, Dec. 2.
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Gamecock Radio/Television Information The Gamecock Sports Network from IMG College counts 34 affiliate stations for the 2013-14 season. For Sirius/XM subscribers, follow the Gamecock Radio Twitter page for weekly updates on channel information for Gamecock broadcasts. The weekly Carolina Calls show will air from 7-8 p.m. on the flagship station of the Gamecocks, WNKT-FM (107.5 FM), and over the Internet at www.GamecocksOnline.com. The show takes place each week at Wild Wing Café, located at 729 Lady Street in the Vista. Wild Wing Café, which is South Carolina’s home for the best wings south of Buffalo, has 12 locations in the Palmetto State. Visit www. wildwingcafe.com for more information.
Inside the Roost
South Carolina Athletics Director Ray Tanner and Derek Scott from the Gamecock Sports Network from IMG College host an hour long radio show every Monday night at 7 p.m. from Hilton Columbia Center in the Vista. The show is broadcast on 107.5 FM and features discussions on current issues with Ray Tanner and interviews with coaches and athletics department staff.
Television for the week
The South Carolina-North Carolina Central women’s basketball game at 7 p.m. EST in Columbia, S.C. on Monday, Dec. 2 will be televised by Fox Sports South/ Fox Sports Carolinas. The South Carolina men’s basketball game with Oklahoma State at 9:30 p.m. EST in Stillwater, Okla. on Friday, Dec. 6 will be televised nationally on ESPNU.
2013-14 Radio Affiliates City Abbeville Johnston/Aiken Allendale Anderson Camden Camden Charleston Charleston Chesterfield Clinton Columbia Columbia Florence Florence Florence Florence/Lamar Gaffney Gaffney Greenville Greenville Hilton Head Kingstree Myrtle Beach Myrtle Beach Newberry Rock Hill/Lancaster Rock Hill/Lancaster Seneca Seneca Spartanburg Sumter Sumter Union Woodruff
Call Letters
Frequency
WZLA-FM WKSX-FM WDOG-FM WRIX-FM WPUB-FM WCAM-AM WWIK-FM WTMZ-AM WVSZ-FM WPCC-AM WISW-AM WNKT-FM WHYM-AM WOLH-AM WOLH-FM WFRK-FM WZZQ-FM WZZQ-AM WROO-FM WGVL-AM WGZO-FM WDKD-AM WSYN-FM WHSC-AM WKDK-AM WRHM-FM WVSZ-FM WSNW-AM WSNW-FM WSPG-AM WIBZ-FM WDXY-AM WBCU-AM WQUL-AM
92.9 92.7 93.5 103.1 102.7 1590 98.9 910 107.3 1410 1320 107.5 1260 1230 98.9 95.3 104.3 1500 96.7 1440 103.1 1310 103.1 1050 1240 107.1 107.3 1150 103.5 1400 95.5 1240 1460 1510
Football Basketball Coaches Shows Baseball X X X X X X X X X X Women’s Basketball X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
X X X X X X X X X
X X X X X X X X X X
X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
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Brewer, Kinard highlight final Columbia Touchdown Club meeting of year by brian hand bhand@spursandfeathers.com
The final Columbia Touchdown Club meeting of the 2013 football season on Tuesday, Nov. 26 focused on the rivalry matchup between South Carolina and Clemson. The featured speakers for the event held at Seawell’s were Gamecock legend Ryan Brewer and Clemson legend Terry Kinard. The meeting also honored local high school players by giving out offensive and defensive Player of the Week accolades for the final weeks of the high school regular season. Tommy Moody served as the Master of Ceremonies for the spirited meeting. Before introducing the speakers for the meeting, Moody spent some time breaking down the history of the rivalry. A member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Kinard, who played eight seasons in the NFL, was the first of the speakers to take the podium. Kinard spent a great deal of his time on stage talking personally to the prep studentathletes who were in attendance for their weekly awards. Kinard told them that he accomplished a great deal on the playing field at Clemson, but
photo by brian hand
Ryan Brewer speaking at the final Columbia Touchdown Club meeting of the football season on Tuesday, Nov. 26. He is joined on stage by Terry Kinard (far left) and Tommy Moody. to him his top accomplishment was obtaining his degree from the institution as that has helped him more than anything after his playing days were over. A native of Sumter, S.C., Kinard grew up a Gamecock fan and relayed to the audience that he actually roots for the Gamecocks every game of the year except Clemson week. Kinard (Clemson, 1979-82) also noted that he “cried like a baby” when South Carolina announced the hiring of Steve Spurrier because he knew the program would be in good hands and that things would get turned around quickly.
Brewer also commenced his comments by reiterating how important school is, remarking “it is not just what you do on the football field, but in every walk in life you have to strive to be great … have no regrets in your life.” Now the owner of Ryan Brewer Enterprises, LLC which specializes in fencing, columns and railing, Brewer then began to talk about rivalries and what exactly they mean whether at the high school or college level. The Troy, Ohio native who was named the Ohio High School Player of the 1990s by Ohio Prep Magazine said he had no idea what he was walking into with the South Carolina-
Clemson rivalry, but then head coach Lou Holtz made sure the players knew exactly what the rivalry meant, particularly to fans. “The rivalry, the passion that is out there (for Carolina-Clemson game) sparks the players. When you guys are in the stands, you can feel the emotion, you can feel it going out there … you can feel it. There is no doubt about it. You can feel the emotion, the passion of the fans when you are out there playing this game,” Brewer (South Carolina, 1999-2002) said. Brewer then went through each of his seasons at Carolina, focusing on the Clemson game in each of the seasons. Known mainly for his MVP performance in the 2001 Outback Bowl against Ohio State, Brewer said that his fondest memory as a Gamecock might just have been winning the 2001 Clemson game. Right before the meeting was closed with information on the club’s “Pick ‘Em” contest winners and door prizes, Brewer was asked if he, like Kinard, cheered for the Tigers when they were not playing the Gamecocks since he was originally from Ohio and not from the Palmetto State. Brewer after dancing around the question finally succinctly said, “no. The answer is, no, I don’t at all.”
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December 4, 2013
photo by allen sharpe
Stanley “Jiggs” E. Watts was honored as the Legendary Fan prior to the start of the Coastal Carolina game. Brent Skinner of B.P. Skinner Clothiers gave Watts his special blazer.
Legendary Fan enjoys honor at Military Appreciation game by mike kucharski mike@spursandfeathers.com
pated in the Rhineland and Central Europe campaigns in World War II and he crossed into Germany at the Remagen Bridge. The Legendary Fan of the Game for Watts said that a lot changed in his life the Military Appreciation Game against during that year of 1940. Coastal Carolina on Saturday, Nov. 23 was “I took it all on in three days in 1940. I left 93-year old, Bronze Star recipient Stanley college, I got married and went into the ser“Jiggs” E. Watts. vice all in three days. They were some big “That was one of the most wonderful exchanges,” Watts recalled. periences that I’ve ever had,” Watts said of Watts has now been married to his wife, getting honored on the field. Sara Kennedy Watts, for 73 years after they Before serving in the Army, Watts was a recently celebrated their anniversary. They tackle and nose guard, at 160 pounds, for are the parents of three children, with four the South Carolina state champion Camden grandchildren and seven great-grandchilHigh School football team in 1936. Watts dren in the family. also played in the first ever Shrine Bowl While in the service Watts said he did not game in 1937. get to see a lot of football until he went to “After I graduated in 1938, I went from Milwaukee, Wis. on assignment. He said there to Erskine College and played ball there he was able to watch the Green Bay there for two years for Jake Todd, but play- Packers with Paul Hornung and Bart Starr. ing in that first Shrine Bowl was a lot of He was not able to see much college football fun. That game ended in a 0-0 tie, but we all until spending some time in Utah, but he rereally enjoyed playing in it,” Watts said. ally got into it when he came back to South Watts was drafted into the Army in 1940 Carolina once he retired after spending over and served in the 8th Division, 28th Regi20 years in the service. ment under the Command of General Omar “I started going down to the games at Bradley. In this commission, Watts partici- South Carolina in 1964 and I’ve been at-
tending games since that time. Then when Paul Dietzel came I joined the Gamecock Club,” Watts said. “We’ve seen some good football players down there; Tommy Suggs, Todd Ellis and Jeff Grantz, they were really good.” Watts has now been a Gamecock Club member for 46 consecutive years and one of the biggest accomplishments for Watts by South Carolina has been the improvement of Williams-Brice Stadium and all the facilities over the time that he has been watching the Gamecocks. “What they’ve done with the stadium and the facilities down there is just out of this world,” Watts commented. “What has been done since I started going in 1964, well they’ve come a long way and the fans are incredible.” Watts said that he doesn’t have any specific memories that are his favorite, rather he remembers the players like Suggs, Grantz, Ellis, Bobby Bryant, Tyler Hellams and Steve Tanneyhill. Overall, Watts said he was tremendously honored to be named Legendary Fan of the Game and truly enjoyed being able to share
the experience with his wife and son on the field. “I’ll tell you what, it was awesome down there,” Watts said with a chuckle. “I surely appreciated that opportunity and it was a lot of fun.”
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27 • Spurs & Feathers
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A family affair in the Gamecock radio booth by mike kucharski mike@spursandfeathers.com Gamecock fans can recognize the voices of Todd Ellis and Tommy Suggs bringing them the sounds of South Carolina football, but some of their help to put on productions comes from the crew that fans don’t hear on the broadcasts. Engineer for the radio broadcasts is Carroll Senn who has been a part of the Gamecock radio broadcast team since 1980. Senn said that he has been interested in electronics since high school and after serving in the Air Force he came back and attended South Carolina. “After that I went to work for Educational Television and one of the people that I worked with left and took a job with the South Carolina Radio Network,” Senn said. “They had gotten the rights to broadcast the football and basketball games and that friend called me and asked if I would engineer the games for them. That was in 1980 and the rest is history.” The radio crew also includes Doug Adams as the stat guru, who said that two things he keeps close at hand are the game notes and media guide to stay on top of any stat around the program and David Spence serving as the spotter. Adams said that in Senn’s time working in the radio booth he has gotten some help from his family. “Carroll does almost everything with football, he’s the engineer and David is the spotter, but the more interesting thing is Carroll’s daughter, Rachel, she has been working with us since she was a teenager … that kind of tells you how long Carroll has been doing it,” Adams said. “It’s a lot of fun to get to know them and I just kind of feel like part of the family now.” Rachel Senn began helping with the broadcasts when she was a senior in high school and said that it just evolved into a long-time project. “This is all I’ve ever known. We are definitely a Gamecock family and my Dad has worked for the Gamecocks my entire life,” Rachel Senn said. “It’s just fun; it’s a good experience. My dad and I have a great time and we bond; that’s how we’ve always bonded is through the Gamecocks. You know we just have fun, it’s a great time. “The atmosphere is great; we just have so much fun in the booth. Even on breaks we’re just cracking jokes and laughing with each other. Tommy and Todd are great people and they definitely have influenced me throughout the years. The atmosphere is so much fun,” Rachel Senn continued. Rachel Senn now serves as a producer for the broadcasts helping to coordinate all aspects for the quality broadcasts the group delivers. She helps to produce the football game broadcasts and the call-in shows as well and she said that it is a great experience to be a part of such an incredible team. “Not everybody gets to experience that … we are there to do a job, but at the same time we have a great time together and have a lot of fun.
submitted photo
We don’t get to cheer like the crowds do, but we have our moments to be a little loud and have a good time,” Rachel Senn said. Her father Carroll agreed that the group has fun but also must remember that they are doing a job and conveying the game to the many South Carolina fans listening. “It’s really great. The hardest thing we have to do is temper our excitement when we’re in the booth because we all want to cheer, but we have to maintain some professionalism. It occasionally gets away from us though,” Carroll Senn commented. Carroll Senn said it is great to be a part of a team that works together so smoothly. “We’re just a very cohesive unit; we all work well together. Especially, Doug, David Spence and myself, we do all the heavy lifting to make it happen if you will. Especially on the road, it’s important that when we finish our broadcast, we tear down and get to the bus in about 10 minutes, which is pretty remarkable. Everybody knows what to do, what to grab and where to put it so we all work well together,” Carroll Senn explained. Carroll Senn also said that he likes to set up the equipment for the games on Fridays so there is not such a rush to get ready, but sometimes that is not an option for road games. Adams echoed Carroll Senn’s comments saying the group just keeps getting better the more they work together. “It works very well. We’re all used to each other and it’s like any type of team, the more experience you have working with everybody, the better it’s going to be,” Adams commented. “I think each year we’re just going to keep getting better and better and get more comfortable doing what we’re doing. “I’m really blessed to be doing what I do. Not many people get the opportunity to do this; we’re only like five people on the radio crew … I get to be the stats guy for Todd Ellis and Tommy Suggs, hear my name mentioned on the radio for doing the stats and I enjoy it. It’s something really cool to do, I enjoy doing it and I hope that I can do it for a long time,” Adams said. Rachel Senn agreed, saying this job is something that she would like to continue as long as possible. “I believe this is my 14th season helping and working with the Gamecocks. It started out for me as just a way to spend time with my dad and it evolved into a job. Over the years I’ve gotten a lot of experience, gotten to meet a lot of people and it has been inspiring. It has been a great experience over the years; it’s not something that everybody gets to experience,” Rachel Senn said.
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December 4, 2013
Reminder from Gamecock Club: Please remember that the Gamecock Club renewal deadline is January 31, 2014.
Gamecock Club Holiday Hours
Photo by Allen Sharpe
Dot McIntyre of Marion, S.C. was honored as the Legendary Fan of the Game prior to South Carolina’s fifth straight win over Clemson. McIntyre has been a member of the Gamecock Club for 65 years. She has been attending home Gamecock football games for over 60 years. As a freshman at South Carolina in 1945, McIntyre met the love of her life, Freddy who had been recently discharged from the 8th Air Force as a B-17 pilot. Freddy was a football manager for Rex Enright and he was also on the Executive Committee from Marion County for many years. McIntyre (loyal Gamecock) has five bricks on the Horseshoe for four USC graduates: husband (1949), son (1969), daughter (1980), grandaughter (2006, 2009 and 2011). Although 85 years of age, McIntyre plans to be present in 2014 when the Gamecocks open the season against Texas A&M.
Upcoming South Carolina Athletics Events zz December 2 Women’s Basketball vs. North Carolina Central......7 p.m. zz December 6 Men’s Basketball at Oklahoma State.................................9:30 p.m. zz December 7 photo by allen sharpe
Women’s Basketball at Charlotte.............................................2 p.m.
Henry Johnson of Lancaster, S.C. was honored as the Legendary Fan of the Game during the Florida game on November 16. Mr. Johnson has been a loyal member of the Gamecock Club for 47 years and has been attending football games for the past 50 years. In 1943, Johnson joined the Air Force and completed 11 European missions during World War II as a B-26 Marauder Turret Gunner. After his service, Johnson returned to his home state and graduated with a Business degree from the University of South Carolina.
In Memoriam
The Gamecock Club remembers the following member of Gamecock Nation who recently passed away... Bess Marie McKenzie Mendoza - Mrs. Mendoza was born in Helena, Ark., but
grew up in Birmingham and Knoxville. She attended the University of Tennessee, where she met and married the love of her life, Julio Mendoza, Sr. Ms. Mendoza was also an avid Gamecock fan and a Gamecock Club member for 40 years.
Don’t forget to check the calendar on www.spursandfeathers.com for all upcoming events.
December 4, 2013
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December 4, 2013
Gamecocks get one for the thumb!
Five in a row! Let that sink in. It took 111 games to do that. As the final seconds ticked off, I looked at my father and said, “y’all went for five in a row your freshman year here, and it took 58 years to get it, but we got the fifth tonight!” It means a lot! To those who have been around since the 1940s and 50s and to everyone up to the current students. I do wonder what Ed Girardeau Contributing it must be like for a junior Editor or senior at USC these days. They don’t know what its like to lose to Clemson. That must be sweet, but for those of us that have lived with our Upstate “friends” rubbing in our faces with such witty comments like “George Rogers never scored a touchdown against us” we can now come back with “Tajh Boyd never won a game against us” or “Sammy Watkins never scored a touchdown against us nor did he ever win a game.” Yes, beating Clemson is sweet. And the fact that they were ranked #6 in the BCS and #4 in one poll makes it that much more tremendous. I will even give the Tigers credit. They
were better than I expected on the field and they battled us, particularly their defense. But six turnovers just has a way of turning a good defensive effort into a 14 point loss. From a stupid trick play interception in their opening drive, to fumbled punts, to wildly thrown interceptions to end the game the Gamecocks were just too good. Connor Shaw putting the team on his back on a night where the running game was going nowhere, got a lead blocker and ran off just under 100 yards in rushing on draws. Add 152 yards passing and Connor closed out his career at home with another huge win. After the game, Dabo Swinney found Shaw and congratulated him, a move that Shaw appreciated after the game. He did not say what Swinney said, but it had to be something along the line of “I’m glad I don’t have to play you again.” Not to mention JD Clowney or Kelcy Quarles. Once again, the Carolina front was able to get pressure on Boyd and make things difficult. Clowney’s sack of Boyd in the first half brought back memories of “we ain’t playin’ if it ain’t swayin’”. Williams-Brice exploded as the over 70,000 garnet and black dressed fans who had been waiting for that one moment just erupted while the 12,000 or so orange clad just sat and shook their heads.
A lot of football was left to be played, but after that play, they knew: five in a row was inevitable! Speaking of trick plays, how about the Pharoh Cooper to Brandon Wilds 26 yard pass? Now that’s how to run a trick play! Coach Spurrier has been trumpeting how good Cooper would be and he saved the best for last. A long kickoff return, some good rushes on a night where they were few and far between and a touchdown pass, not to mention a long pass which was caught by Shaq Roland on a play which drew an interference call against Clemson and a circus catch by Roland that somehow was ruled incomplete. It was a night to remember for Pharoh. A half hour or so after the game, Missouri scored a late touchdown to beat Texas A&M and win the SEC East. You have to tip your hat to these new Tigers. They found a way and once again for the third year in a row, we fall one game out of the East to a team that we administered their one loss, but will be shut out from the SEC Championship. On a night where we beat a top-10 Clemson team (have I mentioned for the fifth time in a row?), I was not going to let that spoil things. Going forward, its pretty obvious. Playing in
the SEC, if you want to win the championship, you need to go undefeated in conference play or at least only lose one. Both sides, East and West have one loss teams. And that has been true for the last three years. Yes, we did win the East in 2010 with three, but that’s not the norm. Believe it or not, a 10-2 record with a top-10 finish has left us short the last three years. That’s life in the SEC. It’s another great season for the University of South Carolina football team and there is one more game to go. We look forward to going wherever the Gamecocks go and close out the careers of some outstanding players. They leave us with a nation’s longest home winning streak intact, top- 10 finishes and the best four years in the history of our 100+ years in football. The good news is the cupboard is not bare; 20 or so juniors will return. A shortage of seniors will not be the case next year. We have long passed the ole’ days of “wait until next year.” These years have been great, but Carolina will be back next year and ranked in the top-10 again with a team that will challenge for even loftier goals than achieved the past three. Not to mention six in a row! Go Cocks! One for the thumb, baby!
December 4, 2013
Spurs & Feathers • 31
32 • Spurs & Feathers
December 4, 2013