free-times.com | Summer 2013
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CONTENTS
THE 10 DOWN STRETCH
Can the dark-horse Gamecocks ride to Atlana? ON THE COVER: Connor Shaw calls out a play during action against Vanderbilt on Sept. 14 in Columbia. Photo by Travis Bell/Sideline Carolina
4 SCHEDULE 6 OPPONENT PREVIEW FLORIDA GATORS
7 OPPONENT ROSTER
18 SENIOR PROFILE
Snap Judgement Lineman Ronald Patrick clicked into leadership role
20 RECRUIT TO WATCH
Double Trouble Goose Creek’s Kalan Ritchie boasts a two-way game
FLORIDA GATORS
22 OPINION 8 GAMEDAY POSTER 18 EXPLAINING THE GAME
Number One Son Steve Spurrier Jr. an integral part of coaching staff
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EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Dan Cook | editor@free-times.com, ext. 133 MANAGING EDITOR: Patrick Wall | sideline@free-times.com, ext. 138 PRODUCTION MANAGER: Lisa Willis | lisaw@free-times.com, ext. 121 SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Wilbert T. Fields | wilbertf@free-times.com, ext. 145 GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Joey Ayer | joeya@free-times.com, ext. 150 CONTRIBUTORS: Travis Bell, Chris Clark, Paul Collins, Chris Dearing, James Harley Isabelle Khurshudyan ILLUSTRATOR: Dré Lopez ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Kerry Powers | kpowers@free-times.com, ext. 128 ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Ginny Kuhn | ginnyk@free-times.com, ext. 130 Brian Wingard | brianw@free-times.com, ext. 127 Jerry Viles I jerryv@free-times.com, ext. 140 ADVERTISING ASSISTANT: Rachel Kuhnle | rachelk@free-times.com, ext. 123 CLASSIFIEDS MANAGER: Cale Johnson | classy@free-times.com, ext. 131 CLASSIFIEDS SALES Jason Stroman | jasons@free-times.com, ext. 132 Jaimie Small | jaimies@free-times.com, ext. 141
Almost There Win over Gators would finally vault Gamecocks into SEC’s elite
OPERATIONS MANAGER: Jen Coody | jenc@free-times.com, ext. 124 CIRCULATION: Davey Mathias | circulation@free-times.com, ext. 152
26 YOUR GAMECOCKS
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Florida VS. USC
The quality of
USC online. PalmettoCollege.sc.edu Turn your college credits into a USC bachelor’s degree online without leaving your family, job or community. Palmetto College offers: Business Administration • Criminal Justice • RN-BSN Nursing Human Services • Organizational Leadership Elementary Education • Liberal Studies
November 13, 2013 | ISSUE #5
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CAROLINA FOOTBALL 2013 SCHEDULE 8/29
vs.
NORTH CAROLINA Columbia, S.C.
9/7
at
GEORGIA Athens, Ga.
9/14
vs. at vs. at at at vs. vs. vs. vs.
7 p.m.
COASTAL CAROLINA Columbia, S.C.
11/30
W, 34-16
FLORIDA Columbia, S.C.
11/23
W, 27-24
MISSISSIPPI STATE Columbia, S.C.
11/16
L, 21-23
MISSOURI Columbia, Mo.
11/02
W, 52-7
TENNESSEE Knoxville, Tenn.
10/26
W, 28-35
ARKANSAS Fayetteville, Ark.
10/19
W, 28-25
KENTUCKY Columbia, S.C.p.m.
10/12
W, 35-25
UCF Orlando, Fla.
10/5
L, 41-30
VANDERBILT Columbia, S.C.
9/28
w, 27-10
TBA
CLEMSON Columbia, S.C.
TBA
: SEC game
4
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FLORIDA VS. USC
11/10/13 12:31 PM
WIN OR LOSE, IT’S WHERE YOU CELEBRATE THE GAME. $3 OFF LUNCH
$5 OFF DINNER
(Monday-Friday, 11am-2pm)
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4500 DEVINE ST | COLUMBIA, SC 5570 SUNSET BLVD | LEXINGTON, SC
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Valid Monday-Friday, 4-7pm only. Not valid with any other discounts, offers or coupons. Excludes alcohol. Excludes tax. Valid only at locations listed above. No cash value. Dine-in only. EXPIRES 10/11/13.
Valid Monday-Friday, 11am-2pm only. Not valid with any other discounts, offers or coupons. Excludes alcohol. Excludes tax. Valid only at locations listed above. No cash value. Dine-in only. EXPIRES 10/11/13.
BUFFALOWILDWINGS.COM
BUFFALOWILDWINGS.COM
November 13, 2013 | ISSUE #5
00-84
00-83
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NICKNAME: Gators CONFERENCE: Southeastern Conference
UNIVERSITY OF
FLORIDA
COACH: Will Muschamp YEARS AS COACH: 3
(East Division)
CAREER RECORD AT FLORIDA: 22-13
2012 RECORD: 11-2 (7-1 SEC)
OVERALL CAREER RECORD: 22-13
2013 RECORD: 4-5 (3-4 SEC)
LAST MEETING: Florida 44, South Carolina 11 (Oct. 20, 2012, in Gainesville, Fla.)
SERIES RECORD: Florida leads 6-24-3 OPEN 11AM-UNTIL EVERYONE GOES HOME
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FLORIDA VS. USC
11/10/13 1:29 PM
FLORIDA ROSTER 1 1 2 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 9 10 11 11 12 13 13 14 14 15 15 16 17 17 18 19 19 20
Quinton Dunbar Vernon Hargreaves III Dominique Easley Antonio Morrison Tyler Murphy Kyle Christy Andre Debose Damien Jacobs Ahmad Fulwood Marcus Roberson Jeff Driskel Dante Fowler Jr. Alex Adler Ronald Powell Jeremy Brown Trey Burton Jacob Guy Latroy Pittman Matt Rolin Valdez Showers Neiron Ball Demarcus Robinson Max Staver Daniel McMillian Christian Provancha Jaylen Watkins Chris Wilkes Ryan Parrish Loucheiz Purifoy Austin Hardin Skyler Mornhinweg Jordan Sherit Kent Taylor Ryan McGriff Johnny Townsend Marcus Maye
WR DB DL LB QB P WR DL WR DB QB DE QB LB DB WR QB WR LB RB LB WR QB LB QB DB QB WR DB K QB DL TE QB P DB
6-1 194 5-11 192 6-2 285 6-1 230 6-2 210 6-3 198 6-0 187 6-3 300 6-5 196 6-0 195 6-4 239 6-3 266 6-2 219 6-4 240 5-10 185 6-2 225 6-5 210 6-0 210 6-4 227 5-11 190 6-3 235 6-2 201 6-6 238 6-1 225 6-6 223 6-0 188 6-4 230 6-1 200 6-0 190 5-10 208 6-2 214 6-4 247 6-5 224 6-0 203 6-1 191 6-0 206
JR FR SR SO JR JR SR SR FR JR JR SO FR JR SR SR FR SO FR SO JR FR FR FR JR SR FR JR JR FR FR FR SO SO FR FR
MIAMI, FL TAMPA, FL STATEN ISLAND, NY BOLINGBROOK, IL WETHERSFIELD, CT BROWNSBURG, IN SANFORD, FL GIBSON, LA JACKSONVILLE, FL FORT LAUDERDALE, FL OVIEDO, FL ST. PETERSBURG, FL MELBOURNE, FL MORENO VALLEY, CA ORLANDO, FL VENICE, FL DADE CITY, FL CITRA, FL ASHBURN, VA DETROIT, MI JACKSON, GA FORT VALLEY, GA BRENTWOOD, TN JACKSONVILLE, FL COCOA, FL CAPE CORAL, FL ORLANDO, FL LAKELAND, FL PENSACOLA, FL ATLANTA, GA PHILADELPHIA, PA TAMPA, FL LAND O LAKES, FL GAINESVILLE, FL ORLANDO, FL MELBOURNE, FL
21 21 22 22 22 23 24 24 25 25 26 27 28 29 30 30 31 32 33 33 34 34 35 36 37 38 40 40 41 42 42 43 44 45 46 46 48 49 50 51 52 53
Jabari Gorman Kelvin Taylor Adam Lane Evan Schroeder Nick Washington Danny Krysalka Matt Jones Brian Poole Gideon Ajagbe Garrett Stephens Marcell Harris Ben Peacock Jeremi Powell Rhaheim Ledbetter Tim Clark Michael McNeely Cody Riggs D.L. Powell Mack Brown Chris Maignan Alex Anzalone Case Harrison Michael Iorio David Campbell Mark Herndon Kerolin Francois Jarrad Davis Justin Voge Hunter Joyer Hugh Miles Keanu Neal Kyle Crofoot Leon Orr Antonio Riles Drew Ferris LeAndre Rembert William Few Darrin Kitchens Octavius Jackson Michael Taylor Steven Stipe Cody Adams
DB RB RB DB DB K RB DB FB DB DB DB LB DB DB WR DB WR RB WR LB WR DB LB RB DB LB lP FB DB DB LS DL DL LS LB P LB OL LB LB LB
5-10 184 5-10 214 5-7 222 5-11 183 6-0 191 6-1 191 6-2 226 5-10 205 6-2 244 5-8 185 6-2 215 5-8 170 6-1 210 5-9 219 5-9 197 5-8 175 5-9 190 6-1 178 5-11 215 5-11 185 6-3 239 6-0 183 5-10 185 6-0 221 5-9 198 5-9 180 6-2 226 6-4 211 5-11 240 5-8 193 6-1 206 6-4 220 6-5 302 6-4 287 6-0 205 5-8 238 5-8 164 6-2 237 6-4 304 6-0 233 5-11 204 6-0 233
JR FR FR SO FR FR SO SO JR FR FR SO FR FR SR JR JR FR JR SR FR FR FR SR SO FR FR FR JR SO FR SO JR FR JR FR FR SR FR JR FR SO
MIAMI, FL BELLE GLADE, FL WINTER HAVEN, FL NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FL JACKSONVILLE, FL OCALA, FL SEFFNER, FL BRADENTON, FL COCONUT GROVE, FL LOUISVILLE, KY ORLANDO, FL BRADENTON, FL LARGO, FL SHELBY, NC WELLBORN, FL CLEARWATER, FL FORT LAUDERDALE, FL ALACHUA, FL LITHONIA, GA MIAMI, FL WYOMISSING, PA GAINESVILLE, FL NOKOMIS, FL LIVE OAK, FL OCALA, FL LAKE WORTH, FL KINGSLAND, GA TAMPA, FL WESLEY CHAPEL, FL MIAMI, FL BUSHNELL, FL WINDEMERE, FL NEW PORT RICHEY, FL LAWRENCEVILLE, GA CARLSBAD, CA ALACHUA, FL TAMPA, FL HOMESTEAD, FL MOULTRIE, GA ATLANTA, GA WAYCROSS, GA OCALA, FL
54 55 55 56 57 57 63 64 67 69 70 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 95 96 97 99
Cameron Dillard Darious Cummings Roderick Johnson Andre Palmer Caleb Brantley Dakota Wilson Trip Thurman Kyle Koehne Jon Halapio Nick Davis D.J. Humphries Jonotthan Harrison Tyler Moore Trenton Brown Chaz Green Max Garcia Ian Silberman Trevon Young Matthew Fuchs Quinteze Williams Darius Masline Marqui Hawkins Bair Diamond Solomon Patton Colin Thompson Chris Thompson Raphael Andrades A.J. Mobley Tevin Westbrook Clay Burton Alvin Bailey Jonathan Bullard Joey Ivie Connor Gilboy Dallas Stubbs Bryan Cox Jr. Alex McCalister Francisco Velez Sterling Stanley Brad Phillips Jay-nard Bostwick
OL DL OL LB DL DL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL WR WR TE WR TE WR WR WR TE TE WR DL DL P P DL DL K DL K DL
6-4 297 6-1 305 6-5 316 5-11 213 6-2 313 5-11 260 6-5 315 6-5 315 6-3 320 6-3 251 6-5 285 6-3 310 6-5 320 6-8 361 6-5 300 6-4 311 6-5 306 6-4 272 6-2 246 6-4 280 5-8 172 6-1 213 6-4 228 5-9 177 6-4 258 6-0 167 6-0 198 5-11 219 6-5 255 6-4 257 5-11 185 6-3 270 6-3 270 5-8 180 5-9 151 6-3 260 6-6 238 5-9 182 5-11 172 5-10 195 6-3 305
FR JR FR FR FR SO SO SR SR FR SO SR SO JR JR JR JR FR FR FR FR FR FR SR FR FR SO JR JR JR FR SO FR FR SO FR FR JR FR SR FR
CANTON, MI TITUSVILLE, FL DELRAY BEACH, FL OCALA, FL CRESCENT CITY, FL BRADENTON, FL DOVER, DE INDIANAPOLIS, IN ST. PETERSBURG, FL SALT LAKE CITY, UT UNION, KY GROVELAND, FL CLEARWATER, FL ALBANY, GA TAMPA, FL NORCROSS, GA ORANGE PARK, FL BRADENTON, FL GAINESVILLE, FL TYRONE, GA JACKSONVILLE, FL COLUMBUS, GA FORT MYERS, FL MOBILE, AL WARMINSTER, PA GAINESVILLE, FL TALLAHASSEE, FL FAYETTEVILLE, GA COCONUT CREEK, FL VENICE, FL SEFFNER, FL SHELBY, NC DADE CITY, FL LAND O LAKES, FL GAINESVILLE, FL FORT LAUDERDALE, FL CLEMMONS, NC OCALA, FL WEST PALM BEACH, FL GAINESVILLE, FL PORT SAINT LUCIE, FL
2011
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11/8/13 2:46 PM
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Florida VS. USC
November 13, 2013 | ISSUE #5
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The Gamecocks enter to “2001” before the Kentucky game in Columbia on Oct. 5. photo by Travis Bell/Sideline Carolina
BY CHARLES BENNETT ew South Carolina football fans have mastered the subtleties of the SEC tiebreaker, but even the most casual observer knows the Gamecocks need to beat Florida on Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium. The Gamecocks (7-2 overall, 5-2 in the SEC) are squarely in the hunt for the SEC East title and can only stay there with a victory over the Gators. The Florida game is the Gamecocks’ final conference game of the season. After that, their SEC destiny is out of their hands. “Potentially, if we’re able to win our next game against Florida, there’s a shot we can win the Eastern Division,” says South Carolina Head Coach Steve Spurrier. “It’s sort of a championship game or made out to be a championship game, but we won’t
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know. Obviously, the other teams play conference games after that. All we can do is do our best to try and beat Florida when they come in here.” After Florida, the Gamecocks are finished with what they can control in the SEC. South Carolina finishes up the season against non-conference foes Coastal Carolina and Clemson; SEC East rivals Missouri and Georgia each play at least two more conference games: Missouri against Kentucky, Mississippi and Texas A&M; Georgia against Auburn and Kentucky.
Barring multiple losses by Missouri and Georgia, one more loss by each is the clearest scenario that gives the Gamecocks the title. That would leave the Gamecocks one game ahead of Georgia, which owns the headto-head tiebreaker after beating South Carolina 41-30 earlier this season, and tied with Missouri. South Carolina would win the SEC East based on its 27-24 victory over Missouri on Oct. 26. Even so, Spurrier isn’t likely to take up the Auburn battle cry of “War Damn Eagle,” or openly root for any other SEC team. “Whatever happens, happens,” he says. “I’m not always a big rooter for other teams.” As if a shot at the SEC East title weren’t enough motivation, there are other incentives at work for the Gamecocks. A victory over the Gators would give South Carolina a 16game home winning streak, the longest in school history. In fact, South Carolina defen-
sive end Jadeveon Clowney is all but guaranteeing a victory over Florida. “We’re looking forward to that, having the most wins in South Carolina history at home,” Clowney says. “We won’t let this streak end against Florida.” The Gamecocks can also gain some redemption for last year’s disastrous 44-11 loss at Florida. A victory over Florida last season would have ultimately given the Gamecocks the SEC East Championship. Instead, South Carolina all but gift-wrapped the Gators’ victory by turning the ball over three times in the first half and four for the game. South Carolina is 3-5 against the Gators since Spurrier’s arrival, but that is exceptionally competitive by Gamecock standards. To put it in perspective, the Gamecocks were 3-20-3 against Florida before Spurrier took the helm in 2005, and a dismal 0-13 since joining the SEC in 1992. And obviously Spurrier was FLORIDA VS. USC
11/8/13 3:15 PM
2011
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Running back Mike Davis bursts through a hole against Mississippi State in Columbia on Nov. 2. Davis leads the SEC in rushing. photo by Paul Collins/ Gamecock Central
at the helm for South Carolina’s lone SEC East title in 21 years of conference competition in 2010. But by all accounts, it was a bittersweet season. The Gamecocks won the SEC East with a 5-3 record that included victories over Georgia, Tennessee and Florida. The cherry on top was a 29-7 victory over arch-rival Clemson. But the Gamecocks were embarrassed by eventual national champion Auburn 56-17 in the SEC Championship game, and lost to Florida State 26-17 in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. The Gamecocks have finished 11-2 the past two seasons; included in those 11 wins are victories over Clemson as well as bowl victories. But the SEC East title has eluded the Gamecocks, with Georgia claiming it each of the last two years despite losses both years to the Gamecocks. Last year, back-to-back road losses to LSU and Florida snuffed out the Gamecocks’ SEC East title
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chances. The year before, it was a rather inexplicable loss at home to a very average Auburn team that kept South Carolina from the title. Spurrier’s Gamecock teams have for the most part avoided the inexplicable loss, but this year’s 23-21 loss at Tennessee is a notable exception. Spurrier is philosophical about the loss to the Vols, pointing out that the Gamecocks have had their share of close victories this season, including a 28-25 nail-biter at Central Florida, a 35-28 victory over Kentucky and the 27-24 double-overtime victory over Missouri that, but for a shanked field goal, could have gone to three or more overtimes. “You go into every game hoping you can win by a couple of touchdowns or so,” Spurrier says. “Every coach and team hopes that happens, but it doesn’t always work out that way, so you just keep playing as hard as you can, see what happens. Our guys have been doing that all year.”
Even with two conference losses the Gamecocks have played well enough to put themselves in position for another big year. Quarterback Connor Shaw has been solid all season. Tailback Mike Davis leads the SEC in rushing. A defense that began the season with glaring inexperience at linebacker has slowly developed into one of the best in the SEC. But the biggest key has perhaps been the Gamecocks’ ability to handle both success and failure. They followed the Georgia loss by racking up four consecutive victories. Then they rebounded from the Tennessee loss with the landmark road victory over then-No. 5 and then-unbeaten Missouri, and then avoided a letdown by beating Mississippi State. “You have to get it out of your system,” Spurrier says. “When you lose one, you have to get it out of your system. You win one, you’ve got to do the same thing. You have to have the ability to forget. Forget what happened last week, good or bad, and move on and prepare for
the next opponent.” In this case, the Gamecocks, idle since their 34-16 victory over Mississippi State on Nov. 2, have had an extra week to prepare for Florida. A victory over the Gators keeps the Gamecocks in the hunt for another SEC East championship, which subsequently keeps alive a shot at winning the league championship and a first-ever spot in a BCS bowl game. But Spurrier knows better than to make any assumptions. “I don’t think our coaches take anything for granted,” he says. “This is a sport that can turn around and bite you. All you have to do is look around. Teams that are projected in the top 10 sometimes really struggle and don’t have good seasons. We’re thankful we’re 7-2 and we’ve won all our close games except two. We’ve had our share of very good fortune this year. Hopefully we can continue to try and play better these last three games and maybe we’ll have a shot at a very special season.” FLORIDA VS. USC
11/8/13 3:16 PM
PA R T y AT W I L L I A M S E T A G L I A T BRICE! ST E B E H T
USC AWAy GAMES? NO WORRIES
BEAT FLORIDA!
WANT TO AVOID THE STADIUM? Join us at our sister bar, Kelly’s Pub on Washington Street, for great food, fun, and FREE SHOTS with every SC score!
AFTER THE GAME
Don’t sit in traffic. We keep the party going long after the game is over!
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GEORGE ROGERS BLVD
STATE FAIRGROUNDS
S. STADIUM ROAD BLUFF ROAD
We will be showing all home games on one of our numerous tvs. 3 big screens outside, 4 big screens inside AND a TV at every booth. Come check out our new look, improved back bar, & new cornhole playing area.
SHOP ROAD
NO TICKETS TO THE GAME?
T AILGATE L IKE C OCKS!
Check out the incredible BUD LIGHT PORTABAR equipped with Flat screen tvs and ICE COLD Bud products! You have to see it to believe it!!!
ASSEMBLY STREET
DJ DDL & Guests
We will still be tailgating like it’s a home game with awesome food, live music, and great specials!
936 SOUTH STADIUM ROAD • 803.251.3087 16 freetimes |
Florida VS. USC
Open Mon- Fri 3pm-until • Sat 3pm-2am (Saturday hours subject to change during Football | freetimes Season due to game times) • Sun closed (open for special events)
November 13, 2013 | ISSUE #5
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EXPLAINING THE GAME
BY Chris Dearing
Number One Son Steve Spurrier Jr. an integral part of coaching staff
S
teve Spurrier Jr. always has an eye on the field and an eye on the future. His first task during the season is to get his wide receivers ready to contribute. Second, as South Carolina’s recruiting coordinator, he plays a major role in building the future of the program. He balances the two rather easily. “It’s two different aspects of the coaching side of things,” the junior Spurrier says. “You have to coach up the guys, you have [to get them] to be the best they can but on the flip side you have to make sure you’re always evaluating the high school players to see who will be a good fit for what we want to do.” The junior Spurrier keeps it rather simple on how guys earn playing time. “Catch everything thrown your way, block well and know your assignment, and you will see the field,” he says. A lot of receivers have contributed this season (16 different Gamecocks have at least one reception), but as the season comes to a close, it’s been apparent that the son of the Head Ball Coach has a group of guys that he likes on the field in crunch time: Bruce Ellington, Damiere Byrd, Nick Jones and Shaq Roland get the bulk of the snaps. That is not by design, but it’s the way things have shaken out. “Typically when a guy is playing well, you keep them in there to see how long they can
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go,” Spurrier says. There have been games where a player gets hot and the coaching staff keeps calling his number. Take the come-frombehind win against Missouri. Ellington caught 10 passes that day, but going into the game there was no pre-set notion to have the two-sport standout — Ellington’s the starting point guard on the Carolina basketball team — so involved in the offense. The way things panned out, he caught a few balls, his confidence grew and the quarterbacks started looking his way. “Some games, guys get kind of hot,” Spurrier says. “It’s kind of like basketball. When a guy is hot, let him shoot. When a guy is hot, throw it to him.” If there’s any common thread uniting Carolina’s key receivers, it’s that none will wow anyone with his physical frame. Ellington, Byrd and Jones are all sub-6-footers; Roland is 6-1, but on the lanky side at just 190 pounds. The Gamecocks have had success in the past with tall receivers — see: Sidney Rice; Alshon Jeffery — but the offense has made adjustments to suit the smaller, quicker guys. Spurrier doesn’t have a preference. He just wants guys to use whatever ability they have. “We have to take advantage of what our assets are, which is speed and quickness,” he says. “Our guys make the most of their talents.” The bulk of the offensive
South Carolina Wide Receivers Coach Steve Spurrier Jr. Photo by Paul Collins/Gamecock Central
play calling falls on the senior Spurrier. But the junior Spurrier says a lot of different people are barking in his father’s head set with different suggestions. Sometimes the senior Spurrier listens. Sometimes he goes with his gut. “I speak freely a lot,” Spurrier says. “Some [calls] he likes, some he don’t like.” With the regular season winding down, Spurrier and the coaching staff has most of next year’s recruiting class committed and ready to sign on National Signing Day in Febru-
ary. There are still a few guys the staff hopes they can sway to the Gamecocks, but for the most part recruiting for the 2014 season is over. Coaches are looking at the current juniors and sophomores that can help South Carolina in the future. With summer and elite camps, it’s a cycle that never ends. But as all coaches understand, recruiting is the life-blood of their profession. “It never stops,” Spurrier Jr. says. “You’re always looking for guys that can help you.”
Florida VS. USC
November 13, 2013 | ISSUE #5
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SENIOR PROFILE
BY Isabelle Khurshudyan
Says offensive line coach Shawn Elliott: “The commitment he put in this summer was really one of a kind — he was the hardest working guy we had.” Patrick and Johnson met after the season. And while Johnson could’ve spent their time together telling Patrick all of the ways he needed to improve in his senior year and how to mentor the younger linemen, his advice was fairly simple: It goes by fast. Cherish every moment. Just have fun. None of that hit home for Patrick until he suffered a high ankle sprain against Arkansas. Just as junior Kelcy Quarles felt that football could be over for him when he was injured against Tennessee, Patrick had the same thoughts, except without the option of another year of eligibility. “At first, I just felt pain,” Patrick says. “I thought it was my knee at first because of the way it got hit. When I couldn’t walk or stand up, I just thought I was done.” Patrick did not play in the next game against Tennessee, but Senior guard Ronald Patrick before the Tennessee game in Knoxville on Oct. 19. photo by Paul Collins/Gamecock Central he returned to the starting lineup the following week against Missouri. Elliott says Patrick’s freshUnlike his freshman year, man year was wasted because he when he didn’t feel like he was was called on to play before he expected to do much, Patrick was ready and probably should lived in the weight room before Lineman Ronald Patrick clicked into have been redshirted. Patrick this season to get stronger. He leadership role watched hours of film to see what played in three games in 2010. Patrick doesn’t spend a lot he did right or wrong. And when of time thinking about what t just started to click for They’d call a play and I would he stepped onto the field this Ronald Patrick. just block. But this year, I’m season, he started to see football could’ve been or if he could have an extra year of eligibility, just as While the senior offenseeing things happen around differently than ever before, he hasn’t started thinking about sive lineman spent his summer me. knowing how the play would lifting weights and watching “It was just having that year unfold before the snap based on his time in Williams-Brice coming to an end soon. He knows film, the mental leap he made of playing under my belt.” the defensive alignment. it’ll all just click for him one day coming into this season had Patrick’s improved mental “I just knew I had to step up soon. little to do with either. It was game was a necessary step in my play,” Patrick says. “You had “I can’t really think about just about having more experiestablishing himself as the someone like T.J. Johnson, who ence. leader on the offensive line this started over 50 games, leaving. I that too much,” Patrick says. “To“I’m now picking up on season. Center T.J. Johnson knew we had a fairly good group wards the end, it’s really going to stunts and noticing what the graduated after setting a Carocoming back, so I knew I had to hit me. It’s really coming down to my last few games here. I don’t defense is doing,” Patrick says. lina record for starts with 53, pick up my play in order to be“My junior year, I didn’t see so Patrick knew there was a big come a leader. I just took it upon have time to think about that anything, I was just out there. hole to fill. myself to be the hardest worker.” right now, though.”
RONALD PATRICK
Snap Judgment
I
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FLORIDA VS. USC
11/8/13 2:35 PM
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GamecockCentral.com
RECRUIT TO WATCH BY CHRIS CLARK
Double Trouble Goose Creek’s Kalan Ritchie boasts two-way game
S
outh Carolina’s coaching staff has had great success with tight ends in recent years: Jared Cook, Weslye Saunders and Patrick DiMarco, a hybrid fullbacktight end, are all on NFL rosters. Right now, Carolina has a couple of others roster tight ends, in Rory “Busta” Anderson and Jerell Adams, who could end up in the pro ranks after finishing up in Columbia. The Gamecocks have capitalized on that success, earning verbal commitments from two top prospects at the position within the Palmetto State in Bamberg-Ehrhardt’s K.C. Crosby and Goose Creek’s Kalan Ritchie. Goose Creek head coach Chuck Reedy, who spent many years in the college ranks as an assistant coach at Clemson and South Carolina as well as head coach at Baylor, espouses Ritchie’s strengths at tight end. “He’s a very, very good blocker. A really physical football player,” Reedy said. “That’s the thing that everyone was really impressed with. He’s got great feet, uses his hands very well. He’s as good a high school blocking tight end as I can remember seeing.” The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Ritchie is a versatile prospect; some recruiting insiders believe Ritchie could play offensive tackle or even defensive end at
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OF F E NSI VE GU A R D
KALAN RITCHIE Hometown: Goose Creek, S.C. High School: : Goose Creek
Height / Weight: 6-5 / 220
the college level. Ritchie’s been playing a lot of defense during his senior year; he’s recorded 26 tackles, seven for a loss, in 10 games, and he’s caught just two passes for 36 yards. Too, his frame and length remind some of former South Carolina defensive end Devin Taylor, and that’s led to some speculation that his best collegiate position could be on the defensive side of the ball. Ritchie committed early to Carolina back in April; he also received scholarship offers from Clemson, Connecticut, North Carolina State and Virginia Tech. “It was a pretty good Division I school close to home,” he told gamecockcentral.com in April. “Every time I think about a new college, I think about it in my head and think if I could see myself playing there, and if I couldn’t, I rule it out. When I think of South Carolina, I always think of myself playing at that school.” Ritchie is rated by rivals.com as a four-star prospect and a member of the Rivals250, which honors the top 250 prospects across the country regardless of position. (He was No. 228 overall.) He has been selected to play in the 2014 Offense-Defense All-American Bowl as well as the annual Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas. Florida VS. USC
SERVICE BLITZ
November 13, 2013 | ISSUE #5
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Almost There Win over Gators would finally vault Gamecocks into SEC’s elite OPINION BY JAMES HARLEY
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re the Gamecocks an elite team? No, they aren’t. They have struggled far too much with lesser opponents all season — including the extremely damaging loss at Tennessee, which substantially changed the face of the SEC East division race. A win there would have gone a long way toward establishing the Gamecocks as the team to beat in the division despite their early-season loss to Georgia. But it was not meant to be, and we now have a full-blown soap opera as conference play heads down to the wire. However, while not in the ranks of the elite as had been hoped, South Carolina might be peaking at just the right moment, and might just snatch another exceptional season from the jaws of mediocrity anyway. Quarterback Connor Shaw started the year as something of a liability, taking up space that could have been occupied by superior passer Dylan Thompson. But Shaw has matured into an elite quarterback over the past couple of games, garnering national attention for his all-around productivity both on the ground and in the air. Now perceived as one of the most underrated players in the country, Shaw has finally become an asset: He won the weekly Davey O’Brien Award after guiding the comefrom-behind win over then-No. 5 Missouri, and he was recently named a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, given annually to the college football’s most outstanding senior or fourthyear quarterback. Likewise, few expected Mike Davis to excel; he’s used his speed and power to become the leading rusher in the SEC in just his sophomore year. Meanwhile, a defense that was beatable by simply avoiding Jadeveon Clowney’s side of the field has also stepped up, with tackle Kelcy Quarles and cornerback Victor Hampton earning the two most recent SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors. The Gamecocks are improving across the board and are finally almost living up to the hype that had them in the Top 10 in the
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preseason polls. Almost: To earn a spot among the elite the Gamecocks must win out the remainder of the season, including this week’s challenge from the Florida Gators. While Florida’s stock declined substantially with a mid-season losing streak, the Gators should not be taken lightly. They embarrassed Carolina last year with a 44-11 beatdown, the Gamecocks’ worst loss since the 2010 SEC championship game against eventual national champion Auburn. Florida was able to dominate last year’s game by forcing turnovers, and their defense is again the strength of the team, rarely giving up more than 20 points to an opponent. While the Gators boast no impressive wins, they also have no demeaning losses, hanging close with everyone so far, save for a 19-point loss to SEC East frontrunner Missouri. Florida might not match up well statistically against the Gamecocks, but the Gators’ real-world results are troubling. The two teams share common opponents, and Florida has in several instance outperformed the Gamecocks against them. Against Georgia, the Gators, like the Gamecocks, started out in a big hole, down three scores at halftime, but managed to close the gap to just three points by game’s end. The Gators beat by 17 points a Kentucky team that gave the Gamecocks a fourthquarter scare. Do I even need to mention how embarrassing a Gamecock loss to Tennessee looks when compared Florida’s 14-point win over the Vols? Were this game three weeks ago, I would have given the Gators the edge. It is only the Gamecocks’ very recent uptick in performance that gives them an advantage, and it is a slight one at best. Carolina is not 33 points better than they were last year, and Florida is not 33 points worse, yet somehow we have to turn that result around. Look for this one to be close in the fourth quarter. Gamecocks 21, Gators 20. Florida VS. USC
November 13, 2013 | ISSUE #5
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Florida VS. USC
est. 1998 — inside gamecock sports
IN-DEPTH PRACTICE INFO RECRUITING UPDATES PLAYER PROFILES & FEATURES VIBRANT MESSAGE BOARDS VIDEO & PHOTO GALLERIES ROSTER, SCHEDULE, STATS PROVIDING IN-DEPTH COVERAGE OF GAMECOCK SPORTS & RECRUITING SINCE 1998
WWW.GAMECOCKCENTRAL.COM TWITTER.COM/GAMECOCKCENTRAL
NOVEMBER 13, 2013 | ISSUE #5
The Side Line 111313 Wilbert.indd 25
FACEBOOK.COM/GAMECOCKCENTRAL
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11/8/13 5:41 PM
GAMECOCK ROSTER NO. NAME
POS. HGT. WGT. CL.
HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL/LAST COLLEGE
NO. NAME
POS. HGT. WGT. CL.
HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL/LAST COLLEGE
NO. NAME
POS. HGT. WGT. CL.
HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL/LAST COLLEGE
1 1 3 3 4 4 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 10 10 11 11 12 12 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 17 17 18 18 19 19 20 21 22 22 23 23 24 24 25 26 27 28 28 29 30 31 32 33 33 34 35
Damiere Byrd Rico McWilliams Nick Jones Jamari Smith Ahmad Christian Shaq Roland Brendan Nosovitch Connor Mitch Chris Moody Shon Carson Jadeveon Clowney Darius English Shamier Jeffery Sharrod Golightly Kwinton Smith Skai Moore Perry Orth Pharoh Cooper T.J. Holloman Jody Fuller Brison Williams Tyler Hull Ali Groves Connor Shaw Jimmy Legree Kelvin Rainey Austin Hails Nick St. Germain Chaz Elder Dylan Thompson Cedrick Cooper Patrick Fish Landon Ard Kyle Fleetwood T.J. Gurley Marcquis Roberts Kaiwan Lewis Brandon Wilds Larenz Bryant Bruce Ellington Ronnie Martin Kendric Salley Kadetrix Marcus Jasper Sasser Victor Hampton Mike Davis Jonathan Walton Elliott Fry Sidney Rhodes Jordan Diaz Mohamed Camara Gerald Turner David Williams Mason Harris Jeff Homad
WR CB WR CB CB WR QB QB FS TB DE DE WR SPR WR LB QB WR LB WR SS P CB QB CB TE QB PK SS QB LB P PK SS FS LB LB TB LB WR CB TB FS S CB TB LB P/K CB FB SPR DE TB DE TE
5-9 166 5-11 187 5-7 174 5-10 183 5-10 189 6-1 190 6-1 220 6-3 227 6-1 212 5-8 219 6-6 274 6-6 226 6-1 207 5-10 195 6-4 212 6-2 205 6-1 212 5-11 184 6-2 228 5-11 217 5-11 218 6-2 206 5-10 184 6-1 209 6-0 187 6-3 233 6-2 214 5-9 175 6-2 199 6-3 218 6-2 213 6-0 195 5-9 172 5-11 216 5-10 196 6-1 225 6-0 221 6-2 223 6-0 215 5-9 196 5-11 179 5-9 183 6-1 195 6-0 192 5-10 202 5-9 215 6-0 234 6-0 150 5-10 167 6-1 233 6-1 181 6-2 256 6-1 200 6-3 218 6-2 220
JR RS FR RS JR FR RS SO SO RS FR FR RS FR RS SO JR RS FR RS SO RS JR RS FR FR RS FR FR RS FR RS FR JR RS JR FR SR RS SR RS FR RS SO RS FR RS FR RS JR RS SO RS JR SO RS FR SO RS SO SO SO FR JR JR RS FR JR FR RS JR SO FR FR JR RS JR FR FR FR RS SO RS JR
58 59 65 67 69 70 71 73 74 75 76 78 80 81 82 83 85 86 87 88 89 90 92 93 94 95 97 99
LS LS OG OG OT OC OT OT OT OG OT OT WR TE WR WR WR WR WR TE TE DE DT DT DT DE DT DT
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 Rock Hill, S.C./Rock Hill Athens, Ga./Clarke Central/Garner-Webb 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 Military
39 40 41 41 42 43 43 44 45 47 48 49 49 50 51 51 52 52 53 54 55 55
Max Huggins Andrew Komornik Connor McLaurin Kyle Morini Jordan Diggs Garrison Gist James King Gerald Dixon Ty Sutherland Drew Williams Caleb Kelly Devin Potter Garrett Shank A.J. Cann Cody Waldrop Devin Washington Phillip Dukes Bryce King Corey Robinson Clayton Stadnik David Johnson Na’Ty Rodgers
P/K P FB LB SPR FB LB DE FB LS PK TB S OG OC DE DT OG OT OC LB OT
6-1 185 6-5 225 6-0 237 5-10 212 6-0 214 5-10 255 6-0 235 6-2 268 5-10 234 6-2 190 6-0 184 5-10 200 6-0 171 6-4 314 6-2 319 6-3 225 6-3 315 6-3 281 6-8 341 6-3 281 6-1 268 6-5 296
FR FR RS JR JR RS FR RS SO SO RS SO RS SO FR RS FR FR FR RS JR RS FR FR RS SO FR RS JR RS FR FR FR
Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek Hampton, Ga./Lovejoy Moore, S.C./Byrnes Jacksonville, Fla./Fletcher Jacksonville, Fla./Trinity Christian Lexington, S.C./Lexington Allenton, Pa./Central Catholic Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield McDonough, Ga./Henry County Scranton, S.C./Lake City Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe Powder Springs, Ga./McEachern St. Matthews, S.C./Calhoun County Decatur, Ga./Southwest DeKalb Hamer, S.C./Dillon Cooper City, Fla./University Ponde Verda, Fla./Ponte Verda/Florida State College Havelock, NC./Havelock Stone Mountain, Ga./St. Pius X Charlotte, N.C./Sun Valley Warner Robins, Ga./Northside/Fork Union Military Mount Airy, N.C./Mount Airy/Guilford College Stone Mountain, Ga./Stephenson Flowery Branch, Ga./Flowery Branch Beaufort, S.C./Beaufort Yulee, Fla./Yulee Collinsville, Ill./Collinsville Powder Springs, Ga./McEachern Union City, Ga./Banneker Boiling Springs, S.C./Boiling Springs Lithonia, Ga./Lithonia Shelby, N.C./Burns Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe Stone Mountain, Ga./Stephenson Cairo, Ga./Cairo Powder Springs, Ga./McEachern Mays Landing, N.J./St. Joseph Blythewood, S.C./Blythewood Charlotte, NC./Vance 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 Lithonia, Ga./Stephenson Daphne, Ala./Bayside Academy Frisco, Tx./Prince of Peace Christian Easley, S.C./Wren/Western Carolina Hamilton, N.J./Hamilton West Cumming, Ga./Forsyth Goose Creek, S.C./Goose Creek Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter Fort Oglethorpe, Ga./Ridgeland Hilton Head Island, S.C./Hilton Head Island/UNC Pembroke Myrtle Beach, S.C./Myrtle Beach Fort Mill, S.C./Nations Ford Raleigh, N.C./Garner Lexington, S.C./White Knoll/Gray Military Fort Myers, Fla./Island Coast Rock Hill, S.C./Northwesterm Goose Creek, S.C./Goose Creek/Benedict Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe Pendleton, S.C./Pendleton Irmo, S.C/Dutch Fork Cayce, S.C./Brookland-Cayce Granite Falls, N.C./South Caldwell Marietta, Ga./Lassiter 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 Lithonia, Ga./Lithonia Waldorf, Md./McDonough
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The Side Line 111313 Wilbert.indd 26
Ryland Culbertson Coleman Harley Brock Stadnik Ronald Patrick D.J. Park Alan Knott Brandon Shell J.P. Vonashek Mason Zandi Will Sport Mike Matulis Cody Gibson K.J. Brent Rory Anderson Matthew Harvey Carlton Heard Kane Whitehurst David Wilkins Drake Thomason Drew Owens Jerell Adams Chaz Sutton Gerald Dixon, Jr. Deon Green Kelsey Griffin Michael Washington J.T. Surratt Kelcy Quarles
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 6-8 6-0 5-11 6-1 6-1 6-6 6-6 6-5 6-3 6-4 6-2 6-3 6-2 6-4
265 264 286 315 334 272 323 283 293 294 266 286 188 242 225 178 179 182 205 244 237 263 318 287 292 243 307 298
RS JR RS SO RS FR SR FR FR RS SO FR RS FR RS SO JR RS JR RS SO JR SO SO RS SO SR RS JR RS SO SO SR RS SO RS SO FR SO RS JR JR
GAMECOCK GAME STATS
AS OF 11.6.13
Passing
gp effic
comp-att-int pct
yds
td
lg
avg/g
Connor Shaw Dylan Thompson TEAM Pharoh Cooper Total Opponents
9 8 5 7 9 9
122-194-1 44-780-1-0 1-1-0 167-274-4 158-266-9
1655 643 0 3 2301 1879
18 2 0 0 20 12
76 44 0 3 76 96
183.9 80.4 0.0 0.4 255.7 208.8
RUSHING
gp at
gain loss
net
avg
td
lg
avg/g
Mike Davis Connor Shaw Brandon Wilds Shon Carson Pharoh Cooper Dylan Thompson B. Nosovitch Jamari Smith Bruce Ellington TEAM Total Opponents
9 9 4 9 7 8 2 8 9 5 9 9
1082 484 141 116 94 46 7 7 2 0 1979 1563
1058 375 140 114 94 33 7 5 2 -21 1807 1308
6.4 3.6 4.7 3.4 7.8 2.4 7.0 1.2 2.0 -2.6 4.8 4.0
10 3 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 17 12
75 31 12 11 33 12 7 4 2 0 75 50
117.6 41.7 35.0 12.7 13.4 4.1 3.5 0.6 0.2 -4.2 200.8 145.3
164.13 126.43 0.00 125.20 152.66 126.86
166 103 30 34 12 14 1 4 1 8 373 324
24 109 1 2 0 13 0 2 0 21 172 255
62.9 56.4 0.0 100.0 60.9 59.4
RECEIVING gp
no
yds
avg
td
lg
avg/g
Bruce Ellington Mike Davis Damiere Byrd Nick Jones Rory Anderson Shaq Roland Jerell Adams Brandon Wilds Shon Carson Total Opponents
32 29 25 21 14 11 9 6 5 167 158
474 326 485 203 166 222 162 75 59 2301 1879
14.8 11.2 19.4 9.7 11.9 20.2 18.0 12.5 11.8 13.8 11.9
5 0 4 4 0 3 1 1 0 20 12
53 38 76 30 28 65 44 33 24 76 96
52.7 36.2 53.9 22.6 20.8 37.0 18.0 18.8 6.6 255.7 208.8
9 9 9 9 8 6 9 4 9 9 9
TOP Defensive PLAYERS • Tackles 15 Jimmy Legree 21 M. Roberts 10 Skai Moore 12 Brison Williams
gp
ua
a
to
tfl/yds
9 9 9 9
25 24 19 26
13 14 19 10
38 38 38 36
5.5-15 3.5-11 2.5-5 0.5-2
FLORIDA VS. USC
11/10/13 2:03 PM
THREE DINING CHOICES.
HREE DINING CHOICES. REE DINING CHOICES.
go gamecocks!
FLA Do you need assistance with a legal matter? Handling a legal matter on your own may lead to an undesirable outcome. Before handling a DUI, criminal charge, personal injury or civil matter on your own, let attorney Marion M. Moses consult with you to explain your rights.
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Florida VS. USC