NOV. 20, 2013 • ISSUE #6
FOUR MORE YEARS?
How much longer will Steve Spurrier be around?
CONTENTS
MORE 10 FOUR YEARS?
How much longer will Steve Spurrier be around? ON THE COVER: South Carolina Head Coach Steve Spurrier. Photo by Paul Collins/Gamecock Central
4 SCHEDULE 6 OPPONENT PREVIEW COASTAL CAROLINA CHANTICLEERS
7 OPPONENT ROSTER COASTAL CAROLINA CHANTICLEERS
8 GAMEDAY POSTER 18 EXPLAINING THE GAME
Slowly But Surely Behind Grady Brown, South Carolina’s secondary improves
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18 FEATURE
On The Trail How will Carolina stay on top? Recruiting.
22 RECRUIT TO WATCH
A Big Catch Terry Googer adds size to receiving corps
24 OPINION
No Cockfight Gamecocks should be lauded for scheduling in-state schools
26 YOUR GAMECOCKS Roster and Statistics
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 OPERATIONS MANAGER: Jen Coody | jenc@free-times.com, ext. 124 CIRCULATION: Davey Mathias | circulation@free-times.com, ext. 152 The Side Line is published by Resorts Media, LLC 1534 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201 PO Box 8295, Columbia, SC 29202 | (803) 765-0707 • 765-0727 FAX • free-times.com Advertisers in The Side Line assume responsibility for the entire content and subject matter of all advertisements. In case of error or omissions in advertisement, the publisher’s sole liability shall be to publish the advertisement at a later date. Notice of error must be made within ten days of first insertion. © 2013 Resorts Media, LLC. All rights reserved.
COASTAL CAROLINA VS. USC
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NOVEMBER 20, 2013 | ISSUE #6
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CAROLINA FOOTBALL
2013 SCHEDULE 8/29 9/7 9/14 9/28 10/5 10/12 10/19 10/26 11/02 11/16
vs. at vs. at vs. at at at vs. vs.
NORTH CAROLINA
Columbia, S.C.
w, 27-10
GEORGIA
Athens, Ga.
L, 41-30
VANDERBILT Columbia, S.C.
W, 35-25
UCF
Orlando, Fla.
W, 28-25
KENTUCKY
Columbia, S.C.p.m.
W, 28-35
ARKANSAS Fayetteville, Ark.
W, 52-7
TENNESSEE Knoxville, Tenn.
L, 21-23
MISSOURI Columbia, Mo.
W, 27-24
MISSISSIPPI STATE Columbia, S.C.
W, 34-16
FLORIDA Columbia, S.C.
W, 19-14
11/23
vs.
COASTAL CAROLINA
11/30
vs.
CLEMSON
Columbia, S.C. Columbia, S.C.
1 p.m. TBA
: SEC game
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COASTAL CAROLINA VS. USC
©2013 Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc. BWW2013-2807
IT’S NOT WHETHER YOU WIN OR LOSE, IT’S WHERE YOU CELEBRATE THE GAME. 6=; G7F99BG <8HJG 5K5F8!K=BB=B; K=B;G %* G=;B5HIF9 G5I79G ) G95GCB=B;G 8=B9!=B CF H ?9CIH 8=B9!=B CF H5 H H<9 <CHH9GH GDCFHG 57H=CB K=B; HI9G85M H G85 G 6CB9@9GG H<IFG85M G85M G85 G G85M
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NOVEMBER 20, 2013 | ISSUE #6
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NICKNAME: Chanticleers
COASTAL CAROLINA
CONFERENCE: Big South
UNIVERSITY
COACH: Joe Moglia YEARS AS COACH: 2
2012 RECORD: 8-5 (5-1 Big South)
CAREER RECORD AT COASTAL CAROLINA: 18-6
2013 RECORD: 10-1 (4-1 Big South)
OVERALL CAREER RECORD: 18-6
SERIES RECORD: 0-0
LAST MEETING: N/A (first meeting)
COASTAL CAROLINA
ROSTER 1 Michael Church QB 1 Denzel Rice DB 3 Kelvin DeVeaux S 5 Thomas Pauciello TE 7 Imir Sanders DB 8 JaDamion Ross DB 8 Travis Small RB 9 Cody Craig QB 10 Mike McClure LB 10 Richard Pilon WR 11 DeMario Bennett WR 12 Brian Kass QB 12 Alex Ross QB 13 Andrew Allen DE 14 Craig Weick TE 15 Lorenzo Taliaferro RB 16 Tyrell Blanks WR 16 C.J. Thompson DB 17 Michael Battle LB 17 Dalton Demos QB 18 Seun Olukoju CB 19 John Israel WR 20 Niccolo Mastromatteo WR 21 Datarius Allen DB 22 Devin Brown DB 22 Bucky Kennedy RB 23 Miles Rankin DB 23 Mark Singleton DB 24 Samson Baldwin DB
6-4 185 6-1 190 5-11 190 6-6 250 5-10 185 5-7 180 5-10 200 6-2 215 6-0 215 5-10 180 6-2 190 6-1 215 6-1 200 6-0 230 6-5 215 6-2 230 6-0 160 5-10 185 6-1 215 6-5 195 5-9 170 6-1 185 5-9 180 5-10 180 5-8 155 5-10 200 6-0 185 5-10 165 5-10 170
SO JR JR SO JR SO SR JR SR JR SR SR SO JR SO SR SO FR JR FR JR SO SR SO FR SR JR SO FR
KANNAPOLIS, NC WINSTON-SALEM, NC ABBEVILLE, SC TRUMBULL, CT West Mifflin, Pa Greenville, SC CHERAW, SC MONCKS CORNER, SC ROCK HILL, SC AIKEN, SC DOUGLAS, GA RALEIGH, NC ALPHARETTA, GA AIKEN, SC MOORE, SC YORKTOWN, VA FORT MYERS, FL CHARLOTTE, NC CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA CHESTERFIELD, MO GRAYSON, GA FLORENCE, SC ORTONVILLE, MI COCOA, FL CHARLESTON, SC COLUMBIA, SC ATLANTA, GA CONWAY, SC GREENVILLE, SC
25 LaDarius Hawthorne 26 Johnnie Houston 27 Sammie Kennedy 28 Lorenzo Boyles 29 Kamron Summers 30 Quinn Backus 31 De’Angelo Henderson 32 Andre Johnson 34 Rayshaud Shields 35 Austin Cain 36 Zach Silverberg 37 Pernell Williams 38 John Masley 38 Jaz Strong 39 Colton Blackburn 40 Kenneth Daniels 41 Marcellus Hunter 42 Shane Ballard 44 Moon Edwards 45 Richie Sampson 45 Alex Scearce 46 Alex Catron 47 Grant Clayton 47 Chase Travis 48 Tyler McCarthy 49 Brett Johnson 50 Jeffery Salley 51 Matt Broome 52 P.J. Brave 52 Devan Miller 53 Denzell Thomas 54 Tyler Watkins 55 Arthur Kelley 56 Aaron McFarland
DB DB WR DB DB LB RB LB LB P RB DB RB LB LB RB DB LS DE DB DB K K DB DB LB DT LS LB LB LB LB DT DE
5-9 180 6-1 210 6-2 200 5-10 190 5-11 180 5-10 205 5-8 200 5-11 220 6-0 195 6-0 200 5-10 195 6-1 185 6-1 230 5-10 225 6-2 230 5-10 180 5-10 185 6-4 210 6-0 245 6-2 195 6-3 190 6-2 160 5-7 160 6-0 205 5-9 180 5-11 220 5-8 265 6-0 180 6-1 230 6-1 220 5-11 210 6-1 230 6-3 260 6-1 245
SR SR SR JR FR JR FR SO JR JR JR JR JR SR SO FR SR JR JR SO FR JR SR FR SR JR SR FR FR SO FR JR SR SO
WARE SHOALS, SC AARON, GA MOORE, SC COLUMBIA, SC STATESVILLE, NC GREENWOOD, SC SUMMERVILLE, SC BUFORD, GA UPPER MARLBORO, MD KENNESAW, GA BALTIMORE, MD DOUGLAS, GA JACKSONVILLE, FL CHESTER, SC AARON, GA WALDORF, MD ANDERSON, SC MANNING, SC PAGELAND, SC KENNETT SQUARE, PA HUNTERSVILLE, NC APOPKA, FL COLUMBIA, SC Sevierville, TN ATTLEBORO, MA NORTH AUGUSTA, SC BAMBERG, SC Chesnee, SC MYRTLE BEACH, SC LEETONIA, OH JERSEY CITY, NJ AARON, GA LETOHATCHEE, AL BAILEY, NC
57 Kevin Hart 58 Calvin Hollenhorst 61 Voghens Larrieux 62 Randall Drayton 63 Ryan Barkley 63 Dom DiGalbo 65 Joe Kaleta 69 Roderick Holder 70 Sam Ekwonike 71 Kenny Fitzgerald 72 Jamey Cheatwood 73 Chad Hamilton 74 William Walker 75 Mo Ashley 76 Trevor Herak 77 Devin Taylor 78 Drew Herring 81 Adrian Sullivan 83 Jake Mooney 84 Matt Hazel 85 Kyle Vargo 86 Stephen Denuel 87 Bruce Mapp 89 Ryan Granger 90 Matt Johnson 91 Ed Brown 92 Clark Krimmer 93 Dominique Whiteside 94 Jake Ansley 96 Joe Coscarelli 98 Storm Baker 98 Andrew Mitchell 99 Marcus Crowder
2011
2011
OL DL OL DL OL OL OL DL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL WR WR WR TE P WR P DT DL LB DE K DL P DL DL
6-2 260 JR 6-4 240 SO 6-5 265 FR 6-4 290 FR 6-4 290 FR 6-2 260 FR 6-8 315 JR 6-3 225 SO 6-4 305 FR 6-4 270 JR 6-5 330 SR 6-3 305 JR 6-2 310 FR 6-4 320 JR 6-4 265 FR 6-3 300 JR 6-3 310 SR 5-6 165 SR 5-11 175 FR 6-3 190 SR 6-2 200 SR 6-0 180 SR 6-1 170 FR 6-0 160 FR 6-1 280 SR 6-2 225 SR 6-3 225 FR 6-3 240 SR 5-11 175 FR 6-1 260 FR 6-5 195 FR 6-4 255 SR 6-1 290 SO
CORNELIUS, NC ASHBURN, VA NEW LONDON, CT TAMPA, FL Fort Mill, SC COLLINGDALE, PA UTICA, NY CHESAPEAKE, VA CINNAMINSON, NJ WALL, NJ BOILING SPRINGS, SC CHARLESTON, SC GREENWOOD, SC HONEA PATH, SC CLEVELAND, OH SUMMERVILLE, SC MYRTLE BEACH, SC CHARLESTON, SC WILLOUGHBY, OH NORTH AUGUSTA, SC EASLEY, SC MOSELEY, VA PHILADELPHIA, PA NORTH CHARLESTON, SC COLUMBIA, SC Cedar Bluff, MS KATHLEEN, GA HENDERSONVILLE, NC CAMDEN, SC MONMOUTH, NJ RALEIGH, NC Greenwood, SC MEBANE, NC
November 20, 2013 | ISSUE #6
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FOUR MORE YEARS? How much longer will Steve Spurrier be around?
South Carolina Head Coach Steve Spurrier prowls the sideline. When asked how long he’ll hang around Carolina, he says “four or five” years. photo by Paul Collins/Gamecock Central
games just once in school history, Joe Morrison’s legendary Black Magic season. Under Spurrier, South Carolina has gone to seven bowl I’ll know and we’ll probably all games and won three; won the know.” school’s first-ever SEC East As South Carolina’s success Division title, in 2009; and has continues to build, the sense of urgency in the question and the won 11 games each of the last two years. answer seems to lessen. Spurrier already has more At age 68, Spurrier is in victories — 73 — than any excellent health. He runs and coach in South Carolina history works out regularly and of and shows no signs of slowing course is a passionate golfer in the offseason. And Spurrier has down. Plus, the Gamecocks are always said he feels younger than his age. He often quotes the the youngest team in college famous Satchel Paige line: “How football with only five seniors. Even taking into account that old would you be if you didn’t they will lose at least two draftknow how old you were?” eligible juniors — defensive end More importantly, he’s still Jadeveon Clowney and defensive having fun coaching football, tackle Kelcy Quarles — South and during his nine-year run, Carolina’s immediate future the Gamecocks have reached looks very bright. unparalleled success. “We’ve really got an excelPrior to Spurrier’s arrival, lent group of assistant coaches the Gamecocks had three bowl victories in 11 tries, one confer- here, and this is still the youngest team in Division I ball,” ence championship — in 1969, Spurrier says. “We try not to when the Gamecocks played in the ACC — and had won 10
BY CHARLES BENNETT
T
he question has been asked every year since South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier took over the Gamecock football program in 2005: How much longer will Spurrier coach before he finally retires? His answer this year, with the Gamecocks on the cusp of another successful season, doesn’t sound very different from last year’s. Spurrier says he plans on coaching four to five more years. “That’s always what I said,” he says. “I say four or five. One time I said, three to four, and Steve Jr. said, ‘Pop, you need to say you’re planning on going four to five. That sounds a little better in recruiting.’” “So that’s what I’ve always said,” he adds, “planning on going four to five. One day, it’s going to be time to hang it up.
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stress that too much because a lot of coaches use that as an excuse when they’re getting beat. This team should be very good next year. We’re not into next year yet, but you always sort of keep an eye on the future.” Spurrier says he rarely gets questions from recruits about how much longer he will coach. “And really, a lot of guys don’t come here for me,” he says. “They come here for the opportunity to play, to graduate, to play for the University of South Carolina. Our assistant coaches are very good recruiters and they develop more of a personal relationship with the recruits than I do. I get to know them a little bit but our assistant coaches do a super job.” Nashville sports writer Joe Biddle has known Spurrier since their days as classmates at Science Hill High School in Johnson City, Tenn. “I think this on Steve,” Biddle says. “He will coach as long as he’s winning and as COASTAL CAROLINA VS. USC
title there in 1989, his final season at the school. Parlaying his success at Duke into the head-coaching job at the University of Florida, his alma mater, Spurrier began the run that would make him a college football legend. In Spurrier’s 12 years at Florida, the Gators won seven SEC titles and a national championship.
Carolina had experienced that sort of success before. In 2010, the Gamecocks had a breakout season, finishing 9-5, including 5-3 in the SEC, winning the school’s first SEC East title. Each of the past two years, the Gamecocks have finished 11-2 with bowl victories over Nebraska and Michigan.
I think he’s proven at three different schools that he can win at any level, and win big. Spurrier left Florida for an unsuccessful two-year stint with the Washington Redskins, but when that didn’t pan out, there was talk he would return to coaching the Gators, who had recently fired Ron Zook. “He talked with [Florida athletic director] Jeremy Foley about it,” Biddle says. “Foley told him the school president wanted him to submit a resume. Steve told Foley, ‘Tell him to go look in the trophy case. That’s my resume.’” He’d later withdraw his name from consideration for the Florida job, instead choosing to succeed Lou Holtz as South Carolina’s head coach on Nov. 23, 2004. Spurrier looked around South Carolina’s facilities and Steve Spurrier has more wins than any other head coach in South Carolina history. felt the school had a lot to offer. photo by Paul Collins/Gamecock Central When asked, upon his hiring, might say overconfident. One of if he thought South Carolina long as he can still recruit good the classic early Spurrier stories could compete for national players and have fun calling championships, he responded, plays offensively. If it gets to the involves Charles Chandler, a writer for the Charlotte Observer “Why not us?” point where he’s not winning He had his doubters. Three and the fans think the game has who wanted to do a story on the offensive genius of Spurrier, years into Spurrier’s run with passed him by, then I think he the Gamecocks, ESPN college then at Duke. would get out. He’s not going analyst Lee Corso posited that Spurrier called Chandler to do something that’s not fun Spurrier couldn’t win an SEC and said he wasn’t sure about for him. I think it’s fun for him title at South Carolina if he being labeled as a genius. right now. I think he’s proven coached for 400 years. “How about mastermind?” at three different schools that Of course, that was before he can win at any level, and win Spurrier said. the real winning began. That was Spurrier’s idea of big. I think that’s what draws Four of Spurrier’s first five toning it down. him — his competitiveness.” years with the Gamecocks were Spurrier coached Duke for If anything, Spurrier is conwinning ones, but with records three years, winning an ACC fident in what he’s doing. Some like 7-5, 8-5, 7-6. But South
CBS college football analyst Gary Danielson is not surprised by Spurrier’s success at South Carolina. “First of all, he sold the players at South Carolina that you can have an attitude and you can be chippy and play at South Carolina,” Danielson says. “You didn’t have to go someplace else to play in bowl games and that you could compete. One of the things about Steve is that he doesn’t back down from anybody. A lot of players really like that style.” Spurrier’s style is working and the Gamecocks are winning. When asked if he could coach into his 80s like Bobby Bowden or Joe Paterno, Spurrier gives a dismissive snort. But Biddle isn’t so sure. “I think he would be miserable in retirement,” Biddle said. “Paterno and Bowden probably said that too at a point in their career, that they weren’t going to coach past a certain age. “It wouldn’t shock me,” he adds. “I don’t think he’ll go into his 80s, but who the heck knows? There are young 77-year-old guys and old 45-year-old guys. The only thing about Steve that looks a little older is his hair. I see he’s letting his gray hair grow out a little bit. Tell him he needs to go back and get a dye job on that thing.”
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2011
2011
SHOP ROAD
WILLIAMS-BRICE STADIUM CAROLINA WALK CONDOS
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COASTAL CAROLINA VS. USC
November 20, 2013 | ISSUE #6
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ASSEMBLY STREET
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EXPLAINING THE GAME South Carolina Secondary Coach Grady Brown. photo by Paul Collins/ Gamecock Central
Slowly But Surely Behind Grady Brown, South Carolina’s secondary improves
C
oming into the season, one of the biggest concerns for the South Carolina defense was having a young secondary that was looking to replace the leadership of departed safety D.J. Swearinger. Those concerns grew even bigger after the first few games, when communication issues led to several blown assignments. That led to some big gains — and long touchdown passes for Georgia and Central Florida. But as the season has progressed, those mishaps have been occurring less frequently. The secondary’s become more stable and the front seven’s become more of a factor as the season has progressed, and that’s moved the Gamecocks back into a familiar place: the Top 5 in the SEC in total defense.
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South Carolina Secondary Coach Grady Brown said the improvement has been gradual but it’s starting to show week by week. “It’s been a slow process at times, but the guys are developing,” Brown said. “The biggest thing is I think our focus has gotten a lot better. You look at the games earlier in the season and we may have played a pretty good first half or a pretty good first three quarters and get big leads on guys and you lose that focus. One thing we’ve talked about is focusing and believing throughout the game. Guys have done a good job executing their assignment the same way they do in the earlier part of the game. The result has been less missed assignments and less big plays for the offense.”
BY Chris Dearing
“We understand that you can’t make a play every time the ball is in the air,” Brown said. “You want to limit the amount of success an offense has when they do complete a pass. We constantly remind guys to keep the play in front of them and don’t let someone get behind you. It’s little things that allow you to be able to do those things. Concentrate and focus on the moment and your assignment. Don’t let the last play beat you on the next play. That is one of the most important things you have to remember.” Victor Hampton and Jimmy Legree have taken the bulk of the playing time at cornerback, with Ahmad Christian and Rico McWilliams gaining valuable experience behind them. Chaz Elder has emerged as a starter at free safety and Brison Williams has been solid at strong safety. With the season coming to The development of Hampa close, Brown said one of the ton, a fourth-year junior, has main reasons for the improvebeen key. He is one of the best ment has been the greater atten- cover corners in the SEC, but he’s tion to detail. The coaches have missed some starts this season simplified things, and that allows due to a lack of discipline. But he the players to react instead of has rebounded toward the latter thinking so much. part of the season and has been “We’re working on techniques critical to the defense’s success. and fundamentals every day,” There is speculation that Brown said. “We take every week Hampton could declare for the of practice as an opportunity upcoming NFL draft; teammates to work on some of the things Jadeveon Clowney and Kelcy that we see in games that can be Quarles already have. He’s sent improved on. With the way we’ve paperwork in to be evaluated played and the process we’ve had by scouts; the grade he receives to go through, it’s the perfect will determine if he returns in a time of the season for us to be Carolina uniform next season. playing better. We’ve been able “It’s about being the best you to build on what we’ve done the can each day, whether it’s on the past few weeks but we continue field or off the field,” Brown said to get better at technique and of Hampton. “He’s trying to do fundamentals and that has the best that he can. It’s slowly turned into more consistent play.” coming to an end, whether it’s Being consistent is all that this year or next year, and he Brown asks. Playing in the secknows that there are some things ondary, one of the biggest things that he wants to get done as a a player needs is the ability to player at South Carolina. With forget the last play, regardless each day that goes by, it’s just of whether it went for them or about trying to do the best that against them. A short memory you can on that day. Vic has goes a long way in how successembraced that.” fully they play overall. COASTAL CAROLINA VS. USC
FEATURE
BY CHRIS DEARING
Need New photo by Travis Bell/Sideline Carolina
Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney blocks a pass attempt by Missouri’s Maty Mauk on Oct. 26. High-profile recruit like Clowney have propelled South Carolina into the SEC’s elite. photo by Paul Collins/Gamecock Central
On The Trail
How will Carolina stay on top? Recruiting.
R
ecruiting on the college level is a battle within itself. That’s true regardless of whether you’re talking about football, baseball, basketball, tennis or volleyball. Steve Spurrier Jr., the recruiting coordinator for South Carolina’s football program, has been in the business a long time and has seen several significant changes over the years. The most recent trend is getting high school prospects to commit earlier and earlier.
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The Gamecocks will bring a smaller class in 2014 for the simple fact they only have four scholarship seniors on the current roster. A handful of juniors could leave early, opening up more spots. Add in the annual attrition each season and South Carolina expects to sign between 15 and 18 players in February. The most recent listings on rivals.com shows the Gamecocks already have 14 commitments for 2014. Spurrier and crew are working just a few more high-profile high school
seniors, but a lot of the focus is on the juniors and sophomores for future recruiting classes. Why the increased emphasis on getting commitments at such an early stage? “I think there’s kind of a little pressure that kids recognize that they’re not going to get an opportunity to take all of their visits, and they kind of want to tie themselves to a program right now,” Spurrier Jr. says. “That’s a catch-22 for everybody involved. You have to be careful if a kid commits and a year later he’s not any good.” Another loophole in the system is that even though a player is verbally committed, he can’t officially sign until February of his senior year. That allows
other schools the opportunity to continue to pursue the verbal commits. All other sports offer an early signing period, and the NCAA has bounced that idea around in football but has yet to pull the trigger. Most coaches like the idea. South Carolina has faced the issue of kids de-committing and signing with another school. The Gamecocks lost two fourstar recruits, Wesley Green and Arden Key, in February. “It’s tough,” Spurrier Jr. admitted. “These so called fourand five-star kids are recruited by other schools right up until signing day. Even though they are committed to you, the recruiting process continues.” Now that South Carolina COASTAL CAROLINA VS. USC
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AIKEN BLUFFTON CHARLESTON CHARLOT TE C O L U M B I A G R E E N V I L L E S PA R TA N B U R G
FEATURE
South Carolina’s Shaq Roland scores his second touchdown against Mississippi State on Nov. 2. Roland was one of four straight South Carolina Mr. Football winners to sign with South Carolina. photo by Travis Bell/Sideline Carolina
has reached college football’s elite echelon, staying there will require consistently recruiting star-caliber players. Players like Stephon Gilmore, Alshon Jeffery, Marcus Lattimore and Jadeveon Clowney helped get the Gamecocks to this point, but it’s up to the coaches to continue to bring in that type of player. It would take just one or two recruiting class failures to fall back into the middle of the SEC pecking order — and perhaps
further, nationally. “I don’t think in the recruiting world you ever say that you’ve arrived as a program,” he says. “I never thought I would see the day where programs are consistently recruiting ninth and 10th graders, but that’s where things are right now. As coaches, we have to evaluate kids and hope they develop into what we think they can. A lot can happen between a kid’s sophomore season in high school and the time he walks on campus.
And if you get a commitment from a kid early, he might fall into the mindset that he doesn’t have to work hard. He already has a scholarship to the school of his dreams. In the past, guys thought if they didn’t have a great senior year, they wouldn’t be recruited. Recruiting has changed a lot and I believe you will see it change even more in the future.” “We understand that if we miss on a few kids and they don’t
become the players we think they can become, that’s going to hurt your program in a lot of ways,” he adds. “Not only have you missed on a kid that you really thought could help you, but other high-profile recruits could look at your school and say, ‘Well, I don’t want to go there, look at what happened to so-and-so.’ We try to get kids that fit what we want to do and hope they develop in the way we think they can.”
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November 20, 2013 | ISSUE #6
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GamecockCentral.com
Recruit to Watch BY CHRIS CLARK
A Big Catch
Terry Googer Adds Size to Receiving Corps
D
uring Steve Spurrier’s tenure, South Carolina’s had great success sending big, strong wide receivers to the NFL. Two such recent alumni are in the league now: Seattle’s Sidney Rice and Chicago’s Alshon Jeffery. But the current Gamecock roster is stocked with smaller, quicker, speedier receivers, like Damiere Byrd, Bruce Ellington and Nick Jones. Heading into the 2014 recruiting cycle, wide receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. and company set out to add big wideout to the fold. The staff got its man back in August when College Park (Ga.) Woodward Academy four-star Terry Googer verbally committed to Carolina. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Googer is an interesting prospect. He was recruited by a variety of schools — his list of scholarship offers stretched well into the double digits, including offers from Arkansas, Clemson, Miami, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Tennessee — at a variety of positions: as a signalcaller, receiver, tight end and even on defense. Googer plays quarterback, out of necessity, for Woodward Academy. Although Steve Spurrier Jr., as his future position coach, was involved in Googer’s recruitment, it was defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward, who works the Atlanta territory, that helped land Googer’s commitment. “I like Coach Ward because he doesn’t beat around the bush,” Googer told Gamecock Central in August after an an-
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Athl e te
TERRY GOOGER Hometown: College Park, Ga. High School: : Woodford Academy
Height / Weight: 6-4 / 210 nouncement ceremony at his school. “He is straight-up. He told me how it is going to be. I really like him.” Although slot receivers are typically thought of as smaller pass-catchers, Carolina has utilized the 6-foot-4 Tori Gurley in the slot when he was on campus. Googer says the coaches have told him he could see time there. “He (Spurrier Jr.) told me [that’s] where he wants me,” Googer said. “They want to use me a lot around the goal line and also in the slot.” A high comfort level with the Carolina program and the close proximity to his Peach State home all played into the talented prospect’s decision. “I’m excited to get this out of the way, especially knowing that I’m going to the school that I feel most comfortable with,” Googer said. “It felt like home to me. The main thing was staying close to home because my great grandmother didn’t want me to go far. I was looking out for her. I like the system they run; the offensive system is perfect for me.” Ranked as the 17th best in the athlete category by rivals.com, Southeast recruiting analyst Woody Wommack thinks highly of Googer’s abilities. “This is a guy who has played all over the field in high school,” Wommack says. “He’s a versatile guy. He’s going to be dangerous in the red zone. He’s a big-bodied, physical guy.”
COASTAL CAROLINA VS. USC
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NOVEMBER 20, 2013 | ISSUE #6
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No Cockfight
Gamecocks should be lauded for scheduling in-state schools
I
OPINION BY JAMES HARLEY
f you listen to the legion of Internet morons, schools like South Carolina, which schedule smaller in-state schools for one game each season, are essentially cheating in order to pad their records because they are afraid to play another “real” team. Of course, to these short-sighted fools, scheduling any relatively uncelebrated team — like, say, Central Florida, actually one of the nation’s largest schools — is also a cop out. But wait, isn’t UCF ranked in the Top 25? Well, that still doesn’t count as scheduling a real team, because nobody knew that they would be so good this year, right? Not only are such critics wildly off base and driven by their obsessive jealousy of successful programs, but they also lack compassion for their own communities and fail to understand the huge benefit of an in-state “cupcake” game each season. The fact is that schools like South Carolina should be praised for providing their smaller neighbors an opportunity to not only experience a big-game atmosphere, but also to take home a nice paycheck to help improve their program and positively impact the local economy. To find this a fault is to be extremely callous. South Carolina has done an exceptional job of methodically spreading and sharing its success around the state, scheduling South Carolina State in 2009, Furman in 2010, The Citadel in 2011, Wofford in 2012 and Coastal Carolina in 2013. But one must also respect a school like Coastal Carolina for its willingness to take a big loss to a major program every year. While some will say that doing so is entirely about the money, the fact is that playing against top schools is one of the most effective ways to improve your own program, as the Chanticleers have demonstrated. Having launched its football program just 10 years ago, Coastal now sits in the Top 10 of the Football Championship Subdivision, and the Chants have steadily improved their record in each of the last four years, from 5-6 in 2009
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to 6-6 in 2010, 7-4 in 2011 and 8-5 in 2012. The Chanticleers opened 2013 with nine consecutive wins for its best season to date. There’s no doubt that much of this success is the result of playing respected teams like Penn State, Clemson, West Virginia and Georgia, then taking that intense experience home to play GardnerWebb or North Carolina A&T the next week. Can you imagine the boost in your confidence and performance as an offensive lineman going from trying to hold off Jadeveon Clowney one week to playing against a virtual nobody the next? It’s a valuable learning experience. While all of these bigtime teams have blown out the Chanticleers in these games, the residual effect is to motivate the little guys to grow, improve and compete on a higher level. Who can look down on this as a bad thing from either side? No one who truly wants to see the sport flourish from top to bottom. Yes, despite Coastal’s impressive rise in its division, this game is still a cupcake for the Gamecocks, but that is entirely acceptable as part of a well-run college football program. Some critics cry over the game being scheduled in November rather than early in the season, but again, this is just common sense and better planning, as a tough overall schedule is going to lead to injuries and fatigue down the stretch and it’s nice to have a week where you can rest a few players and provide playing time for others. As for this week’s result, a James Madison-Virginia Tech or Appalachian State-Michigan style upset is highly unlikely even with Coastal ranked as high as it is in the FCS. However, given that the Chanticleers regularly post 50 points or more per game, don’t expect them to fail completely against the Carolina defense, as they’ve obviously got some intelligence and speed on offense. It will be their defense that is overwhelmed by the Gamecocks’ power and strength, allowing Carolina to run up a nice score. Gamecocks 52, Chanticleers 20. COASTAL CAROLINA VS. USC
NOVEMBER 20, 2013 | ISSUE #6
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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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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
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 Passing Connor Shaw Dylan Thompson TEAM Pharoh Cooper Total Opponents
RUSHING Mike Davis Connor Shaw Shon Carson Brandon Wilds Pharoh Cooper Dylan Thompson B. Nosovitch Bruce Ellington Jamari Smith TEAM Total Opponents
gp effic
10 8 5 8 10 10
Bruce Ellington Mike Davis Damiere Byrd Nick Jones Rory Anderson Shaq Roland Jerell Adams Brandon Wilds Shon Carson Shamier Jeffery Kwinton Smith Kane Whitehurst Drew Owens Pharoh Cooper K.J. Brent Dylan Thompson Total 10 Opponents
gp at
10 10 10 10 9 7 10 4 10 6 9 8 4 8 8 8 181 10
comp-att-int pct
159.28 126.43 0.00 125.20 150.16 126.58
136-222-1 44-78-3 0-1-0 1-1-0 181-302-4 168-280-10
gain loss
10 179 10 111 10 47 4 30 8 12 8 14 2 1 10 2 8 4 5 8 10 408 10 365
RECEIVING gp
1140 496 218 141 94 46 7 7 7 0 2156 1781
no
36 30 29 22 17 12 9 6 5 5 3 2 2 1 1 1 2514 168
28 118 2 1 0 13 0 0 2 21 185 273
yds
541 332 540 210 235 231 162 75 59 32 20 44 13 12 9 -1 13.9 1986
net
1112 378 216 140 94 33 7 7 5 -21 1971 1508
gp
10 Skai Moore 15 Jimmy Legree
10 10
10
ua
24 28
26
a
20 13
15
AS OF 11.16.13
yds
61.3 56.4 0.0 100.0 59.9 60.0
td
1868 643 0 3 2514 1986
avg
avg
6 0 4 4 0 3 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 76 12
lg
avg/g
lg
avg/g
76 44 0 3 76 96
10 3 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 17 14
td
15.0 11.1 18.6 9.5 13.8 19.2 18.0 12.5 11.8 6.4 6.7 22.0 6.5 12.0 9.0 -1.0 21 11.8
19 2 0 0 21 12
td
6.2 3.4 4.6 4.7 7.8 2.4 7.0 3.5 1.2 -2.6 4.8 4.1
TOP Defensive PLAYERS • Tackles
9 S. Golightly
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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
75 31 58 12 33 12 7 5 4 0 75 50
lg
53 38 76 30 34 65 44 33 24 11 9 29 8 12 9 0 251.4 96
to
tfl/yds
44 41
3.5-7 5.5-15
41
186.8 80.4 0.0 0.4 251.4 198.6
111.2 37.8 21.6 35.0 11.8 4.1 3.5 0.7 0.6 -4.2 197.1 150.8
avg/g
54.1 33.2 54.0 21.0 26.1 33.0 16.2 18.8 5.9 5.3 2.2 5.5 3.2 1.5 1.1 -0.1
198.6
6.0-24
COASTAL CAROLINA VS. USC
THREE DINING CHOICES.
HREE DINING CHOICES. REE DINING CHOICES.
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COASTAL CAROLINA VS. USC