NOV. 27, 2013 • ISSUE #7
Carolina’s four-game win streak against archrival Clemson to be treasured
CONTENTS
10 FOUR SCORE
Carolina’s four-game win streak against archrival Clemson to be treasured ON THE COVER: South Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney chases down Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd Photo by Travis Bell/Sideline Carolina
4 SCHEDULE 6 OPPONENT PREVIEW CLEMSON TIGERS
7 OPPONENT ROSTER
20 EXPLAINING THE GAME
(Quarter) Back to the Future Facing a future quarterback battle, G.A. Mangus stays rooted in the now
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
8 GAMEDAY POSTER
On the Corner Summerville’s Darin Smalls has big game
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
18 FEATURE
24 OPINION
OPERATIONS MANAGER: Jen Coody | jenc@free-times.com, ext. 124 CIRCULATION: Davey Mathias | circulation@free-times.com, ext. 152
CLEMSON DIGERS
Four Square Improved recruiting, facilities key to four-game winning series streak
22 RECRUIT TO WATCH
National Treasure CarolinaClemson now carries implications outside South Carolina
30 YOUR GAMECOCKS Roster and Statistics
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CLEMSON VS. USC
The quality of
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NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | ISSUE #7
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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 11/23 11/30
vs. at vs. at vs. at at at vs. vs. 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
COASTAL CAROLINA Columbia, S.C.
CLEMSON Columbia, S.C.
: SEC game
W, 70-10 7 p.m.
©2013 Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc. BWW2013-2807
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NICKNAME: Tigers
COACH: Dabo Swinney
CONFERENCE: Atlantic Coast Conference
YEARS AS COACH: 6 CAREER RECORD AT CLEMSON: 50-22
2012 RECORD: 11-2 (7-1 ACC) 2013 RECORD: 10-1 (7-1 ACC) SERIES RECORD: Clemson leads, 65-40-4
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OVERALL CAREER RECORD: 50-22
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
LAST MEETING: South Carolina 27, Clemson 17 (Nov. 24, 2012, in Clemson, S.C.)
CLEMSON VS. USC
CLEMSON
ROSTER 1 Martavis Bryant 1 Ebenezer Ogundeko 2 Mackensie Alexander 2 Sammy Watkins 3 Vic Beasley 3 Nick Schuessler 5 Germone Hopper 6 Dorian O’Daniel 7 Tony Steward 7 Mike Williams 8 Darius Robinson 9 Tavaris Barnes 9 Wayne Gallman 10 Ben Boulware 10 Tajh Boyd 11 Travis Blanks 11 Chad Kelly 12 Korrin Wiggins 13 Adam Humphries 14 Martin Jenkins 14 Donny McElveen 15 Ronald Geohaghan 16 Jordan Leggett 17 Bashaud Breeland 17 Austin McCaskill 18 Jadar Johnson 18 Cole Stoudt 19 Charone Peake 20 Jayron Kearse 21 Adrian Baker 22 D.J. Howard 23 Tyshon Dye 24 Zac Brooks 25 Roderick McDowell 25 Cordrea Tankersley
WR DE CB WR DE QB WR LB LB WR CB DE RB LB QB S QB S WR DB QB S TE DB QB S QB WR S CB RB RB RB RB DB
6-5 200 6-3 230 5-11 185 6-1 205 6-3 225 6-3 185 6-0 175 6-1 205 6-1 235 6-5 205 5-10 175 6-4 275 6-1 195 6-1 230 6-1 225 6-1 190 6-2 210 6-1 185 5-11 190 5-10 180 6-2 205 6-0 200 6-6 235 6-0 195 6-1 190 6-1 180 6-5 205 6-3 200 6-4 205 6-1 170 5-11 195 6-1 205 6-1 185 5-9 195 6-1 190
JR FR FR JR JR FR FR FR JR FR SR JR FR FR SR SO FR FR JR JR SR FR FR JR SO FR JR JR FR FR JR FR SO SR FR
CALHOUN FALLS, SC BROOKLYN, NY IMMOKALEE, FL FORT MYERS, FL ADAIRSVILLE, GA GRAYSON, GA CHARLOTTE, NC OLNEY, MD HASTINGS, FL HOLLY HILL, SC COLLEGE PARK, GA JACKSONVILLE, FL LOGANVILLE, GA ANDERSON, SC HAMPTON, VA TALLAHASSEE, FL NIAGARA FALLS, NY DURHAM, NC SPARTANBURG, SC ROSWELL, GA SUMMERVILLE, SC ALLENDALE, SC NAVARRE, FL ALLENDALE, SC EASLEY, SC ORANGEBURG, SC DUBLIN, OH MOORE, SC FORT MYERS, FL HOLLYWOOD, FL LINCOLN, AL ELBERTON, GA JONESBORO, AR SUMTER, SC AIKEN, SC
26 Garry Peters 27 Robert Smith 29 Marcus Edmond 30 Taylor Watson 31 Ryan Carter 32 C.J. Davidson 32 Corbin Jenkins 33 Spencer Shuey 34 Quandon Christian 35 Adrien Dunn 35 Quintin Hall 36 Ammon Lakip 36 Jerrodd Williams 38 C.J. Jones 38 Julian Patton 39 Chandler Catanzaro 39 Haamid Williams 40 Darrell Smith 41 T.J. Burrell 42 Stephone Anthony 43 D.J. Greenlee 44 B.J. Goodson 45 Alex Burdette 45 Zach Riggs 46 Chad Richardson 47 Marcus Bullard 48 D.J. Reader 49 Beau Brown 50 Grady Jarrett 51 Jim Brown 51 Harrison Tucker 52 Phillip Fajgenbaum 52 Kellen Jones 53 Martin Aiken 54 Zach Fulmer 55 Roderick Byers 55 Tyrone Crowder 56 Collins Mauldin 56 Scott Pagano 57 Jay Guillermo 58 Ryan Norton
CB S CB S CB RB P LB LB WR LB K CB CB WR K RB FB LB LB TE LB WR TE LB LB DT S DT LS OL LS LB DE DE DT G DE DT C C
6-0 195 5-11 210 6-1 180 5-11 205 5-10 175 5-11 185 5-10 175 6-3 230 6-2 225 5-7 170 6-0 225 5-10 175 6-0 205 6-0 185 5-11 190 6-2 195 6-1 175 6-2 250 5-11 215 6-3 235 6-2 210 6-1 240 5-10 180 6-4 240 5-11 225 6-3 205 6-3 335 6-0 195 6-1 290 6-3 235 6-3 290 6-0 220 6-1 215 6-2 255 6-0 220 6-3 275 6-2 325 6-2 230 6-4 280 6-3 290 6-3 270
JR JR FR JR FR SO JR SR SR FR FR SO SR SR SR SR FR SR FR JR FR SO SO FR FR SO SO SO JR SO SO SR SO FR SR SO FR SO FR FR SO
CONYERS, GA SAINT GEORGE, SC HOPKINS, SC SIMPSONVILLE, SC LOGANVILLE, GA CLEMSON, SC CONWAY, SC CHARLOTTE, NC LAKE VIEW, SC CLEMSON, SC PIEDMONT, SC JONESBORO, GA CENTRAL, SC LINCOLNTON, GA ROCK HILL, SC GREENVILLE, SC YORK, SC GADSDEN, AL GOOSE CREEK, SC POLKTON, NC CENTRAL, SC LAMAR, SC PAWLEYS ISLAND, SC GREER, SC SUMTER, SC COLUMBIA, SC GREENSBORO, NC BEAUFORT, SC CONYERS, GA WALTERBORO, SC NINETY SIX, SC RALEIGH, NC HOUSTON, TX SMOAKS, SC SALUDA, SC ROCK HILL, SC ROCKINGHAM, NC ROCK HILL, SC HONOLULU, HI MARYVILLE, TN SIMPSONVILLE, SC
59 Justin Miller 60 Cody Thurlow 62 Tyler Shatley 63 Brandon Thomas 64 Darrell Brevard 65 Oliver Jones 67 Kalon Davis 68 David Beasley 69 Maverick Morris 70 Gifford Timothy 71 Patrick DeStefano 72 Jerome Maybank 73 Joe Gore 74 Spencer Region 75 Michael Sobeski 75 Daniel Stone 76 Shaq Anthony 77 Reid Webster 78 Eric Mac Lain 79 Isaiah Battle 81 Stanton Seckinger 82 T.J. Green 82 Andrew Maass 83 Daniel Rodriguez 84 Wes Forbush 85 Dane Rogers 85 Seth Ryan 86 Sam Cooper 87 Matt Porter 88 Sean Mac Lain 89 Jay Jay McCullough 90 Shaq Lawson 91 Josh Watson 92 Bradley Pinion 93 Corey Crawford 94 Carlos Watkins 95 Andy Teasdall 96 Fesser Bell 97 William Cockerill 98 Kevin Dodd 99 DeShawn Williams
2011
2011
C C G OT G OL G G OT OT OL G OT G LS DE OT OT OL OT TE WR WR WR WR DE WR TE WR TE TE DE DT P DE DT P DE TE DE DT
6-0 260 FR 6-4 260 JR 6-3 295 SR 6-3 305 SR 6-1 275 SR 6-5 325 FR 6-5 330 JR 6-4 315 JR 6-4 285 FR 6-6 310 JR 6-5 275 FR 6-4 320 SO 6-5 275 SO 6-5 350 SO 6-2 205 JR 6-4 235 FR 6-4 265 SO 6-5 285 JR 6-4 260 SO 6-6 280 SO 6-4 210 SO 6-2 190 FR 6-4 185 JR 5-8 175 SO 6-2 185 JR 6-3 245 FR 5-11 160 FR 6-5 250 JR 5-11 190 JR 6-3 200 FR 6-3 230 FR 6-4 260 FR 6-4 285 JR 6-6 230 SO 6-5 270 JR 6-3 300 SO 5-11 180 FR 6-5 240 SO 6-6 245 FR 6-5 280 SO 6-1 285 JR
SIX MILE, SC CENTRAL, SC ICARD, NC SPARTANBURG, SC ROCK HILL, SC NINETY SIX, SC CHESTER, SC COLUMBUS, GA DOUGLAS, GA MIDDLETOWN, DE SPARTANBURG, SC PAWLEYS ISLAND, SC LAKE WACCAMAW, NC CULLMAN, AL ROEBUCK, SC SIMPSONVILLE, SC WILLIAMSTON, SC WOODSTOCK, GA HOPE MILLS, NC BROOKLYN, NY ISLE OF PALMS, SC SYLACAUGA, AL RIDGEWAY, SC STAFFORD, VA JOHNSON CITY, TN SHELBY, NC SUMMIT, NJ BRENTWOOD, TN CHARLESTON, SC HOPE MILLS, NC FORT MILL, SC CENTRAL, SC WILMINGTON, DE CONCORD, NC COLUMBUS, GA MOORESBORO, NC WINSTON-SALEM, NC RADFORD, VA SUMTER, SC TAYLORS, SC CENTRAL, SC
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CLEMSON VS. USC
NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | ISSUE #7
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Carolina’s four-game win streak against arch rival Clemson to be treasured winner,” Rogers said. “It’s always a great rivalry.” South Carolina’s current four-game winning streak, then, is a healing salve on the wounded angston Moore played defensive tackle of long-suffering Gamecocks for the University of South Carolina from soul everywhere. 1999 to 2002. Even though Moore played “It’s obviously very satisfying,” says Tommy Suggs, former on two Outback Bowl-winning teams, Gamecock quarterback and his Gamecocks only beat archrival Clemson once longtime radio color commentator. “It’s refreshing. It’s all the during his four-year collegiate career. wonderful adjectives that you want to put to it because it has “My freshman year, we were times,” says George Rogers, South been so long in coming. That’s 0-11,” Moore says. “Their fans Carolina’s Heisman Trophythe main thing.” were throwing Zero bars at us.” winning tailback, who played Moore isn’t the only from 1977 to 1980. “That’s what I ike Safran can’t get Gamecock to come up mostly remember. I won one. My junior away from the history empty-handed against the Tigers. year. In Columbia.” even if he wants to. Only eight times in a series that Rogers has personal, painful His Gamecock Shop on Whaley stretches back to 1896 have the memories of losing to Clemson. Street is the unofficial museum of Gamecocks posted consecutive In his Heisman Trophy season, wins over Clemson. Prior to the Rogers remembers Willie Under- South Carolina sports. Though the positive history current four-game win streak, the wood had a 37-yard interception is highlighted over the negative Gamecocks last strung together return for a touchdown that in the store, Safran can’t erase successive wins from 1968 to clinched Clemson’s upset. 1970, when Carolina won three “They’ve got a national cham- memories of 1977, when Jerry Butler made a 20-yard touchstraight. pionship, but on the other hand, down catch of a Steve Fuller “We didn’t win too many we’ve got a Heisman Trophy
BY CHARLES BENNETT
M
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pass with 49 seconds left to give Clemson a 31-27 win in Columbia. It clinched Clemson’s first bowl bid in 18 years. “That was depressing,” he says. Safran won’t make any predictions about this year’s Clemson game. His personal experience has taught him not to mouth off about the Tigers, who still control the series — by a score of 65 wins to 40 losses (and four ties) — and probably will for a while. “It feels sort of like a fluke thing,” Safran says. “[South Carolina] has risen to a level where you’re expecting, gosh, so many victories every year now. At times, it feels unrealistic, because how can it continue?” Early in his coaching tenure at USC, coach Steve Spurrier downplayed the Clemson rivalry because it’s ultimately a nonconference opponent that doesn’t affect the Gamecocks’ chances of playing in the SEC ChampionCLEMSON VS. USC
2011
2011
Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw picks up yards against Clemson in 2011. photo by Travis Bell/Sideline Carolina
ship. Winning the SEC Championship has always been the top priority for Spurrier and the Gamecocks. “Honestly it might have been bigger for South Carolina when South Carolina was independent and it was the big game, whereas now we’re in a conference and conference play is important,” Spurrier said two years ago. “But at the end of the year this turns into the biggest game. If you’re not in the conference championship game, this becomes the biggest game of the year for us.” But as the convincing wins over Clemson continued, Spurrier added humor to the rivalry, taking jabs at Clemson coach Dabo Swinney’s rant about how USC is in Southern California and the real Carolina is the University of North Carolina. Swinney joked that the Gamecocks have an personality crisis. Spurrier regularly calling Clemson “that school in the Upstate” is typical of his personality and similar to the jokes Spurrier would make during his time at Florida. “I had those little old corny jokes during the summertime,” Spurrier said last year. “[Florida
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State coach] Bobby Bowden did the same thing. Gosh, back in those days, I think I did between 20 and 22 booster clubs and he did the same thing, all over the state. They have their little jokes about us and we have our little jokes about them. No big deal, everybody laughed a little bit, no big deal. Then all of a sudden you start beating some people and you tell a little joke, and they think you’re trying to jab them and dig at them and all that, but that’s just offseason humor, keeping things light.” For fans like Safran, it’s refreshing to see a coach who seems to understand the significance of the rivalry more than some other past coaches. “I’ve been a Gamecock fan too long,” Safran said. “I’m happy with where they are, but I’ve also seen the other side of this.”
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etween 1970 and 2009, Clemson dominated the rivalry, winning 27 out of the 38 games played. South Carolina last won four consecutive games against the Tigers from 1951 to 1954. Rex Enright was coaching the Gamecocks during
that time period, while Frank Howard was coaching the Tigers. However, the times were a lot different. It wasn’t a period of particular prosperity for either school: Carolina was a meager 23-16 during that stretch, the Tigers 17-19-2. The current streak is a lot different, as it comes during a period when both teams are playing winning football. Over the past four years, Clemson is 36-17; Carolina is 38-15. Perhaps the most impressive part of USC’s turnaround has been its four straight wins over a Clemson team that is experiencing similar success to USC. Along with tallying wins against top-flight SEC teams like Georgia and Florida in the last three seasons, the Gamecocks have been able to consistently beat their ranked rival. “The series is kind of lopsided, but these last few years make up for it,” Moore says. “To have a class that left that never lost to Clemson. And the reverse, to have a class at Clemson that never beat Carolina. That’s also kind of rewarding.” “Clemson has a very good program,” Suggs says. “Beating
them at their peak four years in a row feels doggone good. It’s nice to win in a rivalry like that and control this thing for once.” Suggs is a rarity among former South Carolina football players. He is one of a select few who have never lost to Clemson. Playing from 1968 to 1970, Suggs quarterbacked the Gamecocks to three consecutive victories over the Tigers. It’s something he takes great pride in. “It’s special, no question about it,” he says. “Anytime in a small state like this you can say that you were a starting quarterback for a team that never lost against their big rival, I think that’s something you’re proud of and something you carry with you. You carry it with you for the rest of your life.” Former South Carolina quarterback and current radio play-by-play announcer Todd Ellis is enjoying the current streak, but says he’s also wise enough not to do too much bragging about it. “It’s the longest streak since the 1950s, but I think in terms of cycle,” said Ellis, who quarterbacked the Gamecocks from 1986 to 1989, notching one victory over the Tigers and one tie. “It’s going to cycle back around at some point. While I take great pride in it, I don’t gloat over it. I only use it in a defensive mode if my Clemson friends start in on me.” Not so for Rogers. He enjoys the give and take with his friends from Clemson. “You know, I usually have the chance to sit with guys like [former Clemson coach] Danny Ford and [former Clemson player] Jeff Bostic,” Rogers says. “They don’t know how to take a loss. They can’t handle it. That makes it sweet.” Though Safran is loath to make predictions, Rogers isn’t. He predicts both teams will have two losses at the end of the regular season, meaning Clemson would have to lose its last game to USC. “We’re not in second place in the state anymore,” Rogers said. “We’re at the top.” Isabelle Khurshudyan contributed to this story.
CLEMSON VS. USC
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FEATURE
BY Isabelle Khurshudyan
Jadeveon Clowney, left, and Devin Taylor take down Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd during last year’s Carolina-Clemson game. photo by Paul Collins/Gamecock Central
Four Square Improved recruiting, facilities key to four-game winning series streak
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efensive tackle Kelcy Quarles doesn’t have to rub it in to his dad that he beat his old win record while at the University of South Carolina. He just lets his rings do the talking. Buddy Quarles was an offensive lineman at South Carolina from 1984-1987; he was part of the renowned Black Magic team in 1984, which posting a thenunprecedented 10 wins, which many Carolina diehards thought
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would never be topped. But Kelcy Quarles’ rings from the past two seasons have shiny 11s on them, signifying the back-to-back 11-win seasons that have replaced the old win record. “He walks past those rings every day, so I don’t have to say too much,” Kelcy Quarles says. As USC goes for its fifth straight win over archrival Clemson and another Top 10 season, it is cementing a four-
year turnaround that stemmed from convincing the top in-state talent to become Gamecocks and improving facilities. The major change for the Gamecocks has been in-state recruitment. The Gamecocks have landed four straight South Carolina Mr. Football winners: former cornerback Stephon Gilmore, former running back Marcus Lattimore, defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and wide receiver Shaq Roland. When those four pledged to become Gamecocks, others followed. Lattimore’s Byrnes High teammate Nick Jones followed him to Carolina; former spur DeVonte Holloman came with Gilmore, his South Pointe High School teammate. Like Kelcy Quarles, defensive
lineman Gerald Dixon Jr.’s dad, Gerald Dixon Sr., also played at Carolina. Dixon Jr. says he never talked with his dad much about the history; though Dixon Jr. knew his dad wanted Dixon Jr. and his brother, Gerald Dixon, to go to USC together, he says the senior Dixon never pushed them. Other top high school talent heading to Columbia swayed the Dixon brothers. “We kind of saw he turnaround ourselves when all of the Rock Hill boys started to wanted to play in Columbia,” Dixon Jr. said. Landing more in-state players meant more players who grew up around the South CarolinaClemson rivalry and didn’t need a history lesson to know its signifiCLEMSON VS. USC
SHOP ROAD
WILLIAMS-BRICE STADIUM CAROLINA WALK CONDOS
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CLEMSON VS. USC
November 27, 2013 | ISSUE #7
STATE FAIRGROUNDS
S. STADIUM ROAD BLUFF ROAD
ASSEMBLY STREET
GEORGE ROGERS BLVD
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Mike Davis tries to split two Clemson defenders during last year’s Carolina-Clemson game. photo by Paul Collins/ Gamecock Central
cance to fans. “If you’re a player in South Carolina, you’re probably being recruited by both schools,” says Langston Moore, who played defensive end at Carolina from 1999 to 2003. “I remember being at the Shrine Bowl, and the players who were going to South Carolina kind of moved to one side of the room and the Clemson recruits to the other. In a lot of cases, you’re going against guys you have played either with or against most
of your life.” The facilities helped to land the recruits. Like other top-flight programs such as Alabama and Oregon, South Carolina recently revamped its facilities with a new athletic academic enrichment center, tennis courts, baseball stadium and an indoor facility that’s on its way. Clemson has done the same on its campus. “We started getting better recruits, and that’s really made the difference,” Rogers said. “Our
facilities have changed a lot too. Now South Carolina has one of the best facilities in the country.” Perhaps the most impressive part of Carolina’s turnaround has been its four straight wins over a Clemson team that is experiencing similar success to Carolina. Along with tallying wins against top-flight SEC teams like Georgia and Florida in the last three seasons, the Gamecocks have been able to consistently beat their ranked rival.
“The series is kind of lopsided, but these last few years make up for it,” says Moore. “To have a class that never lost to Clemson. And the reverse, to have a class at Clemson that never beat Carolina. That’s also kind of rewarding.” “When you’ve gotten beat all of the time in the past, it’s OK to get spoiled a little bit,” says former USC running back George Rogers. Charlie Bennett contributed to this story
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CLEMSON VS. USC
NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | ISSUE #7
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EXPLAINING THE GAME
BY Chris Dearing
(Quarter)Back to the Future Facing a future quarterback battle, G.A. Mangus stays rooted in the now
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.A. Mangus is not one to look ahead. The South Carolina quarterbacks coach is focused on the here and now. That means trying to win a fifth straight game over rival Clemson and finishing 2013 in the best possible way. But in the early part of 2014, Mangus will certainly be looking to the future. No longer will the Gamecocks have Connor Shaw, the program’s winningest all-time quarterback. Dylan Thompson has experience and will be a senior next season. Brendan Nosovitch and Connor Mitch, two high-profile freshmen, will be waiting in the wings to show their talents. But the quarterback battle for the future can wait. “We’ve still got a lot of football left to play this year,” Mangus says. “I’ll worry about the other [stuff ] in the spring. We know we’re going to a good bowl and we know we have more practices coming up in December. That’s always a good time to start looking forward and getting those guys a little base before the spring.” Most believe the job is Thompson’s to lose. He has made a few spot starts over the past two seasons with Shaw out due to injury. His biggest win came a year ago, when he played the entirety of the Gamecocks’ 27-17 victory over Clemson in Death Valley, filling in for an injured Shaw. Thompson also came off the bench to throw the game-winning pass to Bruce Ellington in the Capital One Bowl win over Michigan. The experience and leadership that Thompson has
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displayed will probably go a long way in determining next year’s starting quarterback, but Mangus isn’t ready to hand over the job yet. “We know what Dylan can do,” Mangus says. “There [are] still some things that he can improve on and he understands that. He will work hard in the off-season and be ready to go. I’m not worried about his preparation. We will see how things shake out in the spring though.” Nosovitch already has two years in the system. He redshirted his first season and only played sparingly this year. Mangus has seen his development and believes he’s shown great strides. Nosovitch has the right stuff to be an SEC-caliber quarterback. He is a former high school Parade All-American and holds the Pennsylvania record for total yards (12,877). He has the ability to run the ball, which he showed when he bullied his way to his first career touchdown in mop-up duty in a rout at Arkansas. The off-season could be pivotal for the 6-1, 220-pound Nosovitch. “Brendan has gotten more reps the last couple of weeks and he has done pretty good,” Mangus said. “He’s a smart kid and has picked it up well. I’m anxious to see him in the spring, but again, that’s the spring!” Mitch is another intriguing prospect. He graduated early from Wakefield High in Raleigh and enrolled at South Carolina in January. He’s been through one spring practice already, but he knew he was
South Carolina Quarterbacks Coach G.A. Mangus. Photo by Paul Collins/Gamecock Central
going to redshirt this season with three guys already ahead of him on the depth chart. He’s a gunslinger who might fit well in Steve Spurrier’s system. Mitch finished his prep career second in four categories in North Carolina high school history; he owns the state record with nine touchdown passes in a single game. Mitch has been the scoutteam quarterback and hasn’t gotten many reps with the first team, but he’s soaked in as much knowledge as possible from a distance. “He’s done a good job of not wasting the fall,” Mangus says. “That’s always the talk you have
with those guys when they get here: ‘Yeah, you are going to redshirt, but you can’t afford to go waste four months of knowledge.’ So he has done a good job of that and it shows.” Add in walk-on Perry Orth, who has gained reps in practice during the season, and Mangus is sitting in pretty good shape for the future. “You would think with losing the winningest quarterback in school history, things would look bleak for the next season,” Mangus says. “But we have some guys that know how to play and work extremely hard. It will be fun to see how these guys respond with Connor gone.” CLEMSON VS. USC
November 27, 2013 | ISSUE #7
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GamecockCentral.com
RECRUIT TO WATCH BY CHRIS CLARK
On the Corner Summerville’s Darin Smalls has big game
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outh Carolina’s coaching staff entered the 2014 recruiting cycle needing to sign a few talented cornerback prospects. While the Gamecocks are not done on that front yet, a couple of defensive back prospects are already on that commitment list with less than three months left until national signing day. One such prospect: Threestar Summerville cornerback Darin Smalls, who verbally committed to the Gamecocks while on campus for a Gamecock passing camp with his team. Originally, the Lowcountry product was planning on waiting until February of 2014 to make a decision and take the process down to the wire. But the nature of the recruiting game persuaded him to change strategies. “Teams can only sign so many people, so it’s better to be early than late,” he told Gamecock Central after pledging to Carolina. Among the 15 or so scholarship offers received by Smalls, rated by rivals.com as the 12th-best prospect in South Carolina, were from top-flight out-of-state programs like Arkansas, Louisville, North Carolina State, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech. So why did he decide to stay in-state?
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CORNE RBA C K
DARIN SMALLS Hometown: Summerville, S.C. High School: : Summerville
Height / Weight: 5-11 / 182
“[South Carolina] just recruited me the most out of all the teams,” Smalls said, “and I get along with all of the coaches well. Me and Steve Spurrier Jr. talk a lot. I just feel like I fit South Carolina the most. Coach [Everette] Sands has done a great job. He’s always checking in on me, talking about school and asking when I’m going to visit there and getting in contact with other coaches.” Smalls was off to a big start in his final season for his Green Wave squad before he tore his ACL in September. Before his injury, though, Smalls showed he was a big threat not only in the secondary but as a punt returner, returning two kicks for touchdowns. He has since had surgery to repair the damage and has a six-month time frame for recovery. The Gamecocks’ defensive staff likes the 5-foot-11, 182-pounder as a boundary cornerback, covering the short side of the field. Smalls, for his part, is excited to have the chance to work with defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward and secondary coach Grady Brown. “Those two are great coaches,” he said. “I can see that I would love to play there and be coached by those two guys.”
CLEMSON VS. USC
NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | ISSUE #7
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National Treasure Carolina-Clemson now carries implications outside
South Carolina
OPINION BY JAMES HARLEY
O
utside the Palmetto State, Carolina-Clemson is often ignored in discussions of great college football rivalries, despite being one of the oldest and most emotionally charged. Why? Because throughout its history the game has seldom had national implications. A sad truth, perhaps, but a reasonable explanation nonetheless. Over the past couple of years, however, things have been different, as both schools have been in the mix for BCS bowl bids. While still a long shot, the winner of this year’s game will earn valuable credit toward such a bid, boasting a late-season victory over a Top 15 opponent. (Carolina enters the game ranked No. 12 in the AP poll; Clemson, No. 7.) The loser will drop from conversation entirely. Most onlookers will likely favor the Tigers this week, as they’ve managed to stay in the Top 10 all season long, and also because they beat Georgia, which handed the Gamecocks an 11-point loss. But the Tigers have also shown that they can be utterly destroyed by a good team. In fact, neither of Carolina’s two losses, including the last minute defeat at the hands of unranked Tennessee, were nearly as embarrassing as Florida State’s 51-14 blowout of Clemson in Death Valley. On the flipside, the Gamecocks have very few dominant victories to brag about, allowing many of their opponents to hang around until late in the game. Clemson, meanwhile, has beaten all non-Florida State ACC opponents by double digits, including 49-point wins over Wake Forest and Virginia. Still, Carolina can claim multiple wins over ranked teams (No. 17 Central Florida and No. 8 Missouri), while Clemson cannot. Thus, even with one more loss and much tighter games in general USC arguably has the better résumé. Add the home-field advantage and this game is a tossup at the worst for the Gamecocks. It will simply come down to who has the better day on the field Saturday. So, how does one make a prediction for a largely unpredictable game?
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Even the coaching match-up is a stalemate within the context of this year’s game. Despite some bad-mouthing from fans for a few questionable play calls, Spurrier is easily the better coach on the field, but Dabo Swinney isn’t known to Clemson fans as The Cheerleader for nothing. Swinney gets his players fired up, which in this game might be the most important factor with so much national attention on the line and such an even split of talent on the field. Last year, Carolina won 27-17 on the strength of its defense, with Jadeveon Clowney tossing Tajh Boyd around like a rag doll and scaring the Heisman-hyped quarterback into throwing multiple interceptions. While it is tempting to believe that this could happen again, that was an exceptional performance and is not likely to be repeated. The key this year will be to keep the Tigers offense off the field, as they will score if given enough opportunities. This means that the Carolina offense will need to wake up and put together some clock-eating drives — not exactly one of this season’s strong suits. A battle of big plays will probably favor Clemson, so it will be up to Mike Davis and Connor Shaw to convert on the ground; ironically, Shaw’s passing has again suffered now that his healed knee allows him to once more abandon the pocket prematurely. This one is going to be a nail biter any way you look at it, and even history is working against the Gamecocks, as they have never beaten the Tigers in five consecutive games. In fact, the only streak longer than four wins by either team was in the 1930s, an indication that the balance of power could be ready to shift back to Clemson. Of course, Spurrier has a knack for defying history, which given the circumstances is probably the strongest source of hope for a victory. So, give him a hand, be loud, keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best. Gamecocks 30, Tigers 27. CLEMSON VS. USC
November 27, 2013 | ISSUE #7
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GAMECOCK GALLERY
FLORIDA
vs. USC NOVEMBER 16, 2013
Running back Mike Davis finds a hole against Florida in Columbia on Nov. 16. photo by Paul Collins/Gamecock Central
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 Jadeveon Clowney tackles a Florida ballcarrier in Columbia on Nov. 16. photo by Paul Collins/Gamecock Central
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TWITTER.COM/GAMECOCKCENTRAL
FACEBOOK.COM/GAMECOCKCENTRAL
CLEMSON VS. USC
Caption needed. Photo by
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CLEMSON VS. USC
NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | ISSUE #7
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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
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 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
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 58
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 Ryland Culbertson
P/K P FB LB SPR FB LB DE FB LS PK TB S OG OC DE DT OG OT OC LB OT LS
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 6-4 265
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 RS JR
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 Laurens, S.C./Laurens Academy
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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
6-1 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
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 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
gp effic
Connor Shaw Dylan Thompson B. Nosovitch TEAM Total Opponents
11 9 3 5 11 11
RUSHING
gp at
Mike Davis Connor Shaw Shon Carson Brandon Wilds Pharoh Cooper Jamari Smith Dylan Thompson Damiere Byrd TEAM Total Opponents
10 11 11 5 9 9 9 11 5 11 11
RECEIVING gp Bruce Ellington Damiere Byrd Mike Davis Nick Jones Rory Anderson Shaq Roland Jerell Adams Brandon Wilds Shon Carson Kwinton Smith Dylan Thompson Total Opponents
11 11 10 11 10 8 11 5 11 10 9 11 11
160.76 140.42 154.60 0.00 154.25 123.93
comp-att-int pct
144-233-1 52-89-3 2-2-0 0-1-0 201-329-4 186-315-12
gain loss
179 116 58 37 14 14 16 1 8 453 392
1140 535 256 203 175 110 55 13 0 2523 1868
no
39 30 30 24 17 16 10 6 5 5 1 201 186
28 118 2 1 0 2 28 0 21 200 288
yds
584 549 332 256 235 303 170 75 59 42 -1 2801 2208
61.8 58.4 100.0 0.0 61.1 59.0
net
1112 417 254 202 175 108 27 13 -21 2323 1580
yds
10 4 1 3 1 1 3 0 0 24 14
td
6 4 0 5 0 4 1 1 0 0 0 24 13
TOP Defensive PLAYERS • Tackles 10 Skai Moore 15 Jimmy Legree 21 M. Roberts 9 S. Golightly 11 T.J. Holloman 27 Victor Hampton 12 Brison Williams
lg
20 4 0 0 24 13
td
6.2 3.6 4.4 5.5 12.5 7.7 1.7 13.0 -2.6 5.1 4.0
avg
td
1983 783 13 0 2801 2208
avg
15.0 18.3 11.1 10.7 13.8 18.9 17.0 12.5 11.8 8.4 -1.0 13.9 11.9
AS OF 11.23.13 avg/g
76 44 8 0 76 96
180.3 87.0 4.3 0.0 254.6 200.7
lg
avg/g
75 31 58 27 71 52 12 13 0 75 50
lg
53 76 38 34 34 65 44 33 24 17 0 76 96
gp
ua
a
to
tfl/yds
11 11 11 11 11 11 10
26 30 27 26 25 33 28
22 13 15 16 16 8 12
48 43 42 42 41 41 40
3.5-7 5.5-15 3.5-11 6.0-24 3.0-9 3.0-7 0.5-2
111.2 37.9 23.1 40.4 19.4 12.0 3.0 1.2 -4.2 211.2 143.6
avg/g
53.1 49.9 33.2 23.3 23.5 37.9 15.5 15.0 5.4 4.2 -0.1 254.6 200.7
CLEMSON VS. USC
THREE DINING CHOICES.
HREE DINING CHOICES. REE DINING CHOICES.
go gamecocks!
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CLEMSON VS. USC