2009 Statistics

2010 OUTLOOK
Is the glass half full or half empty in Columbia? A ton of experience is returning, but it's based on the fact that so many people had to play because the people in front of them were not doing their job. Four, five or six starts for every player with very few full-timers. One of those was quarterback Stephen Garcia who started all 13 games last year, marking only the sixth time a Spurrier quarterback has made it through an entire season without being yanked. This was the league's second best passing attack. Yet some how, Spurrier is still not satisfied with his signal caller's game preparation which only means that true freshman Connor Shaw, who had a strong spring outing, will force Garcia to continue looking over his shoulder. He literally has a multiple choice system where 15 different players caught passes last fall, 14 of them are back again. The futility of this offense since Spurrier arrived can easily be attributed to the long time horrors of this offensive line. The group continues to have some talent but can never seem to get the job done by a long shot. This was one of the nation's worst at protecting the quarterback last year (105th nationally in sacks allowed). To demonstrate Spurrier's frustration, former Appalachian State assistant Shawn Elliott is the Gamecocks' third offensive line coach in as many years. Spurrier will continue calling plays after resuming that role last year. It would also help if one of four different running backs could assume the every-down role to some degree.

Like so many times this past decade, South Carolina wins games with a defensive priority. Much like the offense, a riches of experience is available for defensive chief Ellis Johnson and so are playmakers. Cliff Matthews and Ladi Ajiboye give the Gamecocks a pair of all-conference caliber linemen. Team leading tackler Shaq Wilson slides over to the outside to fill the big shoes of All-American linebacker Eric Norwood. The secondary missed a good many opportunities last fall (18 dropped interceptions) but this is still a very solid group. Stephon Gilmore and DeVonte Holloman are sophomore stars on the rise. The only concern is whether All-SEC safety Chris Culliver can recover in full health from offseason shoulder surgery to make the switch to corner.

The million-dollar question began six years ago when Spurrier took over this program. Can the Gamecocks win the SEC East or will this continue to be a middle-of-the-road program? In 2010, the ole ball coach summed up his own fortunes best by stating, "If we're going to have a big year, our quarterback's got to really play well. And our line's got to play well." Sound familiar? Garcia can be one of the leagues best if given time to throw. Honestly, NationalChamps.net has been tediously putting depth charts together for over a decade now. Every year since Spurrier arrived has been a nightmare trying to figure out who plays where, especially on the line of scrimmage. The head coach is playing musical chairs way too much for our liking. Henceforth, they will not climb that SEC mountain under the same umbrella. Spurrier has not posted a winning SEC record since 2005, his first season in Columbia. The Cocks have no excuse this year given the talent and experience accessibility...most of it home grown from the Palmetto State.