Saturday, October 31, 2009

5 keys to a Gamecocks win over the Vols


By now I hope you have read the LOHD preview/prediction, read my opinion piece and watched the SC v UT scene setter.  What does that leave?  Well of course our usual "5 keys" that we lay out each week so here goes....

For USC these must be executed to escape Knoxville with a win -

1. Avoid 3rd and longs --- on offense the Gamecocks can not allow dumb penalites, a sack or loss of yards to put them in bad position.  Must get positive yards on 1st and 2nd down which means good plays called.

2.  SC must find a hole in the Cover 2 --- Garcia has to be able to pass on the Monte D and its Cover 2 scheme so the UT defense can be kept honest.  UT will cheat up early and try to shut down the run.  This means Garcia, well it is up to you to read the defense and find some passing routes to hit on.  With Moe, Saunders, Gurley and Alshon there should be some openings but of course don't force it - Berry is watching.

3. Field position battle must go SC way --- it close games the field position matters and this game is going to be close (hope i am wrong and SC blows them out).

4.  Gamecocks Special Teams must be Special (in a good way) --- Spencer has to have good punts, accurate foot, Adam (if you kick) please hit it long and high, tackle, play your lanes and lastly don't be the cause of defeat.  I hope Culliver gets some good returns today or even better - Sherman takes it to the house today.

5.   USC Line play --- on both sides of the ball the gamecocks have to win the battles up front.  Need pressure on UT QB, must stop the run!, have to tackle, have to block good on offense, create running lanes on offense and provide time. 

I also want to see Gilmore in the 'wildspur' formation tonight or some kind of trick play.  Still feel the gamecocks win this one by score of 17-13.

'DYK' - Head coach Steve Spurrier is 11-7 all-time against Tennessee, 2-2 as head coach at South Carolina.  The Gamecocks are 1-13 all-time at Neyland Stadium with the lone victory coming in 2005, Spurrier’s first season at USC.

thoughts?

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