Click Here for the Post & Cocky Preview Show: ECU vs. South Carolina
The time has finally arrived.
The 12th-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks will kickoff one of the most anticipated seasons in school history Saturday night at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte against the East Carolina Pirates.
The quarterback competition of fall camp has yet to be decided and Head Coach Steve Spurrier has decided to play both Stephen Garcia and Connor Shaw in the first game.
"We plan on playing both quarterbacks in the game," said Spurrier at his first weekly press conference of the 2011 season. "Everyone wants to know who'll start. We'll announce that later in the week. It's not a big deal who'll start."
Spurrier also commented on how well Shaw has competed this preseason and how his scrimmages have looked better than Garcia's.
"Connor's had a very good preseason. His scrimmages have been better than Stephen's. Stephen had a good practice (Monday) night. They're both improved. Competing against each other has made both of them better. We'll see how the season plays out. Sometimes I'll hear coaches say (a player has) won the competition so he's our quarterback for the year. I don't know how you can do that. If you have two pretty close, if one is struggling, I don't know how you'll tell the other he doesn't have a chance."
South Carolina's offense will feature a plethora of talent, whether it is Garcia or Shaw at QB.
Sophomore RB Marcus Lattimore, after rushing for nearly 1,200 yards and 17 touchdowns in his freshman campaign, has found himself at the center of some Heisman Trophy discussions this off-season. If he can stay healthy, the Gamecocks have a chance to do some great things this year.
WR Alshon Jeffery has been mentioned as one of the best wide-outs in the nation. The junior from St. Matthews, SC caught 88 balls last year for over 1,500 yards and 9 touchdowns, going over 100 yards in eight of Carolina's 14 contests last season. He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated's "2011 College Football Preview" and is looking forward to a great season. He is a virtual mismatch for every defender and is projected as a top 10 pick in next year's NFL Draft.
South Carolina has also seen talent from outside the football program join the effort.
Point-guard turned wide receiver Bruce Ellington had an impressive fall camp and is contending to be the starting kick return specialist. He will also be a factor in the receiving department. His speed and versatility give the Gamecocks another weapon on an already potent offensive attack.
Freshman RB Shon Carson has impressed the coaches enough to be a legitimate factor in the running game despite contending against Junior RB Kenny Miles and starting RB Marcus Lattimore. Carson is one of those guys that just has pure speed and that can't be coached. If Carson gets loose, look out, he has dangerous breakaway speed.
On defense, the Gamecocks have re-tooled a secondary that was hit with a few injuries last year and is looking to bounce back from a tough season.
Stephon Gilmore will be the focal point of the secondary. He is the best CB in the conference and can lock down opposing receivers who pose problems for most defenses. His speed and ability to break quickly on the ball gives him a big edge over opposing quarterbacks and makes him a threat on defense. If he can stay healthy this season, Gilmore could be a game changer for Carolina this season.
The big story of the off season for the Gamecocks was the signing of No. 1 overall recruit Jadeveon Clowney. Clowney brings the potential for an immediate impact on an already solid defensive line. Coach Ellis Johnson has mentioned the six-foot six-inch freshman as one of the best he's ever coached. With Devin Taylor, Melvin Ingram and Travian Robertson, this will be a defensive line that reeks havoc on opposing quarterbacks.
ECU had a sub par year last season after losing Head Coach Skip Holtz in 2009. They return an offense that finished at 26th in total offense with the help of QB Dominique Davis, who threw for over 3,600 yards and 36 touchdowns.
Their problems, however, came on the defensive side of the ball. The Pirates ranked 118th in the nation last year in total defense, allowing over 43 points per game to opposing offenses.
If ECU wants a chance to beat South Carolina, the Pirates will have to play the game of their lives. ECU is a scrappy team, but the Gamecocks have enough power to dominate this game with their backups. Dominique Davis will have to avoid a pass rush that is sure to disrupt his rhythm and the Pirates defense will have to find a way to stop Lattimore and Jeffery all night, to give ECU a shot.
Line:
South Carolina -21
Prediction:
#12 South Carolina 45 East Carolina 17
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