Published September 18, 2011 - 6:55am
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We thought Saturday would provide clarity on the SEC East race, and the picture remains muddied.
South Carolina survived another scare against a lesser opponent. Like the ECU game to start the season, South Carolina found themselves down early. Unlike the ECU game, Navy actually had the opportunity to win the game late in the 4th quarter.
The Gamecocks have a quality win at Athens against Georgia, but it’s not like they put the Bulldogs away easily. How good are the Gamecocks? It’s hard to say. If Marcus Lattimore is unable to stay healthy, things could get dicey. Lattimore is absolutely putting the team on his back. He finished Saturday with 37 carries for 246 yards and 3 touchdowns. Lots of yards and touchdowns, but also lots of carries.
Georgia finally got a cupcake with Coastal Carolina and easily took care of business. I’m of the belief that Georgia will put things together slowly over the 2011 campaign and be in the thick of the SEC East race.
Florida got the win they needed over Tennessee at the Swamp, but fans might not remember that in 2010, Florida also beat Tennessee and then went on to lose five games. The team is in much better shape than last year. You saw that immediately with the Chris Rainey 20+ yard play to start the game. The team has an identity and a game plan (they didn’t last year).
With that said, the passing game is absolutely suspect, and the Florida secondary can definitely struggle.
You can make the argument that Tennessee is out of the race not only because they lost to East team Florida, but also because they play the toughest SEC West schedule which is definitely likely to add to the losses column.
Perhaps the SEC West teams are the biggest factor in determining who wins the east. South Carolina still has @Mississippi State, @Arkansas and Auburn.
Florida has a brutal October with Alabama, @LSU, @Auburn.
Georgia arguably has the easiest road with just Mississippi State and Auburn at home. They play Ole Miss in Oxford.
Tennessee has the toughest schedule with LSU at home, @Alabama and @Arkansas.
This might be the year we throw out the classic statement that no team has lost the South Carolina – Georgia game and gone on to win the east. With no clear front-runner, the east may indeed come down to schedule.
Then, we’ll likely watch the East winner get pummeled in Atlanta by a much stronger West team.
Add to that, Tennessee has probably just lost wide receiver Justin Hunter (part of the trio including Tyler Bray and Da’Rick Rogers called the Three-Headed Monster) for the season, if the rumors are correct…. that he has a torn ACL.
Florida & South Carolina will duke it out for the east, while the west will be decided on November 5.
Does anyone know where I can find a picture of Matt Elam pointing at the scoreboard after his interception in the second half of the game?
At this point, I’ve got to think Florida is going to win the east. True, they were ultra-sloppy with the penalties in the second half, but that can be fixed. You cannot fix lack of talent. Florida showed that they have talent.
I am going to blame the coaching and not the team. We have the talent. We are not playing as a team. We are playing to individual greatness but not as a well oiled machine. We do not have a game plan. We are playing in the moment and adjusting to each and every down. Bottom line we are not playing the South Carolina gamebook we are playing against our opponent. We are playing against our opponents strengths and not to their weaknesses. We are not playing to our strengths. ie We are not letting Garcia get into a rhythm. For instance, run Lattimore first and second down then throw to Jeffery on third. Then as Garcia settles into the game move the ball around. Stop forcing looking for a second receiver and looking for a back up to Lattimore. If Latti gets hurt then someone step up and use our other strengths. Play Carolina ball not next saturdays opponent. Work every week improving Carolina ball not our knowledge of the other team. ie Navy! Did Navy adjust to us NO they played Navy ball. The option is easy to stop when your DTs and DEs are busting through their OL and disrupting everyone. We were 30 40 lbs the heavier and faster, why are we sitting back waiting on them. Tell me if when the full back comes thru the line you smash him whether he has the ball or not, you smash the QB everytime he comes down the line whether he pitches it or not and you tackle the half back whether he receives the pitch or not, I guarantee you those guys are not going to want to carry the ball by the fourth quarter. Simple. Beat them up thats why you have big fast guys. I WANT TO SEE CAROLINA FOOTBALL! Now let’s go play our gameplan!