US Presswire - Steve Spurrier off to a hot start on the recruiting trail

South Carolina’s 2013 recruiting class has taken shape in the last few weeks and if the most recent additions are any indication, it could be one of the nation’s top overall hauls.

Steve Spurrier can’t comment on incoming players until after they’ve signed, but he has to be excited about potential impact quarterback Connor Mitch. A 6-3 gunslinger out of Wakefield High in Raleigh, N.C., Mitch threw 48 touchdown passes as a junior and picked the Gamecocks over offers from Alabama and LSU among several others.

If Mitch signs, he’ll be the second four-star QB the Gamecocks have acquired in the Spurrier era. The other, though held in high-esteem by most of his teammates, was kicked off the team midway through his senior season. Mitch should be in the starting mix as a redshirt freshman alongside Dylan Thompson and Tanner McEvoy.

Mitch’s redshirt season will be Connor Shaw’s senior campaign under center for the Gamecocks.

Gerald Turner, an inside linebacker from Goose Creek, S.C., is a hard-hitter and coverage specialist. He has a near identical frame to former Gamecock great Jasper Brinkley.

South Carolina is hoping to get one other player from Melvin Ingram’s former high school — Richmond County — in Rockingham, N.C. after a recent verbal from weakside defensive end Devante Covington.

Covington is friends with four-star guard Tyrone Crowder, the eighth overall blocking prospect according to Rivals, and sources close to the program tell me that the 6-foot-2, 315-pound man-child should have the Gamecocks in his final five.

“Crowder is still wide open in his recruiting but appears to be leaning toward schools close to home,” says a southeastern region prep beat writer. “That gives schools like USC, Clemson, UNC and others a great chance to land him.”

Thursday’s addition of Pharoh Cooper, a multi-position standout out of Havelock, N.C., puts South Carolina’s early commit list to 12. Barring signing day casualties, this number — and overall ranking — will only improve.

The countdown has begun for most fans anticipating the Thursday night opener in Nashville.

But until then, the Gamecocks have another College World Series to win.

South Carolina WR Alshon Jeffery

Most of the time, the SEC likes to brag about its litany of national championships, All-Americans and NFL draft picks.

This year is no different.

After leading all of college football with 42 selections, here’s 10 players from the SEC you’ll be hearing about this season:

IMPACT FIVE

5. Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina (Buffalo Bills) - The Gamecocks’ three-year starter and former Mr. Football in the state of South Carolina has a chance to be the cornerstone of Buffalo’s defense with a rare combination of athletic ability and ball skills. While he struggles at times against pump fakes and taller wide receivers, Gilmore’s speed should make up for occasional mental lapses in the secondary.

4. Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia (Buffalo Bills) — One of the best “steals” of Day One, Glenn slipped to Buffalo at No. 42 overall and should start from day one for the Bills. Glenn was tabbed with a first-round grade by most experts, so hearing his name called in the second round was a bit of a surprise for the former Bulldog. At 6-foot-5, 350 pounds, Glenn is a monster to run behind. Already one of the NFL’s least-sacked quarterbacks, Ryan Fitzpatrick, is happy if Glenn starts at left tackle.

3. Morris Claiborne, DB, LSU (Dallas Cowboys) — Claiborne will be a star in Big D … in due time. He’ll make an impact this season in the return game and — in certain packages — on defense. He’s a natural ballhawk with 11 interceptions over his final two seasons in Baton Rouge. And please disregard the Wonderlic score! It proves nothing. Claiborne admitted to blowing it off since it doesn’t consist of football-related questions. He won’t have a problem with the Cowboys’ playbook, nor covering some of the NFL’s top wideouts at the line of scrimmage.

2. Courtney Upshaw, LB, Alabama (Baltimore Ravens) — Whether it’s Upshaw or fellow Alabama linebacker Dont’a Hightower here, both linebackers are interchangeable talents. Upshaw will fit right into Baltimore’s 3-4 scheme as a hybrid pass-rusher and run-stopper. Like Hightower, Upshaw can play off the edge or drop back into coverage with relative ease. Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome traded up to get Upshaw, an impact player who will be on the field more often than not as a rookie. He’ll be in the starting mix according to head coach John Harbaugh.

1. Mark Barron, FS, Alabama (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) — One of five Crimson Tide standouts to be picked in the first 35 selections, Barron brings supreme talent to a unit that under-performed in 2011. The Bucs need all the help they can get on a defense that ranked last in the league with 30.9 PPG allowed. The Bucs also gave up an NFL-high 6.3 yards per play. In the same secondary as veteran corner Ronde Barber, Tampa’s pass defense got a serious hard-hitting upgrade in Barron.

POTENTIAL BUSTS

5. Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama (Cleveland Browns) — Definitely a shocking pick as a potential bust, Alabama’s Heisman finalist is a tank that takes no prisoners with the ball in his hands, but shouldering the load in Cleveland after off-season knee surgery raises questions. Richardson could be a serious stud and perennial 1,500-yard running back, he’s that good. The other end of the spectrum seems more likely, at least, early in his career behind an offensive line in Cleveland that struggled last season.

4. Rueben Randle, WR, LSU (New York Giants) — Randle is in a good position with the defending champs, but there was a handful of better options for the Giants at this spot in the draft. Picked to replace Mario Manningham, New York ultimately went with LSU’s most reliable target who blossomed as a junior with eight touchdown receptions. Randle could mature into Eli Manning’s best option on the outside, but that will take a few games, seasons perhaps. This fall, he’ll battle Jerrel Jernigan for the Giants’ third wideout spot behind Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks.

3. Melvin Ingram, DE/LB, South Carolina (San Diego Chargers) — Labeled a tweener by most analysts, Ingram’s lack of size as a defensive lineman raises questions on how he’ll perform at the line of scrimmage in the pros. At 6-1, 260 pounds it seems more likely that Ingram will play linebacker in San Diego or become a third-down blitz specialist. I think it’s laughable that some folks have mentioned Ingram being a weapon on special teams. That worked momentarily at South Carolina, but won’t in the NFL. With that being said, he’s an athletic playmaker that can help in a variety of areas and a safe gamble for the Chargers.

2. Michael Brockers, DT, LSU (St. Louis Rams) — Brockers grew from a 250-pound defensive end as a freshman to an agile, 320-pound tackle over his final two seasons but it’s that added size that could negatively affect his ability to chase down opposing running backs and now, some quarterbacks. As dominant as LSU’s defense was last season, Brockers only had two sacks and didn’t force a fumble, so calling him a feared pass-rusher isn’t exactly accurate. Playing in St. Louis without much talent around him won’t help his cause.

1. Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina (Chicago Bears) — I said it months ago and I’ll say it again: I don’t see Alshon making an impact in professional football. He doesn’t have top-end speed, is a sloppy route runner and has trouble creating separation. Against talented NFL defensive backs, I don’t think he’ll be able to make the same highlight-worthy catches he made during his first two seasons in Columbia. He’s still a formidable downfield threat with great hands and leaping ability, but issues with his speed will be detrimental to his progress. Alshon’s only experience in freezing temperatures was at the Papa Johns Bowl his freshman season. Like most wideouts that afternoon, he had a case of the drops. In the end, he could be Justin Blackmon-good, or just an interchangeable possession guy for quarterback Jay Cutler. The Bears took a chance and hope it pans out.

US Presswire - Georgia head coach Mark Richt

Despite the slew of off-the-field distractions that have marred the program’s progress this spring, Georgia coach Mark Richt should be excited for the 2012 football season.

After all, considering South Carolina’s challenging schedule, Georgia could win the East regardless of what happens in Columbia, S.C. on Oct. 6.

Sound familiar?

Last season, the Gamecocks beat the Bulldogs in a shootout in Athens but ultimately didn’t make it to Atlanta due to losses to West foes Auburn and Arkansas. Despite going 5-0 against Eastern Division opponents and being ranked ahead of Georgia in the BCS, ninth-ranked South Carolina stayed home on SEC Championship weekend while the Bulldogs fell victim to the Honey Badger’s second-half explosion during a 42-10 loss to LSU.

USC head coach Steve Spurrier has voiced his frustration numerous times this offseason, going as far as saying games against the West shouldn’t count toward the conference title game. Richt would deflect that notion this season considering UGA’s — by SEC standards — creampuff schedule. From the West, the Bulldogs get Ole Miss and Auburn while the Gamecocks battle LSU and Arkansas.

Should Georgia overcome road contests at Auburn and South Carolina, Richt’s boys could be in the hunt for a national championship with the league’s easiest slate.

By no means is this aimed at downplaying the Bulldogs’ talent, because they have plenty of All-SEC-worthy playmakers. Quarterback Aaron Murray is the SEC’s top-returning signal caller with 6,198 career yards and 59 touchdowns while two All-Americans — Jarvis Jones and Bacarri Rambo — anchor a stingy defense that should be the East’s best overall.

Georgia returns 15 starters off a 10-win squad and is the sexy preseason selection to repeat as East champions.

Richt signed a six-year extension in the offseason following a job-saving 10-game winning streak that stretched from Sept. 17 to Nov. 26. After UGA started 0-2, Richt was on thin ice. Now, he’s back in the good graces of the fanbase — and more importantly — UGA athletic director Greg McGarity.

But three arrests since the bowl game could have UGA headed in a different direction.

Early draft entree Orson Charles was hand-cuffed the first week of March on a drunk driving arrest while starting corner Branden Smith was flagged on a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge in Abbeville, Ala. In January, cornerback Sanders Commings was arrested on a domestic violence charge in Athens and promptly suspended the first two games of this season (Buffalo, at Missouri) by Richt.

The good news for the Bulldogs is reigning SEC Freshman of the Year Isaiah Crowell seems to have his act together this spring according to Richt. He was suspended one game for failing a drug test last season but still managed a team-leading 850 yards rushing and five touchdowns. Along with five-star freshman stud Keith Marshall, the pair makes quite a tandem in a talented backfield.

Barring injury, UGA should reach double-digit wins for the eighth time in Richt’s tenure. During that same span, UGA has five East titles and a pair of SEC Championship Game victories. At Georgia, Richt is 106-38 in 11 seasons.

US Presswire - Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley

Year three is an important one in Knoxville for Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley.

If the Vols don’t get their act together, he could be on the way out.

Tennessee has a football program with a rich history that includes six national titles, a unit that peaked on a national stage under Phillip Fulmer — whose now reportedly a leading candidate for the Arkansas gig — with nine double-digit win seasons over a 15-year span. Next to Steve Spurrier’s Gators, the Vols were the annual favorites in SEC East.

But that’s old news.  It’s been awhile since playing under the lights at Neyland Stadium actually meant something.

Since Fulmer departed in 2010 after a subpar season, the Vols have continued to sputter in the wins and losses department. Tennessee has registered 11 victories in 25 tries under Dooley and finished in the East cellar last season. Dating back to 2002, four years after quarterback Tee Martin and the Vols captured the school’s most recent national title, Tennessee is 9-21 against conference rivals Florida, Alabama and Georgia.

Seven of those victories came between 2003 and 2006, further defining UT’s recent plummet into mediocrity. The last time Tennessee appeared the SEC Championship Game was in 2007.

Last season’s brutal 10-7 loss at Kentucky put the finishing touches on Tennessee’s embarrassing season, just its third 5-7 campaign in two decades. The Orange and White fortress around Dooley began crumbling soon thereafter.

Five assistant coaches quit after the stinker in Lexington and Dooley’s been stuck with constant off-the-field headaches and academic distractions this off-season. Recently, talented wide receiver Da’Rick Rogers has promised the coaching staff that his non-football issues are over. That’s great for the Vols, because they need all the playmakers they can get and a little luck in the injury department.

One bright acquisition in 2012 is Sal Sunseri, Alabama’s former outside linebackers coach who took over as the team’s defensive coordinator. Alongside d-coordinator Kirby Smart, Sunseri helped direct one of the nation’s nastiest defenses, a unit that ranked first in all the vital categories — total defense, scoring defense, third-down efficient, first downs allowed and red zone efficiency.

Sunseri doesn’t have the athletes at his disposal that he enjoyed in Tuscaloosa, but Tennessee returns a number of players capable of making the switch to Sunseri’s playbook, including sophomore standout A.J. Johnson. A key factor will be the Vols’ ability to make adjustments on that side of the ball after intermission. Tennessee outscored the opposition 161-111 before halftime in 2011, but in the quarters that count, were beaten 160-77.

Offensively, Tennessee should be fine with a veteran returning quarterback and running backs Marlin Lane and Rajion Neal. Justin Hunter provides an impact target on the outside after coming back from a season-ending ACL tear.

With a fresh look on defense and a All-SEC caliber signal caller, Dooley will need to make the most of his $1.8 million contract this season — perhaps beating the Gators while they’re down — to fight another day in Knoxville.

Times are tough, but Tennessee’s offense at full-strength could delay Dooley’s departure at least one, maybe two, more seasons.

US Presswire - LSU QB Zach Mettenberger

Flip through a college football preseason magazine and you’re sure to see returning star quarterbacks Matt Barkley and Landry Jones, leaders of the heralded offenses at BCS big wigs Southern Cal and Oklahoma.

In the middle — in full, glossy color — lies a poster of speedsters De’Anthony Thomas and Tavon Austin, a pair of 2012 Heisman candidates who provide most of Sportscenter’s highlight footage from Eugene, Ore. and Morgantown, W. Va.

Somewhere in the front half of the publication — past the UGA infatuation — you’ll see an insert of Les Miles and his LSU Tigers, a precursor to a story about the epic fail that was the Alabama game.

Is this lack of respect really fair? Have folks forgotten about the Bayou Bengals?

After all, the Mad Hatter and his Tigers have won 24 of their last 27 games including an impressive 13 contests against ranked teams. They gave the Ducks and Mountaineers the business in prime time early in 2011, but after stinking it up on offense against the Tide in New Orleans, LSU is suddenly afterthought.

Somewhere, the Honey Badger is smiling.

And ready to force another fumble.

The Tigers, a preseason Top 5 in most way-too-early polls, have eight home games this season and one challenging road game (Arkansas in November). The non-conference tilts, compared to last year’s gauntlet, is laughable — four automatic wins (North Texas, Washington, Idaho and Towson).

LSU’s strength, like most of the SEC’s previous six national champions, is on defense and despite losing Morris Claiborne and Michael Brockers to the draft, most of the other impact players are back led by all-everything playmaker Tyrann Mathieu. Zach Mettenberger is the starting quarterback, a game-manager with a big arm who performs a lot like Alabama’s AJ McCarron.

In the spring game, Mettenberger completed 14-of-25 passes for 270 yards and two scores. Three completions spanned at least 45 yards. Most of the pressure to repeat as SEC champions will be on LSU’s offense, a unit intent on ground-and-pound with Mettenberger’s occasional deep ball.

Running backs Michael Ford and Spencer Ware each are capable of 1,000-yard seasons, especially with a new quarterback who won’t have the freedom Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson had in the latter portion of last season. Junior Alfred Blue and his career 6.5 yards-per-carry average returns as a third option in one of the conference’s most powerful backfields.

Senior wideout Russell Shepard — after three less-than-stellar seasons — thought about parting ways with the Tigers in January before rethinking his decision days later. A heralded five-star dual-threat quarterback out of Cypress Ridge High School in Texas, I’m still waiting on a package exclusively designed to utilize Shepard’s arm in Baton Rouge. If LSU’s offense wants to have more success in the downfield passing game, he’ll need a big season.

Since only a handful of prognosticators have LSU back in the BCS title game, what are these glaring weaknesses keeping the Tigers away from Miami? I still don’t see any.

In fact, the squad’s special teams unit — an area of the game that decides contests in the SEC — is one of the best in the country.

Sophomore punter Brad Wing is special, perhaps the Tigers most important player heading into this season. LSU will need his leg early while it masters an offense orchestrated by a first-year starter under center. Wing had a 44.4-yard average as a freshman and had six boots of at least 55 yards, including the mammoth 73-yarder in Tuscaloosa.

Senior kicker Drew Alleman made 16-of-18 field goals and is nearly automatic from 45 yards and in. If you need a BCS champion frontrunner, it’s LSU.

And outside of perhaps Alabama, there’s no SEC team that will win more games this season.

US Presswire - USC RB Marcus Lattimore

In a few weeks, Marcus Lattimore will test his surgically-repaired right knee on the practice field in Columbia, shifting his way around cones and tackling dummies to test its versatility.

In a few months, South Carolina’s franchise player will button his chin strap and lower his shoulder at full-strength under the lights for the season opener in Nashville.

But despite 2,015 yards rushing, 30 total touchdowns in 20 career games and his well-respected toughness in the trenches, it’s in the Gamecocks’ best interest to proceed with caution.

Reducing Lattimore’s workload in a tailback-rich offense should be paramount.

The 2010 freshman sensation who is returning from an ACL tear as a sophomore can — without question — still be a dominant force without having to be the chief ball-carrier in South Carolina’s zone-read attack. Kenny Miles, Brandon Wilds and Shon Carson are interchangeable second options who can provide a breather — without a great drop in production — for the Duncan, S.C. native. True freshman Mike Davis, a four-star signee, should see action as well barring a redshirt when he gets to campus this summer.

Last season’s memorable season proves the Gamecocks don’t have to live and die by No. 21.

In his absence from the huddle, the Gamecocks won five of their final six games to register a school-best 11-2 campaign. South Carolina managed wins over Tennessee, Florida, Clemson and Nebraska without its heralded star.

Most would agree South Carolina’s national championship aspirations center on Lattimore and the play of junior quarterback Connor Shaw, but could the Gamecocks be this year’s BCS buster even if Lattimore doesn’t surpass a 250-carry, 1,250-yard season?

Head coach Steve Spurrier admitted last season, even before his star’s injury, that Lattimore’s total number of totes should decrease. He was beaten up on nearly every play at the line of scrimmage and that’ll wear down even the best of tailbacks in the SEC.

The warrior and true competitor that he is, Lattimore’s disappointment of spending the second half of his sophomore season on the sideline was evident during his team’s late-season run. He couldn’t bulldoze the Tigers and beat Clemson for a third consecutive season nor could he carry the torch against Nebraska in Orlando.

Lattimore was a Gamecock in the flesh, but not in the pads.

It’s that yearning and love for the game that will pay dividends this fall even if he isn’t the focal point of South Carolina’s attack. By his own admission, Lattimore’s attention to detail has increased this off-season. He’s learning how to nurse his body after contact and avoid unnecessary collisions. Last year’s accident in Starkville, however, was a freak play that unfortunately could not have been avoided. Through his faith and encouragement from teammates, he’s pulled through it.

No doubt the Gamecocks are a serious SEC champion and national title contender with a healthy Marcus Lattimore, but they’ve shown they are pretty darn good without him having monster performances as well.

Nothing to fear Gamecock fans.

Bruce is back.

Hours after Frank Martin was introduced as South Carolina’s new head basketball coach Tuesday, Bruce Ellington appeared at football practice in shorts and a helmet. He ran drills with the first-teamers and as coach Steve Spurrier put it, “was one of the fastest guys out there.”

The 5-foot-9 receiver, who also starts at point guard, announced last week he would no longer play two sports at USC. His heart was with basketball and he wanted to honor his athletic commitment made out of Berkeley High in Moncks Corner, S.C.

Ellington’s since changed his mind.

“He thought it over and thought he made a little too quick a decision,” Spurrier said. “He realizes he’s pretty good at football and wants to play both.”

Ellington was a prep standout on the gridiron, a former state champion quarterback for the Stags.  He accounted for 29 touchdowns his senior season in 2009 with 2,878 all-purpose yards.

Ellington made the SEC’s All-Freshman team last season for the Gamecocks after finishing with 707 all-purpose yards and wowed the home crowd with a pair of long, memorable touchdowns against Kentucky and Clemson. He also took multiple snaps in the Wildcat formation, mainly at Mississippi State — Connor Shaw’s first road start under center.

The Gamecocks won a school-record 11 games in 2011 and Spurrier is excited to have an additional weapon returning on the outside. With the departure of Alshon Jeffery to the NFL Draft, Ace Sanders, Ellington and K.J. Brent should see the bulk of reps this spring.

At the Colonial Life Arena, Martin was quickly asked at his introductory press conference what role Ellington would play on his basketball team. The Gamecocks finished last in the SEC this season with a 2-14 conference record and have qualified for the NCAA Tournament once since 1998.

If he chooses, Ellington would return as the Gamecocks top scorer next season at 10.6 PPG.

“I don’t think that’s fair for me to answer that right now because I don’t know Bruce as a young man yet,” Martin said. “I know him as a player, unbelievable basketball player, but I don’t know him as a person.”

The Denver Broncos have reportedly won the Peyton Manning sweepstakes. John Elway, John Fox and a host of others out West will soon welcome the four-time MVP with open arms after two weeks of frequent flights, meetings and recruiting itineraries.

But somewhere in the Mile High City — if not back home — sits Tim Tebow, the odd man out and poster child for the NFL last season. Where does this leave Denver’s savior who led the Broncos to the divisional round of the playoffs and captivated a fan base in dire need of success after the Elway-Terrell Davis era?

The former All-American, Heisman winner and two-time national champion at Florida is probably packing his bags because he won’t be sticking around. Early indications reveal the Broncos are trying to trade the dual-threat quarterback who won eight games as a starter in 2011 with sub-par, three-quarter performances that became earth-shattering in the final frame and beyond.

The Broncos have dumped their franchise and fan-favorite player for a proven, future Hall of Famer who transforms Denver into a legitimate Super Bowl contender with command of the offense and an accurate arm.

We get that.

But what about Tebow?

The motivational captain respected by peers both on and off the field will have another opportunity at squashing doubters with a new playbook and a different supporting cast under new management next fall.  You won’t hear any disappointment from Tebow and he’ll leave town with no hard feelings. He’ll politely move on to the next stop and do what he has done since Pop Warner — win.

Sure, investing millions into a 24-year-old quarterback with a career 75.1 rating is a gamble, but you won’t have to worry about selling tickets or an egocentric personality ruining a locker room. The addition of Tebow to a roster, if nothing else, provides instant camaraderie between teammates and fans in the seats.

As many players have pointed out, Tebow brings out the best in his teammates. They play harder when a guy like that leads the huddle. He’s a champion, a warrior and a role model unafraid to broadcast his faith to the rest of the world, a true face for the NFL.

I hope Tebow wins wherever he ends up and goes head-to-head with Manning in the postseason. Everyone roots for the underdog and I’ll do the same.

Will you pay attention to the Manning-led Broncos or follow the fighting Tim Tebows each week?