Jake Bentley, offense excel, but Gamecocks’ defense remains a concern

Even the most optimistic South Carolina fan could not have expected much more from sophomore quarterback Jake Bentley and the offense in Saturday’s 35-28 victory over N.C. State.

It seemed after each highlight-reel play, there was another one around the corner. Bentley had several scrambles for positive yards and first downs in the first half. But perhaps his best play came with 11:54 left in the third quarter as he escaped a pass rusher and launched a 39-yard touchdown pass to Deebo Samuel, who caught it with just his left hand.

It was Bentley’s third touchdown pass of the game — second to Samuel — and Samuel’s third score after kickoff return for TD to open the game.

I will say it again #Deebo has a #BentleyTruck on 20's

— Marcus Spears (@mspears96) September 2, 2017

Bentley showed an array of tools early in the game, including a scramble on third and long for a first down. He also feathered a pass in the flat to running back Rico Dowdle for a 34-yard touchdown. Then on one of many plays to avoid pressure, Bentley backpedaled away from the goal line to feed Samuel over the middle for a 6-yard TD.

By halftime, Bentley was 10-for-17 passing for 131 yards and two touchdowns, and he finished 17-for-29, 215 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. One key mistake was throwing into tight coverage early in the fourth quarter to Samuel on a pass intercepted by Johnathan Alston. Alston ended the ensuing drive with a sack on a cornerback blitz after the Wolfpack cut the deficit to a touchdown.

Yet for as many excitable moments the offense delivered, the defense showed several concerns. In the first half alone, N.C. State racked up 343 yards and 19 first downs. To explain the heart-stopping finish, the Gamecocks needed a tipped pass on fourth down in the waning seconds from their own 10-yard line to survive despite behind outgained 506-248.

For starters, the defense in the first half allowed three scoring drives of at least 75 yards. The last score before halftime was yielded with nine seconds remaining and appeared too easy for the Wolfpack.

One bright spot for the defense was defensive lineman Keir Thomas, who picked up a sack early in the second half, and spoiled a would-be trick play for N.C. State. Pass rusher D.J. Wonnum also chipped in with another sack on third and long late in the third quarter.

To their credit, the South Carolina coaches made adjustments at halftime. The Gamecocks pressured quarterback Ryan Finley differently, including a delayed blitz from linebacker Skai Moore. And the defensive backs played tighter coverage at the line of scrimmage against the Wolfpack receivers. One big play came when Bryson Allen-Williams and Dante Sawyer pressured Finley, and caused him to fumble. With three minutes left in the third quarter, the Wolfpack registered zero yards in the quarter alone, further illustrating the adjustments.

One weak link, though, was cornerback Jamarcus King, who was targeted on N.C. State’s late first-half scoring drive, and was flagged for pass interference with less than two minutes in the game.

The Gamecocks’ offense was already expected to be a strength this season, but given its early performance against a top-shelf defensive front in N.C. State, there’s no shortage of optimism. Even with the late offensive hiccups, including a Bentley scramble out of bounds on third down, two turnovers and a special teams touchdown helped the Gamecocks.

In a season where there are several quarterbacks in the SEC East that are unproven or not yet established, Bentley took a big first step in distinguishing himself from the group. He played arguably one of the best defensive opponents in the division to open the season and excelled more than many expected.

Keith Farner

A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.