Can lineup changes fix what ails South Carolina’s offense?

For the second consecutive year, South Carolina is dealing with an offense that’s struggling to find another gear. Or, in some cases, such as the fourth quarter against Texas A&M, find a gear at all after sputtering for 9 yards in that frame alone.

The bye-week personnel changes fueled last season’s turnaround. Is there something similar on the horizon?

Offensive coordinator Kurt Roper was brought up immediately after the latest loss, specifically about running the ball so conservatively in the third quarter. There was also a 2-for-11 mark on third down conversions. Red zone problems and missed field goal attempts make it seem like the Gamecocks are majoring in Murphy’s law.

The ugly black and white numbers are South Carolina is 107th in the country in total offense and 108th in scoring offense. It’s been a theme throughout the short Muschamp tenure in Columbia. Eight of the nine South Carolina losses under Muschamp have been by two touchdowns or less. Only once, the Gamecocks scored more than 17 points.

The Gamecocks have scored just five touchdowns since losing Deebo Samuel early against Kentucky. Samuel scored six in the first two-plus games, including one on the first play against Kentucky.

“We have to get more production,” coach Will Muschamp said, according to The State, after the 24-17 loss Saturday. “You can’t continue to think you are going to beat people scoring 17 points and 10 points. … It’s hard to be perfect on defense, and that’s what we have to be right now.”

Most used word during Bentley’s comments: execution. Stressing they have to be better, things they work on every day.

— SportsTalk Media Network (@sportstalksc) October 1, 2017

Do you have to sit down with Kurt Roper about the offense? Will Muschamp: We have got to find a way to get more production.

— David Cloninger (@DCPandC) October 1, 2017

The problems began along the offensive line as South Carolina gave up seven sacks — at one point there were five sacks in 12 plays — and had 12 tackles for loss overall. But it’s not exclusively an offensive line problem.

Yes, the Gamecocks were without three starters on the line, but the patchwork group was also in the game when they built a 10-point lead. The lack of running game has become such a struggle, it’s affected other areas of the offense. It wasn’t great in the first two-plus games, either, but Samuel’s scoring surged masked it.

The Gamecocks managed just 23 yards rushing on 26 carries against Texas A&M. That dropped them to 12th in the SEC in rushing at 84.6 yards per game. Sacks are included in those numbers, but neither Rico Dowdle or the more productive Ty’Son Williams has had a 100-yard game this season.

“We couldn’t run the football in the first half and they noticed that, so of course they brought more pressure because they knew we were going to throw the football,” center Alan Knott said. “It’s just something we have to handle. We saw it. We knew what they were doing. It’s something we have to get done.”

It’s difficult to see where the Gamecocks could make whole personnel changes. They have been without Deebo Samuel for two games, and started Williams in place of Dowdle, who is battling a thigh bruise.

South Carolina ranks 12th in the SEC with just 11 rushing plays for 10 yards or more. Williams has seven of those and all three runs 30 yards or more.

On the Sunday teleconference, Muschamp twice referenced a “non-existent run game” and added that he could live with getting beat physically, but getting beat mentally is an issue. All three of the offensive linemen who missed time with injuries against the Aggies are “day-to-day” and the offensive line alignment is unknown for Saturday against Arkansas.

“Our inability to run the ball is becoming an issue as far as becoming one-dimensional,” Muschamp said. “You saw late in the game after the scoring drive, it became somewhat of a launching pad on the quarterback as far as just their pressure. … We can’t maintain drives with any consistency.”

Given the predicament, Muschamp said players like Bentley must be mindful to not over-extend themselves. To his credit, Muschamp said, without the aid of a running game, Bentley has completed 62 percent of his passes to average 251 yards per game.

“That’s where a lot of young men when you have these situations as far as injuries, you start feeling like you’ve got to do more and outside of what you already do,” he said. “And that’s something that we’ve got to make sure that he understands he just needs to be Jake.”

Keith Farner

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