South Carolina football: 5 things I want to see against Florida on Saturday
South Carolina is in a place the program hasn’t been in at least 10 years, maybe ever. The Gamecocks, coming off a road upset of the No. 3 team in the land, Georgia, and now trying to keep the momentum going this week at home against No. 9 Florida. The program has never beaten top 10 teams in consecutive weeks.
Florida and South Carolina have split the past 6 meetings, though Gamecock faithful still believe they should have won last year, as they held a 17-point lead only to lose 35-31. The biggest disappointment was likely Florida rushing for 367 yards on 62 carries with 33 first downs.
Here are 5 things I want to see this week against Florida:
So long adversity, hello prosperity
The past 2 weeks have made the 1-3 start seem like a distant memory. If it’s not the retooled and improved defense, it’s the 1-2 punch of a running game, and even the possibility of a wrinkle at quarterback with two varying options.
Long-time fans don’t need to be reminded that the week after the monumental upset over No. 1 Alabama in 2010, the Gamecocks lost against Kentucky 31-28. This Florida team is plenty better than that UK team.
The Georgia win snapped an 11-game losing streak to ranked opponents, so now the question becomes is this a completely new South Carolina, or will the Gamecocks revert back to the program’s reputation nationally and where it was largely picked in the preseason to finish in the SEC East?
“That’s the big challenge we have this week,” coach Will Muschamp said on “SEC This Morning” on the SEC Network earlier this week. “We’ve got a really good Florida team coming in here, and how are we going to respond? Because we’ve never been in this position. We haven’t been in this position as a program for 10 years. So, how are we going to respond to this? That’s the big challenge for us this week.”
How will the quarterback position be handled?
QB Ryan Hilinski reportedly is ready to go following a left knee injury that knocked him out of the Georgia game and left him hobbled with an oversized brace amid the celebration.
Muschamp never showed any concern, and has said that Hilinski was back practicing as early as Tuesday. Backup Dakereon Joyner came in, and managed the offense enough to hold on for the win. The question now is how will each of them be used since Hilinski moved the ball pretty well before his injury. Will he be limited by the knee? Can he make long throws, or escape a pass rush?
Hilinski has had an uneven season.
He passed for 324 yards against Alabama, then dealt with a sore elbow against Missouri the next week, as he wayward passes left many to wonder if he should be on the field. The Kentucky game was solid, but in the midst of a seemingly great Georgia game suddenly left early with the injury.
Can the pass rush continue?
The Gamecocks have 7 sacks in the past 2 games, the best 2-game stretch of the season. Perhaps in tandem with the defensive secondary, the South Carolina defensive line was key for the upset last week, and played well the week before against Kentucky. The front 7 as a whole has seen a remarkable shift since Muschamp realigned the defense from a base nickel to a 4-3 alignment following the Missouri loss. LB Sherrod Greene being on the field has helped.
But the biggest surge has been the play of DTs Javon Kinlaw, Kobe Smith and Rick Sandidge. No matter who is at QB for Florida, and with Lamical Perine being a top-shelf running back, the Gamecocks will be tested again up front. Florida’s allowed 14 sacks this season, which is 10th in the SEC, so the opportunity is there.
The running game continues its strong start
Believe it or not, South Carolina is 2nd in the SEC in rushing yards per play (5.69) and 5th in rushing touchdowns (13) even though it didn’t have any at Georgia. That’s a far cry from where the program’s been during the Muschamp era. In Muschamp’s first 3 seasons, South Carolina didn’t finish higher than 10th in the SEC in yards per carry.
Rico Dowdle leads the team with 449 yards and 4 touchdowns, but what the team really needs is more production from Tavien Feaster. Feaster only had 7 carries at Georgia for 27 yards. That was the 3rd time this season he’s had fewer than 10 carries.
Florida’s defense has yielded 218 yards and 124 yards, respectively, the past 2 games, and allowed 3 touchdowns at LSU. With 2 key Florida defensive linemen game-time decisions with injuries, South Carolina has a ripe opportunity to make the running game a key.
Follow up that flurry of turnovers
Turnover margin was a problem for South Carolina before CB Israel Mukuamu made 3 interceptions, and the Gamecocks got a fumble recovery to go 4-0 in turnovers at Georgia. But even after that, South Carolina is still only plus-2 in turnovers, which is tied for 6th in the SEC.
If you take the pass defense separately, South Carolina is minus-3 after it’s allowed 11 touchdowns against 8 interceptions. Sure, 5 TDs came against Alabama.
South Carolina has given up at least 227 passing yards in 4 games.
It’s not a stretch to believe Muschamp saw the shoddy pass defense not getting production with that 5th defensive back and instead inserted a linebacker after Missouri. Lost in the Mukuamu 3-pick day is Georgia still put up 295 passing yards.