USC Football Preview
It’s early August, and that means football players for the University of South Carolina (USC) are reporting for fall practice. In a month, fans will be packing food and beverage for tailgating and the other festivities associated with college football in the South.
Head Coach Steve Spurrier says that the team’s off-season commitment will play a large part in the Gamecocks’ 2011 fortunes. “We have 15 practices (in the spring). We can teach them what they have to do to get better over the summer,” Spurrier said at the conclusion of spring practice. He says for the team to improve, the players must work on what the coaches tell them to address in the summer’s unsupervised workouts.
Regardless of wins and losses, the game is large and it’s big business in the Palmetto State. The Gamecocks are one of the top college athletic programs in the country in gross and net receipts.
According to U.S. Department of Education data for the 2009-10 school year, USC’s gross football revenue was more than $58 million, and the net revenue was close to $35.5 million. There are 120 Bowl Subdivision programs (once called Division 1), and six of the top ten grossing for football are in the SEC. Those include Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Auburn and LSU. USC ranks No. 11. Arkansas and Kentucky are in the top 20, too. Texas is the top-grossing football program nationally at $93.9 million, gross.
While the big money comes from the corporate world, there are small local businesses that depend on USC football, too. Jaco’s sits a block from Williams-Brice Stadium. It has served as a watering hole for football fans for generations. “My grandparents used to park buggies on the property and feed the horses hay while the owners were at the football games,” says Janet Jaco, who owns the 99-year-old business with her brother, Jake Jaco.
“We look forward to football season and the (SC State) Fair. It makes our year. We depend on football,” she says. Jaco says her inventory is spiked in preparation for the games, and football fan regulars come in every year, many of them from out of town. Jaco also says she like games that begin in the afternoon – that way her restaurant gets a crowd before the game and after. And she says, of course, there is always better business when the Gamecocks win. But she adds, the Jaco’s crowd is very respectful to the fans of opposing teams. “We really like the Alabama fans that came in here. They were a good crowd,” she says.
Aside from the exchange of money the 80,000 fans packing the stadium brings, this year should provide all the expected pomp. The Gamecocks, a team that defeated No. 1 Alabama last year, bring back as many as four All-American-level players. On offense, running back Marcus Lattimore and wide receiver Alshon Jeffery return. On defense, defensive back Stephon Gilmore and defensive end Devin Taylor are two others getting pre-season recognition from various industry publications.
In addition to Lattimore – a sophomore who rushed for 1197 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2010 – quarterback Stephen Garcia is scheduled to be back. Garcia, a fifth-year senior, is the SEC’s most-experienced QB. He threw for 3,059 yards and 20 TDs in 2010. Garcia is a fan favorite despite being suspended from his team five times, mostly for minor infractions. Conner Shaw, a sophomore, is Garcia’s backup.
USC also brings in the nation’s top recruit from the high school ranks in Jadeveon Clowney, a defensive lineman from Rock Hill’s South Pointe High School.
The 2010 USC team won nine games and lost five. It ranked seventh in offense and seventh in defense of the 12 SEC teams. Spurrier says there is plenty of room for improvement. Still, the team is coming off of its first-ever Southeastern Conference Eastern Division Championship, but the Gamecocks closed out the 2010 season with losses in the SEC Championship game and the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta. South Carolina’s bowl record is 1-4 under Spurrier, but Spurrier has never posted a losing record at USC. His team finished with a ranking in the top 25 of various national polls in 2010, and Spurrier was named SEC Coach of the Year.
Despite the successes, Spurrier says he is not satisfied. “We’ve made progress. We didn’t reach where we hope to get,” Spurrier told media during a spring practice session in March.
Spurrier still has personal goals at USC, too. He said at a Gamecock (Booster) Club meeting in Sumter, “I said when I came here I wanted to get the record for most wins (at South Carolina).” He is 20 games away from Coach Rex Enright’s high of 64 wins at the university.
USC opens its season September 3 versus East Carolina University in Charlotte, a neutral site. On September 10, the Gamecocks travel to Athens to play the Georgia Bulldogs before opening in Columbia September 17 versus Navy.
The team has three more home games, with Vanderbilt, Auburn and Kentucky after Navy. In all, the Gamecocks play seven home games, including a November 26 game with Clemson. The Gamecocks also play Florida in Columbia, with road games at Mississippi State, Tennessee and Arkansas.
One of the constant areas for concern for the Gamecocks since Spurrier arrived has been the toughness and talent on the offensive line. One advantage the team has this year is that it has the same (returning) offensive line coach, Sean Elliott, for the first time in three years. Spurrier says he hopes to see the line progress in the 2011 season, but he adds that there are some new faces on the line. There are some old names, too. Kyle Nunn, Terrence Campbell and Rokevious Watkins, all seniors who have played, return. T.J. Johnson, a junior with lots of experience, is back, too. A.J. Cann, a highly recruited redshirt freshman, is also a candidate to start.
USC’s wide receivers are anchored by Jeffrey, with D. L. Moore. DeAngelo Smith, Jason Barnes and Ace Sanders are others listed to see time at wide receiver. Justice Cunningham is the starter at tight end.
South Carolina Assistant Head Coach Ellis Johnson, who oversees the defense, says his unit will have to rely on some young players, especially at the defensive tackle position and in the secondary. “Our young defensive tackles will be a key,“ Johnson said after the Gamecocks' spring game in April. He added that injured players, who could not practice, kept him from getting a complete analysis of the defense.
On the defensive line, seniors Travian Robertson, Melvin Ingram and Taylor return. Clowney could also contribute on the line. Clowney “ups our expectations” Spurrier said when the prize recruit signed.
Johnson says he’s looking forward to having Clowney. “Physically he’s ready. I’m sure in upper body strength there are a lot of ways high school players are behind SEC players. But (with) his speed, athleticism, size and potential, he’s already almost NFL-caliber in physical abilities. There will be a learning curve,” Johnson says.
Shaq Wilson, who missed almost all of the 2010 season with an injury, is expected to be a leader at middle linebacker, and senior Rodney Paulk will move over to another linebacker position. Other key players on defense include Damario Jeffery, Quin Smith, DeVonte Holloman, Antonio Allen, D.J. Swearinger, Jimmy Legree, Gilmore and C.C. Whitlock.
Spurrier has mentioned Jay Wooten, Joey Scribner-Howard and Adam Yates to fill kicker and punter roles.