With the recent departure of All-American safety Ko Simpson and All-SEC corner Johnathan Joseph, the South Carolina Gamecocks ' secondary, undoubtedly, is being questioned. The offensive line that surrendered 30 sacks last season returns only two starters, exposing an obvious concern. The Gamecocks also don't return a single starting linebacker from last season.
South Carolina lost 14 starters over the offseason and appears extraordinarily mediocre in terms of the talent returning, save QB Blake Mitchell and WR Sidney Rice. Is SEC East contention even remotely in sight for the Gamecocks?
You bet it is.
To most teams, losing starters is rarely a good thing. With all that experience and leadership flying out the window, coaches are forced to rebuild. The talent that the Gamecocks lost, however, was very middle-of-the-road with the exception of the two stars mentioned above. One simple word can describe this sudden loss of talent from the Gamecocks, though - purging.
Out with the old and in with the new.
In order for Steve Spurrier to regain that electricity once found on the Florida sidelines in the 90's, he'll need a fresh crop of his own handpicked talent. He appears to be doing just that.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Ol' Ball Coach has brought back one of the Gamecocks' most beloved leaders and athletes, Cory Boyd, to give the struggling rushing game a jolt needed to win the big games. Spurrier is also focused on the development of TE Jared Cook. Cook, who originally came to South Carolina as a wideout, will be able to use his tight end size (6'5" and 214lbs) and wide receiver speed to give Mitchell options when Rice and other receivers are under pressure.
Spurrier brought in eight offensive linemen last recruiting season, and has promised playing time to his young players. He is impressed with backup QB Cade Thompson's spring improvements, as well as incoming freshman QB Chris Smelley's natural ability. A much improved receiver, Kenny McKinley, will also draw attention away from Sidney Rice.
On defense, Spurrier is hands-on involved. A typical observation of Steve Spurrier-coached teams is his management of the offense, and delegated confidence in his defense coordinator and assistants. One aspect of Spurrier's change in involvement is the development of starting corner Fred Bennett. Bennett, replacing Johnathan Joseph, was a starter last season, and has shown flashes of unbelievable natural talent.
Spurrier also brought in a standout JUCO transfer, LB Jasper Brinkley, to fill a hole in the empty Gamecock linebacker squad. Brinkley plays with such tenacity that upon arrival, he was told to tone down his enthusiasm to avoid injury to members of the offense. Brinkley ultimately emerged from spring workouts as one of South Carolina's hardest workers and most promising players.
Although Spurrier's new team includes only four starting seniors, making USC one of the youngest teams in the country, the pieces of the puzzle are certainly coming together for Darth Visor. With a favorable schedule that includes home games against Georgia, Auburn, Tennessee, and Arkansas, coupled with Spurrier's personal selection of talent, the Gamecocks are primed and ready to make some noise in the SEC East for the 2006 season.
http://www.realfootball365.com/college/articles/2006/05/south-carolina-gamecocks260506.html
