This Gamecocks blog was asked by Bloguin’s Tennessee Volunteers Blog – Checkerboard Chatter (www.checkerboardchatter.com) to weigh-in on some questions before this game on Saturday between the beloved Gamecocks and the UT Vols.
Here is their Questions and our Answers:
1. I think a common misconception for many of South Carolina’s remaining opponents is that without Marcus Lattimore in the lineup the Gamecocks are somehow really vulnerable now. For our readers who may not know the Carolina depth chart all that well, tell us about the replacement at starting running back, Brandon Wilds.
To be honest it is a drop-off for the Gamecocks from going from Lattimore to Wilds but the real key to success on the ground for the Gamecocks lies with the offensive line. However to the question, Wilds has the potential to be a very good back as he is similar to Lattimore’s running style yet he has a little bit more speed. He does not have the ability to grind for the extra yard or two like Lattimore but he has good speed and good hands. Brandon Wilds (6’1” 225lbs) has had 13 carries for 75 yards and 3 catches for 21 yards. As you can see, he is a little unknown for us as Gamecock fans so let’s see how he does but again the key lies in the play of the USC offensive line in the UT game.
2. LSU and Alabama are getting a ton of well-deserved attention for their fabulous defenses, but it could be argued that the best defensive player in the SEC plays for South Carolina. Just how good is Melvin Ingram?
Ingram is the complete package and what sets him apart is his football IQ and relentless pursuit. He has a high motor and is one of the strongest players on the team, not to mention the most athletic. He may be a little undersized for the NFL but his desire is what makes him so good.
3. The Vols are starting a South Carolina native at QB in Rock Hill product and true freshman Justin Worley. How much does the average Gamecock fan know about Worley? With him being the Gatorade National Player of the Year, I assume he was a well-known commodity in the Palmetto State. Maybe you can help us Vol fans out because we honestly don’t know what to expect from him.
This kid absolutely lit it up back in the high school days, shattering several South Carolina state records and was the recipient of the Gatorade award as you noted. As a senior, he threw for 5,315 yards and a state-record 64 touchdowns. Worley finished his high school career with 13,385 passing yards and 157 total touchdowns. I am still scratching my head on how Coach Spurrier overlooked him and thought he did not fit into the system. I feel UT has potentially a very good QB in due time. Not sure he will be a miracle worker in his first few games but all in due time, I feel that he can do some really good things in Knoxville.
4. With South Carolina currently sitting atop the standings in the East, every conference game is critical. How important is this game for the Gamecocks and what will be their keys to the game?
All USC has to do to win the SEC East is win. They control their destnity. There are three keys in my mind for USC to win this game:
First, they must limit UT on third down as Tennessee has converted on 46 of its 95 third-down opportunities (48.4 percent), which is second in the SEC.
Second, USC’s pass defense has to come ready to play. Tennessee ranks second in passing offense (261.0), eighth in total offense (350.4), 12th in rushing offense (89.4), and seventh in scoring offense (25.1). Just reading over that tells you that the Gamecocks defense is a key to this game.
Lastly, Connor Shaw is the key on offense for USC. He can not make mistakes and must succeed in the short passing game to keep the chains moving.
5. What would Tennessee need to do to beat the favored Gamecocks this weekend? As a SC fan, what worries you most about this match-up?
For UT to win they must force mistakes and capitalize off them. Force Connor Shaw to make bad throws in traffic or get after some fumbles. UT has to get USC to play poorly as they don’t have Marcus Lattimore to be the work horse.
What worries me the most about this game is USC’s offensive line. They have to play big in this game in creating running lanes and protecting the quarterback. If they play poorly it will reflect in the score.
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Do check-out Checkerboard Chatter (www.checkerboardchatter.com) for all your UT Vols news and insights in the future and thanks for them allowing us to answer their questions.
