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Is It Now or Never For The South Carolina Gamecocks in SEC?

Is It Now or Never For The South Carolina Gamecocks in SEC?

Jun 25, 2013

The South Carolina Gamecocks are arguably the most improved college football program of the past few seasons. A large part of that is thanks to the fantastic coaching job that the experienced Steve Spurrier has done. However, the potential fragility of the SEC East division front-runners and Jadeveon Clowney’s likely last season of college football could mean that it is now or never for Spurrier and the Gamecocks in terms of winning the SEC and competing for the national title.

South Carolina had a real chance in 2010 when they won the East division only to get thrashed 56-17 by the Auburn Tigers in the SEC championship game. Spurrier would have known that the team was still in the developmental stages at that point, but he will have also known that his team missed a terrific opportunity after a terrific season.

2011 and 2012 brought tales of frustration for a school trying to compete in the SEC. Both years felt promising for the Gamecocks, but they were unable to get ‘over the hump’ on either occasion. It isn’t easy to play in the same division as the Georgia Bulldogs and Florida Gators, or to play in the same conference as the Alabama Crimson Tide, LSU Tigers and now the Texas A&M Aggies.

This is a program that has the recruiting legitimacy to consistently compete. Still, Spurrier will know that windows of opportunity in the SEC are small and this is still a program that builds at a slightly slower pace compared with its bigger, more established rivals.

The 2013 season looks like an opportunity. Florida’s offense once again faces serious questions as Will Muschamp will have to lean heavily upon his defense to produce once again in 2013. South Carolina’s most inexplicable 2012 performance came in Florida as they gave up four turnovers in a 44-11 trouncing at the hands of their East division rivals. They will need to make amends for that in 2013 exploiting the Gators’ lack of obvious offense weapons.

Meanwhile, Georgia is once again stacked with exciting talent. However, they have to carry out an almost complete re-tool of their defense. They will be reliant upon a young and inexperienced group to pull through. It certainly is a talented group, but the chances of the Bulldogs not stumbling on a couple of occasion are actually not that high. South Carolina will need to exploit that.

They have a big time playmaker in defense with Jadeveon Clowney. He will be the leader and motivator of what should be another strong Gamecocks defense. Meanwhile, Connor Shaw and Dylan Thompson both could be a decent solution at quarterback. Sophomore running back Mike Davis has the potential to be the engine and driving force of an improved offense as well.

This might just be the window of opportunity for South Carolina. The start of the college football season is still pretty far away, but it’s a season that the Gamecocks will want to be perfectly prepared for.

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