Gamecocks In Unusual Position

Steve Spurrier has been here before.

The Gamecocks? Not so fast, my friend, as the University of South Carolina's latest favorite villain would say.

Spurrier knows what it takes to raise a program from the depths of mediocrity or worse (see Duke football), and take it to a league championship. The Gamecocks have never made it to the top of such a steep hill, save the 1969 ACC Championship season. For all practical purposes, that might as well have been 1869.

The Gamecocks were doubted after a lackluster performance in their 2007 opening win over Louisiana Lafayette, 28-14. Critics wouldn't have been happy with anything less than a thrashing of, oh, about 56-7 proportions.

After an impressive 16-12 win over the 11th-ranked Georgia Bulldogs last Saturday, the Gamecocks have silenced much of the early criticism that focused on a defense that didn't appear to be as good as advertised.

It wasn't as much a case of underachieving in the Louisiana-Lafayette game as much as it was vintage Spurrier gamesmanship. The Ole Ball Coach -- true to his own form -- used his available resources to gain an advantage over Georgia by sandbagging against the inferior opening opponent, and saving the hot pepper sauce to spice the meal in Athens. Spurrier didn't lay the groundwork with a formerly predictable flash of artillery in the distant light; he simply saved the real offensive (with defense) for the Southern advance a week later.

In Saturday's game against Georgia, the USC defense was as good as we've seen in these parts since perhaps the 1984 Fire Ants defense. Not that that defense was overwhelming, but it was exciting, hard-hitting, and opportunistic. Saturday night's defense was from the same mold, and is exactly the kind of "D" this team needs to succeed in the toughest division in the toughest conference in all the land.

Folks, its been a long time since we've seen something like this. Count the years -- close to a quarter of a century. There's something different in the air at USC, and it doesn't revolve around an All Star quarterback, running back, or wide receiver.

The offense is average at best at this point, but it will get better. Much better. That's the beautiful thing about this team's metamorphosis. We are seeing it emerge from the cocoon, defensive legs first, and offensive teeth last, but we are seeing it happen, and we are seeing it right now. The defense has arrived, and you can bet your bottom dollar Steve Spurrier won't rest until he has a high-octane offense in overdrive.

The Gamecocks rolled a top 11 team Saturday Between The Hedges in Athens, Georgia, and they were clearly the better team, although to Georgia's credit, the Bulldogs did have a chance to win late. Yet, despite being the clearly better team on the field -- they flat out wanted it more -- the Gamecocks did not give us a "great" overall performance. This team will be much better in late October. Too late maybe to take down LSU in Baton Rouge on September 22, but in plenty of time to take out Tennessee and Florida again. All of which shapes up as setting the table for a possible USC-LSU rematch in Atlanta in the SEC Championship game!

Spurrier said before the season that this team is ready to challenge for the SEC Championship, and the critics like Lee Corso laughed at the prospect. But ask people in places like Tuscaloosa, Gainesville -- and certainly Athens -- today, and you'll see less smiling, and a glint of concern in the eyes of those same critics.

The Gamecocks are indeed in an unusual position today. They lead the SEC East, they've beaten Georgia, and they will look Tennessee and Florida dead in the eye without flinching this time around.

And the best is still yet to come.