Spurrier not feeding fans a line
As Steve Spurrier took issue Monday with the way his offensive line has played … and his starting quarterback … and receivers … and just about every other offensive player not named Cory Boyd and Mike Davis, you couldn’t help but wonder whether the HBC was quoting from the The Poor-Mouthing Handbook his predecessor left behind in the third-floor office of the football building.
The short answer: No.
Spurrier does not practice the Jedi mind tricks that Lou Holtz was famous, or infamous, for. There’s no false flattery of opposing coaches or players.
Spurrier will not try to make S.C. State out to be this year’s Boise State sleeper special. He doesn’t even bother to filter his words when discussing SEC rivals (thankfully, I might add).
“If anybody watched us tonight, we’d be lucky to be picked fourth in the Eastern Division,” Spurrier said after last week’s scrimmage. “I bet Kentucky and Vandy looked better than our team tonight.”
Nor does Spurrier try the old Holtz reverse-psychology voodoo: talking poorly of his team in the hopes the opponent gets such a big head that it cancels practice all week and goes to the College Students Eat Free promotion at Krispy Kreme the night before the game.
Spurrier arrived at South Carolina with a reputation as a straight shooter, and has continued to call ‘em like he sees ‘em during his time in Columbia.
So when Spurrier says he has concerns about his offense, you should take him at his word.
When a reporter suggested Monday that fans might view his comments as typical coachspeak, Spurrier replied, “They haven’t seen us try to block people, yet – and throw and catch.”
He then rattled off the litany of problems.
“We’re not the greatest of everything right now. Blake (Mitchell) struggles a lot. Line struggles. Receivers struggle. Probably the only consistent thing is Cory and Mike running the ball. But they’re not going to run very far if we can’t block,” he said. “We’re not as good as we can be. We were about like this last year. Heck, our offense didn’t become a very good offense until Syvelle (Newton) started playing.”
Listening to Spurrier and offensive line coach John Hunt, I’m hearing a lot of the same things I heard last preseason about the line:
A couple of the young guys have to step up. Certain linemen don’t seem to get upset when they get beat on a play. There needs to be more consistency up front.
That does not bode well. The line’s early-season struggles from 2006 have been well documented. The Gamecocks allowed four sacks and several pressures in a 15-0 win at Mississippi State, then got shoved around in an 18-0 loss to Georgia the following week, prompting Spurrier to start the scrambling Newton until the line found its way.
The good news is the Gamecocks do not open on the road against an SEC team this year. They host a Louisiana-Lafayette squad that has allowed an average of 49 points against teams from BCS conferences over the past three years.
In other words, the Gamecocks’ front five should have a chance to open holes, congratulate teammates in the end zone and develop a little confidence before hitting the road for huge September scrums against Georgia and LSU.
Spurrier believes he has the talent up front. He signed eight linemen in 2006, seven of whom made it to campus. The problem is they’ve only been around for a year, playing a position that generally requires more seasoning than those skill spots farther from the ball.
In Spurrier’s first two seasons at USC, Hunt’s lines have improved as he’s experimented with lineups and eventually hit on a solid combination. There’s no reason to think the same process won’t unfold this year.
How long it takes will determine whether the Gamecocks are serious SEC contenders.
USC football beat writer Joe Person has covered the Gamecocks since the start of the 2002 season. He's been on the college football beat since 1993. 
Typically weak between the guards is easier to handle(in a passing offense) than weak outside the guards, because it’s easier for a back to pick up a linebacker than a rush end. So, even if we are still weak up front, shoudn’t we be a little better with experienced tackles and backs that block well?
“seven of whom made it to campus.”JOE,statements like this are the reason GAMECOCK people do not like you!
People don’t like me?!
gwd—are you going to make me start reciting the Stuart Smalley mantra from his self-help Saturday Night Live skit?
“I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me.”
Seriously, I fail to see where that statement would raise the ire of gamecock nation.
The comment does not offend me. Let’s see how many make it on the field. In 2002 USC signed 6 offensive linemen, and only 2 of them made it on the field. This group will pass that this season.
moecock
I know USC is recruiting offensive linemen this year, but it is a shame they only brought in one- somewhat troubled at that- O-lineman in such an outstanding recruiting class this year. These guys are the slowest to develop into a team, and every year at least 3 or 4 of a recruiting class should be O-linemen. Every good team i’ve seen has a Junior or Senior starter on the line, backed up by a Sophomore. Lou may claim he left us with a lot of good players, but if he did they would be playing on the line this year. Look for a few of the D-linemen to switch over to O-linemen
Actually, USC signed two O-linemen this year—Q. Richardson and K. Nunn. And I would respectfully disagree with you, BC—I think taking two a year after signing eight is probably smart scholarship management. But your main point is certainly valid—Spurrier has said ad nauseum that he would like to get to a point where he has fourth- and fifth-year guys starting up front.
As for recruiting. If you take a look at Rivals top 100 for all positions, 2/3rd have committed, including two to Clemson. They have another dozen that list them in their favorites. We have none committed, and only 4 that include us in the list of schools they are considering. We seem to be way behind.
OL is a hard position to recruit. In youth leagues, size was enough, in Middle School size and knowledge of your assignment did the job. In HS, size, kowwlegre of your assignment and those beside you at every play did the job. Blocking assignments get progressively more challenging to mentally learn and physically master as the number of plays increase. Unlike a RB, and more so a WR, the OL must be understand teammates assignments second only to the QB, for every play. It is not an intelligence thing, but a strong desire to be a student of the game, the team’s playbook, and his teammate’s assignments. The OL must enjoy learning from both the mental and physical standpoints.
How good we are on offense goes by the o-line. If we don’t play well up front we will be the same as last year. If our O-lne plays well the sky is the limit.
Dont worry, I like you Joe. gwd probably likes Ron Morris.
Joe, can you give us some insight on USC’s recruiting efforts this year. It seems like SC has taken a major step backwards after last years class was ranked as high as 4th in the nation by espn.
I’m with Nathan, Joe. I appreciate what you do for the newspaper and i absolutely respect your opinion. Good job in the paper and on the site.
Also, i believe that USC9195 has a very valid point: with two very good, very large, and very experienced tackles and two running backs who are more experienced and even better, I think our weakness in the middle isn’t such an issue. If those guys can gel in the L-L game this weekend and score some points ( as they should), then i believe that the boost in confidence alone should help them greatly; even Spurrier admits they are talented. They just need a chance to believe it themselves.
As always, GO GAMECOCKS!
I too have wondered if Spurrier is blowing smoke w/ the poor-mouth. It’s good too see what an SC beat reporter thinks.
That being said: Has Spurrier been asked why he is letting this problem persisit?
Is Hunt the problem? Because the staff went out and got the players they wanted for the O-line. Who is accountable, and how and why are they blowing it?..if that is the case.
Also: if Spurrier is so much the straight shooter, why is Joe not asking him if the SEC championship is attainable w/ the current woes on the O-line?
And: if Spurrier is the staright shooter, and Joe believes that to be the case, does Joe have the Gamecocks in his Top 25, and does Joe think the Gamecocks can win the SEC, as the staright shooter said?
Big T—not to be confused with Mr. T.
Where to start? Obviously, Hunt has to be held accountable at some level. And I think Spurrier addressed that this summer by saying publicly on several occasions that the line has to play better.
Spurrier never said the Gamecocks would win the SEC. He said the talent level had improved to the point where USC could start making the SEC championship part of the team’s goals. In fact, after the line played poorly in the one of the scrimmages, he said they’d have trouble beating Kentucky and Vandy.
No, I don’t have the Gamecocks in my AP top 25 (which The State publishes each week, by the way). And the reason is how the O-line played this summer and the fact that Spurrier is still looking for receivers to complement McKinley.
So I guess you’re saying the straight shooter, shot prematurely (in your opinion) about challenging for the SEC crown.
So I’d be inclined to question his staight shooter reputation. Because my guess is that a straight shooter would wait and see if he has all the tools before making a claim…otherwise it’s just speculation that changes according to the latest scrimmage.
Conclusion: either you have to agree w/ Spurrier’s SEC challenger outlook, or strip him of his straight shooter clout…or so it seems.
PS: The way you’ve constructed your premise, here, allows you to harp on the team’s most-publicized deficiency…which I see as a pattern at your newspaper.
Remember when he first mentioned the SEC title? Last fall when he thought (hoped?) Rice was coming back. He couldn’t very well back down after putting it out there.
I’m not suggesting Spurrier doesn’t have agendas or that he’s always forthcoming with every bit of information about his program. But he’s certainly less evasive than most major coaches.
Thanks, Joe, for providing your insight. I consider it valuable.
And I’ll say this: Even if the O-line is not as good as Spurrier wants it, I’d bet it’s better than last years.
Also: I’d bet SC will be all significant Top 25 polls by the end of the season.
First off, Go Cocks!!! I have a very good feeling about this years offensive line. I feel that after tomorrow’s game and a week of practice we will be ready to give the ‘Dawgs all they can handle between the hedges. Look for a lot of passes to be made to Corey Boyd and Mike Davis coming out of the backfield. This week, USC 52 LA-L 9 ….. next week, USC 20 UGA 17. Go Cocks!!!