Davie's take on the Gamecocks
Bob Davie had a birds-eye view for Act III of the five-game implosion last season that cost USC a bowl berth, a top-10 ranking and all the rest.
Davie was in Fayetteville, Ark., the November night Arkansas tailback Darren McFadden rushed for an SEC record-tying 321 yards in the Hogs’ 48-36 dismantling of the Gamecocks.
Davie served as the color analyst on the ESPN2 broadcast, as he will for the USC-Tennessee game on Saturday. The former Notre Dame coach does not expect to see a repeat performance from the SEC’s top-ranked defense.
“They just kind of melted down defensively, particularly against the run,” Davie said of the ’07 Arky game. “Their defense (is) playing so good right now. They’re healthy on defense. They’re stopping the run on defense. I think that gives them a great opportunity to finish strong.”
The Gamecocks were without linebacker Jasper Brinkley and defensive tackle Nathan Pepper, both out with season-ending knee injuries, last year at this time, then lost cornerback Captain Munnerlyn to a foot injury near the end of the Arkansas game.
USC’s most serious injury on defense this year is a knee injury to walk-on defensive back Mike Newton.
Offensively, Davie said USC quarterback Stephen Garcia is “fun to watch,” but added the redshirt freshman is going through “some growing pains.” Some of those pains came from the six times Garcia was sacked vs. LSU.
Because he’s working the game, Davie declined to pick a winner but said the Gamecocks, 6-point favorites, have more offensive weapons than the Vols.
About the Gamecocks, Davie said: “I don’t think there’s any question that overall when I look at them, they’re on the upswing. I really believe that. Their talent level to me – a lot of those guys on defense are the same names as last year, only a year older a year more mature.”
7 Comments to “Davie's take on the Gamecocks”
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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. 
God, I love to be a Gamecock! Whether Spurrier stays or goes, he’s taken on the task of moving our recruiting to new heights. That alone is huge in SOUTH CAROLINA where our recruits typically get picked off by UGA, Fla., and a host of other big name SEC schools.
That’s no easy feat. Our program is headed in the right direction and I, for one, feel like we might have taken “the road less traveled”, but our day is coming. I never thought this year was “the one” but our defense certainly has played like it. Our offense will get there.
Looking forward to whooping the Vols tomorrow night!
GO GAMECOCKS!!
Next year is going to be the gamecocks year because they are not losing that many people and there defence is going to be strong and the offence is going to have some depth with stephen at QB, and jared cook at tight end along with moe brown and jason barnes at the recievers. GO GAMECOCKS!!!!!
yes, but they will need a MUCH better OL to have a better season than this one. Just think if Garcia had time to sit in the pocket and then to scramble and not have people in his face every play and to make the running game MUCH better to take the pressure off the pass. With this defense this could be one hell of a team if the OL improves tremendously.
The Vols will get nice N SPANKED for this un. I expecto the cocks to implodo the 10Vols,
oh yeah….for once we may be able to spank the vols like they have done to us for years.. come on cocks lets git it done and send em back to tennessee crying.. the defense will hold and if we get some protection we could explode on offense…here come the Cocks…
Same old ‘Cocks. Already saying ‘wait ’til next year’ again …
Could anyone tell me what coach put you in to play and you give him 10 yards he takes you outand stand you on the side line . I think Bobby Wallace #22 did a good job but why would you take him out.