UT aftermath: Spurrier questions Culliver effort
No game balls after a loss.
A couple of tidbits from Steve Spurrier’s teleconference this afternoon:
–DE Cliff Matthews (shoulder) is out for this week’s Arkansas game, and maybe longer. That’s a big loss any time, even more so while preparing to face the SEC’s best passing offense and the No. 1 passer in Ryan Mallett.
Important week for Devin Taylor and Clifton Geathers.
–Spurrier did not necessarily agree with Moe Brown and Stephen Garcia’s contention that the Gamecocks need to pick up the practice intensity/pace. Spurrier was more concerned about the effort level at UT.
Asked about FS Chris Culliver, who had a couple of glaring missed/half-hearted tackles, Spurrier said: “His tackling effort was not good enough. So we’re going to try to address that the next day or two.”
Let’s not jump the gun and start making comparisons to Captain Munnerlyn and Emanuel Cook. Culliver had 11 tackles two weeks ago at Alabama. If he has a couple more games like Saturday’s, then the NFL questions are relevant.
–Nine weeks into the season, and USC still does not have an offensive line it can trust to keep Garcia off his back.
The latest player to take his turn up front? Garrett Chisolm.
The transfer from Division II Pikeville stepped in at left guard during the second half against the Vols and played well enough that he could get his first start this week.
13 Comments to “UT aftermath: Spurrier questions Culliver effort”
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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. 
Wow, how many 5 star receivers are we recruiting?
Let’s find a middle linebacker UNDER 200 pounds.
There are two things as a fan that I can’t tolerate: 1) lack of effort 2) Being unprepared to play. The defense looked happy just to let UT run right through (Culliver), and the offense looked as if they had never seen water fall from the sky before Saturday. To the defense- HEAD UP, BUTT DOWN, WRAP UP, AND DRIVE THOUGH thats how you tackle.
Culliver is a wimp. Afraid of contact. Should have been given a blanket party by his teammates on the plane ride home for being such wuss against the Vols. If I’m the coach, he doesn’t play next week. We need men, not boys out on the football field.
I thought all the underacheivers were gone. After Saturday night’s treat, I see we still have some left. To those, please graduate, go pro or drop out!!!!
All you cock fans who dissed the VOLS and Kiffin before the game this past weekend – get used to losing to TN. The team is close to returning to the top. Kiffin has the team passionate about playing and he’s coaching up the players. Add the upcoming top recruiting class and the VOLS will be a team SC will dread playing for years to come. What happened to the VOL beat down so many of you predicted SC would deliver?
[...] want to practice better and harder in an effort to avoid yet another late-season collapse.3. Spurrier doesn’t necessarily agree with his players’ worries about practice. (He’s also not happy with the play of safety [...]
The “Old Ball Coach” may just be wrong on this one. Our coaches always taught us that “you play like you practice.” If you don’t go at it full-tilt Monday through Thursday, you’ll get your ears pinned back on Friday. If I was Johnson, I would’ve asked Kiffin if was OK to borrow the FB field after the game until about midnight. Then, they might get the idea.
Culliver did have some awful plays but anytime our free safety is taking the heat for not laying the big hits there is something awfully wrong… Now the FB pass on the first TD! WTH? However, take away the fumbles we still win. We desperately need Justin Parker
Culliver’s lack of taclking wasnt the only problem. On those first two kickoff returns, he looked as scared as a Girl Scout walking into a biker bar.
Paul2 – your coach is still a punk who is riding daddy’s coattails. TN does not have anywhere near the talent that our state has. By in large we have kept the players in our state since Spurrier’s arrival that we want over TN so you’re flat wrong. You got this one on fumbles – we hold on to the ball and you lose. 2 years from now UT will be looking up at us in the east year in and year out. Your coach has NO CLASS and that will bear itself out as we continue to get better players. Enjoy this one cause there won’t be many… if any more.
upstategcock; “There are two things as a fan that I can’t tolerate: 1) lack of effort 2) Being unprepared to play. The defense looked happy just to let UT run right through (Culliver).”
Upstategcock, I couldn’t agree more. In my view, marginal effort nor lack of preparation (NOT) will continue to be a problem until orgagnized gambling on college athletics is banned (outlawed) and strict punitive measures (jail time) is assessed to violators. LOU HOLTZ HAS SPOKEN PUBLICLY AND WRITTEN EXENSIVELY ON THIS ISSUE. HE MAY BE THE STRONGEST ADVOCATE IN THE COUNTRY FOR A BAN ON ORGAGNIZED ATHELETICS WITHIN THE COLLEGE ARENA.
typo: orgagnized gambling
Tennesse has served notice to the Gators, Bama, and Garnet Chickens!!! Vols are only going to get better! Lane Kiffin is the MAN!!