South Carolina Football: Bruce Ellington May Be Key to Salvaging the Season

Leading up to the Florida game, I thought South Carolina was pretty much guaranteed to win. 

However, with the injuries mounting, my confidence is beginning to waver.  If Connor Shaw can't go Saturday, it may be completely crushed. 

What you have are two offenses that have been putrid this season, against two solid defenses.  The issue is, South Carolina is running out of players.  Shaw's replacement is redshirt freshman Dylan Thompson, who just isn't ready yet. 

The key to saving this season is Bruce Ellington and the option attack. 

People forget one thing about Ellington.  He can throw when asked to.  He was a quarterback in high school, and a good one at that. 

He can bring that to the team.  Spurrier has a precedent for making such a move.  He switched Blake Mitchell with Syvelle Newton in his second season, and Newton produced. 

Ellington is a faster and smarter Syvelle with better quarterbacking chops. 

We have seen a great variety of wildcat plays with Bruce, including normal sets.  They have had option sets, and also have ran Damiere Byrd on the wide receiver sweep, which has proven to work well.  They have a week to make that the team's base offense. 

Why not?

Alshon Jeffery isn't getting the ball.  He is constantly double- and triple-teamed.  The other receivers have not done anything to get open, and the offensive line has been horrible in pass protection. 

So, run the ball.  All the time.  Put Brandon Wilds and Kenny Miles in the backfield with Ellington.  Have Byrd on the outside with fellow speedster Ace Sanders, and keep Jeffery on the field to keep the defenses honest. 

This attack could work.  It would also play to the strength of the team, the defense.  Florida has one of the worst offenses in football, currently ranked 93rd (worse than the Gamecocks).  They can win using the field position game.

It's getting harder and harder each week to say "win anyway" when it comes to this injury-prone team.

This could be the recipe for victory against Florida.  

It's always great to be a Gamecock, and War Damn Eagle! (This weekend, only!)