Bleacher Report - Articles by Tim Pollock

Top 10 Nonsense in Week Eight Polls

Tim Pollock — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:31:37 -0400

While the top three teams in the country continue to look vulnerable despite wins, the big mystery continues to be the No. 4 team in the country, which has been the case all season.

Let’s play “One of these isn’t like the other.”

No. 4 Southern Cal has one loss—to an unranked, 3-5 Washington team, and the Trojans are coming off two close wins over Oregon State and Notre Dame.

Behind them at No. 5 is undefeated Cincinnati, who also beat Oregon State, in Corvallis, no less. The Bearcats have taken care of business in other games, destroying nearly every opponent—without their starting quarterback, I might add.

At No. 6 sits Boise State, who—despite their weak schedule—has notched a win over Pac-10 leader, Oregon.

Behind Boise State is undefeated Iowa at No. 7. The Hawkeyes won at Penn State, who is ranked five spots higher than Ohio State, the Big 10 team Southern Cal defeated to garner so much respect.

Back at No. 8 is another undefeated team in TCU. They have won at Virginia, at Clemson, and just destroyed BYU. Their schedule will hurt them, but they are taking care of business.

LSU is at No. 9, despite having only one loss—to the No. 1 team in the nation. And here’s the kicker: LSU won at Washington while USC’s only loss was against the Huskies.

And finally, the No. 10 team is Oregon, who is atop the Pac-10 standings right now, and whose only loss is to the currently ranked No. 6 team.

Something is seriously wrong here, droogs. Southern Cal’s preferential treatment in the polls is making an already ridiculous setup even worse.

Obviously, the game in Eugene this weekend looms large for both the Ducks and Trojans. Should USC escape with a win, the pollsters will look justified.

An Oregon win presents an even bigger problem, however—and a possible nightmare for the BCS. Should Oregon win out, how can they possibly jump a team that defeated them, especially when that team will more than likely close out the year undefeated?

Too many scenarios can still play out since there is so much football left to be played, but pardon me if I think someone is going to get shafted.

I’ve never been a proponent of a playoff in college football, but based on what we have seen this season, will anyone in the country feel good about the national title game participants?

Stay tuned.

South Carolina-Alabama: Predicting a Gamecock Win Is Plain Silly

Tim Pollock — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:27:54 -0400

Tom Sorensen of the Charlotte Observer recently wrote an article predicting a South Carolina upset over second-ranked Alabama.

Poppycock, I say (and pardon the terrible pun).

What is so shameful about Sorensen’s “prediction” is that it is based on zero knowledge of either team, the SEC, or even college football itself.

Even if the guy turns out to be “correct,” this was clearly a case of a journalist doing whatever he can to stir up discussion and garner readers and attention.

Here is what Sorensen had to write:

“Despite Alabama's overwhelming fans and even more overwhelming talent, I foresee the biggest upset in college football in 2009."

The disparity in experience is frightening. Yet South Carolina will upset Alabama for two reasons.

The first is that Alabama, a 17-point favorite, is supposed to win. When the Gamecocks take a late lead, how will the favorites respond? The players will turn to coach Nick Saban and Saban will tell them, 'I'm a great recruiter.'

But innovation will be required, and it will be too late.

The second reason is Spurrier, the great innovator. Spurrier won a national championship at Florida and, more impressively, an ACC championship at Duke.

He was once was the best football coach in the country, and magic still lurks beneath his visor. It has been simmering. And as the late and oh-so-great John Lee Hooker sang, 'It's in him and it got to come out.'

It comes out Saturday in suddenly sullen Tuscaloosa.”

Fellow droogs, I may be the biggest Spurrier supporter you have ever met. My loyalty to the Head Ball Coach can border on irrational.

But I’m also a pretty objective college football fan—and I’ve seen both of these teams play.

Could the Tide possibly get caught looking ahead to their matchup with Tennessee next week? Possibly, but it won’t matter for long.

Expect the Tide to continue to do what they have all season: pound the running game down the defense’s throat. Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson will continue to have success, especially since the Gamecock defense has been so injury-plagued.

When middle linebacker Rodney Paulk was lost for the year with a torn ACL, his replacements were either drastically undersized—Shaq Wilson, who weighs in at 210 pounds—or drastically inexperienced and undersized—Tony Straughter, a junior college transfer who is only 215 pounds and has played in only two SEC games.

The Gamecocks are also without defensive tackle Travian Robertson, also out with an ACL, and cornerback Akeem Auguste, who is finishing his three-game suspension.

The Gamecocks’ front line is fast enough and nasty enough to get pressure on McElory, but they likely won’t get many opportunities to do so.

Instead, the Tide will hammer their backs up the middle all game long and bide their time, waiting for a seam that will allow a long run, or the defense to eventually wear down—or both.

As for South Carolina’s offense, other than height advantage with wide receivers Alshon Jeffery and Tori Gurley, the Bama defense has the upper hand in every single area—like they do in nearly every game.

Expect a lot of Gamecock three and outs, as the Tide will look to take advantage of an improved but still shaky South Carolina offensive line.

Finally, as loyal as I am to Spurrier, I am the polar opposite toward Nick Saban. And why wouldn’t I be? He is not my head coach, and the man has a history of shady behavior—which Tide fans conveniently forget, I might add.

But for Sorensen to boil down Saban’s coaching to simply being a good recruiter is beyond foolish—and completely unfounded. Saban is a heckuva coach with big game experience, and he is also surrounded by excellent position coaches.

I don’t expect a blowout this Saturday, but I can’t imagine a scenario where the Gamecocks will be in the game late in the fourth quarter.

All that said, I do agree with Sorensen about one thing—Steve Spurrier, despite criticism otherwise, still has the “magic under the visor.”

Unfortunately, Spurrier won’t be pulling any tricks this Saturday in Tuscaloosa.

Game Prediction: Alabama 31, South Carolina 17

Around the SEC: More Candid Thoughts

Tim Pollock — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 12:59:39 -0400

Dear Georgia,

Wow. I mean, wow.

You go from a bogus celebration penalty away from winning in Baton Rouge to getting torched by Jonathan Crompton of all people.

That’s like getting dumped by Erin Andrews and then left at the altar by Wendi Nix.

I would say it’s time to call off the Joe Cox Experiment, but the whole team looks bad. Except for return man Brandon Boykin, of course. Kick away from this guy, future opponents.

LSU’s defense is still on the field.

That said, was anyone else confused about how Tim Tebow earned co-Player of the Game (along with Brandon Spikes) last night? I know he had a concussion and all, but let’s get serious here. Number 15 threw for 134 yards, ran for 38 on 17 carries, and threw a terrible interception late in the game.

Meanwhile, Jevan Snead threw for 140 and ran for 44 and is the most hated man in the state of Mississippi right now—along with dropping another 80 spots on Mel Kiper’s big draft board. Yes, I am conveniently leaving out the four interceptions Snead tossed—two of which were simply lost balls by the receivers—but a little perspective on Tebow would be nice.

I think Touchdown Timmy is the greatest player in the game, but the kid has received enough accolades already. The stifling Gator D was the reason Florida walked away with an easy win in Death Valley, and crediting another Gator defender would have been the right thing for CBS to do.

Steve Spurrier is 17-0 vs. Kentucky.

Sure, the Gamecocks were unbalanced an inconsistent while posting a slim two-point win over the injury-plagued Cats, but 17 in a row at two different schools is pretty amazing.

And the emergence of true freshman receiver Alshon Jeffery has to be encouraging for the Head Ball Coach.

Montario Hardesty is nasty. Just plain nasty—and his career path is unlike any other player’s. Never more than a role player before this season, this kid is looking like a legit NFL Draft pick.

Last week, I suspected Auburn’s vault from unranked to No. 17 was a bit overzealous on the part of the pollsters, but never did I think they would get manhandled by a roller coaster Arkansas team. Imagine rushing for 242 yards and losing by 21 points.

Mississippi State’s Anthony Dixon may have recorded the best run of the year yesterday when he dragged nine Houston players 50 yards to the house. The Cougars have never been the most defensive-oriented team in the nation, but still…

Vanderbilt’s loss to Army only strengthens the argument by other conferences that the SEC is just as top heavy as most. Add in the way Ole Miss and Georgia have been exposed, and the argument is valid. Simply put, the SEC just ain’t as tough as it was even a few years ago.

Then there is this: Kentucky—fresh off a three-game losing streak—is preparing for its fourth bowl win in a row. Despite losses to any legitimate team they have faced, the Cats are still on pace for another bowl appearance due to some neat scheduling.

After wins over Miami of Ohio and Louisville to open the season, Kentucky also plays Louisiana Monroe and Eastern Kentucky.

And if they can take two of their games against Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, or the toss-up game with Tennessee to end the season, Rich Brooks will have himself yet another Music City Bowl trophy for his bathroom

South Carolina Gamecocks at a Crossroads

Tim Pollock — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:19:23 -0400

This Saturday’s game against Kentucky presents a great opportunity for a young Gamecocks squad looking to win its fourth game in a row.

But a loss in this game at home would be devastating—especially when looking ahead toward the rest of the schedule.

And so the Gamecocks find themselves at somewhat of a crossroads this weekend.

In what might be called “Buyer Beware Day” at Williams-Brice Stadium, Gamecock fans may want to look through the history section of a media guide before they drink too heavily from the South Carolina Kool-Aid.

Because I come with sobering news, fellow droogs: A heavy dose of reality will descend upon Columbia come Saturday afternoon, when Carolina will unfortunately lose a home game to Kentucky.

How soon we forget that just three days ago the Gamecocks held a slim 10-7 halftime lead over outmatched South Carolina State. And before that, a 17-16 halftime lead over Florida Atlantic.

Before I’m called a Benedict Arnold, though, let me outline the reasons I’m predicting the Wildcats to upset South Carolina.

1.) Trevard Lindley

The Wildcats' senior cornerback is arguably the best corner in a conference full of talented athletes. And while the rest of his secondary didn’t get much hype heading into the season, the group has fared well so far.

Kentucky is always solid against the pass, and the team's numbers should get even better now that Florida and Alabama are off the schedule.

Look for Lindley to come up big this weekend.

As for South Carolina’s secondary, let’s move on to number two.

2.) Akeem Auguste

Auguste is one of the Gamecocks’ starting cornerbacks, but due to some stupidity by the young man, he is currently serving a three-game suspension.

Auguste would never be considered the team’s MVP, but his absence hurts Carolina in four ways.

First, an experienced starter is gone and replaced by CC Whitlock, a guy who came in with promise but has not panned out quite yet. In turn, this affects the defense’s depth even more. The unit has already been obliterated by injuries—and on top of that, true freshmen are being asked to play serious minutes.

But Auguste has also been the Gamecocks’ main punt returner—and an effective one at that. He has not committed a turnover, and while he hasn’t broken a score yet, his returns are always solid.

Finally, August brings a swagger to the secondary (which may be interpreted as arrogance, especially in light of his suspension), and his energy has played a role in Stephon Gilmore’s success. His head-bobbing and constant jawing will be missed by his teammates.

3.) Randall Cobb

Other than the Florida game, Kentucky WR Randall Cobb has sizzled this season. And given that he will be lining up against an inexperienced group of corners, look for him to post another great game.

As a side note, if you haven’t seen Mike Hartline’s perfect 45-yard bomb to Cobb—on Javier Arenas, one of the best corners in the SEC—please punch yourself in both thighs. It was one of the best plays of the young season.

Couple Cobb’s playmaking with the running tandem of Derrick Locke and Alphonso Smith, two experienced backs, and Kentucky will have the firepower needed for a W.

4.) Lucky Bounces

The fact is, South Carolina has been uncharacteristically fortunate in recent games against the Wildcats—and especially last year.

Like it or not, karma has a way of evening itself out.

5.) Kentucky is due

It seems like Kentucky has a losing streak to every team in the SEC, and even South Carolina has gotten in on the fun, having posted nine straight wins over the Wildcats. Despite that, however, this series has become a nice little rivalry in recent years, with close and exciting games to boot.

As for this year, Kentucky just got finished getting pasted by Florida and Alabama, the two premier teams in the conference. But while the Wildcats were out of the Florida game before it started, they gave the Tide quite a bit of trouble.

The final score didn’t show it, but the box score was about even. You simply can’t win an SEC game when you turn the ball over four times. Needless to say, Kentucky made a lot of Alabama fans nervous last Saturday—and I would say they are going to make Carolina fans sick this coming weekend.

Game Prediction: Kentucky 24, South Carolina 17

College Football Week Six Polls Released: More Comedy Ensues

Tim Pollock — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 19:13:00 -0400

Yes, ranking teams is hard.

But this is getting ridiculous.

After another solid weekend of football, the pollsters did their best to make college football fans scratch their heads.

The silliness concerning the No. 4 team has produced some odd results, to say the least.

Last week I wrote about the absurdity of Southern Cal’s No. 7 ranking. As you recall, the Trojans went from No. 4 in the land to No. 12 after losing to an unranked Washington team, who is now 2-3.

A week later, after a lackluster 27-6 win over hapless Washington State, USC shot back up to No. 7, where they stand now.

Meanwhile, after Ole Miss lost their No. 4 spot—to a South Carolina team who is now 4-1 and ranked—the Rebels slipped all the way to No. 21.

Yet after Ole Miss’s 23-7 win over Vanderbilt, a team on par with Washington State, the Rebels moved up to No 20.

That’s right—one measly spot.

Tell the Pac-10 homers to shut their trappers about all the supposed SEC love.

Fast forward to this week, when No. 4 LSU narrowly defeated Georgia, who was ranked No. 18. Pollsters apparently thought the game was a blowout, as they dropped the Bulldogs from the top 25 altogether.

That seems a tad harsh to me, especially when Oklahoma—who is now 2-2 with wins over no one significant—dropped to only No. 19 after losing to Miami.

Behind Oklahoma there are still teams with one loss as well as undefeated teams.

Speaking of one-loss teams, South Carolina’s upset of Ole Miss didn’t get them in the top 25, but a lame win over MEAC member South Carolina State was good enough to earn them the title of No. 25 overall.

Then you have Auburn. Sure, they are undefeated—but from unranked to No. 17 after a win over 2-3 Tennessee?

Jigga what?

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Houston lost to unranked UTEP and tumbled from No. 13 all the way out of the top 25. Weren’t they the new national champion dark horse three days ago?

And you can’t forget about Iowa. After squeaking out a three-point win over Arkansas State, the Hawkeyes actually moved up a spot to No. 12.

Expect more nonsense a week from today.

South Carolina vs. South Carolina State: 17 Gameday Predictions

Tim Pollock — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 08:04:54 -0400

As the Gamecocks get ready to host South Carolina State, here are 17 things to look for from the home team:

1) A special teams touchdown

The Gamecocks are primed for a big play from the special teams unit. While a punt return or punt block is most likely since the Bulldogs should be forced to punt often, I like Bryce Sherman’s chances to take one to the house on a kickoff.

For those who watched Sherman return the opening kick against Ole Miss last week, you saw how fast he reached the 50. Sure, the play was returned due to a hold, but the kid showed his ridiculous speed. If only he could catch the ball...

2) A fumbled kickoff return

Sherman came very close to bouncing one off his facemask last game. Couple that with the excitement of breaking a long one, and it wouldn’t be shocking if the kid’s feet got going before his hands did the proper work.

3) The running game will produce a play of 50 yards or longer

Brian Maddox still has yet to find open space, instead running for the tough yards. I think he’ll break loose in this game. Meanwhile, Jarvis Giles and Kenny Miles are ready to roll.

4) Backup quarterback Reid McCollum will look great and awful in the same series

No surprise here since the kid will be getting his first significant action of the season. Fun trivia fact: McCollum was AJ Green’s high school quarterback.

5) Eric Norwood will record at least one sack

Duh.

6) Akeem Auguste will nab an interception

Auguste has been awfully close too many times this season; a gamble finally pays off

7) Offensive line coach Eric Wolford will yell at someone and make a mean face

Like clockwork, droogs.

8) Despite superior talent, the Gamecocks will allow South Carolina State to stay in the game far too long

This one has haunted South Carolina teams like no other. Look no further than two weeks ago, when the Gamecocks held a one-point advantage over FAU at the half before finally pulling away.

Close wins over Wofford and UCF, among others, also come to mind.

9) No major injuries will be sustained

Maybe this is simply wishful thinking, but South Carolina can’t afford any more significant injuries to key players—depth is an issue already

10) The Head Ball Coach will yank off his visor and pull it back on his head, tugging it down too far so he has to put it back on again

As a promise to his wife, Spurrier doesn’t chuck the visor anymore. His pained facial expressions make up for it, however.

11) At halftime, Spurrier will insist that the coaches need to "coach them up better"

This is Spurrier’s version of "take one play at a time" or "set the tone to start the second half."

12) Stephen Garcia will throw an awful interception

I think the kid will have an overall great game, but his gameday mentality still isn’t where it should be, and sometimes his gunslinger instincts take over.

13) Tori Gurley will have the biggest feet on the field

Seriously, somebody measure this kid’s feet. They are massive. We need some sort of ESPN special on this. I am not kidding.

14) Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery will prove why he was so highly recruited

Alshon to get his first career touchdown in spectacular fashion.

15) Either Darian Stewart or Shaq Wilson will drop a sure-fire interception

These jokers have oven mitts on their hands at all times.

16) Stephon Gilmore will not play quarterback in the Wildcat formation

Despite promises to give the offense his explosiveness, Gilmore appears to be staying put on the defensive side of the ball.

17) Weslye Saunders will drag four defenders en route to yet another 20-yard completion

Saunders might be the most difficult man to tackle in all of college football.

And that’ll do it.

Game Prediction: Gamecocks, 38-10

Week Five Top 25 Released: Gamecocks Get No Respect

Tim Pollock — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 16:02:08 -0400

Despite a 3-1 record and a nationally televised win over previously fourth-ranked Ole Miss, South Carolina still finds itself out of the top 25, while the Rebels are somehow at number 21.

Now before you say that Ole Miss was overrated — which they were — who isn’t overrated this year?

Is LSU really the fourth best team in the country right now? Where would the Tigers be ranked if Mississippi State’s Tyson Lee would have employed common sense by actually extending his arms on a goal-line run?

Previously sixth-ranked Cal was destroyed and dropped all the way to 24. The Miami Hurricanes went from possible national title contenders and media darlings to the number 17 team in the land. BYU beat a Sam Bradford-less Oklahoma but got throttled by a mediocre FSU team—at home, no less—yet still holds on to the 20 spot.

The list could go on and on.

But my favorite has to be Southern Cal. Despite losing to an unranked Washington team, who was just throttled by Stanford and therefore dropped from the rankings, the Trojans only dropped to 12. After their win over the always formidable Washington State (sarcasm intended), the Trojans are back to number seven this week.

Huh?

Does this mean Ole Miss gets its spot back in the top 10 if they beat Vanderbilt this Saturday?

So coming full circle: Save me the “Ole Miss was overrated” rhetoric.

The polls are always a point of discussion, but this season is out of control. As everyone with a brain has already noted, once you past the top three, it’s a crapshoot.

And it’s all building toward the most controversial and ridiculous BCS match-ups ever.

In other news: Tim Tebow is human.

South Carolina-Ole Miss: Five Reasons Why the Gamecocks Will Shock the Rebels

Tim Pollock — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:46:11 -0400

A big SEC battle is brewing this week when South Carolina and Steve Spurrier confront fourth-ranked Ole Miss.

Here are five reasons why the Gamecocks will shock the world:

1.) Thursday Night Magic at Williams-Brice

For the fifth-straight year—and already for the second time this season—South Carolina will host a Thursday night ESPN game, a gig with which the Gamecocks are quite familiar.

In their seven Thursday night games, the Cocks are 5-2, with the only two losses coming to a tough 2006 Auburn team and a vastly improved 2008 Vanderbilt team.

The Gamecocks’ biggest Thursday night game was the 2007 win against eighth-ranked Kentucky. Behind an explosive home crowd, Carolina made big play after big play en route to a 38-23 win over Andre Woodson and Co.

Meanwhile, Ole Miss visits Columbia for the first time since 2004 and should be greeted by a hostile, out-of-control crowd.

2.) Battle-Tested vs. Creampuff-Tested

This young Gamecock squad got no breaks from the schedule makers, as they hit the road for two tough games to open the season.

The defensive struggle over NC State wasn’t pretty, but they posted the W, and the shootout loss in Athens—a very tough place to win—left the Gamecocks with a bitter taste in their mouths, as time expired with Carolina unable to score from Georgia’s four-yard line.

Last week, Carolina got to showcase its new, young offensive players and rolled up 38 more points against FAU.

Ole Miss, on the other hand, has looked sloppy in its first two games against inferior opponents. The offense was badly out of sync against Memphis, and in a 52-6 victory over outmatched Southeastern Louisiana, the Rebels dropped two touchdown passes and fumbled two punts—mistakes that SEC teams will capitalize on.

If South Carolina can score an early touchdown, it will be interesting to see how an untested Ole Miss group will respond.

3.) Health

Because Carolina doesn’t get the press of other SEC teams, few people know that the Gamecocks’ best defensive lineman, Ladi Ajijboye, comes back from a three-game suspension this week. In addition, the other starting defensive tackle, Nathan Pepper, returns from an injury sustained early in the Georgia game two weeks ago.

Couple that with the improved play of backups Travian Robertson and Melvin Ingram, and the Cocks should be fresh in the trenches all game long.

The loss of starting middle linebacker Rodney Paulk has definitely been part of the recent defensive struggles, but Eric Norwood has taken his game to a new level this year—and has a knack for big plays on televised games.

So while Paulk’s replacement, Shaq Wilson, may struggle with run support against a potent Rebel running attack, Norwood should be able to offset some of the damage.

As for Ole Miss, they are just now getting over the nearly teamwide case of the flu, and Greg Hardy, the animal on the end, still isn’t 100 percent. Reports indicate that he is moving well, but with both feet taped heavily, the chance of re-injury is there.

4.) Spurrier vs. Nix

Ole Miss got a pass for last year’s loss against Carolina, as many people chalked the game up to a letdown after the Rebels’ huge win in the Swamp. But those people forget that Ole Miss went up 14-3 on Carolina last year before Spurrier made adjustments against his former defensive coordinator, Tyrone Nix.

If the Head Ball Coach can get the inconsistent Chris Smelley, now a catcher for Alabama, to rack up the game of his life against Ole Miss last year—going 22-for-32 for 327 yards, three touchdowns (all career highs), and SEC Player of the Week honors—then you can bet Spurrier has more in store for Coach Nix this season.

Ole Miss certainly has defensive speed, but I’m not sold on the secondary. Stephen Garcia should find several different receivers, and look for Tori Gurley to haul in a long ball or two.

5.) They Are Due

This is the one that gives Gamecock fans the hardest time.

South Carolina has “been due” for years and years and years, as evidenced by the fact that the team has never beaten a top-five program.

But the time is right for South Carolina.

Spurrier has continued to notch wins over quality opponents in his time in Columbia, and Thursday’s game is one more step in the right direction for a program devoid of any winning history.

Game Prediction: Gamecocks pull off the shocker, 31-30

Around the SEC: Candid Thoughts About Week Three

Tim Pollock — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:41:41 -0400

Ryan Mallett looks every bit the elite quarterback he was touted to be, but it appears Georgia is out to kick-start every quarterback’s 2010 Heisman campaign. First the Dawgs gave up 37 to South Carolina, then 41 to Arkansas.

Maybe Stephen Garcia and Ryan Mallett really are Heisman hopefuls. Chances are, though, that Georgia’s defense is just bad. The true test will be when Georgia plays Tennessee. If Crompton completes more than seven passes—not including catches by the Bulldog defenders—then all is lost for the Georgia hopeful.

I’m not saying Willie Martinez is going to get fired—he’ll just be encouraged by Georgia officials to get a new start at a different school.

Randall Cobb, you can be on my flag football team.

Lane Kiffin still hasn’t figured out that talking doesn’t win games. And I have no clue what “powerful message” Tennessee is sending recruits when the Vols are on a two-game losing streak.

Urban Meyer, meanwhile, was uncharacteristically happy after his team’s less-than-impressive 23-13 win. Meyer wanted to watch tape before commenting on his team’s national championship win, yet a 10-point win over a one-dimensional Tennessee team needs to be “enjoyed"? What in the world is going on?

Alabama just picked up another first down.

After spotting West Virginia 14 points, Auburn finally woke up and dropped 41 on the Mountaineers. Is Guz Malzahn the Tim Tebow of offensive coordinating? Methinks yes.

Jordan Jefferson’s yards per completion average is becoming comical. The man still hasn’t thrown for even 175 yards in a game. How many more pedestrian efforts do we have to watch this kid play before we stop calling him a good quarterback?

If you’ve never watched true freshman cornerback Stephon Gilmore play, do us all a favor and punch yourself in the face. This kid demands your television-viewing prowess. Circle this Thursday on your calendar—when Gilmore faces off against Jevan Snead and his posse of receivers.

And also be sure to watch South Carolina’s top receiver, Tori Gurley. I used to think he was the most physical receiver in the country because he always gets tangled up with whoever is defending him, but I finally figured it out after looking at the kid’s shoes: the dude has Ronald McDonald feet. DVR the game, replay a slow motion sideline shot and marvel at his size 19s.

For all the hype around Tennessee’s “amazing” recruiting class, we certainly aren’t seeing big-time results. Bryce Brown looked great against Western Kentucky, but in games against UCLA and Florida, his production was average at best—45 yards on 19 carries, or under three yards per carry.

Marsalis Teague and Nu’Keese Richardson, meanwhile, combined for zero catches against UCLA and Florida. Return man David Oku is dangerous, but he’s only on the field a handful of times.

And don’t tell me they need time. Look around the league—and the nation, for that matter—over the last few years. True freshmen are not only contributing, they are starring.

Creature Vs. Creature: A Gamecock on South Carolina-Georgia

Tim Pollock — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:33:12 -0400

First, for any newcomer to Bleacher Report, please see Creature vs. Creature creator Justin Goar’s recap of the C vs. C article format.

Game Preview

This early-season SEC game is always a classic battle won in the trenches: Since 2004, neither team has scored more than 20 points in any game, and all but one game has come down to the final quarter or final minutes.

Touchdowns have been few and far between, and not including FSU-Miami, the kicking game has likely played a larger role in this rivalry than in any other. In that five-year span, there have been 13 touchdowns, 12 field goals, two safeties, and one missed extra point.

The 2005 game was especially bitter for Gamecock fans, as the aforementioned missed extra point forced the Gamecocks to go for a two-point conversion late in the game. When they failed to convert, the two-point loss was tough to swallow, knowing at least overtime was a possibility if a first quarter extra point would have gone through.

Gamecock fans are still sick about Mike Davis’ goal-line fumble in last year’s 14-7 loss too.

But while South Carolina’s miscues have certainly played a role in the losses, the fact remains that Georgia nearly always finds a way to pull out a close one with the Gamecocks—and credit goes to them for coming up with big plays.

South Carolina will win if…

The pass rush can create sacks and turnovers

With the loss of Trinton Sturdivant to injury, something tells me Ellis Johnson will have his boys attacking the left side of Georgia’s offensive line regularly. For those who saw the NC State game last week, you may have noticed the speed of Eric Norwood and Cliff Matthews.

The Gamecocks also get a boost with the return of the 6'8", 280-pound monster named Clifton Geathers, who will come off the bench after his replacement, Devin Taylor, wreaked havoc last Thursday, forcing a fumble on the first play of the game, registering a sack and a handful of tackles for a loss, blocking a punt, and earning SEC Lineman of the Week honors—all in his first career start.

Joe Cox had a case of the happy feet against Oklahoma State, and more pressure on him could spell disaster for the Dawgs—which is why I think we’ll see a dose of Logan Gray at quarterback.

The run game can get going

You can say this about pretty much any team in the country, but for the Cocks, the running game is priority No. 1, especially after last year’s conference-worst average.

South Carolina ran the ball an uncharacteristic 42 times last week against NC State, and as we saw last week, Georgia is still susceptible to the long ball. If the Cocks can gain success on the ground, the pass should open up.

Add it all up, and the Head Ball Coach could finally be on the right side of some deep balls—something he has been dying to see since he showed up in Columbia.

South Carolina will lose if...

Blair Walsh gets on the field a lot

Three points against most teams isn’t much, but in this series, and against an anemic Carolina offense, field goals could be considered precious gold come Saturday. If Georgia can get the short field just a few times in this game, it could very well be the difference.

Spencer Lanning gets on the field a lot

When last season’s Gamecock kicker Ryan Succop suffered a severe abdominal injury and could only practice twice a week, Spencer Lanning never came close to getting on the field. When Succop went 1-of-5 against Kentucky last year, Lanning stayed on the sideline, helmet in hand.

Now we know why: Lanning is not a talented—or even average—kicker.

In fact, Lanning didn’t even get to attempt his first kick last week, as the snap was too difficult to set up. As for his second attempt, well, he yanked a chip shot 27-yarder.

If the Gamecocks can’t put the ball in the end zone, they simply won’t win.

The X-factor

Special teams

I know, big shocker.

Plain and simple, the obvious edge here goes to Georgia: Blair Walsh is an phenomenal kicker, while the inexperienced Spencer Lanning still has yet to make a college field goal.

In what is always a close game, field goal kicking will be essential.

Prediction

I fear that Gamecock fans will be cursing one player’s name after this game (say it with me now): Spencer Lanning. While I hate to wish ill will on the kid, history is typically not on the side of an inexperienced kicker in a historically close and pressure-packed game.

Just as Dawg fans were scratching their heads while looking at the box score to the Oklahoma State loss, I see Carolina fans doing the same after this game. Throw the stat sheet out for this one, because it won’t tell the story of the game.

Even though the visiting team has come away victorious the last two seasons, I see Georgia sneaking away with one even Bulldog fans realize they don’t deserve.

Georgia 20, South Carolina 17

For the Georgia perspective, check out Kimberley Nash’s article.

South Carolina-NC State: Another White-Out Ruined as Gamecocks Smother Wolfpack

Tim Pollock — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:54:01 -0400

The 7-3 score sure was ugly, but the Gamecocks will take it.

So many storylines, droogs, but let’s start with bragging rights:

I hate to say I told you so, but yours truly came up big when I wrote in my Season Picks column that the opening game would look like this: “The running game comes alive for the Cocks, and a big defensive play from a young Carolina defensive back seals the deal.”

The Cocks ran the ball 42 times, and highly touted true freshman cornerback Stephon Gilmore made the play of the game with three minutes left as he took away a sure touchdown pass from Jarvis Williams.

As they say on the streets, holler at your boy.

To the 16 Wolfpack fans who got together to paint their chests—one painstaking letter at a time—“W-I-L-S-O-N-F-O-R-H-E-I-S-M-A-N," welcome to the SEC.

Russell Wilson may just dominate the ACC again this year, but against South Carolina’s speed, Wilson looked slow, nervous, and completely taken out of his game. Cliff Matthews and Eric Norwood chased Wilson down time after time en route to six sacks.

Just imagine what it would have looked like if the Gamecocks weren’t missing two starting lineman—standout tackle Ladi Ajiboye and beastly end Clifton Geathers.

Wilson ended an embarrassing 12-for-23 for 74 yards and minus-17 rushing yards. Perhaps more importantly, he led his team to only three points. For those counting at home, NC State has been held out of the end zone in eight quarters against South Carolina.

And for those who touted that South Carolina’s defense is no longer the team it was last year, hopefully that misconception has been laid to rest after last night. These boys are fast, they hit hard, and they tackle extremely well.

On a negative note, the Gamecocks’ lack of depth took yet another turn for the worse when starting MLB Rodney Paulk left the game early with what appears to be a season-ending knee injury. His replacement, Shaq Wilson, played brilliantly, but doesn’t have the experience of Paulk—and this will show up next weekend against Georgia.

Offensively, Brian Maddox ran hard and fought for positive yardage, Jarvis Giles delivered some flash, both good and bad, and Patrick DiMarco looked like Tim Tebow from the fullback position, rolling over defenders and picking up big first downs on short yardage plays.

All that because of the improved offensive line play. A unit that was the joke of the SEC last year pushed around an experienced and very stout NC State front line. As Stephen Garcia said, “Coach [Eric] Wolford has just changed the entire attitude of the offensive line.”

True indeed.

Garcia wasn’t spectacular, but he saved his best for last, connecting on a beautiful 33-yard pass to Moe Brown—essentially ending the game.

Wide receiver Tori Gurley looks like a legit SEC receiver, and it will be interesting to watch his development as the year moves on. Whether or not the Gamecocks can get production out of their two other big targets, Alshon Jeffrey and Jason Barnes, just may dictate how well South Carolina plays this year.

The kicking game, as expected, was terrible, with a botched snap on the first field goal attempt and a missed chip shot of 27 yards. Mark it down now: Spencer Lanning will cost the Gamecocks at least one game this year.

Finally, the Head Ball Coach won yet another season opener, running his record to 19 in a row.

The 7-3 score certainly isn’t what he hoped for, but even Darth Visor should be happy to take a young team on the road in the first game of the year and come out on the winning end.

Now let’s just hope Stephen Garcia stays out of jail this weekend.

Candid Thoughts on the SEC

Tim Pollock — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:49:32 -0400

It’s Florida and Alabama in the SEC Championship game again, fellow droogs. Let me explain, in a roundabout way…

I love LSU fans. They have been kind on my visits to their lovely city and stadium, and most Bleacher Report Tigers are of the same ilk. That said, I’m curious as to why there is so much national love for LSU.

I’ve got two gripes: the defense and the quarterback.

The D gave up over 24 points a game last year and was torched by Florida and Georgia, two teams on their schedule again. Since the SEC goes through Florida these days, LSU decided to bring in John Chavis from Tennessee—the same coach whose defenses have been ripped apart by the Gators in recent years. Huh?

And save the “Chavis didn’t have the talent at Tennessee” argument. He had enough talent to run one of the top-rated defenses last year (an allow the fewest touchdowns in the SEC). And doesn’t Tennessee have a guy named Eric Berry, arguably the best defensive player in the entire nation?

As for the quarterback, what makes Jordan Jefferson “experienced” again? Is it his gaudy stats? The four passing touchdowns? His career high 143 passing yards? His 2.7 yards per carry?

I see four more losses this year for LSU.

Meanwhile, Alabama seems to be flying under the radar.

Why?

The Tide’s defense is nasty, they have the best receiver in the conference, a stable of running backs, great coaches, and an amazing fan base.

Greg McElroy may not break any Alabama records, but his defense and run game will give him plenty of support to succeed.

Yet, time after time, I’m seeing LSU picked as the favorite to win the West.

I’m trying to figure out what will be worse: Tennessee’s quarterback play or South Carolina’s kicking game.

If you saw Gene Chizik walking through the mall in your city one day, would you recognize him? Just saying.

Can you say Wide Open SEC East in 2010? When Tebow and half the Gator defense leave next year, it is literally anyone’s title to win. Well, anyone but Vanderbilt or Kentucky.

Georgia, do us all a favor and bench Joe Cox now. You know it’s going to happen eventually, so why waste the time? Get a young kid ready for the close battle in the aforementioned 2010 East race.

Dan Mullen: the new Sly Croom.

South Carolina defensive end Clifton Geathers recently sustained broken facial bones after a late night altercation. Geathers is 6'8" and weighs in at 281. Just who the hell is “Club Ice” hiring as its bouncers? Something smells fishy to me.

Ole Miss is going to disappoint us all this year. They just are.

Does anyone want Bobby Petrino to succeed? I’m including Arkansas fans in this question.

Bringing this full circle, Pat Dooley of Gatorsports.com makes a convincing argument that the Florida Gators are a living dynasty. Speaking in “SEC 2.0” terms (post 1992 merger), here are some interesting points he makes:

- Since the new SEC formed in 1992, the Gators are the only team that has been to a bowl game every year

- In those 17 seasons, only Florida has been ranked in the final USA Today/Coaches’ poll every year

- They are the only program to produce a Heisman Trophy winner (two actually)

- Every team in the league has had a losing conference record at some point in that span...except Florida.

- Florida has appeared in nine of what are now referred to as BCS bowl games since ’92. The rest of the SEC has appeared in a total of 10.

And with the way Meyer is recruiting, it doesn’t look to change any time soon.

Yikes.

Finally, let’s not play coy here: Tebow is hoisting another SEC trophy this year.

The Real Reason the Gamecocks Will Win Thursday

Tim Pollock — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 22:00:40 -0400

Football season is now mere hours away, and the first game of the season—South Carolina at NC State—has garnered plenty of press.

While all of the subplots are interesting, there is one stat that Gamecock fans can rest their hat on: 16 in a row.

That’s what Steve Spurrier has registered in season-opening games, dating all the way back to his days at Duke—where his only season opening loss was to, oddly enough, South Carolina.

Other tidbits from Gamecock Nation:

Stephon Gilmore will be a busy man Thursday night. Not only will he start and play nearly every down at cornerback, he will also be returning punts—and Spurrier might use him in Carolina’s version of the Wildcat formation. Spurrier loves the way Gilmore runs with the ball (and says he can also pass well) but has to be sure not to overwork the kid in his first collegiate game.

A guy under the radar for some reason is safety Chris Culliver. Recruited as a wide receiver, Culliver made the successful switch to safety last year and performed well. As a junior this season, I think Culliver is ready for a monster season.

The kid has size, strength, and blazing speed—and he’s been known to light up both receivers and ball carriers. Culliver is also a dangerous return kickoff man. Like Gilmore, though, Culliver could be on the field more than he bargained for: Ellis Johnson may ask Culliver to play a bit of corner as well, covering up some of the depth issues at corner.

Between Gilmore, Culliver, and sophomore Akeem Auguste, there should be some exciting plays from Carolina’s secondary, including some pick-sixes.

At running back, the coaching staff feels good about five backs but will likely play just three in the opener. Brian Maddox will start, and Jarvis Giles will see carries within the first two series. Kenny Miles will be the third back to get a look, while Bryce Sherman and Eric Baker remain on the outside for now.

With Sherman’s diminuitive size and ridiculous speed, though, you wonder how long it will take the head ball coach to get the kid on the field for some trickeration.

New offensive line coach and run game coordinator Eric Wolford has been a top-notch addition to the Carolina staff—and his coaching should show up big against NC State.

The offensive line has been pushed like never before, and even though it’s still not a particularly strong aspect of the team, the group has gelled and rallied behind the playmakers getting the carries. Expect a huge difference in the running game from last year.

The biggest question mark to most is what the wide receivers will contribute—especially against a shaky Wolfpack secondary. If the Gamecocks can hit on some big plays, as they have in their scrimmages, confidence would soar.

Tori Gurley, Moe Brown and Jason Barnes will get the first looks, but most Gamecock fans are anxious to see if highly-touted Alshon Jeffrey will make an impact. The receiver crew is full of capable players, but it needs someone to step up as the guy.

South Carolina Football: 2009 Season Outlook

Tim Pollock — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:52:02 -0400

Like any other year, predicting a South Carolina season is like solving a Rubix Cube while blindfolded, underwater, and drunk.

Two years ago, a week after the Gamecocks rose to number six in the country, they lost to Vanderbilt and scored only six points.

Last year it was a win over Ole Miss—and yet another humbling loss to Vanderbilt. Not to mention the ugly bowl game loss.

The roller coaster games litter every season’s schedule, and so even with an infusion of young talent and reason to be optimistic, history tells us that South Carolina will win a couple they shouldn’t and lose one or two they have no business losing.

On with the season’s picks:

September 3 at NC State

Another Thursday night ESPN season opener. After the Wolfpack was embarrassed and shutout last year, you can bet that they will be ready to play. But NC State’s recent smack talk has them backed into a corner, allowing South Carolina to play loose.

The running game comes alive for the Cocks and a big defensive play from a young Carolina defensive back seals the deal.

My pick: South Carolina 24, NC State 21 (1-0)

September 12 at Georgia

This game gave me the most trouble to predict, because so many variables will come into play—but the only one that counts is that this game is almost always a low scoring, physical, close game.

In the end, both teams open with a very difficult schedule, but if Georgia loses in Week One—as I suspect they will—I can’t see them going 0-2. Look for the Dawgs to play hungry.

My pick: Georgia 20, South Carolina 17 (1-1)

September 19 vs. Florida Atlantic

FAU has had a good run recently, but they lost a lot of talent from last year. The Owls still have Rusty Smith, though, and he should have some success against an inexperienced Gamecock secondary.

Carolina will look ugly in this one but talent will prevail.

My pick: South Carolina 34, Florida Atlantic 24 (2-1)

September 24 vs. Ole Miss

Thursday nights at Williams-Brice Stadium are electric—and I expect the crowd to be insanely obnoxious for this one.

Ole Miss got a pass for last year’s loss against Carolina as many people chalked the game up to a letdown after the Rebels’ huge win in the Swamp.

But those people forget that Ole Miss went up 14-3 on Carolina last year before Spurrier made adjustments against his former defensive coordinator, Tyrone Nix.

If the Head Ball Coach can get Chris Smelley (now a catcher for Alabama) to throw for 327 yards and SEC Player of the Week, something tells me he’ll have some more tricks up his sleeve for Coach Nix this year.

Gamecocks pull off the shocker.

My pick: South Carolina 31, Ole Miss 30 (3-1)

October 3 vs. South Carolina State

South Carolina State’s band will be really good, but that’s about it.

My pick: South Carolina 38, SC State 10 (4-1)

October 10 vs. Kentucky

South Carolina and Kentucky have produced some exciting games in recent years—and the Cocks have fared well in those games. But this is the game that brings Carolina back to reality.

A heartbreaker at home as Randall Cobb goes off.

My pick: Kentucky 24, South Carolina 17 (4-2)

October 17 at Alabama

Simply put, Alabama’s defense is just too good for the young Gamecock offense. This one could get ugly.

A late score makes it look respectable.

My pick: Alabama 31, South Carolina 17 (4-3)

October 24 vs. Vanderbilt

It’s no secret that Vanderbilt has owned the Gamecocks the last two years. But if you can score points against Vandy, good things happen—and I think the young backfield will get it going, especially at home.

My pick: South Carolina 30, Vanderbilt 20 (5-3)

October 31 at Tennessee

Who knows what Tennessee will have on the field by this time in the year. This is a tough pick to make, but you have to like Spurrier’s success when playing in Knoxville.

I like another close one going to the good guys.

Spurrier and Kiffin to share a post-game hug that will warm your heart.

My pick: South Carolina 27, Tennessee 24 (6-3)

November 7 at Arkansas

While I’m not sold that Arkansas is the new Ole Miss quite yet, these boys can put up some points, and I expect Ryan Mallett to be in pretty good form by November.

A young team on the road at Arkansas in what will probably be a terrible time slot equals a sloppy effort and a frustrated Head Ball Coach.

Lots of big plays for the Hogs, and lots of stupid penalties and mistakes for the Cocks.

My pick: Arkansas 40, South Carolina 24 (6-4)

November 14 vs. Florida

Tebow’s last SEC game? Yeah...I’m going with Florida in this one.

My pick: Florida 45, South Carolina 13 (6-5)

November 28 vs. Clemson

Call it a homer pick, but I’m not feeling Clemson this year. I think the difference in this game is quarterback play—and I like Garcia to step up big in his first real shot against Clemson.

And I’m thinking Dabo Swinney will be wearing a grey sweatshirt—just a hunch.

My pick: South Carolina 31, Clemson 27 (7-5)

Smack Talk: Why NC State Should Shut Up

Tim Pollock — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:41:32 -0400

It seems the North Carolina State Wolfpack have worked themselves into a frenzy over their rematch with the South Carolina Gamecocks.

In an unprecedented move by a Tom O’Brien-coached team, several members of the Wolfpack have been running their mouths concerning Thursday’s game. On top of that, the trite and clichéd “white out” is planned for the student section—with NC State officials offering free shirts to any student headed to the game.

O’Brien has been quoted as saying, "This is a great opportunity for us to play the first game of the season on national television. It is certainly the buzz around town right now. For the players, this is a special treat. They look forward to this opportunity to give everyone an indication of where we are in our program, playing against a great team like South Carolina. It will be a great test of our team."

Uh, Coach?

This is the University of South Carolina we’re talking about, right?

No disrespect to the Cocks, but South Carolina has never been mistaken for a top-tier team. Not only that, but the Wolfpack are a favorite in this game.

If NC State thinks they are going to wake up the world to their greatness by beating an average and very young Gamecock team, perhaps they need to re-prioritize this season’s goals.

As for all the smack talk, senior defensive end Willie Young has been the bulletin board material ringleader for the Wolfpack, proclaiming twice that Steve Spurrier is not an “offensive genius” and that Wolfpack players will individually overcome any scheming Spurrier might do.

Young went on to state that dual threat Stephen Garcia is not a concern either: "Until he hurts us, I'm not worried about him," Young said.

"It's as simple as that...He's not getting around (defensive end) Shea McKeen over there. And he's definitely not turning anything up the middle between (tackles Leroy) Burgess and (Alan-Michael) Cash. You can take it to the bank."

Of course, Gamecock tight end Weslye Saunders couldn’t help but let the comments get to him and told media members that he was going to ask Spurrier for permission to get a celebration penalty after scoring a touchdown against the Wolfpack, to which Young responded, "I think he's trying to draw attention to himself, if what he's trying to do. Because I know, me and my goons, we ain't seeing it."

Whether or not Young is right about being able to shut down the Gamecock offense remains to be seen.

But Young is right about one thing—he and his teammates are indeed goons.

Why NC State is treating this game like the Super Bowl is beyond anyone’s imagination. Perhaps it’s the ACC’s inferiority complex. Maybe it’s revenge against a team that embarrassed them last year by the score of 34-0.

Whatever the case, all the drama Young stirred up with his comments has created a lose-lose for NC State. If they win, all they’ve accomplished is a W against a team they are favored against—not to mention the fact that few people are predicting more than seven wins for the Gamecocks.

Meanwhile, a loss to one of the bottom half SEC teams would immediately stamp out any visions of even a decent season for NC State—and would immediately bring down the ACC yet again.

Needless to say, it should make for an interesting Thursday night.

Carolina Camp Notes: The Offense

Tim Pollock — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 10:41:54 -0400

After two sub-par efforts in the first two scrimmages, Stephen Garcia did exactly what the coaches wanted to see in this week’s scrimmage. He went 14-16 with no picks, went through all his progressions, and ran effectively when he had to.

Spurrier is doing all he can to get Garcia out of the limelight—and for good reason. Garcia has a ton of pressure on his shoulders, and until he produces in game-time action, the non-stop interviews and photo shoots should stay on the back burner.

The most encouraging part of the scrimmages has been the increase of big plays, both on the ground and through the air.

Speaking of big play ability, Bryce Sherman has a real shot at becoming the kick/punt return man. A lot of Carolina fans are looking at Sherman’s gaudy scrimmage numbers as a running back but forget what defense is on the field during those big plays.

No doubt Sherman is a luxury to have, but make no mistake: Brian Maddox, Jarvis Giles, and Kenny Miles will be getting the reps at running back this year. In what order, however, is anybody’s guess.

Expect new offensive line coach Eric Wolford to make his case for who gets the carries. Wolford might be the best upgrade of any of the new coaches, and his impact is being felt by the entire offense.

Not only has he upped the competition for starting spots on the line, he has barked orders to everybody from the hogs up front to Jarvis Giles to Jason Barnes and even to Garcia.

Wolford has widened the running lanes, has pushed for more single back formations, is working closely with new running backs coach Jay Graham, and has even stepped on the Head Ball Coach’s toes at times. His energy is exactly what a stagnant offense needed.

As for the wide receivers, that is a constant revolving door.

Moe Brown is a starter but isn’t likely to break any records or haul in a monster game. Tori Gurley’s emergence this spring has been a nice surprise, but the fact that he has overtaken Jason Barnes—the guy most Carolina fans believe to have the most talent—is concerning. Barnes has too many physical tools to be on the bench.

Dion LeCorn’s spring game injury is still holding him from going full speed, so his role this fall is still up in the air. DL Moore and Stephen Flint are two other receivers looking to contribute as well.

Joe Hills came in with big expectations, but the fact is, freshmen were performing better—and it’s about time. Carolina has all but struck out with big time receivers in recent years, and now it looks like they finally have some young talent who will be around for a long time.

So while Hill’s pending transfer doesn’t hurt the team offensively, it would have been great if Hills and his physically freakish body would have accepted a switch to the defensive side of the ball, where depth is an issue.

With Hills now gone, look for freshmen Alshon Jeffery, the big target every school wanted, and the surprise of camp, DeMario Bennett, a three-star recruit from Georgia who is known for excellent routes and the most country accent on the team, to see time on the field immediately. DeAngelo Smith has also looked good but will likely get caught in a numbers crunch.

At tight end, it’s Weslye Saunders’s job. He is trimmed down, focused, and ready for a good season. Saunders won’t break the long play like Jared Cook could, but his blocking and possession catches should be an upgrade.

Carolina is scheduled to have another scrimmage today at 11 AM. With the season opener now less than two weeks away, look for Spurrier to start naming starters very soon.

Meet Bryce Sherman, the Next Brandon James

Tim Pollock — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 08:02:36 -0400

The list of names continues to grow.

Undersized speedsters—many of whom have track backgrounds—terrorizing SEC defenses.

Leading the list are LSU’s Trindon Holliday, Florida’s Brandon James and Jeff Demps, Arkansas’ Reggie Fish, Ole Miss’s Dexter McCluster, and even Kentucky’s Derrick Locke.

And it looks like South Carolina may have nabbed the next diminutive lighting-in-a-bottle, all-purpose player in Bryce Sherman, a 5'5", 155-pound walk-on who has stolen the show during practices.

Considered the top-ranked sprinter in North Carolina in 2007, Sherman was the state champion in the 100 and 200 meters and the state’s MVP and Runner of the Year. With those lofty accolades, he decided to run track for the Gamecocks in 2008.

A year later, his passion for football took over, so he decided to walk-on for the Head Ball Coach.

But make no mistake, this is not just a fast kid deciding to try football on a whim.

Not only did Sherman rack up over 1,600 yards, 19 TDs, and a boatload of punt and kickoff returns while playing for Carver High in Winston-Salem, NC—the same school that produced current Gamecock Alonzo Winfield—he also turned down an opportunity to play for Georgia Tech’s Paul Johnson, after Johnson got a look at the kid’s YouTube highlights.

In Sherman’s words: "I want to play football. That's my sport…And I thank God for coach (Spurrier) and his staff, for giving me a chance to come out here."

After a week of practice, the staff would like to thank Sherman as well, as the little guy has caught the attention of coaches and especially Gamecock fans, who have been deprived of big plays far too long.

Right now it’s simply finding a spot (or several spots) for the man teammates call “The Sherminator.” After starting camp as a wide receiver, Sherman is now getting looks from the backfield and is working as a return man as well.

As assistant coach Shane Beamer says, "With that speed, you'd be crazy not to try to get him on the field somehow."

Whether or not the smallest guy on the team becomes the biggest story is obviously still to be determined. But it will sure be fun watching him try.

Stephen Garcia Leads the 2009 South Carolina Gamecocks, But To Where?

Tim Pollock — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:44:59 -0400

Ah, where to start when covering the 2009 South Carolina Gamecocks.

From player attrition to coaching changes to an infusion of talented freshmen, it’s a whole new ballgame for Carolina this year.

But the SEC—and college football, for that matter—begins with the quarterback.

This year’s Gamecock squad is different from the past for one reason: We know who the starting quarterback is.

Enter Stephen Garcia. Again. And again.

Some say the third time is the charm, and perhaps that is the case for Stephen Garcia, who needed three years to finally make it through a spring session.

With Chris Smelley now a backup catcher at Alabama and Garcia’s backups having combined to throw a total of zero passes in collegiate ball, Garcia’s grasp on the starting role is rock solid—even on a Spurrier-coached team.

One of the most popular players on Carolina’s roster, Garcia certainly has the support and friendship of his teammates, but whether he have the “moxie,” the “it factor,” and every other cliché coaches throw out there is yet to be seen.

Garcia has never been confused with a choir boy (see arrest record), but his on-field demeanor would suggest as much. Garcia isn’t built from the Dan Marino mold—you won’t see him grab a lineman’s facemask and bark at him, and you aren’t likely to see him berate a receiver for a missed pattern.

That’s just not the way Garcia runs his huddle, and because of this—combined with his past problems—outside observers insist that Garcia either doesn’t care enough or doesn’t know how to lead.

Not that the Head Ball Coach is concerned with demeanor—the guy has successfully coached both ends of the spectrum his entire career, from the saint-like Danny Wuerffel to a fiery Rex Grossman. Spurrier just wants Garcia to connect on some deep balls, something Garcia has not done consistently in practices thus far.

The Tampa, Fla., product has certainly showed glimpses of stardom last year, but he also looked his worst in Carolina’s final game—an Outback Bowl blowout loss to Iowa, in Garcia’s hometown no less.

Make no mistake about this year, the cards are stacked against Garcia. The Cocks return very few proven skill players, and the offensive line was one of the worst in the entire country last year. The offense has been upgraded with young talent, but Garcia—still only a redshirt sophomore—cannot rely on a proven veteran to help him out.

The pressure will fall squarely on his shoulders, and that’s exactly where G.A. Mangus, the new quarterback coach and former Spurrier player, wants it.

Mangus recruited Garcia heavily while he was the offensive coordinator at Middle Tennessee and has formed a strong bond with Garcia, but he would like to see the quarterback claim his stake, saying, “I think there’s a definite confidence level. He’s got a chance for it to be his time, and I expect him to carry himself that way.”

Maybe Mangus’ presence is what Garcia needs. The two talk every day, and Garcia considers his new mentor not just a coach but a friend.

Whatever the case, things have to come together quickly for Garcia and Co. The Gamecocks own what Phil Steele calls the hardest schedule in the nation, including two road games to open the season—at improved North Carolina State and at Georgia.

For now, the question looms: Garcia is leading…but will the Gamecocks follow?

The Re-Birth of a Champion: When Sports and Life Overlap, Part Two

Tim Pollock — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:40:52 -0400

In what appears to be a new yearly tradition in my household, the NBA and ABC teamed up to remind me of life's priorities.

A year and one day ago, my son, Elijah William, was born. After three long days in the hospital, we brought little Eli home on the night of game six of the NBA Finals, the culminating 48 minutes of a renewed rivalry between the league's most storied franchises, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics.

And what a historic night it was. The Celtics reclaimed their glory after a long hiatus, KG's tears and screams actually made sense, Doc Rivers completed his transformation from goat to hero, and David Stern was caught smiling. The NBA was officially back.

And I was able to hold my newborn to my chest while lounging in my favorite leather chair.

It was the kind of stuff that makes cool people smoke cigars.

Since I am not cool, however, I did the one thing any sensible Average Joe would do: I opened my laptop and bared my soul, much as I am doing now.

For this year's Finals ended in a fitting fashion as far as my son is concerned. As the Lakers began to blow open the game—on Orlando's court, no less—Eli saw the writing on the wall and headed for bed early.

When the game's final minute approached—and the Lakers' smiles got wider and wider—the cynic in me crept to the surface, because I must confess, fellow droogs, and there may be some irony in this statement, but here goes anyway: I hate the league and the same scene that plays out every June.

Blame it on the Internet or whatever else makes you feel happy inside—I simply know too much about these newly crowned NBA Champions to be happy for them. Perhaps cynicism has permanently taken residence in my heart when it comes to professional sports, but the recycled stories—just with different faces, year after year after year—well, they have made me jaded.

It was hard for me to watch Kobe and Co. claim yet another NBA Championship. I've quite frankly grown weary of the arrogance and entitlement that oozes out of the pores of so many players and coaches, and with apologies to Derek Fisher—a stand-up guy by anyone's account—I don't want my son to idolize these type of men, yet I suspect he will, much like I did as a child.

A year ago, I wrote that the Larry O'Brien trophy meant nothing, and I still believe that is the case—just in a much different sense. Because, as I watched the dysfunctional Lakers celebrate, the scene just didn't fit the description coach Phil Jackson gave it when he called on Cervantes' now cliched slogan of the journey being better than the Inn. This from the same Laker coach who was not long ago up to his neck in back-biting and bitterness with players and administration.

The true re-birth was not the Lakers' return to the top but instead the Orlando Magic's improbable run to the Finals, and more importantly, their humble acceptance of defeat—with the understanding of a caveat several Magic players pointed out.

Mr. X-Factor himself, Mickael Pietrus astutely stated, "The Lakers played very well, and we hope to do the same thing they did next year. They went to the NBA Finals and lost last year...we will work hard this offseason and want to become champions."

Jameer Nelson piggybacked on his teammate's thoughts, insisting that “you got to take something from this and come back stronger."

No twisted LeBron logic, no silly guarantees—just a simple message to work harder and pick up where they left off.

Finally, in the words of the Magic's big man and future of the franchise, Dwight Howard: “It does hurt, but...you can learn a lot from losing. Sometimes you've got to lose to win.”

Now that's a lesson I hope my son can learn.

The Five Stages of B/R Membership

Tim Pollock — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:13:58 -0400

Having been a proud member of Bleacher Report for nearly 18 months now, I’ve seen members come and go, watched the site change plenty of times, and witnessed amazing growth—both in the number of contributors and the quality of writing.

And as each month of my membership passed, I started noticing a familiar trend of stages a typical B/R writer goes through.

While the speed of these steps is varied, it is unusual for someone to not fall in step with the five basic stages.

That said, fellow droogs, I present the five stages of B/R Membership:

1. The Curious Observer

So you show up for the first time—perhaps on a suggestion from a friend or randomly stumbling upon an article—and take a look around. Still unsure about what the site is all about, you don’t commit to the profile picture or bio, choosing instead to scroll through some articles and the site in general.

Maybe you come across a Sweet Mo slideshow. Perhaps BabyTate’s encyclopedic knowledge impresses you. Or just maybe you like the idea that “four obsessed sports fans from the Bay Area” decided to take a leap of faith and start a company of their own.

Whatever the case, you become intrigued, and it’s on to stage two.

2. Active Participant

You settle on a picture, create your bio, and off you go, ripping off a few articles, wondering why no one is responding or commenting on them. You feel pretty foolish. Maybe even angry.

From here, different personalities create three scenarios:

a) You play nice and reply to as many articles as possible, use your picks of the day—sometimes on articles that aren’t actually your favorites, become fans to several writers, post occasional remarks on bulletin boards, and ask for feedback from other writers. You become an instant hit.

b) Misplaced anger about getting no reads causes you to take out your anger on every article you disagree with. You use all caps way too many times. You go toe to toe with legends such as Mitch, Gray Ghost, and even—gasp!—the BabyTate. You are likely called a troll a few times, and it’s a long road back to respectability.

c.) You go overboard with the bulletin spamming, even posting your links in other articles. You write articles with titles such as “A Thank You to All the Little People: Reflections on My 10th Article.” Your bio is extremely long, listing all of your accomplishments in an overstated manner. You may even believe the people at ESPN.com are recruiting you. You are received with mixed opinions.

No matter the method, you are hooked, and then it’s on to the illustrious stage three.

3. Obsession

After about a month or so, people start to recognize your name and profile picture—sometimes positively and sometimes negatively.

Before you know it, someone shortens your name or gives you a nickname in the comment section. You are no longer just “Trent Robards.” You have become “TR” or “T-Ro.”

On the inside, you are screaming, “They like me—they really like me!”

This triggers the climax of your B/R Membership: The Obsession.

You likely take a few more looks at your “stat sheet” of articles, reads, POTDs, etc. You set some mental goals to improve those numbers. You start writing multiple articles at once, churning out pieces at a rate of one or two per day.

Perhaps you change your profile picture to one that better suits you, your bio is changed and made more specific, and your “fan” numbers grow with each day. To generate even more fans, you fan request several other writers, hoping they return the favor.

You take your work to Facebook, linking your articles for all of your closest “friends” on FB to check out. Your Twitter updates are sports-related or shameless links to your newest articles.

You start becoming critical of the community leaders and think you can do a better job. Maybe you even inquire about replacing someone or becoming a co-community leader.

You buy the official Bleacher Report t-shirt, which is quite comfortable, by the way. (Why the entire t-shirt industry does not use the “Beefy T-Shirt” brand is beyond me, but that argument is for another day.)

A solid rapport with fellow members builds, and you start to feel connected to the site and other writers, even trading non-B/R emails occasionally. Some even venture to meet in person while tailgating.

After giving it much thought, you create a catchy tagline for your articles or pen a signature comment.

You stay up way too late writing, you neglect housework and sometimes your actual job, or you skip class to write a retort to an article to which you took offense.

Soon enough, your work gets linked to a major website—and your family gets all excited.

It’s all so great, but the energy used is too much, and that all brings us to stage four.

4. The Burnout

Let’s be real here, we all reach the burnout stage for various reasons. But whatever the cause—a job change, the birth of a baby, a wedding, exams, sleep deprivation, etc.—your B/R production takes a major hit.

For some, the burnout lasts mere days or weeks. Jameson Fleming, for example, was burned out for about 30 minutes. But he might be a robot.

For the humans, however, it takes a bit longer.

BabyTate—after months of college football and basketball analysis—is in burnout stage as I write this. Andrew McNair has put his writing on pause to concentrate on his schoolwork.

GeorgiaDawg and Gray Ghost went on sabbatical after football season—hopefully to return soon. Many college hoops writers are now only hitting the site every so often.

The key, though, is the glorious return—like the prodigal son coming back home, except you aren’t penniless, and your jealous brother doesn’t secretly resent you.

And now we come to the final stage, the culminating product of all your hard work.

5. The Veteran

As always, there are exceptions, but members typically fall somewhere into these four areas, and many can manage more than one role at once:

a) The Savvy Vet

These members have been around for a minute or two, so they know the drill. They write and comment regularly, have the respect of other writers, and you can usually find their work linked to other sites.

In addition to the names I’ve already mentioned, there are many others—far too many to name, actually—who qualify as savvy vets.

b) The Specialist

These guys and gals know their strengths and their audience.

Generally speaking, some writers stay with one sport and/or style. Some are more specific and focus mainly on just one team, such as Frank Ahrens and West Virginia football, Leroy Watson and Memphis basketball, or David Wunderlich with Florida football.

Some go way over our heads on a regular basis, like Ryan Alberti, who mixes sports with philosophy, poetry, metaphysics, religion/eschatology—and, of course, YouTube clips of his favorite music.

c) The Editor

Plain and simple, the editors are the offensive linemen of B/R. These contributors work constantly to improve the work of B/R’s writers, and they rarely get credit.

Some are interning, some just don’t like writing, a few like to mess with people’s titles and feel the subsequent power rush, but most are simply great at taking one person’s writing and making it even better.

Mosang Miles, take a bow.

d) The Dropout

Unfortunately, not everyone can make it to the other side.

Whether it’s building their own website, making time for another addition to the family, or simply losing the love of writing, the occasional writer will not see the Open Source Sports Network pearly gates.

And for these, we pour out our metaphorical 40 ounces of prose.

A special cyber-RIP goes out to Lisa Horne, one of B/R’s finest.

To conclude this far-too-lengthy diatribe, I must use the words of one of America’s greatest writers. No, not John Steinbeck—my personal favorite writer, whose face serves as my profile picture.

I’m going back to the 19th century for this one, because Walt Whitman may have just had Bleacher Report in mind when he wrote: "That you are here—that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse."

That the powerful play of life and sports goes on—and that you may contribute an article.

And as the fictional Mr. Keating from Dead Poets Society once asked his students:

“What will your verse be?”

Why Georgia's Joe Cox Should Hold a Clipboard This Season

Tim Pollock — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:53:21 -0400

Prior to last season, opposing fans heard a lot about how Matt Stafford’s low completion percentage was a hoax, that receivers didn’t step up for him, that his accuracy would improve, and that he and the Bulldogs would live up to the hype.

You know the rest: Stafford disappeared in big games, and his team underachieved.

Now I’m supposed to believe that Joe Cox is the answer—even though so many signs indicate otherwise. Suddenly Stafford was too erratic, and Cox, the “heady, game manager” is a better fit for this Georgia offense, although some of that support is wavering after just a decent Spring for Cox.

In some corners, Cox is drawing comparisons to DJ Shockley and Matt Flynn—two other well known SEC quarterbacks who had to bide their time to take over a team.

Preposterous, I say.

There is a reason Joe Cox has not played in his career to this point, and it’s a pretty crazy concept, so hold on to your pants: He isn’t very good.

The difference between both Shockley and Flynn versus Cox is based simply on athleticism and experience. A sports fan’s memory is a short one, and we forget that:

1.) DJ Shockley played in 10 games as a junior, getting significant snaps in seven. Shockley’s role was similar to Tebow’s freshman campaign—except Shockley actually threw the ball.

2.) Matt Flynn won MVP of the Chick-Fil-A Bowl as a sophomore when the Tigers pounded number nine Miami 40-3. He spelled JaMarcus Russell frequently throughout his entire career.

3.) Joe Cox can’t run the ball to save his life.

Furthermore, the resume for Cox is so thin that you have to revert back to his high school playing days—five years ago, mind you.

At Independence High School, in North Carolina, Cox never lost a high school game. That’s great and all—it really is—except that Independence is North Carolina’s marquee football program, one that ran up a winning streak of 109 straight games.

So a few players from that program can brag that they have never lost a game either. And by “a few,” I mean hundreds upon hundreds.

But the icing on the cake for me is when I hear of Cox’s miracle comeback against Colorado back in 2006.

Let me set the stage for you, fellow droogs.

An 0-3 Colorado team, fresh off a home-opening loss to Montana State, came into Athens and took a measly 13-0 lead into the third quarter. That’s when Richt yanked Stafford and inserted Joe Cox.

Cox rallied the Dawgs to two touchdowns and the win. Sure, the drives were only 43 and 58 yards—and Cox did turn it over on downs at the 11-yard line the drive before the winning touchdown—but the Joe Cox candle had been lit, and he was on his way to stardom.

Not so much.

Despite starting the next week against a terrible Ole Miss team, Cox didn’t play in the second half due to his inefficiency—a paltry 4/10 for 24 yards with no touchdowns

He would not play the rest of the season, sort of like the Colorado Buffaloes, who went on to post a 2-10 record that year.

Add it all up, and Cox—in four seasons—has played one half of good football against a terrible team.

So why wait? Why wait for Cox to struggle, which seems inevitable?

With the talent around him, I have no doubt that Cox could put up some decent numbers this year. But he’s not leading them to the SEC Championship.

Sometimes a kid has all the credentials but just never pans out. Such is the case, in my humble opinion, with Joe Cox. Despite his gaudy numbers and awards coming out of high school, Cox could never pass Joe Tereshinski—a quarterback no Georgia fan wants to be reminded of—on the depth chart.

Georgia has a solid offensive line and exciting playmakers at both receiver and running back. Add another dimension—say Logan Gray or Aaron Murray —and let the highlight reel ensue.

Sure, rookie mistakes would happen, but they would happen with Cox as well. And opposing coaches would certainly have a more difficult time preparing for quarterbacks not named Joe Cox.

So do us all a favor, Coach Richt: Give Joe Cox a visor and a clipboard and pass the keys to one of your young and talented quarterbacks.

Stop the Tar Heel Madness: UNC's '09 Title Run Dwarfed by '06 Gators

Tim Pollock — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:00:39 -0400

Now that the celebration is over and the millionth “Greatest Team Ever” article has been finished, I come bearing some humbling news for the Tar Heels:

Your legacy is nowhere near the level so many hyperbolic writers are making it out to be. In fact, the Florida Gators have been there and done that this decade—twice.

Essentially, you are the greatest champions to come along in the last two years.

Congratulations.

In our 30-second attention span sports world, every shot is the greatest, every champion is the best, every winning coach is a legend or genius. Everybody wants to crown the G.O.A.T. these days.

Until the following year, that is.

All I keep hearing and reading is, “When was the last time we saw domination like this?” And, to a lesser extent, “When is the last time such decorated players bypassed the NBA to win an NCAA Championship?”

The answer is simple: 2006, and then again in 2007, when “the Gator boys”—as Joakim Noah once referred to his team—ripped through the tournament in back-to-back years.

This is not to say UNC’s domination in '09 wasn't impressive. It was.

The Heels were unchallenged for three weeks, and the team’s focus and sheer athleticism simply overwhelmed opponents.

That said, it’s hard for me to understand why the love-fest for the Tar Heels can possibly co-exist with what nearly everyone agrees was the most disappointing and boring tournament ever.

Worst tournament + Weakened field = Greatest champion. Huh?

For some perspective, let’s take a look at the context and some numbers for each Tar Heel and Gator team.

While North Carolina’s run this season was most similar to the Gators’ second title run in ’07, Florida’s first championship in 2006 is enough to put North Carolina’s accomplishment behind the Gators’.

As a three-seed in ’06, Florida dismantled their opponents, with the exception of a nail-biter against Georgetown that the Gators won by four.

They took down top-seeded Villanova by 13, stomped a Cinderella George Mason team by 15, and then smothered UCLA in the championship, winning by 16 after leading at the half by 11.

For the tournament, the Gators were +96 in scoring margin.

This year, the Tar Heels ran over teams in similar fashion, racking up a +121 scoring margin of their opponents.

But when matched up with the Gators’ accomplishment, the Tar Heels’ title pales in comparison.

Yes, UNC put up 25 more total points on its opponents than Florida, but take out the first round games and the numbers go to UNC +78, Florida +70.

In the final three games, the toughest of the competition, the Gators were +44 to UNC’s +43.

But here is the kicker: Florida did it with four sophomores and a junior in the starting lineup. The lone senior to play for that Gator squad, Adrian Moss, averaged 11 minutes and a mere 3.1 points per game.

To those who suggest the Gators just “got hot at the right time,” as many have, remember that this team began the year going 17-0 and was ranked second in the nation halfway through January.

If anything, the team took a late season dip, losing three of their last five regular season games, and had to recover. Their season-ending record was 33-6—not exactly Cinderella stuff.

Meanwhile, despite getting the overall No. 1 seed in the ’08 tournament, the Tar Heels were thrashed by Kansas 84-66 in the Final Four.

In addition to tournament experience, upperclassmen leadership, and an arguably weaker tournament field, the Heels also had serious payback on their minds—four things the Gators never had the luxury of.

Then, of course, there is the Gators’ 2007 season, which is eerily similar to the Heels’ 2009 season.

Both teams:

1.) Returned a handful of players who easily could have headed to the NBA the year before.

2.) Started and ended the year ranked No. 1, with the Tar Heels finishing at 34-4 and the Gators finishing at 33-5.

3.) Got their biggest tournament scares from No. 9 seeds, as Purdue gave Florida problems very late into the game while LSU held a slim lead over UNC with under five minutes to go.

4.) Won the title game against a Big Ten opponent they each crushed earlier in the season (the Gators beat Ohio State by 26 in a December meeting).

5.) Featured some colorful personalities renowned for their dancing skills, with Dancing Danny Green taking on the role for the Heels while Joakim Noah served up some of the strangest moves on the planet.

The big difference, from this observer’s point of view, is that the Gators pulled off a second championship with a huge target on their backs—and the pressure that comes along with repeating as champions, which is exactly why it’s so rarely done.

The 2007 Final Four was a clash of the titans. Check current NBA rosters for a list of kids from those Georgetown, Ohio State, UCLA, and Florida teams.

For the Gators to get through that gauntlet, particularly against a payback-minded UCLA team, sets them apart as one of the greatest champions not only in recent memory but in all-time history.

It’s hard to decide which Gator championship is more impressive, but back-to-back, they easily out-do any champion of my lifetime.

As a final thought: North Carolina has one of the greatest basketball legacies in the history of the sport. Football is a mere afterthought in that basketball state. Banners cram the Dean Smith Center, and the school itself can be used as a history lesson about college basketball.

At Florida, football is god. Basketball was non-existent (with apologies to Lon Kruger’s fluke Final Four team) until Billy Donovan came to town.

Yet four self-proclaimed goofballs (“the 04’s” as they were known) passed on the legacy of other programs and made history for themselves at the University of Florida.

Add it all together, and for me personally, the tale of the 2009 Tar Heels doesn’t even come close to the Gators’ implausible story.

Introducing Next Year's SEC Coach of the Year: Anthony Grant

Tim Pollock — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:52:48 -0400

For starters, I am not some crazed Bama homer, as the title of this article might suggest.

An SEC homer, yes. Alabama, however, is not a team I ever root for.

But they just made an excellent hire in Anthony Grant, the 42-year-old former head coach of VCU and long-time assistant to Billy Donovan.

I’m so impressed with this hire, I’m handing out trophies a year ahead of time.

While the rest of the nation would like to believe the SEC is dead, the fact is there is some great talent among both players and coaches in the conference. Talent that will rise quickly and make the SEC a force in hoops very soon.

And Anthony Grant’s hiring is yet another step in bringing the SEC back to prominence.

For starters, the guy can flat-out coach.

In 101 games at Virginia Commonwealth, Grant’s teams went 76-25, dominating the Colonial Athletic Association by winning three regular season titles and two conference tournament championships.

The Rams never won fewer than 24 games in each of Grant’s three seasons, including a school record of 28 in 2006-07.

Before VCU, however, Grant became known for hauling in top-notch talent, such as Al Horford, but also for identifying and developing kids with raw skills but not as much fanfare, such as Joakim Noah.

It’s no secret that Florida’s frontcourt, made up of Horford, Noah, and Chris Richard, is what made the Gators so dominating during their back-to-back national championship run.

Grant continued the trend of developing big men at VCU, nabbing the uber raw Larry Sanders, who didn’t even begin playing basketball until the 10th grade. While Sanders’ height and athleticism certainly played a part in his success, his progress blossomed in fast-forward under Grant.

Now Grant will attempt to do the same at Alabama, with incoming freshman big man Shawn Kemp, Jr. Yes, that name should look familiar, as he is indeed the son of former NBA star Shawn Kemp. Known as more of a rebounder and hard worker, Kemp should benefit greatly under the tutelage of Grant.

All of this brings us to Anthony Grant’s first season at Alabama.

Alabama’s former head coach, Mark Gottfried, didn’t get to five NCAA Tournaments and an Elite Eight appearance by picking up scrubs. The man could recruit, he just couldn’t consistently get that talent to either improve or play together.

Kind of like, say, John Brady and Dave Odom.

Brady’s LSU squad ended last year near the cellar of the West. Fast forward one year, and Trent Johnson wins the SEC regular season (at 13-3) with nearly the same group of players.

At South Carolina, Odom could only get nine conference wins out of his team over his last two seasons. Enter Darrin Horn, who takes that same squad and wins 10 conference games and a portion of the East crown in his first year.

Look for Anthony Grant to pull off a similar feat in 2010.

Aside from the fact that LSU loses a ton of players, including the SEC Player of the Year Marcus Thornton, the SEC West is so wide open it’s ridiculous.

Then take a look at Alabama’s athletic roster, which is nearly tailor-made for Grant’s up-tempo style.

It all starts inside with the athletic JaMychal Green, one of only two unanimous All-Freshmen SEC members. Expect even more polish to Green’s game—and an increase in his point and rebound production.

Mikhail Torrance and Senario Hillman are both athletic guards who can run the floor, defend, and rebound well. Neither shot a good percentage from three this past season, and that must be remedied by next year.

Speaking of shooting, Anthony Brock, really the only pure shooter on the roster, should get more minutes next season, which could signal trouble for opponents, considering Brock shot 45 percent from three on the season.

Pair Brock with incoming freshman Cully Payne and junior college transfer Charvez Young, both known for their three-point range, and the Tide’s outside shooting should drastically improve in 2010.

From there, the rest of the Tide roster is serviceable, and Grant should be able to go 10-deep, as his style typically dictates.

Put it all together, and you get a much-improved Alabama team and a well-deserved SEC Coach of the Year for Anthony Grant.

Scott Cherry Named High Point University Head Coach

Tim Pollock — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 22:28:52 -0400

In keeping with High Point University’s ongoing mission to advance it's already improving name, Scott Cherry was hired as the head basketball coach at HPU yesterday.

The hiring means High Point will immediately challenge for the Big South Conference crown, and perhaps more importantly, will give a boost to the sagging Big South, which has deteriorated in stature since Gregg Marshall left Winthrop for Wichita State.

Despite High Point’s last-place finish last season, I expect them to battle for the top spot due to two factors:

1.) Cherry’s pedigree and experience

2.) The state of High Point’s roster in comparison to the rest of the Big South.

Simply put, Scott Cherry is synonymous with winning.

As a player at North Carolina in the early 90’s, Cherry’s efforts helped the Tar Heels advance to the Sweet 16 every year of his four-year career; including a trip to the 1991 Final Four, and the 1993 National Championship, which UNC won.

As an assistant coach for 10 years, Cherry has never been part of a team that did not have a winning record, or play in the postseason.

Cherry first made a name for himself as a seven-year assistant to Jim Larranaga at George Mason University, a top team in the Colonial Athletic Conference year-in and year-out.

Cherry was at his best when the Patriots went on their well-documented run to the Final Four as an 11 seed.

Cherry then hooked up with Darrin Horn at Western Kentucky, where the team made a run to the Sweet 16 two years ago.

Fresh off that performance, Cherry followed Horn to South Carolina, where the coaching staff resurrected the Gamecock program. They transformed a team that won nine conference games over the last two seasons, into a competitive 10-6 squad that claimed a portion of the Eastern Division crown (tied with Tennessee).

Which brings us back to High Point University.

Much like the team he inherited at South Carolina, the High Point Panthers return every player but one, Melvin Crowder, who only averaged 3.4 ppg this past season.

Look for Cherry to give a jumpstart to this young team. and rely heavily on guard Nick Barbour, who earned Big South All-Freshman team honors while averaging 14.4 points per contest.

The class of the Big South next season will clearly be Radford; the Highlanders lose the reliable Kenny Thomas—and his 15 ppg—but return their other four starters, including the reining Player of the Year in Art Parakhouski, his frontcourt mate Joey Lynch-Flohr and point guard Amir Johnson.

From there, however, the Big South is wide open. This year’s runner-up, VMI, has plenty of talent, but the departure of twins Travis and Chavis Holmes takes away valuable leadership, and over 40 points of production every game.

Seth Curry’s much publicized search for a bigger challenge will be damaging to Liberty’s progress this coming season, and none of the other conference teams have enough returning players to legitimately challenge Radford.

Both High Point University and the Big South should be celebrating the hire of Scott Cherry.

If Cherry’s past success is any indication, the High Point Panthers will be dancing before you know it.

Why I Love the NIT

Tim Pollock — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:12:58 -0400

For some unknown reason, I have really taken to watching the NIT over the last few years, mostly because it’s an odd form of punishment, mixed with relishing in others’ pain, while the battle for 66th place rages on.

Let me explain.

First, it’s always fun to watch coaches eat their words, so take a bow, Seth Greenberg: After moaning about your team’s absence in the NCAA tournament (again), you and your second-seeded Hokies got hammered 84-66 by Baylor in the second round. You held the lead for exactly zero seconds in that game.

Way to prove us all wrong, Coach; your contract extension is in the mail.

And here’s to you, Georgetown. After convincing me that you were a good team in December, you went out in the first round and finished the year one game above .500.

Bravo, and thanks for nothing.

As for Kentucky, who doesn’t like seeing them lose? Thank you, Billy Gillispie, for a great season of abrasive interviews with female reporters, constant reminders that you are a divorced man, and for your unabashed and blatant smugness.

Good luck enjoying a quiet meal in and around Lexington.

Second, there is something fascinating about listening to commentators try to intelligently discuss teams they have clearly never covered. I’m sure some of this is not their fault, as they could be given last-minute assignments, but ask a few questions before you start talking to a nationally-televised audience.

My favorite is Hubert Davis, who simply is not qualified to be the color man on a two-man crew. Not only is he a bit clumsy and misinformed on players and coaches (and pronunciations of those players’ and coaches’ names), but he acts like he has never seen a slam dunk in his life. Every time a guy throws one down, Davis turns into TNT’s Kevin Harlan, screaming and oohing-and-ahhing like he’s at an And-One dunk contest.

Calm down, Hubert: You played in the League, man.

Third, I get to pull for teams I am forced to hate all year long due to conference loyalty. I have never been a Notre Dame or Luke Harangody fan, but as soon as the bracket came out this year, I marked them as my champions. Note: This means I did actually take the time to print a bracket and fill it out.

All year long, the Gody’s flattop and odd jumper bothered me. A lot. But come National Invitation Tournament time, the flattop is back in style, and his jumper looks textbook. Suddenly, Kyle McAlarney doesn’t look like the overweight point guard who only shoots threes. Mike Brey’s mock turtlenecks are still ridiculous, but you can’t have everything, I guess.

St. Mary’s also falls into this category—if they make the Big Dance, another legit team (and by “legit,” I mean overrated SEC team that I’ll pick to go way too far in my bracket) gets knocked out, so I simply have to cheer for the Gaels to fail. Again, though, come NIT time, Patty Mills’ comeback story and Australian background are dazzling!

Fourth, not even ESPN cares, which is actually saying a lot, considering that they run mundane facts across the ticker throughout the entire day. I am writing this on Thursday, March 26. As of 4:27 PM, the Worldwide Leader’s online bracket still has not updated games that were played five days ago. Well played, ESPN: Nothing says the 24-hour sports network like forgetting to take the painstaking time to type in Baylor’s six-letter name.

Fifth, watching teams “celebrate” is always entertaining. Congrats, Kansas State! You just beat Illinois State, and now you are headed out West to play San Diego State.

After Kentucky’s opening round, Patrick Patterson had to be thinking he didn’t sign up for this when told Creighton’s second round opponent was located in Nebraska. I’m sure the Cats had a delightful time in Omaha.

Auburn, you hit the big time! You know Tiger fans were fired up to see Tennessee-Martin and Tulsa as their first two opponents. That is serious competition. I’m told the combined attendance for those two games was 3,000.

Print the T-shirts and pour the champagne!

Finally, if you think the NCAA Tournament seedings are off, take a look at the NIT brackets. Figuring out this mess is like making sense of Florida Congresswoman Corrine Brown’s speech.

For example, Florida and South Carolina both play in the Eastern Division of the SEC. Despite the fact that Florida finished 9-7 in-conference—behind the 10-6 co-champions of the East, South Carolina—the Gators earned a one seed and faced the worst team in the tournament, 18-14 Jacksonville, who got destroyed by anyone outside of the mediocre A-Sun.

Meanwhile, the Gamecocks ended up a three seed and drew Davidson, who was somehow seeded sixth—and just so happens to be roughly 90 minutes from Columbia, SC. Kentucky, who also finished behind South Carolina, hosted a 9-7 MWC team in UNLV who had to travel across the entire country. Take a wild guess at whose game had more visiting fans.

Furthermore, 22-10 George Mason earned a seven seed, while middle-of-the-road teams like Nebraska, Northwestern, and Kentucky all get better seeds.

Color me confused.

So many more variables go into the crazy scheduling and matchups, but that would make for an entirely too long and boring article. (Congrats for making it this far, by the way.)

While all of the teams in the NIT have faults, the two biggest head-scratchers for even being in the tournament were 17-15 Washington State and the aforementioned 18-14 Jacksonville.

And now only four teams are left, with only one top seed still remaining, San Diego State. The remaining three teams headed to Madison Square Garden are Baylor, Notre Dame, and Penn State.

Be sure to check ESPN sometime in May for the results.

VMI's Chavis and Travis Holmes Look To Make History...Again

Tim Pollock — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:44:08 -0500

For four years, Chavis and Travis Holmes have been defying odds and proving naysayers wrong.

After Thursday night’s convincing 78-58 win over Liberty, the brothers will attempt to continue that trend in this Saturday’s championship game of the Big South tournament—and hopefully again when the opening round of March Madness begins.

Make no mistake, however: No matter what happens Saturday, the Holmes twins will leave an indelible imprint on VMI basketball history—racking up a litany of accomplishments that vaulted VMI into national prominence.

A week ago, the twin brother standouts were both named to the 2009 All-Big South Conference teams. Chavis was tabbed a First-Team All-Conference selection while Travis earned a spot on the conference’s Second-Team.

Chavis’ Big South Conference game stats are borderline absurd. He ended first in scoring (22.1), first in steals (3.4), first in three-point percentage (44.8 percent), second in free-throw percentage (83.6 percent), fifth in field goal percentage (51.5 percent) and 10th in assists (3.1). In addition, Chavis only missed double-digit points in one game this season.

With those kind of numbers—not to mention VMI’s impressive conference and overall record—you have to wonder why Chavis did not earn the Big South Player of the Year Award, which instead went to Radford big man Artsiom Parakhouski. But that argument is for another day.

Meanwhile, Travis’ numbers are just as impressive. A knee injury that forced him to miss seven games kept his numbers from counting toward the conference stats, but his line is just as balanced as Chavis’: Per game, Travis recorded 19.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 3.3 steals. He also shot 50 percent from the field and 79 percent from the free-throw line.

In the season-opening win at Kentucky, Travis dropped 30 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Against UNCA, he went for a career-high 37 points, and he also has an 11 assist game to his credit (against High Point). Like his brother, Travis was held to single digit points in just one game.

For his career, Travis became just the ninth player in NCAA Division I history with at least 1,500 career points, 500 rebounds, 300 assists, and 300 steals.

Combined, the two became the all-time twin brother scoring leaders at the Division I level on January 24, when they scored a collective 47 points versus High Point.

But statistics aside, the two brothers seem to play their best when the lights are the brightest, as evidenced by the combined 38 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists, and four steals in Thursday’s semi-final win over Liberty.

More importantly, however, they limited Big South Freshman of the Year and media darling, Seth Curry, to only 10 points on 4-for-15 shooting.

Four years ago, VMI was the only Division I team to offer the twins as a package deal. In two days, the decision to stay together could end up reaping the benefit of every basketball player’s dream: making the NCAA Tournament.

The final hurdle in VMI’s bid to go dancing is the Radford Highlanders—winners of the Big South regular season crown. The championship game, Saturday at 4 p.m. on ESPN2, will be played at Radford’s home gym, so VMI has a tall task ahead of themselves.

Then again, the last time the Keydets visited Radford, they came away with a 15-point win while holding Big South Player of the Year Artsiom (Art) Parakhouski to only two points on four shot attempts.

Something tells me the VMI Keydets, led by senior captains Chavis and Travis Holmes, will be dancing all night long this Saturday night.

Breaking Down the SEC East Race

Tim Pollock — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:49:31 -0500

With only four games left in the conference season, the SEC East is still deadlocked in a three-way tie, with Florida, Kentucky, and South Carolina all looking to claim the crown.

What follows is a breakdown of the remaining games and challenges for each team.

Let’s start with Florida. Things get juicy for the Gators Tuesday night when they travel to LSU—a team that has ripped off 11 straight conference wins after losing a lackluster conference opener to Alabama of all teams. The Tigers have no home conference losses this year and only one home loss all season (to a tough Xavier team).

From there, Florida gets an unpredictable Tennessee team and then closes the season by traveling to Mississippi State and getting Kentucky at home. Winning all four seems out of the question for the inconsistent Gators, who have the dubious distinction of being the only SEC team to lose to Georgia this season.

I see the Gators going 2-2 to finish the season, ending at 10-6 for the season.

As for Kentucky: This Wednesday, the Cats travel to South Carolina in a game that could very well determine the East champion. A loss to South Carolina would give the Gamecocks a sweep of Kentucky and would therefore give Carolina the tiebreaker, so you can bet the Cats will be ready to play.

Kentucky then closes with LSU at home followed by road games at Georgia and Florida.

While my gut tells me Kentucky will end the season 2-2, a trusted and unbiased Kentucky fan insists that the Wildcats will go 3-1 to close out the year, so I put my trust in that man’s hands, meaning Kentucky will end at 11-5 for the season.

As a side note, typically the phrase “unbiased Kentucky fan” would be considered an oxymoron (you know it’s true, Kentucky fans), but in this case, I trust my source.

Meanwhile, after South Carolina’s game against Kentucky, they travel to Vandy, get Tennessee at home, and then finish with a trip to Athens to play Georgia.

Based on the remaining games, it appears that South Carolina’s schedule is the easiest. Then again, the Gamecocks have won so many close games already that you have to wonder if they can continue to pull off more last second wins.

The difference for the Gamecocks is simple, though: They have gotten last second wins from four different players. Downey sank Kentucky, Zam Fredrick pulled off the miracle win over Florida and drilled a jumper to beat Baylor, Mike Holmes’ tip-in beat Alabama, and, most recently, Dominique Archie’s put-back allowed South Carolina to pull off an overtime win over Arkansas.

Because of that, I’ve got South Carolina also going 3-1 down the stretch, ending at 11-5 and tied with Kentucky for the SEC East lead. Based on the tiebreaker, however, the Gamecocks win the East, and the city of Columbia—led the by new student “Garnet Army”—goes bonkers.

The real question, however, will be if one of these top four teams—Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, or LSU—can win the SEC Tournament. If we get another 2008 Georgia type tournament, the SEC’s reputation will take yet another hit—and rightfully so.

Finally, my apologies to Tennessee fans for leaving the Vols out of the equation, but Tennessee’s ugly two-game skid, nasty losses to Ole Miss and Kentucky, makes me think they have thrown in the towel. At 7-5 and victims of a Kentucky sweep, the Vols have too big a hole to dig out of, especially with Mississippi State, Florida, and South Carolina still on the schedule.

Tennessee: To The NIT

Tim Pollock — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 16:16:54 -0500

It was hard to tell what was uglier in Tennessee’s embarrassing 77-58 loss to Kentucky: The Vols’ defense or Bruce Pearl’s jacket and tie combination.

Jodie Meeks didn’t go off like he did in the first matchup of these two teams, but he was about the only Kentucky player who didn’t shoot lights out against the porous Tennessee defense. In fact, Meeks’ numbers actually hurt Kentucky’s percentages.

Kentucky shot a blistering 60% for the game even with Meeks going only 4-14 from the field, and the Cats shot 41% from downtown despite Meeks’ 0-7 performance from distance.

In his first game since suffering an ankle injury, Patrick Patterson looked great, notching 19 points on 9-12 shooting, including a handful of monster dunks, one of which was of the emphatic-twisting-Bill Walton-“Throw-it-down-big-man” variety.

That dunk was the metaphorical nail in the coffin as the clock went under two minutes—when Tennessee had all but given up.

For Kentucky, even freshman Darius Miller got in on the action. Despite averaging only 4.3 points per game, Miller went off for 17, the same number he scored in his three previous games.

Perhaps most importantly, however, is that Kentucky turned it over four times fewer than their season average. Turnovers have plagued the Wildcats all season, but you would never tell from watching Saturday’s game.

You could say this was an impressive performance by Kentucky—because it was—but more glaring was how poor of a performance it was by Tennessee, especially considering the implications of the game as the East race was a four-way tie heading into the game.

All this, of course, after Tennessee got thumped 81-65 by Ole Miss just three days prior.

Now at only 7-5 in SEC play and 16-10 overall, the only chance the Vols have at making the dance would be winning the SEC Tournament, which seems more unlikely with every passing game.

A lot has been made of how down the SEC is this year, and I agreed for much of the year. But while acknowledging that my SEC homerism may be getting in the way, I no longer buy into that theory. Let us not forget that Tennessee has wins over Big East teams Georgetown and Marquette. And Oklahoma’s sole loss was to Arkansas, who is 1-10 in SEC play. The Hogs also took down Texas.

While 22-4 LSU is currently the only ranked SEC team, South Carolina, Florida, Kentucky, and Mississippi State have all been proven to be tough teams, and each one could easily be in the top 25 right now.

Regardless, the Vols’ big wins were a long time ago, and the way you finish a season is always a factor on Selection Sunday.

The SEC race has been an exciting one all year, and despite the fact that Tennessee’s shot at winning the East is now over, don’t expect them to roll over for any of their remaining four opponents.

Has Billy Donovan's Mojo Been Stolen...by Darrin Horn?

Tim Pollock — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 23:52:15 -0500

Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi has an interesting take on Billy Donovan’s recent struggles at Florida: A Magic Jinx. Since Donovan spurned Orlando, the Magic have become one of the NBA’s best teams under Stan Van Gundy; meanwhile, the Gators just lost to Georgia, a 1-9 SEC team with no coach and an 11-game losing streak before the win over Florida.

In Bianchi’s words: “Somewhere, somehow, Billy D. has misplaced his mojo.”

I don’t know if I’d take it that far, but it just goes to show you that a few recruiting mistakes can set a program back two years—or more.

Junior Dan Werner and sophomore Chandler Parsons came in with reputations as sharpshooting big men, but neither has shown the ability on the collegiate level. Parsons appeared to be on his way to breaking out after lighting up Vandy from three, bombing 7-8 triples en route to 27 points. But since then, Parsons has gone a miserable 3-16 from downtown, brining his season average to just 30 percent.

Werner, meanwhile, is averaging only seven ppg in conference play while shooting 33 percent from three. And as a starting power forward in a guard-heavy conference, Werner only averages 4.2 rebounds a game.

When your starting forwards are putting up those numbers—and you can’t go to anyone on the bench—something is wrong.

It’s hard to believe that Donovan—who took over the FL program at only 31 years of age—is now the “Dean of the SEC” and still only 43 years old. But Donovan’s image took a hit after his five-day employment at One Magic Place, and he needs to see things through at Florida.

All of a sudden, Billy the Kid went from winning national championships to turning down Kentucky’s overtures (twice) to signing a huge NBA coaching contract to back full circle to his early days in Gainesville—leading an average Florida team into the tail end of another mediocre season.

Times, they do change. And a new young face is on the verge of taking over.

As the SEC East continues its shift in power, Kentucky’s struggles seem to get compounded by each game. Once the front runner for the East crown at 5-0, the Cats are now 7-4 after Tuesday night’s loss to Vandy, and with an ailing Patrick Patterson, who knows what Kentucky will put together to close the year.

Tennessee, meanwhile, has been all over the map and has a difficult stretch to end the season—filled with mainly road games.

And then there is South Carolina, quietly sitting atop the East standings, with a very manageable remaining schedule. At the helm is new coach Darrin Horn, the upstart 35-year-old fresh off a Sweet 16 appearance coaching his alma mater, Western Kentucky.

Horn is in prime position to claim not only the East title but also SEC Coach of the Year, if he can hold off LSU’s Trent Johnson. Horn has entirely changed the culture at South Carolina, and the same team that couldn’t win a close game last year is pulling off miracle wins this season.

And he isn’t stopping there.

Horn has become the new Donovan in more ways than one. In his first year in Columbia, Darrin Horn has the following on the table in front of him: a first place finish in the East, an NCAA tournament bid, an SEC Coach of the Year Award, and a top-flight recruiting class.

He might also be pondering job offers in the near future as well: Horn grew up in Lexington, KY, and if Billy Gillispie continues to falter, Horn might just replace Donovan as the new target for the Wildcats.

If Georgia can lure former Florida assistant Anthony Grant to Athens, SEC fans will be in for a treat for a long time coming.

Pitt-UConn: Why My Hatred for DeJuan Blair Rolls on

Tim Pollock — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 21:43:58 -0500

First off, what a huge win for Pitt Monday night. The Jerome Dyson injury aside, it is tough to go into Hartford, take Hasheem Thabeet completely out of his game, and walk away with a win.

At the center of the win was DeJuan Blair, whose monster game propelled Pitt to the win.

Blair is a great player down low—a beastly presence on the block who isn’t scared to take it up against anyone. As usual, Blair owned the paint on both ends against UConn, muscling his way the second 20-20 game of his career.

All that said, however, I just can’t see a team led by DeJuan Blair hoisting the Siemens Trophy at season’s end.

From where I sit, Blair just doesn’t have the focus other elite players have. He takes possessions off regularly, jogs down the court far too much, and gets away with too many pushes-in-the-back around the basket. And as I’ve mentioned ad nauseam, the guy can’t keep his mouth shut.

Blair’s most glaring weakness against UConn, however, was his pick and roll defense, which was nothing short of shameful. While Blair had other lapses, three stick out the most from Monday night’s game.

Midway through the first half—right after Blair set what appeared to be a cheap shot pick on Kemba Walker, which sent the diminutive point guard to the floor, Thabeet set a high pick for Walker, and Blair’s defense was so bad it was comical.

He didn’t hedge, he didn’t make an effort to get back to Thabeet—he did nothing. Walker made an easy pass to Thabeet, who then threw dropped the hammer on a monster dunk, igniting the crowd.

Fast forward to the second half, with Pitt barely hanging on to a lead in what is essentially the most important game of the year to this point of the season. On back-to-back possessions, Blair allowed Jeff Adrien easy dunks off of basic high pick and roll plays. Worse yet, after the second dunk, Blair even pointed the finger at his teammates for not helping—instead of giving the “My bad” for not hustling back to his man.

Blair’s lack of a “sense of urgency,” as every broadcaster loves to say, is what strikes me the most. It’s like the kid doesn’t understand the importance of key possessions.

Moments after his defensive miscues, with his team clinging to a one-point lead, Blair decided to take a fadeaway from 12 feet—and he didn’t even hit the rim.

Not surprisingly, UConn eventually took control and went up by as much as five. But it wasn’t meant to be for the Huskies, as Pitt—namely Levance Fields—had an answer for everything down the stretch.

To be clear, I’m not suggesting DeJuan Blair is not worthy of the praise given to him. He is.

But come tournament time, when Pitt eventually faces a team with a big man who plays away from the hoop and sets high screens—in a game reffed by non-Big East officials—I just don’t see Blair rallying his teammates, hustling back on defense, keeping his mouth shut, and avoiding the same problems that seem to plague him every game.

And I certainly can’t see him doing it for six straight games.