South Carolina Gamecocks Football: 5 Reasons SC Should Not Have Lost to Auburn

Remember how George Jefferson kept the first dollar he ever made in the dry cleaning business in a frame on his wall?

I did the same thing as a kid.

The difference was that I made my first dollars hustling sodas to Gamecocks fans at Williams-Brice Stadium as a child. (Truthfully, I spent that dollar years ago. Becoming a man was more expensive than I planned.)

The point is that I have been a South Carolina fan all of my life. There were seasons where I had attended all the home games. I pulled for them whether they won nine games, or lost 10.

The thing I most identified with was that Gamecock football teams were often outmatched at multiple positions all over the field, but we always fought to the very last whistle. Teams were always stronger and faster than us. We had to play mistake-free football because the talent just wasn't there.

Not anymore.

The Gamecocks came into 2011 loaded on both sides of the ball. With a top WR and RB, an SEC schedule missing heavyweight roadblocks, a defensive line bolstered by the addition of the No. 1 recruit in the country, and a fifth-year senior returning to quarterback the whole show, there were even whispers of a national championship title.

Despite poor showings in a 4-0 start, South Carolina was still favored by 10 points over Auburn—last year's national champion. Inexplicably, the Gamecocks lost 13-16.

My hat goes off to Auburn, but here are my five reasons USC didn't have to lose.

We Added Talent While Auburn Lost Key Stars

Auburn went undefeated last year with a dominant player on each side of the ball.

Cam Newton couldn't be stopped by any college coach last year, so he made the decision to challenge NFL defenses the way he toyed with our D twice last year. 

While this Auburn team is still a tough out, the offense isn't nearly as explosive, and the defense isn't as disruptive without Nick Fairley to collapse the middle.

While Auburn lost key starters, we brought back one of the top WRs in the country, arguably the best RB in college, and a fifth-year senior at QB to run the show.

Now mix in a breakout season by DT Melvin Ingram (three TDs), a ball-hawking spur in Antonio Allen, and freshman Jadeveon Clowney (two violent sack-fumbles leading to defensive TDs) playing DE like a man among boys.

It should have been payback time! 

Spurrier Should Have the Players for His System by Now

Steve Spurrier is an accomplished coach who has forgotten more about football than I will ever know. He is often called an offensive genius. The Ole Ball Coach. The creator of the Fun-and-Gun. And national champion. He has an identity. 

Why doesn't his team?

The Gamecocks offense doesn't know who they are. One series they are a power team, marching 80 yards on the ground to paydirt. Then they go three-and-out without attempting another carry. We ride Lattimore for nearly 40 carries in a win against Navy, then follow it up with 17 carries in the loss to Auburn. 

What is this team's bread and butter? What do we do best?

If we want to be a vertical passing team, shouldn't there be a quarterback on the roster who excels at deep throws?

In seven seasons under Spurrier, South Carolina has recruited a wideout who can't be defended 1-on-1, a back who can't be tackled 1-on-1, and dominant linemen.

However, Marcus Lattimore and Alshon Jeffery could both be Heisman hopefuls this year if there was a quarterback on the roster capable of just keeping defenses honest.

Why can Spurrier recruit everything BUT a consistent quarterback to run his system? I wish I knew. 

Our D Gets Better Each Week

Auburn's D made it to Columbia ranked dead last in the SEC.

On paper, this year's Gamecocks defense appeared like it could be disruptive, but I did not picture DT Melvin Ingram getting 5.5 sacks (leading the SEC) in the last two weeks. Nor did I imagine Ingram getting in the end zone three times in the first five games of the season. 

"Spur" LB Antonio Allen, the designated ballhawk on the team, has 49 tackles, three picks, and two defensive TDs to his credit.

And let's not forget that just a few weeks removed from graduating high school, DE Jadeveon Clowney is snatching opposing QBs out of their cleats as if they were ragdolls! (He is 2nd in sacks in the SEC, behind Ingram.)

USC's defense has shown what every coach hopes to see—weekly improvement.

The two total sacks in the first three games pales in comparison to the 11 sacks registered by the D in the last two games. After giving up 508 yards passing and eight TDs to ECU and Georgia, the Gamecocks D has held its next three opponents to a passing total of 246 yards.

Combined.

This defense had the confidence and ability to press Auburn's stagnant passing offense, so why sit back in zone coverage eight yards from the line of scrimmage? Why passively allow Auburn to run 67 times for 246 yards?

Our defense lined up 92 times, pick off four Auburn tosses, sacked the quarterback six times, gave up only 16 points, AND STILL LOST!

We Have Two Probable No. 1 Draft Picks on Offense

Pick your poison.

As a defensive coordinator with USC on your schedule, that is all you can hope to do. Looking for ways to stop this dynamic duo is enough to make opposing coaches update their resumes.

Auburn knew this from experience in 2010.

They watched Lattimore's 182 yards worth of power running against Georgia, and another 212 yards of dominance in Florida's backyard. He finished with over 1,100 yards and 17 TDs as a freshman.

They saw Alshon Jeffery match this with seven catches for 127 yards and two TDs against the No. 1 team in the country (Alabama) as well as produce eight games in 2010 with at least 100 yards receiving.

Even more up close and personal, Auburn gave up 12 passes for 228 yards and three TDs to Alshon Jeffrey last year alone!

How these two future NFL lottery picks only got 21 opportunities to touch the ball on Saturday makes little sense to me.

I call that doing the Auburn Tigers a HUGE favor!

Horrible QB Play Had Gone on Too Long!

I was against Steve Spurrier's benching of Stephen Garcia for the start of the East Carolina game. Not because I admire how Garcia's teammates seem to rally around him, which says something about his character. Not because he has played some wonderful games in a USC uniform (see the Alabama game last year).

As a fifth-year senior, Garcia had earned the right to start the season and show whether or not he could lead this team. After two or three games, it became clear that his game had not advanced in the offseason. As a matter of fact, the numbers show quite the opposite.

I will use a common opponent (Vanderbilt) to show his development. In 2009, Garcia's numbers against the Commodores read favorably; 22-for-33, 312 yards and two touchdowns, with no picks. In 2010, he improved to 31-for-39, 355, two touchdowns and one interception. 

2011 stats vs. Vanderbilt? 16-for-30, 228 yards, one touchdown and four picks.

If you prefer to just focus on 2011 stats, Garcia was gradually worse each game. He threw zero interceptions in Game 1, two in Game 2, and four in Game 4.

His pass completions have been below 47 percent in three out of five games, with the Auburn game a season low 39.1 percent. All this while throwing four touchdowns and nine interceptions!

I don't know if Garcia is the best quarterback we have on the roster, but I certainly HOPE not.

Coach Spurrier announced he will play Connor Shaw against Kentucky on Saturday. Hopefully, Shaw will at least be able to manage this offense and take care of the ball so that the rest of the talent on this team can begin to shine through.

I would then like to see Garcia's talents worked back into the offense with some power running Wildcat packages, and maybe then Shaw and Garcia can both play at the same time!! 

Creative play-calling defined the Ole Ball Coach that I remember.

If we can let Alshon Jeffery get back to being Alshon Jeffery, this will loosen up the safeties in the box so Marcus Lattimore can be Marcus Lattimore.

And lastly, we have the athletes on D to be dominant pass-rushers. Let them eat!

This is the most talent USC has ever seen. If we have to lose, let's go down SWINGING! The SEC East is still out there for the taking.