The USC Gamecocks football team just put the final touches on the 2010 season and is off to the recruiting races but they are already getting some early 2011 love.
Let’s provide a snapshot:
One of our weekly must-read blogs Pre-Snap Read has the Gamecocks in their Top 25 for 2011. In fact, number 12 and here is what they write…
12. (23) South Carolina (9-5, 5-3)
Depth, experience, talent — Spurrier’s best team at U.S.C.
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ESPN’s Chris Low has USC in his Top Five in his 2011 SEC Power Rankings, here is what he writes…
3. South Carolina: The Gamecocks lose very little from their 2010 Eastern Division championship team. It looks like Steve Spurrier is going to open up the quarterback competition between Stephen Garcia and Connor Shaw. The one-two punch of running back Marcus Lattimore and receiver Alshon Jeffery should be as good as any in the league, and the defense returns all of its key performers.
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SI has their “way too early rankings” up for 2011 and South Carolina is sitting at #9. Here is what they say…
9. South Carolina: Sorry, Gamecocks, but you get to be the trendy outside-the-power-structure SEC pick for this season. That didn’t work so well for Ole Miss in 2009, but Arkansas ended up in the Sugar Bowl in 2010. It will be interesting to see how South Carolina handles lofty expectations. With tailback Marcus Lattimore and receiver Alshon Jeffery coming back, South Carolina should be picked to repeat as SEC East champion.
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And do check out our pal at Garnet & Black Attack as he has a “way too early” SEC ranking with USC sitting at the top.
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Oh and for those recruiting junkies out there ESPN as of 1/10/11 has USC as their #24 best class thus far – HERE – and it will change so don’t start complaining.
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I like what I am hearing for 2011…thoughts?
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