Gamecocks Football is upon us as the first College Football game week of 2010 has begun. Southern Miss is on tap on Thursday night at 7:30pm on ESPN for Coach Spurrier and his boys. I have waited since January for this and finally it is here.
Before LOHD, provides you with some good content leading up to the game. Allow us to lay out the “goals for the team in 2010.” They are simple. They are clearly defined. They are our goals for each season. They start with the opening game and last until the bowl game. They say nothing about individuals. Finally, they are all within reason.
Here are the goals as we see them for 2010:
1. Win the Opener
This is a goal each year. This year is no different even if it is a good Southern Miss squad. Success is built upon as rarely it happens overnight. All the things USC has been doing in recruiting, preparing, practicing and executing to perfection leads up to being ready to seize the moment. For the Gamecocks to be successful they must start out on the right foot. The Gamecocks are not lucky to have an easy schedule. Right after this game, they have UGa. It is “muy importante” for USC to win Game 1. It builds confidence and gets the train moving towards larger goals.
2. Win the Eastern Division
This goal is something that requires the longest time for focus. This is a goal that requires good play for the most of the season. The other four goals deal with beating one opponent in a one game scenario but this one requires multiple wins against multiple opponents.
The journey to accomplish this goal begins versus Georgia. Each and every SEC game is important and circles back to this goal.
3. Win the State Championship
Beat Clemson. The fans love it and it does help in recruiting over the long-term. This too builds confidence and energy for the program. South Carolina has not beaten Clemson in back-to-back seasons in almost 40 years. This is our rival. Beat the rival.
4. Win the SEC Conference
Since the SEC spilt into divisions this really means a one game scenario. While that is not totally true, due to the fact that you have to win the division in order to get to the conference championship game but the division title was clearly defined in an early goal. Therefore this is another single game goal but a big one at that. Accomplish this goal and a BCS bowl game follows.
I have stated in this offseason it is achievable. Win game one. Work on winning the East. Go into the UF game with the East on the line. Take care of business and go to Atlanta as the champion of the East. Simple on paper.
5. Win the Bowl Game
Like the opening goal, this one does not say anything about a specific opponent. It does not say win a certain bowl game. In essence the bowl or the opponent is not important to the goal. The goal is simply to win the bowl game no matter what bowl and what opponent.
In closing
Looking at the USC football program as a whole, I am pleased. Yes I am tired of seeing 7-5 as end results. I always want to see progression in the program and I have seen it thus far. This offseason, over the last 45 days, as been like a soap opera but don’t let this ruin the established goals laid out above. Must improve as a program. I feel strongly that 8 wins is needed. USC needs to take that next step as a program.
The talent and abilities of this team is the best Columbia has ever seen. Can it come together in 2010? It begins on Thursday and it begins with achieving goal #1.
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