I hope we are not already planning for defeat. From today’s STATE Paper article –here– and several other media reports it seems some are doubting the Gamecocks and focusing on next year. Yes, this season has been a roller coaster ride and we still have 2 games to go but let’s not give up on the team and start talking about next year…. there is plenty of football left.
I feel we have a great chance to win the next two games….I really do. Let’s stop to think about what the team is made up of and what is really a bright future for Carolina Football.
There has been 220 starters through 10 games this year and out of that:
Seniors – 63 starts (28.6 %)
Juniors – 57 starts (25.9%)
Sophomores – 64 starts (29%)
Redshirt Freshman – 13 starts (5.9%)
True Freshman – 23 starts (10.5%)
As you can see the bulk of play has been to guys that will be around the program for a few more years. Keep in mind also what Spurrier is doing at USC – changing the culture. That is not easy nor can be done in a short amount of time. Hence, “The Game is On!” slogan and media campaign. It was created to begin to think and focus on winning championships (for all USC sports).
Here is a great quote from the paper that helps to put this in perspective:
The question for a USC fan base weary of the ‘Wait ‘til next year’ refrain remains: When will be the Gamecocks be great?
Spurrier points to last year’s top-5 recruiting class and a depth chart dotted with 19 first- and second-year players (among 46 listed) as reasons for optimism.
“Maybe our team’s not quite as strong as we hoped right now. And we hope to be there someday,” Spurrier said. “… Right now, we’re eighth in the league in offense and defense and special teams hasn’t done much except rough the punters. We’re 6-4. I don’t know how to explain it.”
Center Web Brown, a fifth-year senior, agreed that Spurrier has yet to field his best teams at USC. “I think the program’s on the rise and it could be better in years to come.”
Well, I agree with both Spurrier and Brown. This year has been crazy and we have yet to play a complete game of football – where the offense and defense both excels – this season. We have gotten lucky at times and other times we can not catch a break (i.e Tennessee game).
So let’s get focused on UF (USC is looking for back-to-back wins at home against Florida for the first time since 1936 and 1939) this week and quit talking about our rash of losses or what could have been or next year talk. Time to step up and win.
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