Dreams of BCS are beginning to invade my sleep as kickoff of Gamecocks football is not just 4 days away.

South Carolina did many things well last season, but on several occassions they turned the ball over too many times.  On four seperate occasions USC turned the ball over four times in a game.  Not surprisingly, Carolina lsot two of those games: Auburn and Arkansas.  The Gamecocks beat East Carolina and Vanderbilt despite the carelessness with the ball.  I wonder what last year's score against Vanderbilt would have been but for the four turnovers.

The South Carolina Gamecocks are poised for another great season in Columbia and on that should get a smile from Coach Steve Spurrier. It is amazing how far he has taken this program and the direction it is heading. As that is stated, you have to wonder what are the goals for this team in 2012. Well, here are my goals for the 2012 football squad:

1. Win the first game. Set the tone for the season and beat Vandy. Always want to get the first notch on your belt and let the confidence begin to build.
2. Win the first home game. You must "protect this house." Again, establish the mindset that this is South Carolina and we do not lose at home from the start. It will catch-on and help down the road.
3. Go unbeaten at home. Yeah, it is a tall order with Arkansas and Georgia coming to Columbia but if they can do goals one through three then right there is seven wins. By winning all the home games, it can translate into getting strengthening the attempt to get to Atlanta for the SEC crown.
4.  Lose no more than one game on the road. Again, no easy task especially with LSU, Vandy, UK, Clemson and Florida on the road. I would love to say go unbeaten outside Columbia too but that is a lot to ask. Imagine if it did happen that way.....ok, back to earth....if USC can manage to lose just one game on the road then the final goals are still in play.
5. Beat Clemson. Always want to beat your enemy. Keep the streak alive and watch Dabo cry.
6. Represent the East in Atlanta. USC has been there before and knows what it needs to do to get back. It would help if UGa and UF stumble along the way.
7. Win the SEC Championship. This is the goal each year. Never been done by a USC football squad. Is 2012 the year?
8. Go to a BCS Bowl. Can the final goal happen?

This covers the goals as far as we see it. Again team goals. Your thoughts?

Can you begin to feel it? Gamecocks football is now just 5 days away until kickoff of the 2012 season.

5 is the record for receiving touchdowns in a game.  In 2006, Sidney Rice torched poor Florida Atlantic for 5 TDs.  On the day Rice had 9 receptions for 161 yards, all from Syvelle Newton.  Rice had emerged in 2005 after redshirting the year before.  Will someone on this year's team emerge as a young, phenomenal talent?

All indications from Fall practice are that Marcus Lattimore's knee is healthy, and he is ready to go.  He will be the featured running back as long as he stays healthy.  Before he was injured many fans questioned his high volume of carries.  Expect those concerns to re-surface this season.  Are they justified?

Billy:

Marcus Lattimore is easily the best running back South Carolina has seen in 30 years; he may be the best ever.  His presence in the game forces defenders and coordinators to account for him.  The more plays he is on the field, the better chance South Carolina has to win games.  Unless he is tired, hurt or the game is out of reach, Lattimore needs to be in the game.  He has done the training and deserves to have as many carries as he had before he went out.  Those carries weren't the cause of his injury before, and we have nothing to indicate it will be again.

Bryant:

The good news for South Carolina is that Lattimore may not need to get 30 plus touches a game. Connor Shaw has proven he can win games in this conference without #21 lining up behind him. Other players stepped up last year to carry the load. South Carolina did not panic last year; everybody else stepped up their game to pick up the load, a sign of maturity and good recruiting.   To touch on what Billy said, Marcus can impact the game with out getting carries. Lattimore demands to be addressed first, which opens up the play action pass.  That said, it should make South Carolina fans smile just a little knowing that if it comes down to it, you can give it Marcus 40 times and get out with a win.

Flounder:

Marcus "the workhorse" Lattimore will be fine in 2012 as the Gamecocks will not have to ride him too hard this season. The depth at running back is at a point that they can spread carries.  Also the emergence of the tight end corps should help to gain additional yards on the offensive side of the ball and the burden will not have to fall on Latti's knee in 2012.

LJ:

Lattimore is back and should be better then ever. I think better depth will help keep Lattimore fresh for when they really need him late in close ball games.  Spurrier will once again rely on the run, so look for Wilds, Miles and Lattimore to all get plenty of carries this season.  As for over using Marcus, I don't think that will be a problem this season.

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Agree or disagree? Post a comment....    

Football in the State of South Carolina is about to be taken to a new level as Gamecocks football kicks off in just six days.

6 was the most sacks South Carolina had in a game.  They accomplished the feat twice.  The first time was against Vanderbilt.  The Commodores offense was so overwhelmed they threw for only 73 yards and rushed for a total of 4.  The Gamecock defense sacked another opponent 6 times - Nebraska.  Many of those sacks came late.  Once South Carolina had a comfortable lead and the Cornhuskers were forced to throw, they didn't have a chance against the front 4 and the numbers showed.

There's one week until Carolina football.  In 7 days, we kickoff.

On November 10, 1984, 5th ranked South Carolina intercepted 11th ranked Florida State 7 times in Columbia en route to a 38-26 win.  FSU finished the year a respectable 7-3-2 while South Carolina finished 10-2, its best record to that point.  The 7 interceptions by the Gamecocks still stand as the most in a single game.

As anticipation for the coming football season continues to grow there are many questions rolling around in the heads of Gamecock Nation.  On offense these questions could be: is Marcus 100%?  Is there a viable receiving corps?  Will the offensive line be ready?  Those are the main concerns, but did you know that Connor Shaw is a question mark?  I didn’t.

John Pennington, the proprietor of the excellent MrSEC.com, has taken a look at the quarterback situations for all teams across the conference.  He has then categorized the teams’ quarterback situations as Top Guns, Proven Commodities, Question Marks or Worry Warts.  South Carolina and Connor Shaw have been categorized as question marks.  They are lumped in with Zach Mettenberger and Maxwell Smith.  You remember those guys, right?  Mettenberger is the LSU JUCO transfer with talent but little experience.  Maxwell Smith is the leader of Kentucky’s juggernaut offense. 

Connor Shaw led a run first offense last season, and he is being underestimated this year because of it.  Since he didn’t start part of the season his yardage numbers don’t jump off the page.  (He had 1,448, 7^th in the conference.)  His numbers stack up quite a bit better in efficiency.  Shaw’s rating was 148.3, good for second in conference and 0.1 behind the conference’s undisputed Top Gun, Tyler Wilson.

Why does Shaw continue to lack respect around the nation and around the conference?  It’s not the numbers.  In games Shaw started, South Carolina scored an average of 32 points.  That output matches Georgia and Top Gun Aaron Murray.  It’s the perception.  Steve Spurrier’s offenses threw for so many yards and scored so many points during his golden days in Florida that South Carolina’s offense is never going to measure up.  Compounding that perception are the public statements that the Gamecocks are a run first offense.  15 rushes a game by Shaw don’t exactly help his image as an elite passer either.

Before you inundate Mr. SEC with posts or emails letting him know he missed the mark, remember he’s not alone.  Phil Steele didn’t have Shaw among his Top 4 SEC quarterbacks.  Most national writers don’t have him high on the list either.  All that being said, it’s not a problem.  If people want to discount or undervalue Shaw, we can only hope opposing defensive coordinators will follow their lead and do the same.  If they do then he can continue to complete more than 70% of his passes, like he did the last 3 games of last season.  Then perhaps the question mark will be resolved for everyone.

Mercifully, there are only 8 days left until kickoff.

8 is the fewest number of yards given up by the Gamecocks in a game.  The opponent: Clemson.  On October 21, 1943 South Carolina allowed 8 yards rushing and not a single yard through the air.  With the evolution of offense it is safe to say this record will never be broken, and Clemson will always have the most inept offensive showing in Carolina history.

Steve Spurrier is excited as the Gamecocks are now just 9 days away until kickoff.

9 is the final ranking of South Carolina in last season's AP Poll.  The Gamecocks actually finished higher at 8 in the Coaches' Poll.  The minor disparity isn't due to a disagreement among voters.  Southern Cal wasn't allowed in the Coaches' Poll.  Nonetheless, it was a consensus Top 10 finish, the first for the program and a great milestone to build on.

Don't look now but South Carolina football is 10 days away from kickoff.

10 is the number of yards the offense must gain for a first down.  Last season, South Carolina made 248 first downs in 13 games for an average of 19 a game.  USC's opponents only made 205.  Carolina had their most against Kentucky with 32 and fewest against Auburn with 13.  The defense gave up only 5 against Vanderbilt, fewest on the year, but they gave up 23 to Georgia.