Gamecocks Blogger Roundtable is back. You may recall – HERE – this was an idea we had (yes I am taking credit) to bring the internet’s best “Gamecock Blogging minds together.” Don’t be afraid but do follow what we say as someone is correct in their opinion, which one? Well you be the judge of that but do pay attention.
Our pals over at Garnet & Black Attack are playing host this week, as you may recall we rotate who does that task so we get varying questions. The additional participants in this roundtable, besides me, are: TSK’s cocknfire, the Post and Courier’s Travis Haney, and Gamecock Anthem’s Wes Mitchell. Be sure to check out their sites for their responses over the course of the week or so.
GABA questions are below with the LOHD insightful answers (click read more):
1. With Florida reeling and the Gamecocks fresh off a stunning upset of top-ranked Alabama, is Carolina now the favorite to win the East?
As LOHD noted from the start of the season, it all comes down to the UF game. USC is good, duh? USC is in the driver’s seat and a lot depends on how they maneuver against UK, Vandy and Tennessee. The honest answer as noted by the SEC standings is USC is the favorite. The Gamecocks control how this ends to some degree. All USC fans need to pull for UGa when they play UF as some help would ease the way some.
2. The Gamecocks now face a stretch of games against Kentucky, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee in which they’ll likely be in the unfamiliar territory of being relatively sizeable favorites. Which of these games presents the biggest challenge and risk of a potential upset for the Gamecocks?
Gotta say UK. The game has ‘trap’ written all over it. If USC comes in thinking they are kings of the world for winning one game against Alabama then it could spell trouble for USC. Move on football players. Yes, what you did was amazing and we love you for it but now it is a new game. Focus. The Gamecocks need to just take care of business and continue to focus on one game at a time.
UK can score in bunches and they would love nothing more than to beat USC.
I feel Vandy will be easier to shut down than in year’s past and UT is not the “rocky top” of year’s ago.
3. The biggest surprise for this years’ team has to be the offense’s rapid transformation into something that looks increasingly like a vintage Spurrier offense. What has the difference maker been for the Carolina offense?
Having an offensive line that can block and create running lanes. Amazing what can happen when you begin to win trench battles. An offense is only as good as what is up front. Anyone that knows football will tell you that if you execute the basics – blocking and tackling – you can be successful. USC has long been good at tackling as seen by one of the nation’s best defenses but has been lacking on the O-line. Shawn Elliott deserves a pay increase. He was handed a line that was okay and has gotten them to perform at a higher level. I mean, these boys pushed around UGa and Bama like they were high schoolers. The team needs this effort each week and really from here on it.
A Spurrier offense has to have running lanes and time for the QB. He has it, not perfect but it is there for the first time in a long time and you can see what he is able to do with it.
4. After Stephen Garcia’s career performance, is the QB controversy now at rest? Or are we likely to see Connor Shaw take meaningful snaps in upcoming games?
YES. Put it to bed and turn off the lights. As we have stated, Garcia presents the best option for USC to win the big games. Connor Shaw will be a great qb at USC and he is the future but right now the “keys to the offense” are in Garcia’s hands. Let’s see where this can take us.
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