Project CFB Top Ten: #8 South Carolina Gamecocks

While the South Carolina Gamecocks have a relatively favorable schedule for the 2013 season, there are still too many questions to put this team in the driver’s seat of the SEC.

South Carolina finished the 2012 season with a five-game winning streak. The team went 11-2 overall and 6-2 in potentially the best conference in college football; however only seven and five starters are returning for the offense and defense respectively.

Quarterback Connor Shaw will start as the Gamecocks’ leader under center for the 2013 season. Shaw started 11 out of 13 games last season and finished his season with 17 touchdowns, 7 interceptions and led his team to a 33-28 victory over Michigan in the Outback Bowl. Despite coming off an injury-laden past few seasons and recent foot surgery, which caused him to miss spring practices, Shaw is looking forward to his healthy return on the field. While Shaw is named the starter, head coach Steve Spurrier however recognizes that he may have two hot quarterbacks on the roster and has discussed having Shaw split time at the position with QB Dylan Thompson. Thompson started the two games Shaw couldn’t due to injury and proved he has one strong arm, throwing for over 300 yards and three touchdowns in both of his two starts.

Big losses come in the run game. To avoid potential further collegiate injury, running back Marcus Lattimore declared for the 2013 NFL Draft and RB Kenny Miles chose to not return for the Gamecocks’ 2013 season. Although Lattimore is gone, he did face devastating back-to-back knee injuries that cut his 2011 and 2012 seasons short so some may argue the Gamecocks were able to still survive without him. Moving forward, sophomore Mike Davis may just be the key to keep this run game on the up and up. At 5-foot-9, Davis doesn’t necessarily have the height to be an elite back, but he does weigh in at a solid 215-pounds. He has the power to be an explosive back that can cut up the middle and work in sync with South Carolina’s big offensive line.

As for the receiving corps, South Carolina’s two big tight ends, Rory Anderson and Jerell Adams will look to create mismatches against rival defenses and wide receiver Bruce Ellington’s speed will provide Shaw – or Thompson – with opportunities to air the ball out downfield.

Defensively, the Gamecocks’ MVP is 6-foot-6, 274-pound defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. With so many defensive starters gone, Clowney is expected to take on a leadership role for the upcoming season. Can Clowney be the answer to a successful 2013 South Carolina season? His natural speed and power to get off the ball put him in a category all his own. (See: “The Hit” from the 2013 Outback Bowl). The jury may still be out, but hype aside, Clowney is certainly a game changer and playmaker.

Schedule wise, South Carolina’s is favorable. The team doesn’t face any of the elite SEC opponents including Alabama, Texas A&M and LSU (who defeated the Gamecocks 23-21 a year ago) but does still have challenges. These come in games like week two’s matchup on the road against Georgia (even though the Gamecocks won by double digits against the Bulldogs last year) and week eleven’s game against Florida (who rocked South Carolina 44-11 in 2012). South Carolina also finishes their 2013 season with no road games in November.

While its BCS title game chances are minimal, due to the Alabama powerhouse, this could be South Carolina’s best chance to make a run. With Clowney still on the roster, a healthy quarterback, and a schedule that on paper looks to work in their favor, the Gamecocks may be a force to be reckoned with in the 2013 season.

- Hayley Elwood
@hayleyelwood
hayley.projectcfb@gmail.com

Jadeveon Clowney: Heisman 2013?

After setting the University of South Carolina’s single-season records for sacks and tackles for losses in his sophomore season, Jadeveon Clowney should be considered a legitimate Heisman contender for the 2013 trophy.

Clowney placed sixth in Heisman voting for the 2012 award, but it’s been over 15 years since the first – and last – primarily defensive player, Charles Woodson, won the Heisman Trophy.  Clowney’s stellar list of accolades speaks for itself and proves why the Gamecock could be the first true defensive player to win the award. 

Surely there’s competition.  Last year’s Heisman recipient, SEC quarterback Johnny Manziel, is seen by many as the favorite going into next year, but if Clowney has as hot of a season this year as he had last, his name is sure to be in legitimate contention.

 The 6-foot-6, 274-pound defensive end was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2012 (a first for a South Carolina player) and became the first true sophomore to win the Hendricks Award for most outstanding defensive end.  He was named first-team All SEC and statistically, Clowney recorded 13 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss, which tied for third and second in the nation respectively.

His freshman season was just as outstanding.  In one of the most highly competitive collegiate divisions, Clowney was awarded the SEC Freshman of the Year award and was named to the second-team All SEC.  

What sets Clowney apart from his peers is his speed and physicality, his ability to get off the ball and on the edge.  His most memorable play, which was recently nominated for a 2013 ESPY for “Best Play”, came in the 2013 Outback Bowl.  Known as “the hit”, Clowney stopped Michigan running back Vincent Smith in the backfield for a loss of eight yards while forcing a fumble and recovering the fumble himself.  His play gave the ball back to the Gamecocks with great field position and led to an eventual touchdown.  In the Outback Bowl broadcast, former NFL head coach now turned ESPN analyst Jon Gruden said, “Not many guys I’ve ever seen can get off the ball and rock people like Clowney.”  His quickness and agility to get off the ball force turnovers is a skill set that is comparable to NFL defensive linemen.

Even though it’s only June, Clowney is expected to be the first overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.  Former scout and now NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah called Clowney “on another planet” and gave him the highest grade he’s ever given a defensive lineman.

If there are criticisms of Clowney, it’s that contrary to the Outback Bowl play, he’s had trouble stopping the run and has taken plays off at times, but chances are he’ll make improvements for his junior season.  He’s a game changer.  If he can have more consistently big moments like his Outback Bowl play as well as the blindside sack/strip he had on Tennessee’s quarterback Tyler Bray, his plays will silence his doubters.

Pending Clowney stays healthy this fall, he could set South Carolina’s school sack record.  He only needs nine sacks to break the record of 29 and being that his stats have gone up from his freshman to sophomore year (8 to 13), he should be able to clinch this record during his time as a junior and hopefully hoist the Heisman in December.

- Hayley Elwood

@hayleyelwood

hayley.projectcfb@gmail.com

Josh's Top Five SEC Defensive Linemen

1) Jadeveon Clowney (South Carolina)
2) Anthony Johnson (LSU)
3) Dominique Easley (Florida)
4) Trey Flowers (Arkansas)
5) Bryan Jones (Arkansas)

Over the last 8 seasons in college football there hasn't been a more dominant conference in the country than the South Eastern Conference. With 7 straight national championships the SEC has become the hot bed of big time players and games. Over the years the SEC has been known as a defensive minded conference, and 2013 is no exception. Lead by Jadeveon Clowney, who might be the best player in the country this year, the SEC has no lack of talent along the defensive line this year.

Clowney is a clear cut #1 on the top defensive linemen list, followed by Anthony Johnson of LSU, who as a sophomore looks to improve on a 10 tackle for loss, and 3 sack season in 2012 and lead the Tigers' defensive line as they push for a 2013 SEC championship. Followed closely by Florida's brash, trash talking interior linemen Dominique Easley who may be ready to break out in 2013 similar to Sharrif Floyd last season.

The final two spots on this list are a part of a very underrated Arkansas Razorback defensive line in Trey Flowers and Bryan Jones. Flowers and Jones are both among the more dominant linemen in the country and coming off strong 2012 seasons look to lead a much improved Razorback team in 2013.

- Josh Gamez
@itsjoshgamez
josh.projectcfb@gmail.com