Mack's 2016 SEC East Preview: South Carolina

WMack4Bama

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South Carolina Gamecocks

Overall: D
Just a really bad team right now. The cupboard wasn’t left completely bare after legendary head coach Steve Spurrier stepped down mid-season last year, but it was close to it. With new head coach Will Muschamp now in the fold, the Gamecocks have their man who, in my opinion, should have been their guy a year ago this time. But here we are.

Offensive Grade: D+
Let’s start at QB. The two guys who played last year (Perry Orth & Lorenzo Nunez) both missed the spring with injury. This left early enrollee Brandon McIlwain as the guy slated ahead the other two QBs - Connor Mitch (transferred after spring practice) and Michael Scarnecchia. And THEN, Jake Bentley, the son of South Carolina running backs coach Bobby Bentley, committed for the class of 2017 and then revealed he could graduate from high school early and enroll in college this summer. That means Bentley will be able to compete for the starting job this fall. Personally, I think that’s a lot for a kid. But not all kids are built the same way. As it is, as the old saying goes, if you have 2 QBs, you have none. And in this case, they have a full house. Whoever Boom decides to go with, how quick will he be to pull the trigger if the starter struggles when you have so many options behind him?
It’s musical chairs on the offensive line as Muschamp tries to find just the right fit. And he’ll need a strong line to make life easier for whoever starts at QB.
Junior tailback David Williams, who has emerged as the starter is not Marcus Lattimore (who is?) and he’s not Mike Davis, but he can do damage if the line can assert itself.
On the outside, the Cocks’ unquestioned best offensive weapon from last season, Pharaoh Cooper, is gone. They’re counting on Deebo Samuel to fill those shoes. No easy task.

Defensive Grade: C-
Skai Moore, who landed on the pre-season SEC All-Mack team, and true to its form of the past, being named to this team will snakebite you. Moore is lost for the season after having neck surgery. Not many bright spots past him.
Senior DE Marquavius Lewis will attempt to be that bright spot. Last season, the defense only came away with 20 sacks (compared to 43 in 2012 when Clowney was still trying to play without worrying about getting hurt/his draft status). There’s SOME talent in the front 7, but the DBs are incredibly iffy. In 2 seasons, though, Muschamp will have them as one of the top defenses in the country. Muschamp has a great eye for defensive talent.

Special Teams: B+
Probably about the most solid kicking situation in the league. Four year starter at kicker in former walk-on, Elliott Fry. Senior punter and senior long snapper too. The only question marks would be the return game. That may be turned over to Deebo Samuel also.


Schedule Friendliness: B+
They get Vandy, Kentucky, Mizzou, and UGA at home. 3 of those are very winnable for them. With their West opponents, they completely avoid the bullies of the West. No Bama. No Ole Miss. No LSU. They get a rebuilding Miss. St. team at home. They also get TAMU at home. Just really depends on which A&M team shows up. The last time they went to Williams-Brice, we crowned TAMU the national champion and gifted, now TCU QB, Kenny Hill (Thrill), the Heisman trophy. But it really depends. For their out of conference (aside from Clemson, which is almost certainly a blowout loss), they get East Carolina, Western Carolina, and UMass. All 3 very winnable games.

Final Analysis:
Boom has told anybody that will listen that the talent level is nowhere near the level they need to be to compete. But still, he has a very friendly schedule in his first season. He will be given a lot of leniency in his first season or two. They could make a bowl game this season with their schedule (Papa John’s / Birmingham Bowl). 6 wins is not far-fetched with that schedule. But I think at the bottom of the East, Kentucky is farther along, Vandy is farther along with Mason, and Mizzou just finds a way to always win. So I think with the low bar already being put out, they will lose a game or two that they have no business losing and finish below .500 and last in the SEC East.

UPDATE: 7/18/16 - Last year's playmaker at QB, Lorenzo Nunez, has been moved to wide receiver to try to improve the talent level at the position.
 
Last edited:

Redwood Forrest

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Thanks Mack for this thread. I was hoping someone would do this every couple of days and some of the big OC games as well, like ND vs Texas.

You looked at the same preseason schedule I did (it has since been changed) to show the Cocks play @Vandy. I think SC goes 6-6 with wins at Vandy, E Carolina, Kentucky, UMass, Mizzou and W Carolina. If they have dropped to the Vandy level I feel sorry for their fans. Vegas has Vandy a 3 point favorite. I don't believe it.
 

ALA2262

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I don't see any improvement in the final record.

2016 South Carolina Gamecocks

9/1 (Thursday): at Vanderbilt-L
9/10: at Mississippi State-L
9/17: East Carolina-W
9/24: at Kentucky-L
10/1: Texas A&M-L
10/8: Georgia-L
10/15: OPEN
10/22: Massachusetts-W
10/29: Tennessee-L
11/5: Missouri-L
11/12: at Florida-L
11/19: Western Carolina-W
11/26: at Clemson-L

3-9 (0-8)
 

B1GTide

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Apr 13, 2012
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I think that their best case scenario is 6 wins so would not be surprised to see them miss a bowl this season.
 

WMack4Bama

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Update: Lorenzo Nunez has been moved from QB to WR, which gives them a second very, very good athlete at a play-making position
 

RammerJammer14

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Aug 18, 2007
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I don't see any improvement in the final record.

2016 South Carolina Gamecocks

9/1 (Thursday): at Vanderbilt-L
9/10: at Mississippi State-L
9/17: East Carolina-W
9/24: at Kentucky-L
10/1: Texas A&M-L
10/8: Georgia-L
10/15: OPEN
10/22: Massachusetts-W
10/29: Tennessee-L
11/5: Missouri-L
11/12: at Florida-L
11/19: Western Carolina-W
11/26: at Clemson-L

3-9 (0-8)
Man that's rough. That's some 1999 stuff right there!


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