Week 8........Vandy @ S. Carolina

[E.T.G.]

First, if anyone listened to me and took SC-6 (i don't know why you would, given how bad I am), SORRY for that piss poor 2nd half effort. Hats off to NC, they played with heart and they remind me of the GameCock teams I am use to watching, close but not quiet there yet in terms of winning games and pulling out the close ones. They have 42 frosh (true and redshirt) of their 84 players and they certainly have some talent running around like Hakeem Nicks and Brandon Tate, Marvin Austin has a bright future on the DL. Here is a breakdown of the youth in that game.

UNC 6 frosh, USC 5
UNC 10 soph, USC 6
UNC 4 jr, USC 6
UNC 4 sr, USC 5

this is starters


SC played not to lose in the 2nd half with the most conservative play calling I've ever seen from Spurrier while at SC, this allowed UNC to believe, keep the crowd in the game, and when SC needed the momentum back, they couldn't take it. I felt like I was watching a Lou Holtz coached team again! Going into WEEK 7 I was looking to go against SC in this spot with Tennessee on deck. I know the SC fan base is divided about the win. Some accept that UNC game as a win and just that and are happy about it given the state of college football. Me on the other hand, I am not happy because I "expected" to win so when UNC has a chance to win the game with 11 seconds left, it blows my mind. I expect to get better every week because that is what a good young team should do (especially if you want to be #6) and I expect to beat inferior competition convincingly, not let them hang around for a whole 2nd half. Once again, 7 weeks have gone by and SC is yet to play a complete game, I wonder if it will happen this yr. UT and SC are the two teams in the East who control their own destiny right now. The winner of that game is sitting pretty in the East with only 1 conference loss. Given how bad they looked in the 2nd half, I am a bit undecided now. Vandy's close loss to UGA and SC's close win over UNC do not help the line either. This is a 12:30 game and its possible SC could be sleep walking, the crowd will be.

While SC moved up to #6 in the BCS this week, I wonder to myself how long they will remain. They must get better before going to Tennessee or they will get blown off the field. Tennessee presents an offense like UK with the run and the pass both being legit options. There still is no clear cut #2 receiver. The OL at times is downright awful while other times it lets the offense operate. The OL is the single most key to the remaining 5 games on the schedule, all are winnable, all are loseable.. The defense has lapses and Succop needs to starting kicking the ball through the upright, not sure the last time he made a "clutch" field goal nor forced a touchback, something def is up with him kicking. Smelley at times locks in to his WR's and at other times is asking for a PICK 6 when he doesn't zip it into the flat. The moral of the story is that I want to believe my team is as good as advertised and not overrated but I won't believe it until I see a full 60minutes vs. a quality opponent. As a fan I've witnessed the run defense get destroyed by ULL, a defensive win vs. UGA mixed with some stupidity and an offense that wasn't clicking in full gear, a 6 turnover game vs. SCST, a loss @ LSU where they were physically dominated upfront, a 17 win over Miss St that was closer than the score indicates and basically SC was sent to victory with a blocked punt, a lack of offense in the 3rd quarter vs. UK and now a lack of 2nd half offense vs. UNC. I am done with my rant.

As far as injuries go, the secondary is shaken up a bit. Carlos Thomas should be back at practice. Darian Stewart has a sprained knee, status is unknown. Brandon Issac played a large amount of the game in the secondary but the shoulder is banged up. Stoney Woodson was held out of the game with a strained hamstring. These injuries might not show up this week but they will for certain vs. Tennessee if these guys are out.


Matchup:

This is only the 2nd road game for Vandy, the first was a blowout loss to Auburn. SC has won the last 7 meetings vs. Vandy. Vandy has done a good job defending the pass this yr despite not playing a pass happy team yet. Earl Bennett is a playmaker for Vandy but I am sure RSM can tell us what the deal is at QB for Vandy. Will it be Nickson or Adams?

That is all I have for today. I want to see what practice is like this week and what how the team feels. Like I said, I wanted to go against SC here but I am not sure what the HBC is going to do after looking so terrible in the 2nd half vs. UNC. Line is currently SC-13.5 and if this was +17 like I thought it would be last wk, I would be on Vandy. Under 2 touchdowns is tough because Spurrier will put the ball in the endzone at any time of the game, including the last 20seconds.

 

[E.T.G.]

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On the offensive line, Terrence Campbell, Kevin Young, Gurminder Thind, James Thompson, Seaver Brown and Pierre Andrews each competed for the guard spots. One source thought Young and Thind looked the best of the group. Pierre Andrews could end up being in the mix, too, which is surprising to me personally.

There’s no doubt coach Spurrier is fed up with this OL situation and expected it to have been ironed out weeks ago. Certain players still want to take plays off, and he’s not going to tolerate it any longer.

They spent a lot of time yesterday working on the running game. Finding a consistent running game is going to be key down the stretch of this season.

They also spent a lot of time working with the young receivers, and there are signs the light is coming on with some of them. It’s the little things that they struggle with most…running routes, finding the soft spots in the zone, etc…, but they are getting better there.

Defensively, Carlos Thomas returned to practice, and I hear the secondary had a good night overall. Tyrone Nix’s defense is built to attack, and they need a high level of play from the secondary to run it properly. That’s an area that hurt them against UNC with Thomas and Stoney Woodson out for that game.

USC’s special teams units continue to make progress and one of the reasons why is that it’s been a consistent focus in practice. They set the tone in the UNC game by almost blocking a punt early, and their punter never seemed to recover. Captain Munnerlyn is going to return a punt for a TD soon. You can feel it.

Stephen Garcia ran the offense twice last night in the team-work and threw two touchdown passes; one to Mark Barnes and one to Matt Clements. All three are names you’ll hear a lot of in the coming years.

 

[RetroVK]

Agree completely with what you said about spurrier play calling in second half. Torched unc secondary in the first half but refused to throw in the second. kept fallin one yard short of first downs while trying to pound the ball and without the first downs , the defense got exhausted. nice boing off the upright too.

 

[Space Geauxst]

Nice work. I liked the look of this play and it's a lean.

And don't apologize. I took USC thinking that was a solid pick. The only solid thing was that upright the damn kick bounced off of.

 

[E.T.G.]

During his weekly press conference...

Spurrier said Blake may play some this week. He also said that quarterback was NOT the problem last week.

When asked why Blake may play, Spurrier said Blake has practiced well and he deserves to play.

Spurrier added, "Chris is starting the game and we'll go from there."




*me thinks he is getting Blake some action before Tennessee because it will be hostile and if Smelley falters, Blake will be claled upon

 

[RSMS9999]

you will probably see Adams this week, at least for the majority of the game. he was very solid last week. Nickson just blows.

 

[E.T.G.]

you will probably see Adams this week, at least for the majority of the game. he was very solid last week. Nickson just blows.

What do you think about the spread, where do you lean

 

[E.T.G.]

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<HR color=#cccccc noShade>Stephen Garcia ran the scout team last night and did his best impression on Vanderbilt QB Chris Nickson. Nickson can hurt you more with his feet than his arm, but he’s capable of getting hot throwing it as well. Obviously, Carolina will be keying on Earl Bennett as much as possible and the returns of Carlos Thomas and Stoney Woodson will both be of benefit in that regard.

Coach Spurrier called the defensive line out publicly, and they seem to have taken the criticism to heart. They don’t want to see that happen again, and they practiced extra hard last night as a result.

Overall, the defense worked hard at preparing for Vanderbilt’s spread option attack. It’s key for them to stick to their individual assignments and maintain their lanes to prevent the Commodores from gashing them on the ground. Look for the front-7 to attack at times, too, as long as the secondary continues to do its job in pass coverage.

At offensive guard, Kevin Young and Lemuel Jeanpierre received most of the first team work, and I hear Young looked very good overall. If he can stay healthy and his practice performance carries over to the game, he may very well be the answer they’re looking for at one guard spot. Gurminder Thind will also be in the mix for playing time at guard on Saturday.

The struggles on the offensive line in pass protection has forced Spurrier to adjust his offense and really emphasize the need for the receivers to run their routes at full speed. If not, the line just can’t protect long enough and plays break down.

I mentioned in my reports about two weeks ago that Blake Mitchell was coming off in practice and Spurrier, of course, announced yesterday that he plans to give him some snaps this weekend. It will be interesting to see how he performs and how Chris Smelley responds to it. My guess is it will only make both of them better.

All precautions are being taken to avoid having Carolina’s players take this weekend’s game lightly. It’s a HUGE game in terms of getting another conference win, and the team knows it. They want the crowd to be just like it was for the Kentucky game.



---------------------------

Another plus for taking Vandy + points is that we are terrible against spread option teams

 

[RSMS9999]

What do you think about the spread, where do you lean

I honestly don't know.

It is hard to gage the psyche of this Vandy team right now. Basically, with the loss to Georgia, especially the way we lost blowing a big lead and fumbling in the red zone at the end, just hurts. It is almost impossible to imagine a bowl game now for this season which is what everyone thought was very possible before the season.

Besides the Vandy mental angle, I just don't see much here to warrant a play on either side. I am just staying away.

 

[E.T.G.]

QB Blog.


Two Heads Are Better Than One
posted by Scott Hood, 10/18/2007 01:45:00 AM

I don’t know how this quarterback saga with redshirt freshman Chris Smelley and fifth-year senior Blake Mitchell will play out over the next several weeks.

But here’s one thing I do know - Steve Spurrier’s decision to play Mitchell against Vanderbilt, this week’s opponent, has nothing to do with the Commodores, and everything to do with Tennessee, Arkansas, Florida and Clemson.

It’s no accident Spurrier is bringing Mitchell out of mothballs one week before the most important stretch of his three-year tenure at South Carolina begins.

Chris Smelley has done a fabulous job as the starting quarterback for the Gamecocks the last three weeks. How do I know? USC went 3-0 in those games, beating Mississippi State, Kentucky and North Carolina.

A quarterback – it doesn’t matter if he’s in the NFL or NCAA Division I - is ultimately judged by how many games his team wins and loses.

As I’ve said before, football at this level is a cold-hearted, bottom-line business. You win, you play. You lose, you sit.

It’s very simple.

Smelly is 4-0 as a starter this season. Therefore, he’s earned an ‘A’ grade for his performance, even with a fairly low completion percentage rate of 56.4 percent.

Remember, Spurrier didn’t ask Smelly to be great. He just asked him to manage the game, minimize mistakes and win. Smelly performed well in all three areas.

With a perfect record in his backpocket, Smelley has earned something else – the right to start the next game. That’s the only prize you get when Steve Spurrier is your head coach.

Here’s why, in my opinion, Spurrier has decided to start playing Mitchell again – the stakes become much higher and the fans become a lot more hostile starting next week in Knoxville.

Smelley has done well as a starter, but three of his four starts have come at home in the friendly confines of Williams-Brice Stadium. After Saturday, the next two games take place at Knoxville and Fayetteville.

Here’s a Memo: Chapel Hill, N.C. is not Knoxville. Neither is it Fayetteville.

That's why the SEC is the top conference in college football.

I’m not sure Spurrier is fully confident Smelley is prepared at this stage of his career to lead the sixth-ranked Gamecocks to victory in front of 108,000 crazy Tennessee fans dressed as traffic cones.

On the other hand, Mitchell has proven he can win in Knoxville. He pulled off the feat two years with a dramatic 16-15 victory. Sure, it took some good fortune and Tennessee shot themselves in the foot with several key errors, but USC made the plays in clutch situations to pull out the win.

One of those plays was a third-down pass from Mitchell to Sidney Rice after two timeouts.

Tennessee was only the beginning, though, for Mitchell. He’s officially the only QB in Gamecock history to defeat Clemson, Georgia, Florida and Tennessee in his career. He was also the Offensive MVP for USC in the 2006 Liberty Bowl.

Here’s the Mitchell trend: he appears to play better in big games. The four games after Vanderbilt can all accurately be described as big games.

Now, I’m not saying Smelley won’t start the Tennessee game. He might. But consider this week’s home game against Vanderbilt as sort of a test run for Mitchell, a time to wipe away the rust before the huge stadium by the Tennessee River beckons.

Of course, we’ve been through this before with Mitchell. He sat out most of six games last season while Syvelle Newton razzled and dazzled opposing defenses in a six-week stretch that Spurrier is still fond of talking about.

How big was Newton’s performance? Spurrier knows it may have saved USC’s season.

Surprisingly, Mitchell was a much better quarterback when he returned. Extend his performance over the final 18 quarters of the season (69.4 completion rate; 1,467 yards; 10 TD passes) over a full 12-game schedule and Mitchell would have been holding the Heisman Trophy aloft in early December.

He played like Superman with a "SC" scrawled across his chest. The only difference is Mitchell didn't have to wear those annoying blue tights.

Can lightning strike twice in the same place? Spurrier is counting on it.

Spurrier’s philosophy is simple. He will always play the quarterback that gives his team the best chance to win. After Vanderbilt, that QB could be Blake Mitchell, or, more likely, a combination of Mitchell and Smelley.

Spurrier caused a stir for his two-quarterback systems at Florida. He often ran quarterbacks in and out of games at a frantic pace depending on the circumstances.

Gamecock fans may finally get an opportunity to see what the fuss was all about.

 

[E.T.G.]

<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=2 width=550><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#000000>FIVE KEY VANDERBILT PLAYERS</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#990000>Earl Bennett, WR, 6-1, 202, Jr., Birmingham, Ala. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#c7c3c3><!--photo-->

<!--photo-->Bennett leads the Southeastern Conference in receptions per game at 12 per contest, and he's second in the conference in receiving yards per game at 88.3. Last time these two teams met in Williams-Brice Stadium, Bennett torched the Gamecocks for 16 catches for 204 yards and a touchdown, but Carolina corralled him in 2006, holding him to only four catches. He will again be a huge target for the Gamecock defense this year, and they need to shoot for a repeat of last season's game, where they rendered Bennett ineffective.</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#990000>D.J. Moore, CB/WR, 5-10, 175, So., Spartanburg, S.C.</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#dddddd><!--photo-->

<!--photo-->Moore, a Palmetto State native, is having an excellent all-around season in 2007. He's one of the conference leaders in interceptions with three, he's second on the team in tackles, is averaging almost 27 yards per kick return, and he's logging some snaps on the offensive side of the ball as a receiver. He carried the ball twice last week against the Georgia Bulldogs and gained 48 yards. Obviously, the Gamecocks will need to be aware of Moore not only in his primary role as a cornerback but also on special teams and, at times, on offense.</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#990000>Jonathan Goff, WR, 6-4, 235, Sr., Stoneham, Mass.</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#dddddd><!--photo-->

<!--photo-->Goff is the Commodores leading tackler on the year coming into this weekend's contest, having racked up 54 on the year. He's. also coming off one of the best games of his career last week, as he racked up 14 tackles, a sack and broke up one pass last week against Georgia. Carolina blockers will need to be cognizant of Goff's whereabouts on every play, as the Commodore staff tends to move Goff around to take advantage of certain matchups. </TD><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#990000>Chris Nickson, QB, 6-1, 212, Jr., Brundidge, Ala. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#dddddd><!--photo-->

<!--photo-->Coming into the season, some publications were tabbing Nickson as a potential All-Conference selection, and while he hasn't had that kind of season thus far, he's still a dangerous weapon Bobby Johnson has at this disposal. He's especially strong when he breaks containment with room to run, so the Gamecock defense will need to make sure they stay in their lanes and limit his ability to hurt them with his feet. He's also streaky as a passer, so if the Gamecock defense can get to him early, they could be able to rattle him.</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#990000>Mackenzi Adams, QB, 6-3, 210, So., Broken Arrow, Okla. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" bgColor=#c7c3c3><!--photo-->

<!--photo-->Adams could very well get the start at quarterback, although Johnson has not announced a starter and isn't expected to. Adams is a better passer than Nickson, having completed almost 60% of his passes on the year in limited action. The former three-star recruit seems to be becoming a bigger part of Vanderbilt's gameplan, so it's a safe bet he'll play quite a bit on Saturday, particularly if Nickson is ineffective. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[E.T.G.]

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<HR color=#cccccc noShade>Kevin Young and Lemuel Jeanpierre took most of the first team snaps last night, but don’t be surprised if Seaver Brown gets the start ahead of Young. I do expect Young to play, but I think Brown will start. Gurminder Thind should also see some snaps.

Offensively, some of the young receivers are still struggling to pick everything up offensively. One source compared it to a math class, where once you get behind, it’s very difficult to catch up.

Carolina’s coaches would love nothing more than to get a big game this weekend from both Cory Boyd and Mike Davis, but it all obviously depends on how the offensive line performs.

One source said Blake Mitchell looked a bit better than Chris Smelley in yesterday’s practice, but there isn’t a big difference. The feeling is both are going to be needed the rest of the season.

Defensively, they are starting to develop more and more continuity now that they’ve had more time to adjust to Jasper Brinkley and Nathan Pepper’s absences. Marvin Sapp is getting more and more comfortable with his role at MLB and the secondary continues to improve. The defensive line, at times, looked as good against UNC as it has all year and that has carried over this week in practice.

 

[E.T.G.]

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<HR color=#cccccc noShade>Very spirited but loose practice yesterday by the team yesterday. This team hasn’t played a full four quarters all year, and that fact is something that has been stressed this week in practice. Last year, their first complete game of the year came against Vanderbilt, and they’re aiming for a repeat performance this year.

Vanderbilt’s offense puts a lot of pressure on the outside linebackers to play disciplined football. They have make the right reads, stay in their lanes and take good angles. That means Cliff Matthews and Rodney Paulk need to play well on tomorrow. I also don’t expect Carolina’s defense to just sit back. I think Tyrone Nix will pick his spots to come after them with a lot of pressure from different angles.

On the offensive line, it’s still a roller coaster ride. Lemuel Jeanpierre looks great one play and lost the next. Kevin Young didn’t win the starting spot, but he’s still expected to get his first playing time on Saturday. I’m just speculating here, but I think he has some confidence issues he needs to overcome, and getting his first action could take care of any worries he may have.

Blake Mitchell and Chis Smelley both threw the ball yesterday. Mitchell will likely get the nod on the first possession of the second quarter, but that’s not set in stone. One source said this week is the closest Mitchell has looked to the way he performed at the end of last season, so it will be interesting to see how it carries over to the game. The positive thing is the team is responding to Smelley and Mitchell. There’s no “controversy.” It’s just being looked at as a scenario where they have two capable QB’s.

Another source was amazed at the difference between watching special teams in practice now versus where they were at the start of the season. It’s a night and day situation. The attitude of the players towards special teams has completely shifted and there’s an excitement in the air when they practice them.

There’s no sign this team is taking Vanderbilt lightly, and that’s huge, because this is a game they have to be very careful of.

 

[E.T.G.]

Talk about it in The Insiders Forum


USC-VANDERBILT PREVIEW

What: Vanderbilt (3-3, 1-3) at No. 6 USC (6-1, 3-1)
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, S.C.
When: Sat., Oct. 20, 12:30 p.m.
TV/Radio: Pay-Per-View (Mike Morgan, Brad Muller, George Rogers); ESPN GamePlan; USC Radio Network (Todd Ellis, Tommy Suggs).

Every year, Gamecock Nation approaches the Vanderbilt game with a little bit of trepidation, knowing that a loss to the Commodores could ruin an otherwise nice season. It's the same thing this year with USC sitting pretty in the national rankings both in the polls and the BCS standings. But there's good news. The Gamecocks don't lose to Vanderbilt very often. They lead the all-time series, 14-2, and have won the last seven meetings. Most of those wins have been by comfortable margins. Frankly, this year should be no different. The only way this one ends up close is if the USC players fail to answer the bell for the early afternoon kickoff.

Here's how the two teams matchup on both sides of the ball:

USC OFFENSE v. VANDEBILT DEFENSE:

With USC entering the final stretch of the regular season, Steve Spurrier may be turning to a two-quarterback system in order to boost the Gamecocks' chances of prevailing in the SEC Eastern Division race.

Chris Smelley has been the starter since the Mississippi State game and will continue in that role this week with his fourth consecutive start. Smelley is 4-0 as a starter this season. However, look for former starter Blake Mitchell to take some snaps beginning in the second quarter. After that, it's up to Steve Spurrier how the duo will be utilized.

Smelley fired a career-high three touchdown passes in the first half of last week's 21-15 win at North Carolina before the offense sputtered in the second half. For the season, he's completed 56.4 percent (75-for-133) of his passes for 982 yards and nine touchdowns with four interceptions.

Mitchell, a fifth-year senior, has been relegated to a backup role beginning with the second half of the LSU game, when Smelley took over and has taken every snap since then.

After sitting out the season opener, Mitchell led USC to victories over Georgia and South Carolina State before starting the LSU game. He's 13-7 as a starter in his career. How much Mitchell plays Saturday is the key question. All we know right now is Mitchell will quarterback one series in the second period.

Despite the efforts of Cory Boyd (482 yards) and Mike Davis (411 yards), USC is 11th in the SEC in rushing offense. Unlike Vanderbilt, which has five rushers with more than 100 yards, the duo is the only Gamecocks to reach the century mark.

Boyd carried 20 times for 95 yards last week, while Davis had just five rushes after carrying the football 35 times in the previous two games. Davis has five or fewer carries in two of the last four games.

Although the season has passed the halfway mark, the USC coaches are still waiting for a second capable receiver to emerge behind Kenny McKinley, who tops the Gamecocks with 37 receptions for 446 yards and six touchdowns. His over-the-shoulder TD grab against UNC last week was one for the highlight reels.

After McKinley, the next three receivers are Davis (19 receptions), Boyd (18 catches) and tight end Jared Cook (15 catches). The next wide receiver to appear on the list is Freddie Brown with nine catches.

Freshman Dion Lecorn (6 catches for 45 yards) has emerged as someone who potentially could become that reliable second receiver USC is longing for. He snagged his first career TD pass last week on a three-yard play.

The coaches continued this week to juggle the offensive line, especially the two guard positions, in order to find the best combination of five players, an elusive goal this season. After a week of 'tryouts,' sophomore Lemuel Jeanpierre and redshirt freshman Seaver Brown have emerged as the likely candidates to start Saturday.

The Vanderbilt defense has been stout at times this season, including last week when it held Georgia to 20 points. But the Commodores gave up 35 points the previous week to Auburn, which hardly possesses an overpowering offense.

Vanderbilt ranks third in the SEC in total defense (314.7 ypg) and third in passing defense (166.0 ypg). But they're seventh (148.7 ypg) against the run.

The 'Dores defense is led by middle linebacker Jonathan Goff, the latest in a lengthy line of outstanding linebackers at the Nashville-based school. Goff tied his career high with total tackles (14) and solo stops (12) to go along with a sack and QB hurry. Senior LB Marcus Buggs supports Goff on the outside.

Spartanburg's D.J. Moore, a sophomore, is Vandy's second leading tackler with 45 tackles. He had eight against Georgia from his cornerback position. He became the first Commodore player since 2002 to play both ways last week when he carried the ball twice for 48 yards. He's also Vanderbilt's primary kick returner.

COACH'S COMMENT: "They've got a good scheme of things. They play hard, play tough. It's going to be a difficult game. Last year, we look back and thought maybe the Vandy game was one of the best we played all year, offense and defense. Hopefully we can start playing a lot better offensively. We're excited about the game. We've had a lot to coach on this week. And we want to try to play a lot better if we're going to beat Vandy. We realize every team we play can beat us. And if we play very well, we have a chance to beat everybody we play. So anyway, we're looking forward to it. Hopefully we'll have a big crowd screaming and yelling and getting ready for another big SEC game this weekend" - USC head coach Steve Spurrier.

VANDERBILT OFFENSE v. USC DEFENSE:

Chris Nickson has been Vanderbilt's starting quarterback for most of the last two seasons. But the Commodores may have a changing of the guard in progress with redshirt sophomore Mackenzi Adams slated to make his first career start this weekend. Adams entered last week's game against Georgia on the third offensive play and eventually quarterbacked the Vanderbilt on eight of its 11 offensive possessions.

Adams, a dual threat QB, directed two of Vanderbilt's three scoring drives against Georgia in his most significant action since early last season, and had the Commodores positioned for a late fourth-quarter score before a fumble stopped the drive inside the red zone. Adams connected on seven of 10 passes for 125 yards and one touchdown and also ran for 46 yards on a career-high 14 carries.

Adams has completed 58.1 percent (25-of-43) of his passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns. After a solid 2006 campaign, Nickson has struggled this season, completing 52.5 percent of his passes (62-for-118) for 763 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions.

Vanderbilt's top offensive threat is wide receiver Earl Bennett (44 catches for 530 yards in 2007), who's close to breaking the SEC's all-time receptions record. He needs four catches to pass leader Craig Yeast (208). Bennett was sensational two years ago against USC, hauling in 16 receptions for 204 yards. Last year, he was held to four catches for 16 yards, one of the lowest yardage totals of his career.

Bennett has caught four or more passes in 22 straight games until last week's loss to Georgia when he had three receptions. In 29 career games, Bennett has reached double figures in receptions nine times. He also has nine games with 100 or more receiving yards.

Sean Walker showed last week with an acrobatic TD catch against Georgia that the wide receiver spot for Vanderbilt has depth. Walker is second with 12 receptions for 154 yards and two touchdowns. His per catch average of 12.8 yards leads the Commodores.

The biggest question surrounding Vanderbilt's running game is how last week's late-game fumble will affect leading rusher Cassen Jackson-Garrison (310 yards on 79 carries) mentally. He is far and way the Commodores top ground gainer, so his team needs him to overcome the blunder and focus on this week's game. Jeff Jennings is second with 152 yards.

Both of Vandy's quarterbacks – Nickson and Adams – have over 100 yards rushing. However, each averages around 3.0 yards per rush.
Vanderbilt likes to give a lot of players the opportunity to handle the football. Last week, eight different players, including a two quarterbacks and three wide receivers had rushing attempts. The diversification produced 179 rushing yards on 38 attempts.

The most experienced position on the Commodores is the offensive line. Five seniors, all returning starters from a year ago, highlight the veteran unit, including All-SEC performers Chris Williams and Brian Stamper at tackle. Collectively, the quintet has started 131 collegiate games.

Vanderbilt's veteran offensive line will certainly challenge USC's developing defensive front led by Eric Norwood, who continues to build his resume towards an All-American type year with 41 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss and five sacks. Since Vanderbilt's quarterbacks are running threats, Norwood will have to be careful not to overpursue.

USC's defense has held each of its first seven opponents to fewer points than that team is averaging this season. The Gamecocks are third in the SEC in scoring defense (16.6 ppg) and first in pass defense (149.1 ypg). The run defense remains a problem, ranking 10th ahead of Ole Miss and Kentucky.

The secondary led by cornerback Captain Munnerlyn and hard-hitting safeties Emanuel Cook (USC's leading tackler with 46 stops) and Darian Stewart (34 tackles) will try to contain Bennett and the Vanderbilt passing game and make the Commodores one-dimensional. They covered Bennett like a blanket last year, holding him to four receptions. Can they do it again? Defensive backs coach Ron Cooper hopes so.

USC has been difficult to thrown on this season with a No. 3 ranking nationally in pass defense despite starting five different starting quartets and seven different players in the secondary. Carlos Thomas is set to return to action after missing the UNC game with a neck injury. Stoney Woodson, though, will likely sit out his second consecutive game with a hamstring injury.

COACH'S COMMENT: "We go to Columbia and into a hostile atmosphere to play a team (ranked) in the Top 10. We have plenty of work to do. That's probably good after the Georgia game, to get our mind off of that one and just move on and try to get ready for the Gamecocks. They're pretty good. They're beating people. That's the only way you can say you've arrived or haven't arrived. They're 6-1. That's arrived in my book. They've been good for the last six or seven years. They've had some good athletes. Coach (Lou) Holtz had some good years. They built on that. They got some good players" - Vanderbilt head coach Bobby Johnson.

SYNOPSIS: The Gamecocks have dominated the series with Vanderbilt for a good reason – they have always had more talent than the Commodores. And this year is no exception. Vandy has its share of All-SEC caliber players such as Earl Bennett and Jonathan Goff, but just not enough of them. The two times Vandy beat USC came during the infamous 21-game losing streak in 1998-1999. Here's a revelation - the current Gamecocks are light years ahead of that bunch. USC is 6-1 against Vanderbilt in Columbia since joining the SEC in 1992. They have scored 30 or more points in each of the last four meetings and in six of the last seven contests while holding Vanderbilt to 14 points or less in nine of the last 12 games. That's a trend you can't ignore. The most competitive and entertaining game in the series came two years ago when QB's Jay Cutler and Blake Mitchell locked in a shootout before USC finally prevailed, 35-28, on a TD from Mitchell to Sidney Rice in the final two minutes. You know Vanderbilt head coach Bobby Johnson, who grew up in Columbia and attended Eau Claire High School before graduating from Clemson, would like nothing more than to knock off the Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium.

PREDICTION: While the Commodores have some talent, there's no reason for USC not to extend its winning streak to eight games over Vanderbilt. The VU defense will give the USC offense fits at times, especially if the USC offense plays as poorly as it did in the second half of the UNC game. USC has everything to play for and should be well motivated. A top five ranking the BCS standings could be on the line considering USF's loss to Rutgers Thursday night. Steve Spurrier is 14-0 against Vanderbilt, a perfect mark that doesn't seem to irk the Nashville crowd as much as the Kentucky people. The top storyline is, of course, Spurrier's plan to use both Smelley and Mitchell at QB. Smelley is not in danger of losing his starting job, but he could be if he plays poorly and Mitchell lights it up when he plays for the first time in four weeks. Vanderbilt has lost five consecutive day games dating back to a victory over Duke nearly a year ago. They've fallen to Alabama (24-10) and Auburn (35-7) in day games this year. The Commodores have historically been a much tougher opponent to deal with at home than on the road, last year's last-second victory at Georgia notwithstanding. USC is undefeated at home this year. The streak won't end this week. The Gamecocks head into the pivotal season-ending four-game stretch with a solid win and plenty of momentum with a spot atop the SEC Eastern Division.

USC 31, VANDERBILT 10.

 

[STEED]

good luck man, go get em