2011 South Carolina Gamecocks Football Preview

South Carolina hired Steve Spurrier in 2005 to be in this position. On the heels of its first ever SEC East title, the Gamecocks return most of that overachieving squad and will enroll a highly rated recruiting class loaded with players expected to make an immediate impact. However, the other thing that comes with having Spurrier as your coach is drama at the quarterback position. Off the field issues continue to dog senior Stephen Garcia, and while it appears certain that he will return before the season starts, his summer suspension means Gamecocks fans can’t relax until they see him under center with their own eyes. If Garcia does slip up, he’ll be gone, and a season that should have the Gamecocks competing for an SEC championship could be in danger.

While the quarterback position will always be front and center in a Spurrier-coached offense, there’s no denying who the go-to guy is in Columbia. Marcus Lattimore was as highly touted a prospect as Spurrier had ever lured to South Carolina, and he paid dividends immediately. Lattimore started from the outset and rushed for just under 1,200 yards with 20 touchdowns on his way to being named SEC freshman of the year. Lattimore’s backup is Kenny Miles.

Spurrier has an array of weapons at receiver as well. Alshon Jeffery returns for his junior season and is easily the best returning receiver in the SEC. Alongside him are speedsters D.L. Moore and Ace Sanders. Even with the questions lingering over Garcia, Connor Shaw has played some over the past two seasons, and should Garcia run afoul of the rules again, Shaw will have a boatload of talent around him to ease his potential insertion into the lineup. It also helps that the Gamecocks return four of five offensive linemen and had some freshman offensive linemen enroll early and participate in spring practice. There’s depth and talent everywhere on offense for the Gamecocks.

Defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson has quietly built a reputation as one of the better defensive coordinators in college football. This season he’ll field seven returning starters and inject some of the most talented freshmen in the country into an already stout defense. Up front, South Carolina returns All-SEC end Devin Taylor and starter Travian Robertson. Those returning players are nice, but, the only person people want to hear about is all-everything prospect Jadeveon Clowney. At 6-6 and 250 pounds, his highlight tapes have become the stuff of legend. He was the consensus number one player in America and is expected to play, and be an impact player, right away. If he lives up to his billing, the Gamecocks will be formidable up front. If not, they should still be sound in the front seven with linebackers Rodney Paulk, DeVonte Holloman, and Shaq Wilson all back in 2011.

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The secondary is every bit as loaded as the front seven - three of four starters return along with plenty of experienced backups. Corners Stephon Gilmore and Akeem Auguste are as good a tandem as there is in the SEC. Strong safety D.J. Swearinger is a headhunter, and now Jimmy Legree will take over at free safety. It would not surprise many for freshman Sheldon Royster to step in and see the field at safety or in nickel and dime packages as well. Regardless of how the depth chart works out, the Gamecocks have a talented and experienced group returning that will only be helped by the addition of talented freshmen.