The South Carolina Gamecocks were drifting along without a lot of hope for their future, but then something happened midway through their 2016 season to considerably brighten their outlook and prospects. The 2017 season will begin to tell the rest of the SEC if the South Carolina Gamecocks are building something impressive… or if they will remain a non-factor in the years following the departure of previous head coach Steve Spurrier.
How Did They End 2016
The Gamecocks won five straight games against Clemson from 2009 through 2013. They had the Tigers’ number and had developed their program to the point that they simply had equal talent and better coaching. Then, however, Spurrier lost hold of his ability to recruit due to his advancing age – he turned 69 in 2014 – and Clemson promptly pounced. The Tigers dramatically improved their own recruiting, which had already been very good, and became elite. Clemson started to take control of the series against its in-state rival, and that pattern resulted in a three-game winning streak last year. Clemson extended its run against the South Carolina Gamecocks to three games, leaving South Carolina searching for answers.
The latter stages of the 2016 season – before the Clemson loss – still offered some hope to the Gamecocks. They inserted freshman quarterback Jake Bentley into the lineup, and he played a highly poised, mature game against Tennessee, leading South Carolina to an upset win. That game showed how great Bentley can be, as did the subsequent Birmingham Bowl shootout against a highly-talented South Florida squad. The evolution of Bentley wasn’t enough to beat the national champions from Clemson, but it changed the profile of South Carolina’s offense and made a lot of Gamecock fans a lot more excited about this upcoming season.
Offseason Changes
Jake Bentley came in midseason at quarterback last year as a freshman and will be the opening day starter on opening day, barring an injury in training camp. Bentley is a strong pocket passer, but he is agile and can run for first downs. He can also throw relatively accurately while on the move. Bentley is the player with star-level talent who can rescue this team from its recent struggles in 2014 and 2015. How well he develops will be one of the central bases for evaluating South Carolina this season.
Team X-Factor
The offensive line is the key to the whole puzzle, the reason the Gamecocks will either mesh or fall apart. Many people think Bentley is the most talented quarterback in the SEC East – more than Georgia’s Jacob Eason or Florida’s Malik Zaire. However, in order for that talent to shine forth, Bentley needs consistent pass protection. Offensive line is a unit South Carolina coach Will Muschamp neglected in his recruiting at Florida. He can’t make the same mistake again at South Carolina.
What To Expect From The Gamecocks This Year
Bentley has the look of a great player, but whereas previous South Carolina offenses were coached by Spurrier, a gifted offensive mind, Muschamp is a defense-based coach who has been a strong defensive coordinator but has not succeeded with consistency as a head coach. (He made the Sugar Bowl with Florida in the 2012 season but has done nothing otherwise.) It’s realistic to think South Carolina can improve a lot on its 2016 season, but the jury is still out on Muschamp as a head coach.
Record Last 5 Seasons
2016: 6-7
2015: 3-9
2014: 7-6
2013: 11-2
2012: 11-2
Schedule and Outlook
South Carolina has a very challenging start to the season. They’ll start the year against a decent North Carolina State side on a neutral field. From there, they’ll get a slight two-week reprieve when they host Kentucky and then host Louisiana Tech. 2-2 is a good start for this team. 3-1 would indicate a chance to go bowling. 1-3 or worse would indicate that the rebuild is not going as planned.
The Gamecocks will very likely make a bowl. The question is how good a bowl they can make. It is essential to beat Kentucky and Vanderbilt at home. Wins over Tennessee and Arkansas could make this season special.
Regular Season Win Total Prediction: Over 5.5
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