The South Carolina Gamecocks have many concerns this season, like any other football team, but they stand out in that they’re replacing the best quarterback the program has ever had. That’s not an ordinary situation, but it’s one the Gamecocks will have to deal with in an agile and effective way. If they don’t, they’re not going to fulfil their goals.
Strengths
The Gamecocks lose a quarterback and the top pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, not to mention a fast and skilled wide receiver who made so many big plays for them, but they’re going to be heavily fortified with the kinds of ingredients that can take a lot of pressure off a quarterback who will be dealing with a lot of expectations this season. South Carolina should be strong along its offensive line, and the team knows that it will have a top running back in the fold. On the line, guard A.J. Cann and tackle Corey Robinson should provide a lot of stability and muscle to keep defenders at bay. If South Carolina’s offensive line plays up to its billing and potential, the Gamecocks are probably going to be able to win the SEC East. This is likely because Mike Davis is one of the three or four best running backs in the SEC. He’s great at running between the tackles, but he’s more than merely solid as a receiver coming out of the backfield and catching passes in open space. He’s a huge threat on flat and screen passes if he gets a full head of steam and can make the first tackler miss near the boundary.
Weaknesses
The Gamecocks lose the best quarterback they’ve ever known, and they also lose Jadeveon Clowney. South Carolina possessed a fierce pass rush with Clowney, a man who drew so much attention from so many spaces on the field. He required an offense to send a running back or fullback or tight end in to chip on him, freeing up a lane for another pass rusher from another point on the defensive line. That loss, though, is not as significant as the loss the Gamecocks endured at quarterback. Connor Shaw went 26-5 as South Carolina’s signal caller, making him the winningest quarterback in program history. He never lost a game at home, either, going 17-0. There’s something to be said about a player who never loses in an advantageous situation. He made use of his skills and his teammates. Can Dylan Thompson replace Shaw at quarterback this season and come close to Shaw’s results? Many people are skeptical, and for good reason. You just don’t easily replace players of Shaw’s caliber.
Schedule
The Gamecocks have been an extremely strong home team over the past few seasons, though that fact is primarily a result of Connor Shaw’s presence as the team’s mentally tough quarterback. Can Dylan Thompson be as strong? It’s hard to say. Nevertheless, this team, if it can beat Georgia at home in week three, could easily go unbeaten at home again. The road games are the problem. Vanderbilt is a tricky game in week four. Auburn is an almost-sure loss on Oct. 25. The game at Florida on Nov. 15 could very well decide the SEC East. The game at Clemson will be very tough to win.
Outlook
The Gamecocks will lose at Auburn. With Thompson at quarterback, they’re probably going to lose one game they shouldn’t. Can they beat Clemson for a sixth straight time and do so on the road? That’s the game that will probably determine whether the Gamecocks win nine or 10 games this season. They’ll probably lose it, so move to the under.
Pick: Under 9.5 -125
