The USC Gamecocks Football team gets the 2010 College Football season rolling on Thursday, September 2nd at 7:30pm against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles.  This will be a great matchup, with both teams needing to start their season out on the right foot and acquire the first win of 2010.
Many around the South Carolina program don’t know much about the Golden Eagles and are looking past them to the Georgia game.  Some may think USM is just a tune-up.  They are far from it, as they present a good test and measuring stick for USC.  USC will need to work hard to get a win as this is not a cake walk.
To shed some light on the Gamecocks first opponent of 2010 and not to allow the Golden Eagles to fly under the radar, here are 10 things you should know about Southern Miss…
1.  Golden Eagles are winners.  Southern Miss holds the fourth-longest active streak of winning season in the country.  The program’s 16-year streak trails only Florida State (33 yrs), Florida (22yrs), and Virginia Tech (17yrs).  The Golden Eagles are one of 14 teams in the country to have gone bowling in each of the last eight seasons.  They are one of 10 programs to have reached bowl play in 12 of the last 13 years.
2.  Larry Fedora is the Coach.  Fedora enters his third season at Southern Mississippi. His Golden Eagles have produced 7-6 records each of the past two seasons, concluding each with an appearance in the New Orleans Bowl.  He is 14-12 in his tenure at USM after leaving Oklahoma State as the Offensive Coordinator.  Fedora has a strong offensive background that loves the spread and eating up yards.  One thing is for sure: On Thursday night, the USM offense will come ready to attack, and Fedora will try everything to score in bunches.
3. USM Guarantees a Win.  Coach Fedora said in July when speaking to Southern Mississippi fans at an "All-Star Party" in Jackson, Miss. -
"Every college football fan in the entire country will be watching us - watching the Golden Eagles beating South Carolina," Fedora said, according to The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Miss. "I've already told the guys: 'When it happens, walk across the field and shake their hands like you expected it to happen.'"
Say what?  But you are the underdog on the road.  Those are fighting words, Carolina fans.4. USM’s Top Target is Brown.  Move over AJ Green, as USM's DeAndre Brown (6'6", 231 lbs) could be the best wide receiver in the country.  The junior hopes to reproduce his freshman year numbers when he had 67 catches, 1117 yds, and 12 TDs.  Last season, coming back from a nasty leg injury he suffered in the 2008 New Orleans Bowl, he had 47 catches, 785yds, and nine TDs.  The secondary of the Gamecocks need to take note and shut down this guy, or it could be a long night. 
5. QB Austin Davis leads USM and can flat out play.  Davis, as a redshirt freshman in 2008, threw for 3,134 yards and 23 TDs with only eight INTs.  Through the first five games of 2009 before his leg injury in his sophomore campaign, he threw for 1,165 yards, 10 TDs, and only yielded two INTs.  The Gamecocks secondary has to be ready, and the Gamecocks front seven have to disrupt his rhythm.  The USM offense can hurt you if you allow it to work as a machine, so for USC Defensive Coach Ellis Johnson it is on him to figure out how to put a wrench in the system.
 
6.  USM’s Linebackers are really, really good.  Junior middle linebacker Korey Williams lead the team in tackles with 121 (11 for loss) and tied for team lead in sacks (7.5).  Another junior, Ronnie Thornton, starts on the weak side.  He was a second-team all-conference pick last fall, thanks to his 114 tackles (10.5 for loss) and 2.5 sacks.  Garcia and the USC running game have to come ready to play against these “men amongst boys.”
7.  USM’s High Risk Strategy on Defense.  USM defense is nicknamed “the nasty bunch.”  They also deploy an attacking defense that is all about high risk/high reward.  They will blitz from many directions in hopes of disrupting the opposing offense and possibly yielding a turnover.  The USM defense returns nine starters including the entire front seven. That front achieved an impressive 34 sacks (18th nationally).  The defense also generated 12 interceptions and forced 15 fumbles (10th nationally). 
Expect lots of activity from the USM defense on Thursday, and Spurrier’s plans must be up to the challenge of recognizing the scheme and capitalizing off of it by finding the gaps in coverage while not making a mistake.
8.  USM’s Weak Areas that USC Must Exploit.  The offensive line at USM is among the least experienced in the country and an area that USC must take advantage of.  As a South Carolina fan, it is ironic to bring up a opposing team’s offensive line as an area of concern, as that normally is the Gamecocks problem.  Only one guy up front for the Golden Eagles returns, so rebuilding is in place, and the Gamecocks must attack in the trenches.
Another area is the USM secondary. Due to all the blitz packages, it leaves open spots in the defense; not to mention that Southern Miss has to replace its top defensive backs and another would be starter who left the program (Alonzo Lawrence).
9. Yellow and Garnet Don't Mix.  This is a home game for USC, so expect to see garnet in the stands.  Another color that you may see a lot of is that mustard yellow, as they have sold out of their allotment and have begun to buy up other available tickets.  The University of Southern Miss is also sponsoring a bus to take fans to the game.  So if you see lots of yellow mixed in with garnet on Thursday don’t think you have to adjust your TV.
10. Mustard Buzzards.  Forget the Golden Eagles; call them the “Mustard Buzzards”.  Seems this is their nickname to many.  So it is the Fighting Gamecocks vs. the Mustard Buzzards.  Gotta love College Football in the South.
So there you have it.  Now you know about the Mustard Buzzards.  Tune in Thursday, as I am sure this game will not disappoint.
 
 
For more "garnet tainted" opinions and insight, please check out www.leftoverhotdog.com as your Gamecocks blog of choice.Read more South Carolina Football news on BleacherReport.com

The USC Gamecocks Football team gets the 2010 College Football season rolling on Thursday, September 2nd at 7:30pm against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles.  This will be a great matchup, with both teams needing to start their season out on the right foot and acquire the first win of 2010.
Many around the South Carolina program don’t know much about the Golden Eagles and are looking past them to the Georgia game.  Some may think USM is just a tune-up.  They are far from it, as they present a good test and measuring stick for USC.  USC will need to work hard to get a win as this is not a cake walk.
To shed some light on the Gamecocks first opponent of 2010 and not to allow the Golden Eagles to fly under the radar, here are 10 things you should know about Southern Miss…
1.  Golden Eagles are winners.  Southern Miss holds the fourth-longest active streak of winning season in the country.  The program’s 16-year streak trails only Florida State (33 yrs), Florida (22yrs), and Virginia Tech (17yrs).  The Golden Eagles are one of 14 teams in the country to have gone bowling in each of the last eight seasons.  They are one of 10 programs to have reached bowl play in 12 of the last 13 years.
2.  Larry Fedora is the Coach.  Fedora enters his third season at Southern Mississippi. His Golden Eagles have produced 7-6 records each of the past two seasons, concluding each with an appearance in the New Orleans Bowl.  He is 14-12 in his tenure at USM after leaving Oklahoma State as the Offensive Coordinator.  Fedora has a strong offensive background that loves the spread and eating up yards.  One thing is for sure: On Thursday night, the USM offense will come ready to attack, and Fedora will try everything to score in bunches.
3. USM Guarantees a Win.  Coach Fedora said in July when speaking to Southern Mississippi fans at an "All-Star Party" in Jackson, Miss. -
"Every college football fan in the entire country will be watching us - watching the Golden Eagles beating South Carolina," Fedora said, according to The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Miss. "I've already told the guys: 'When it happens, walk across the field and shake their hands like you expected it to happen.'"
Say what?  But you are the underdog on the road.  Those are fighting words, Carolina fans.4. USM’s Top Target is Brown.  Move over AJ Green, as USM's DeAndre Brown (6'6", 231 lbs) could be the best wide receiver in the country.  The junior hopes to reproduce his freshman year numbers when he had 67 catches, 1117 yds, and 12 TDs.  Last season, coming back from a nasty leg injury he suffered in the 2008 New Orleans Bowl, he had 47 catches, 785yds, and nine TDs.  The secondary of the Gamecocks need to take note and shut down this guy, or it could be a long night. 
5. QB Austin Davis leads USM and can flat out play.  Davis, as a redshirt freshman in 2008, threw for 3,134 yards and 23 TDs with only eight INTs.  Through the first five games of 2009 before his leg injury in his sophomore campaign, he threw for 1,165 yards, 10 TDs, and only yielded two INTs.  The Gamecocks secondary has to be ready, and the Gamecocks front seven have to disrupt his rhythm.  The USM offense can hurt you if you allow it to work as a machine, so for USC Defensive Coach Ellis Johnson it is on him to figure out how to put a wrench in the system.
 
6.  USM’s Linebackers are really, really good.  Junior middle linebacker Korey Williams lead the team in tackles with 121 (11 for loss) and tied for team lead in sacks (7.5).  Another junior, Ronnie Thornton, starts on the weak side.  He was a second-team all-conference pick last fall, thanks to his 114 tackles (10.5 for loss) and 2.5 sacks.  Garcia and the USC running game have to come ready to play against these “men amongst boys.”
7.  USM’s High Risk Strategy on Defense.  USM defense is nicknamed “the nasty bunch.”  They also deploy an attacking defense that is all about high risk/high reward.  They will blitz from many directions in hopes of disrupting the opposing offense and possibly yielding a turnover.  The USM defense returns nine starters including the entire front seven. That front achieved an impressive 34 sacks (18th nationally).  The defense also generated 12 interceptions and forced 15 fumbles (10th nationally). 
Expect lots of activity from the USM defense on Thursday, and Spurrier’s plans must be up to the challenge of recognizing the scheme and capitalizing off of it by finding the gaps in coverage while not making a mistake.
8.  USM’s Weak Areas that USC Must Exploit.  The offensive line at USM is among the least experienced in the country and an area that USC must take advantage of.  As a South Carolina fan, it is ironic to bring up a opposing team’s offensive line as an area of concern, as that normally is the Gamecocks problem.  Only one guy up front for the Golden Eagles returns, so rebuilding is in place, and the Gamecocks must attack in the trenches.
Another area is the USM secondary. Due to all the blitz packages, it leaves open spots in the defense; not to mention that Southern Miss has to replace its top defensive backs and another would be starter who left the program (Alonzo Lawrence).
9. Yellow and Garnet Don't Mix.  This is a home game for USC, so expect to see garnet in the stands.  Another color that you may see a lot of is that mustard yellow, as they have sold out of their allotment and have begun to buy up other available tickets.  The University of Southern Miss is also sponsoring a bus to take fans to the game.  So if you see lots of yellow mixed in with garnet on Thursday don’t think you have to adjust your TV.
10. Mustard Buzzards.  Forget the Golden Eagles; call them the “Mustard Buzzards”.  Seems this is their nickname to many.  So it is the Fighting Gamecocks vs. the Mustard Buzzards.  Gotta love College Football in the South.
So there you have it.  Now you know about the Mustard Buzzards.  Tune in Thursday, as I am sure this game will not disappoint.
 
 
For more "garnet tainted" opinions and insight, please check out www.leftoverhotdog.com as your Gamecocks blog of choice.Read more South Carolina Football news on BleacherReport.com

The Head Ball Coach has built an impressive roster at South Carolina, and finally, it appears as though the pieces are coming together to do something impressive.

In 2009, there were a few players who were standouts. One was Eric Norwood, but he left. With Norwood gone, that leaves a glaring hole at linebacker.

But this is a look at the five Gamecocks who appear to be on track to turn heads in 2010.Begin Slideshow

Here is a list of the five games the Gamecocks must win for two reasons. Not just to get to the SEC Championship game, but to prove to everyone out there that they are for real. Even if the Gamecocks don't get to Atlanta to play for the SEC Championship, winning these five games will impress just as many people.

The SEC never fails to be impressive, and a few of the teams on this list are considered top of the heap, not just in the SEC, but in the NCAA. Begin Slideshow

Here is a list of the five games the Gamecocks must win for two reasons. Not just to get to the SEC Championship game, but to prove to everyone out there that they are for real. Even if the Gamecocks don't get to Atlanta to play for the SEC Championship, winning these five games will impress just as many people.

The SEC never fails to be impressive, and a few of the teams on this list are considered top of the heap, not just in the SEC, but in the NCAA. Begin Slideshow

In college football people tend to classify schools as the have's and the have nots. South Carolina was a have not for quite some time, but have never been considered a have.  The closest was when Joe Morrison had the 1984 Gamecocks finish at #13 in the AP poll.
The Gamecocks suffered a 21 game losing streak in 1998 and 1999 and were as low as a team could possibly get. Lou Holtz finally turned them in around in 2000 and 2001 and got them to back to back Outback Bowl wins against Ohio State with eight and nine wins respectively in the regular season.
Nine wins is a good season by almost any standards, but the question I want to ask, as the title eludes to is when is mediocrity not enough? Since Steve Spurrier came to South Carolina in 2005, the Gamecocks are 35-28. The highest win total was eight in 2006.  Seven wins are the most common with a six win season as well.
Those aren't great numbers. They're passable of course and some schools would be thrilled with that. Since South Carolina plays in the SEC, many consider those numbers respectable. Truth is, those numbers are mediocre, no matter where you are.
While many consider the Gamecocks to finally be true contenders, it's the Gamecock fans that are questioning that logic. Is it because they don't want to get their hopes up and feel disappointment again? Anything above .500 shouldn't be acceptable, but in Columbia it seems to be just that in some instances.
There is something to be said for that. It could lead to comfort and complacency for a coach, or near outrage for some fans. It's amazing that some of the most loyal fans out there can still be split down the middle. 80,000 fans on average per game during that 21 game losing streak.
South Carolina should have higher expectations than they do. They are the state university, but sometimes in their own state are treated like second class citizens. They have one of the biggest rivalries in the southeast, but aren't on the better end of that rivalry. So, maybe that has something to do with it.
It's almost time to make a decision for Gamecock fans. Steve Spurrier likely isn't going anywhere until he's good and ready. Problem is, the Head Ball Coach isn't a young man anymore and could retire whenever he wants to. He has said he will honor this contract and hang up the visor, but that's never a guarantee.
When the Spurrier era comes to an end some fans will be happy with eight wins a season. Some will be unhappy if an SEC Championship game isn't reached or won.  Some will even be disappointed with no National Championship or appearance.
Whatever the end result of the Spurrier era the man who follows him as head coach may or may not walk into a job with mediocre expectations. Schools who are powerhouses in one sport have a less than stellar reputation in another can be a "dream job" for a coach in one of the sports with lower expectations.
South Carolina isn't a powerhouse in any sport, but have a fairly good reputation in baseball. They just won a National Championship in baseball so the baseball team is hot right now. That in turn has gotten some talk going about the football team. 
The fact that expectations nationwide are higher than they are in Columbia speaks to who the coach is. There may be a higher opinion of Spurrier outside of South Carolina or as I said, some in South Carolina have resigned themselves to being happy with mediocrity.
 Read more South Carolina Football news on BleacherReport.com

The college football conference expansion is basically everyone trying to catch the SEC and it's taking up all the news.  Everyone wants to become the dominant conference in college football and it is easy to let less nationally attractive news slip under the radar.
At South Carolina, a few things have come up worth talking about.  Rodney Paulk has been granted his sixth year of eligibility.  Paulk was such a promising commitment coming out of Richland Northeast High School.  Both the 2008 and 2009 seasons ended with knee injuries allowing him to play in just five games over those two seasons.
Paulk saw action at linebacker in four games in 2008 but in the first half of the season opener against North Carolina State in 2009 he suffered from torn knee ligaments.  Coming back for 2010, Paulk seems much focused and very determined to help fill the gap left by Eric Norwood.
Though Paulk was a true freshman in 2006, he still has impressive numbers.  23 starts in 30 games with 74 solo tackles and 111 total.  Nine Tackles for Loss, two sacks, a quarterback hurry and a fumble recovery.
Also of note, is that the yearly rivalry between Georgia and South Carolina will be renewed once again this season but will be shown on ESPN at noon.  The game will be on September 11, 2010 and will be broadcast on ESPN instead of CBS as it has been the last few seasons.
The South Carolina/Georgia and Tennessee/Oregon games were scheduled at noon and seven respectively.  Apparently the Tennessee/Oregon game will be shown on ESPN2. 
Noon isn't a horrible time slot to play but South Carolina/Georgia games tend to be 3:30pm EST games or 7:00pm EST games.  This year the winner of the Gamecocks and  'Dawgs game will have a hill to climb to get to Atlanta for the SEC Championship but the loser will have Mount Everest in front of them.
Interest is seemingly higher for this game because it does have SEC Championship implications, even that early in the season.  Tennessee and Oregon are both in the midst of messes, Oregon is far worse than Tennessee but both are close to, if not struggling. 
The only positive about not having the 7:00PM time slot on ESPN2 is the fact that on ESPN at the same time Penn State will be playing Alabama.  So the Tennessee/Oregon game won't get an incredible amount of attention, actually nothing at 7:00pm on Saturday September 11, will get attention other than the Lions and the Tide.
My issue with the noon kickoff is the heat and the culture at Williams-Brice.  There is an entire faction of Gamecocks fans who would just assume that every game is held at night, or at least late afternoon.  It seems as though the stadium and surrounding areas have an entirely different identity when the Gamecocks play at night.
 Read more South Carolina Football news on BleacherReport.com

The college football conference expansion is basically everyone trying to catch the SEC and it's taking up all the news.  Everyone wants to become the dominant conference in college football and it is easy to let less nationally attractive news slip under the radar.
At South Carolina, a few things have come up worth talking about.  Rodney Paulk has been granted his sixth year of eligibility.  Paulk was such a promising commitment coming out of Richland Northeast High School.  Both the 2008 and 2009 seasons ended with knee injuries allowing him to play in just five games over those two seasons.
Paulk saw action at linebacker in four games in 2008 but in the first half of the season opener against North Carolina State in 2009 he suffered from torn knee ligaments.  Coming back for 2010, Paulk seems much focused and very determined to help fill the gap left by Eric Norwood.
Though Paulk was a true freshman in 2006, he still has impressive numbers.  23 starts in 30 games with 74 solo tackles and 111 total.  Nine Tackles for Loss, two sacks, a quarterback hurry and a fumble recovery.
Also of note, is that the yearly rivalry between Georgia and South Carolina will be renewed once again this season but will be shown on ESPN at noon.  The game will be on September 11, 2010 and will be broadcast on ESPN instead of CBS as it has been the last few seasons.
The South Carolina/Georgia and Tennessee/Oregon games were scheduled at noon and seven respectively.  Apparently the Tennessee/Oregon game will be shown on ESPN2. 
Noon isn't a horrible time slot to play but South Carolina/Georgia games tend to be 3:30pm EST games or 7:00pm EST games.  This year the winner of the Gamecocks and  'Dawgs game will have a hill to climb to get to Atlanta for the SEC Championship but the loser will have Mount Everest in front of them.
Interest is seemingly higher for this game because it does have SEC Championship implications, even that early in the season.  Tennessee and Oregon are both in the midst of messes, Oregon is far worse than Tennessee but both are close to, if not struggling. 
The only positive about not having the 7:00PM time slot on ESPN2 is the fact that on ESPN at the same time Penn State will be playing Alabama.  So the Tennessee/Oregon game won't get an incredible amount of attention, actually nothing at 7:00pm on Saturday September 11, will get attention other than the Lions and the Tide.
My issue with the noon kickoff is the heat and the culture at Williams-Brice.  There is an entire faction of Gamecocks fans who would just assume that every game is held at night, or at least late afternoon.  It seems as though the stadium and surrounding areas have an entirely different identity when the Gamecocks play at night.
 Read more South Carolina Football news on BleacherReport.com

Larry Burton (Panama City Beach, Fl) When Fred Ebb wrote the lyrics for New York, New York which was later recorded and best remembered as a Frank Sinatra hit, he got it all wrong. The lyrics go, "If I can make it here, I'll make it anywhere." That mantra belongs to South Carolina.
Since World War II, no coach has had a winning percentage of  just over .500.
Quick, who was the winningest coach for the Gamecocks since 1943?
If you didn't know the answer, don't be ashamed, he's hardly a household name. It is Joe Morrison. Yep, the first coach of the modern age to get sucked into college football's version of the tar pit.
Morrison was quite a hot prospect back in 1982 when he led the Lobos of New Mexico to unheard of heights with a 10-1 season among other great seasons.
Then he went to South Carolina and posted a .580 winning percentage and the frustration killed him, quite literally, as he died there.
He was the first to have a little success, including a nine game winning streak and three post season bowls, only to be pulled back down into mediocrity. His winning percentage is higher than anyone since.
Morrision was there from 1983 to 1988 and then a young assistant got the chance to take the reigns, Sparky Woods. He lasted five seasons and a sub .500 record.
After this they hired the hottest assistant out there at the time, Brad Scott, the FSU offensive coordinator who led FSU's offense to national titles and Heisman glory.
Five years and a .420 average later, the school decided they needed a big name, so they went out and got one, Lou Holtz.
Lou came from Notre Dame with a winning percentage at .700, a perfect season, a National Championship and a very long impressive resume. He left six seasons later with a sub .500 winning percentage and his tail firmly between his legs.
But now things were bound to change. In 2005 they acquired Steve Spurrier who had always won in college football. Could there be a better pick? Did anyone know more more about winning in the SEC? This was a no brainer and a no lose opportunity.
Fast forward five years and Spurrier is about .550, has only had one season that he won more games in the SEC than he lost and South Carolina has killed yet another career.
The question is, Why? I've seen the facilities there and they're not bad. It's not like Kentucky where basketball is king and there's certainly good recruiting tools like the SEC television contract and more to attract athletes, so why the failure?
They've had young energetic coaches like Woods and older more mature veterans like Holtz and Spurrier, but nothing seems to work.
The reason is, while there's no more competition for recruits as there is at any other school, there's a smaller pool to fish in and less big fish in the territorial waters to be claimed than say Alabama and especially Florida.
The pond is pretty small for Tennessee too, but they have always had a national recruiting campaign that has worked well for them.
The real reason Holtz and Spurrier failed was their laziness to get out and recruit as hard as the rest of their SEC brethren. God forbid that a recruiting trip interfere with Spurrier's tee times.
Both Holtz and Spurrier were content to coast for much of the year and hope their game-day savvy could pull out wins, but in today's college football scene, you win with talent and it has been short in South Carolina for over 10 years.
Until they pull in a firebrand coach who will hit the recruiting trail as hard as Nick Saban and Les Miles, they will continue to be a place where coaches go to die.Read more South Carolina Football news on BleacherReport.com

Larry Burton (Panama City Beach, Fl) When Fred Ebb wrote the lyrics for New York, New York which was later recorded and best remembered as a Frank Sinatra hit, he got it all wrong. The lyrics go, "If I can make it here, I'll make it anywhere." That mantra belongs to South Carolina.
Since World War II, no coach has had a winning percentage of  just over .500.
Quick, who was the winningest coach for the Gamecocks since 1943?
If you didn't know the answer, don't be ashamed, he's hardly a household name. It is Joe Morrison. Yep, the first coach of the modern age to get sucked into college football's version of the tar pit.
Morrison was quite a hot prospect back in 1982 when he led the Lobos of New Mexico to unheard of heights with a 10-1 season among other great seasons.
Then he went to South Carolina and posted a .580 winning percentage and the frustration killed him, quite literally, as he died there.
He was the first to have a little success, including a nine game winning streak and three post season bowls, only to be pulled back down into mediocrity. His winning percentage is higher than anyone since.
Morrision was there from 1983 to 1988 and then a young assistant got the chance to take the reigns, Sparky Woods. He lasted five seasons and a sub .500 record.
After this they hired the hottest assistant out there at the time, Brad Scott, the FSU offensive coordinator who led FSU's offense to national titles and Heisman glory.
Five years and a .420 average later, the school decided they needed a big name, so they went out and got one, Lou Holtz.
Lou came from Notre Dame with a winning percentage at .700, a perfect season, a National Championship and a very long impressive resume. He left six seasons later with a sub .500 winning percentage and his tail firmly between his legs.
But now things were bound to change. In 2005 they acquired Steve Spurrier who had always won in college football. Could there be a better pick? Did anyone know more more about winning in the SEC? This was a no brainer and a no lose opportunity.
Fast forward five years and Spurrier is about .550, has only had one season that he won more games in the SEC than he lost and South Carolina has killed yet another career.
The question is, Why? I've seen the facilities there and they're not bad. It's not like Kentucky where basketball is king and there's certainly good recruiting tools like the SEC television contract and more to attract athletes, so why the failure?
They've had young energetic coaches like Woods and older more mature veterans like Holtz and Spurrier, but nothing seems to work.
The reason is, while there's no more competition for recruits as there is at any other school, there's a smaller pool to fish in and less big fish in the territorial waters to be claimed than say Alabama and especially Florida.
The pond is pretty small for Tennessee too, but they have always had a national recruiting campaign that has worked well for them.
The real reason Holtz and Spurrier failed was their laziness to get out and recruit as hard as the rest of their SEC brethren. God forbid that a recruiting trip interfere with Spurrier's tee times.
Both Holtz and Spurrier were content to coast for much of the year and hope their game-day savvy could pull out wins, but in today's college football scene, you win with talent and it has been short in South Carolina for over 10 years.
Until they pull in a firebrand coach who will hit the recruiting trail as hard as Nick Saban and Les Miles, they will continue to be a place where coaches go to die.Read more South Carolina Football news on BleacherReport.com