GAMECOCKS WITHOUT BLAKE
MITCHELL
QB Blake Mitchell has been suspended
indefinitely for a late-night fight outside a bar at Five Points. Syvelle
Newton will be the starting quarterback when USC plays against Wofford with
Chris Smelley as backup and expected to take substantial snaps as well.
The Gamecocks will be starting four true freshmen in the offensive unit
Saturday but it maybe the defense that will be tested. Eventhough Wofford is
coming off a 41-38 loss to Coastal Carolina, the Terriers are no pushover
averaging 284 yards rushing per game and 33 points scoring average.
Wofford runs a variety of the option known as the wingbone. It's basically a
triple option offense that aligns the halfbacks in a slot position at the
heels of the offensive tackle or tight end.
"They run the ball extremely well (with an) option-type attack that will
probably be the only offense we see like that this year," USC head coach
Steve Spurrier said. "Our defensive coaches have put in a little extra
time trying to figure out all the assignments to stop the option running
game."
"To defend the option, everybody's got to play assignment football,"
USC defensive end Casper Brinkley said. "Everybody has to do their job or
else you'll get beat. We have to eliminate mistakes."
"It's going to be something
different for our guys," Spurrier said. "Normally, the teams we
play, we stop the run with the tailback. Now you've got the fullback coming at
you first and the quarterback can run with it, a pitch guy here and there.
They run it very well. You saw what Air Force did to Tennessee last week.
Tennessee looked awfully good against Cal and Air Force comes in there and
gets 30 on them somehow or another. So it can give you fits. Hopefully we'll
be ready."
"You have play your responsibility every snap," USC linebacker
Jasper Brinkley said. "That's the key to the option. Run the same play a
certain number of times until somebody doesn't do their job and go down the
field and score seven points."
The Gamecocks have yet to come close to playing to their potential. If they
can avoid beating themselves, they could be on their way by defeating Wofford
from the very first snap. If they let the Terriers stay in the game at
half-time, it could be a very, very long evening.
