Dont write off the 2015 Gamecocks just yet...(link)

[CaliCock]

IF we can find an answer at QB, IF the Jon Hoke Experiment works out the way we hope, IF we can finally put a decent OL together, IF the rest of the SEC East continues to be mediocre....yep, this guy pretty much nails it
http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/south-carolina-football/dont-write-gamecocks-just-yet-2015/
http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/south-carolina-football/dont-write-gamecocks-just-yet-2015/

 

[gamecockjosh]

The primary problem last year was our defense. If we had just an average defense....say one ranked around 50th in the country....we would have likely won 10 games. We would have lost to A&M either way (we were not ready for that one) and good chance we would have lost to Clemson (our offense struggled against them). Seriously, we would have won the rest. A good defensive coach would have found a way to hold on to wins against Mizzou, UK, TN and likely Auburn.

Fast forward to this year and we essentially have a new DC with a big talent upgrade. Even without the talent upgrade this team would have been much better with good coaching.

The question for me is how good will Connor Mitch be. If he can be as good as Dylan Thompson then I see no reason to think we can't have a good year. Unfortunately the schedule is very difficult, but I could see this team going 9-3 and squeaking in to the SEC title game with a 5-3 conference record. The only way we get to more than 9 wins is if Connor Mitch ends up a big time superstar (think of a previous QB named Connor). If Connor Mitch struggles though, given our schedule, then a similar year to last year would be possible. Mitch or QB is the biggest variable.

Cautiously optimistic....that's how I'm going into this season.

 

[NaturalGC7]

I believe two positive things are going to happen....Spurrier takes over 100% of the play calling, and Hoke's defense will step up. A huge part is also on Mitch's back and he could have a short leash if he starts off slow.

 

[funkbott]

IF we can find an answer at QB, IF the Jon Hoke Experiment works out the way we hope, IF we can finally put a decent OL together, IF the rest of the SEC East continues to be mediocre....yep, this guy pretty much nails it
http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/south-carolina-football/dont-write-gamecocks-just-yet-2015/

LOL

 

[bmhood1984]

15-0 from where I sit.

 

[world famous 3rd base hecklers]

IF we can find an answer at QB, IF the Jon Hoke Experiment works out the way we hope, IF we can finally put a decent OL together, IF the rest of the SEC East continues to be mediocre....yep, this guy pretty much nails it
http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/south-carolina-football/dont-write-gamecocks-just-yet-2015/

"Nevertheless, the Gamecocks also blew three double-digit fourth quarter leads along the way,"

We went 7-6, if we had won those games, we're looking at 10-3...



" and they allowed 35 points to a Clemson team led by a freshman quarterback playing on a torn ACL to snap the Gamecocks’ five-year win streak over their arch-rival."


And if we had a smart Defensive Coordinator, and blitz on the one-legged QB, we're looking at 11-2 with streak at 6...


Ward may have been good for us during the two 11-2 season, but he wasn't doing his job in recruiting better and great players during that time...

He should have been fired for that, not doing his job during the off season!!!

 

[Supercock1984]

With this schedule if we go better than 7-5 we should be doing cockwheels downtown Columbia

 

[gpcocks]

The primary problem last year was our defense. If we had just an average defense....say one ranked around 50th in the country....we would have likely won 10 games. We would have lost to A&M either way (we were not ready for that one) and good chance we would have lost to Clemson (our offense struggled against them). Seriously, we would have won the rest. A good defensive coach would have found a way to hold on to wins against Mizzou, UK, TN and likely Auburn.

Fast forward to this year and we essentially have a new DC with a big talent upgrade. Even without the talent upgrade this team would have been much better with good coaching.

The question for me is how good will Connor Mitch be. If he can be as good as Dylan Thompson then I see no reason to think we can't have a good year. Unfortunately the schedule is very difficult, but I could see this team going 9-3 and squeaking in to the SEC title game with a 5-3 conference record. The only way we get to more than 9 wins is if Connor Mitch ends up a big time superstar (think of a previous QB named Connor). If Connor Mitch struggles though, given our schedule, then a similar year to last year would be possible. Mitch or QB is the biggest variable.

Cautiously optimistic....that's how I'm going into this season.

Solid post.

 

[jerryusc]

"Nevertheless, the Gamecocks also blew three double-digit fourth quarter leads along the way,"

We went 7-6, if we had won those games, we're looking at 10-3...



" and they allowed 35 points to a Clemson team led by a freshman quarterback playing on a torn ACL to snap the Gamecocks’ five-year win streak over their arch-rival."


And if we had a smart Defensive Coordinator, and blitz on the one-legged QB, we're looking at 11-2 with streak at 6...


Ward may have been good for us during the two 11-2 season, but he wasn't doing his job in recruiting better and great players during that time...

He should have been fired for that, not doing his job during the off season!!!

I agree. At any other university other than Vandy, he would have been fired mid season. Not only did he not do a decent job as DC he did not do a good job recruiting either. There's no excuse for those 4th qtr collapses.

 

[rock cock doc]

The primary problem last year was our defense. If we had just an average defense....say one ranked around 50th in the country....we would have likely won 10 games. We would have lost to A&M either way (we were not ready for that one) and good chance we would have lost to Clemson (our offense struggled against them). Seriously, we would have won the rest. A good defensive coach would have found a way to hold on to wins against Mizzou, UK, TN and likely Auburn.

Fast forward to this year and we essentially have a new DC with a big talent upgrade. Even without the talent upgrade this team would have been much better with good coaching.

The question for me is how good will Connor Mitch be. If he can be as good as Dylan Thompson then I see no reason to think we can't have a good year. Unfortunately the schedule is very difficult, but I could see this team going 9-3 and squeaking in to the SEC title game with a 5-3 conference record. The only way we get to more than 9 wins is if Connor Mitch ends up a big time superstar (think of a previous QB named Connor). If Connor Mitch struggles though, given our schedule, then a similar year to last year would be possible. Mitch or QB is the biggest variable.

Cautiously optimistic....that's how I'm going into this season.

Actually we may not need a quarterback to be great just be good, don't make mistakes. Run the ball well. But the defense has to be good, must stop the spread offense.This is the formula that has worked in the SEC for years. I am guessing it still will.

 

[Number1pjones]

The primary problem last year was our defense. If we had just an average defense....say one ranked around 50th in the country....we would have likely won 10 games. We would have lost to A&M either way (we were not ready for that one) and good chance we would have lost to Clemson (our offense struggled against them). Seriously, we would have won the rest. A good defensive coach would have found a way to hold on to wins against Mizzou, UK, TN and likely Auburn.

Fast forward to this year and we essentially have a new DC with a big talent upgrade. Even without the talent upgrade this team would have been much better with good coaching.

The question for me is how good will Connor Mitch be. If he can be as good as Dylan Thompson then I see no reason to think we can't have a good year. Unfortunately the schedule is very difficult, but I could see this team going 9-3 and squeaking in to the SEC title game with a 5-3 conference record. The only way we get to more than 9 wins is if Connor Mitch ends up a big time superstar (think of a previous QB named Connor). If Connor Mitch struggles though, given our schedule, then a similar year to last year would be possible. Mitch or QB is the biggest variable.

Cautiously optimistic....that's how I'm going into this season.

Yes, we were completely outplayed by A&M and that really was the most humiliating loss, mainly because of the lofty expectations for the season. Right off the bat, this happens? If we had a pass rush, the game would have been totally different. We've shut down plenty of spread teams. It's the pro set teams like Arky from '09 to '11 that had our number. I agree with everything else you stated.

 

[01fatboy]

The primary problem last year was our defense. If we had just an average defense....say one ranked around 50th in the country....we would have likely won 10 games. We would have lost to A&M either way (we were not ready for that one) and good chance we would have lost to Clemson (our offense struggled against them). Seriously, we would have won the rest. A good defensive coach would have found a way to hold on to wins against Mizzou, UK, TN and likely Auburn.

Fast forward to this year and we essentially have a new DC with a big talent upgrade. Even without the talent upgrade this team would have been much better with good coaching.

The question for me is how good will Connor Mitch be. If he can be as good as Dylan Thompson then I see no reason to think we can't have a good year. Unfortunately the schedule is very difficult, but I could see this team going 9-3 and squeaking in to the SEC title game with a 5-3 conference record. The only way we get to more than 9 wins is if Connor Mitch ends up a big time superstar (think of a previous QB named Connor). If Connor Mitch struggles though, given our schedule, then a similar year to last year would be possible. Mitch or QB is the biggest variable.

Cautiously optimistic....that's how I'm going into this season.

i agree with a lot but I would reverse the defense...in other words the defense was gonna be much better just because of the returners being older and better and we also got some huge upgrades at defensive line particularly the ends...also the depth at safety and corner is gonna be be nice...throw in several talented lbs and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that our defense should improve immensely.....I don't think ward should be thrown under the bus and i am sure there will be several on here that's gonna say see i told you it was all wards fault....nothing against hoke at all and i like what i have heard about him....ward actually just uses a complicated scheme ala sos...the players we had wasn't ready for it and we had no pass rush....ward did pretty much all he could with what he had.....having said that i like the fact that hoke makes it simple so they aint doing a lot of thinking out there.....