C
Collyn Taylor
Guest
South Carolina beat Coastal Carolina 49-15 Saturday, and I thought I'd break down some stats from that game. I’ll also share some other things that jumped out at me, in what I hope I can do as a weekly feature this season.
Below are 10 things that I've zeroed in on as things that really stood out to me in yesterday's win.
1. South Carolina's now 18-1 over its last 19 season openers, with the only loss coming in 2014 against Texas A&M. The Gamecocks have won all three (Vanderbilt, NC State, Coastal) openers under Will Muschamp. Saturday’s 34-point margin of victory is the biggest in an opener since the 2008 Gamecocks beat NC State 34-0.
2. Saturday was arguably the best and most efficient offensive performance of the Muschamp era. The offense scored on seven of their 10 drives, and assembled some of the best numbers ever put up at South Carolina under Muschamp:
Most points (49)
Most first downs (32)
Second most yards (557)
Second most rushing yards (263)
Third most passing yards (294)
Third most completions (25)
3. The Gamecocks ran 73 plays, the most since running 76 against Florida last season. That's 12 plays better than their rough average of 63 plays per game last season. They averaged 7.6 yards per play Saturday, after averaging 5.5 last season.
4. Jaycee Horn started at nickel for the Gamecocks, becoming just the seventh true freshman to start a season opener at South Carolina. He joins Stephon Gilmore, Jadeveon Clowney, Marcus Lattimore, Bryson Allen-Williams, Bryan Edwards and Al Harris, Jr. on that list.
5. The Gamecocks started just two newcomers Saturday—Horn and J.T. Ibe. It was the fewest newcomers to start a game since the Kentucky game last season. This also could be Muschamp's most experienced team to date at South Carolina. There were a combined 264 total starts in the 22-man lineup yesterday: 147 on offense, 117 on defense.
6. Deebo Samuel caught seven passes Saturday, moving him to 20th all-time in school history with 93 career receptions. Bryan Edwards's four catches against Coastal brought his career total to 112 and moved him into 11th all-time at South Carolina. Jake Bentley had a career-high four touchdown passes, moving him past Phil Petty and Bobby Fuller for ninth all time (31 career TD throws).
7. Bentley threw for 250 yards, the seventh-most a South Carolina quarterback has thrown for in an opener. Rico Dowdle's 105 yards in an opener are 11th-most in school history.
8. South Carolina is now 8-3 against non-SEC teams under Will Muschamp. The only losses have come against Clemson (twice), and against South Florida in a bowl game. The Gamecocks are now 6-1 at home against non-conference opponents dating back to 2016.
9. South Carolina had three sacks and eight tackles for loss in its opening game win. The three sacks puts them on pace for 36 sacks, the most since the school-record 43 in 2012.
10. Chris Clark has a really good breakdown of which freshmen saw action Saturday. And, other non-newcomer scholarship players that played were: Aaron Sterling, Brad Johnson, Randrecous Davis, Eldridge Thompson, Michael Scarnecchia, Evan Hinson, OrTre Smith, Joseph Charlton, Jamyest Williams, Korey Banks, A.J. Turner, Ty'Son Williams, Damani Staley, Daniel Fennell, Jacob August, Chandler Farrell, Eric Douglas, Jordan Rhodes, Malik Young, Kyle Markway, Kiel Pollard, Will Register, Shameik Blackshear, M.J. Webb, Kobe Smith.
Below are 10 things that I've zeroed in on as things that really stood out to me in yesterday's win.
1. South Carolina's now 18-1 over its last 19 season openers, with the only loss coming in 2014 against Texas A&M. The Gamecocks have won all three (Vanderbilt, NC State, Coastal) openers under Will Muschamp. Saturday’s 34-point margin of victory is the biggest in an opener since the 2008 Gamecocks beat NC State 34-0.
2. Saturday was arguably the best and most efficient offensive performance of the Muschamp era. The offense scored on seven of their 10 drives, and assembled some of the best numbers ever put up at South Carolina under Muschamp:
Most points (49)
Most first downs (32)
Second most yards (557)
Second most rushing yards (263)
Third most passing yards (294)
Third most completions (25)
3. The Gamecocks ran 73 plays, the most since running 76 against Florida last season. That's 12 plays better than their rough average of 63 plays per game last season. They averaged 7.6 yards per play Saturday, after averaging 5.5 last season.
4. Jaycee Horn started at nickel for the Gamecocks, becoming just the seventh true freshman to start a season opener at South Carolina. He joins Stephon Gilmore, Jadeveon Clowney, Marcus Lattimore, Bryson Allen-Williams, Bryan Edwards and Al Harris, Jr. on that list.
5. The Gamecocks started just two newcomers Saturday—Horn and J.T. Ibe. It was the fewest newcomers to start a game since the Kentucky game last season. This also could be Muschamp's most experienced team to date at South Carolina. There were a combined 264 total starts in the 22-man lineup yesterday: 147 on offense, 117 on defense.
6. Deebo Samuel caught seven passes Saturday, moving him to 20th all-time in school history with 93 career receptions. Bryan Edwards's four catches against Coastal brought his career total to 112 and moved him into 11th all-time at South Carolina. Jake Bentley had a career-high four touchdown passes, moving him past Phil Petty and Bobby Fuller for ninth all time (31 career TD throws).
7. Bentley threw for 250 yards, the seventh-most a South Carolina quarterback has thrown for in an opener. Rico Dowdle's 105 yards in an opener are 11th-most in school history.
8. South Carolina is now 8-3 against non-SEC teams under Will Muschamp. The only losses have come against Clemson (twice), and against South Florida in a bowl game. The Gamecocks are now 6-1 at home against non-conference opponents dating back to 2016.
9. South Carolina had three sacks and eight tackles for loss in its opening game win. The three sacks puts them on pace for 36 sacks, the most since the school-record 43 in 2012.
10. Chris Clark has a really good breakdown of which freshmen saw action Saturday. And, other non-newcomer scholarship players that played were: Aaron Sterling, Brad Johnson, Randrecous Davis, Eldridge Thompson, Michael Scarnecchia, Evan Hinson, OrTre Smith, Joseph Charlton, Jamyest Williams, Korey Banks, A.J. Turner, Ty'Son Williams, Damani Staley, Daniel Fennell, Jacob August, Chandler Farrell, Eric Douglas, Jordan Rhodes, Malik Young, Kyle Markway, Kiel Pollard, Will Register, Shameik Blackshear, M.J. Webb, Kobe Smith.
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