B
Brian Shoemaker
Guest
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Gamecock Nation Today
Thursday, March 21, 2019
Good morning and Happy Thursday!
Today is the football program's annual Pro Timing Day. We are 16 days from the spring game and 163 days from the season opener versus North Carolina in Charlotte. Not that we're counting.
Facebook & Twitter. If you were directed to this newsletter from Facebook or Twitter, you can sign up here to receive it each weekday morning in your email inbox.
– Brian Shoemaker (email)
------------------------------------
Randrecous Davis/Credit: Chris Gillespie
1. Three things we learned about USC’s offense
Gamecock offensive coordinator Bryan McClendon spoke with the media on Wednesday and updated several topics related to the offense. Here is what we found out during our talk with McClendon:
USC’s backup quarterback situation is still unsettled
Everyone knows that senior Jake Bentley is the incumbent starter, but the battle for the No. 2 spot is one of the most intriguing storylines of the spring. Will Muschamp has noted that the staff would like to have an idea of who the next man up is at the conclusion of spring, but there does not appear to be a clear frontrunner at this stage.
What McClendon said: "I still think we have a lot to look at before we even consider a pecking order. Right now we’re trying to give those guys the exact amount of reps. Now we have a good body of work of understanding who exactly did what with each group. It’s kind of gets tough when you look at somebody working with the third team, then the second team, then the first team. We’ve got a lot more information to gather before we get there."
Improving the run game continues to be a point of emphasis
Coaches and players alike have harped on it all spring: The offense needs to be able to run the ball better against good teams in 2019 to have success against a loaded schedule. McClendon expanded on that and how he hopes to utilize the backs.
What McClendon said: "The inability to stay balanced hurts any quarterback. When you can do that and they have t o play both the run and the pass on a play, it puts any quarterback in a comfort zone. I think you’ve got to rely on a couple guys (backs) going into each game. Trying to play three a game is way too much. It’s kind of hard for a guy to get into a rhythm. We want to be able to narrow it down going into a game. You would like it to be the same two guys."
No spots are guaranteed on offense
Prompted by a question about Rico Dowdle returning from injury and getting back to full strength and how it could affect his playing time, McClendon began talking about the senior back before expanding on a larger point: The staff expects every player, no matter the experience or talent level, to warrant a spot on the field.
What McClendon said: "If he doesn’t earn it in practice, he ain’t gonna get it in the game. We’re going to play the best two guys. If he’s not in the best two, he’ll be over there standing next to me. He’s got to go out there and compete and get it right in practice. That goes for everybody, whether it be quarterback, running back, receiver, tight end, o-line. We’re going to play the guys that do it the best in practice. All those guys are getting reps and getting reps with a different group. Who is the most productive guy? That’s the only fair way to go about it. This isn’t the YMCA. Not everyone plays. Performance is the only language I understand when it comes to playing time."
– Chris Clark (email)
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Ryan Hilinski/Credit: Chris Gillespie
2. Hilinski, Pro Day and more football
The most impressive thing Ryan Hilinski has done this spring
Bryan McClendon is quick to point out that freshman early enrollee quarterback Ryan Hilinski has just participated in seven practices as a college player. But there is one thing in particular that has impressed the Gamecocks' playcaller about the young quarterback: his bravery in the pocket.
"That's one of the biggest things that I've been most impressed with is he hasn't flinched, he hasn't flinched," McClendon said. "They go in there, and they send stuff at him, and he's making the right checks and doing the right things and just he hasn't flinched. That's probably been the biggest thing that I've been really really impressed with him about."
A former four-star prospect, ranked the No. 3 pro-style quarterback in the 2019 class, Hilinski is currently competing for the No. 2 quarterback spot.
Gamecocks set to work out for NFL scouts
Thirteen former South Carolina players are set to work out for NFL scouts at the Jerri and Steve Spurrier indoor practice facility today.
The Gamecocks set to participate are Bryson Allen-Williams, Ben Asbury, Zack Bailey, Blake Camper, K.C. Crosby, Dennis Daley, Rashad Fenton, Steven Montac, Keisean Nixon, D.J. Park, Deebo Samuel, Michael Scarnecchia and Malik Young.
The players will first go through NFL-Combine style testing such as the 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump, broad jump, 3-cone drill, 20-yard shuttle and 60-yard shuttle before working out on the field for scouts.
Pro Day begins at 8 a.m. and Gamecock Central will have complete coverage.
More Gamecock Football
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Mark Kingston/Credit: Chris Gillespie
3. New and notes
Football: Bryan McClendon on the wide receiver signees – Offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon brought in a three-man receiver class that features size and athleticism. On Wednesday, McClendon discussed what he saw in all three incoming players. (link)
Baseball: Kingston announces rotation, updates injuries – Heading into the second weekend of SEC play, the Gamecocks are sticking with some familiar faces in the weekend rotation against Tennessee. (link)
This weekend's SEC baseball series
• Florida at Vanderbilt (begins tonight)
• LSU at Georgia
• Texas A&M at Kentucky
• Arkansas at Alabama
• Auburn at Miss. State
• South Carolina at Tennessee
• Ole Miss at Missouri
Baseball Links: SEC Standings | Schedule | Statistics | Polls
Softball: Gamecocks come back in walk-off win over Duke – South Carolina scored five-unanswered runs over the final two innings on its way to its largest comeback victory of the season in a 5-4 win over Duke. (link)
Swimming & Diving: USC opens NCAA Championships – South Carolina opened the 2019 NCAA Championships with a 7:13.66 in the 800 freestyle relay, the first event of the four-day meet. (link)
Men's Tennis: Carolina to host pair of top-40 SEC teams – South Carolina will be back at home to host a pair of ITA top-40 teams this weekend beginning with No. 40 Kentucky on Thursday and then No. 28 Vanderbilt on Saturday. (link)
Men's Golf: Gamecocks move into rankings – South Carolina entered the top-25 of the latest Golfstat team rankings at No. 20 after three consecutive top-four finishes to open the spring campaign. (link)
– Jackson Fields (email)
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Deebo Samuel
4. Plan your schedule accordingly
Thursday, March 21
• All day – Women's Swimming & Diving, NCAA Championships (Austin)
• Morning – Football Pro Timing Day; Will Muschamp speaks with the media
• 4 pm – Men's Tennis hosts Kentucky, YouTube
Friday, March 22
• All day – Women's Swimming & Diving, NCAA Championships (Austin)
• All day – Will Muschamp Football Coaches Clinic
• Morning – Football spring practice; tight ends coach Bobby Bentley speaks with the media after practice
• 1:45 pm – Women's Basketball vs Belmont, NCAA Tournament (Charlotte), ESPN2
• 4:30 pm – Women's Tennis at Vanderbilt, video
• 6:30 pm – Baseball at Tennessee, SECN+
NCAA Tournament games in Columbia
• Game 1: 12:40 pm – Ole Miss vs Oklahoma
• Game 2: 3:10 pm – Virginia vs Gardner-Webb
• Game 3: 7:10 pm – Duke vs North Dakota State
• Game 4: 9:40 pm – VCU vs UCF
Saturday, March 23
• Morning – Will Muschamp Football Coaches Clinic
• Morning – Football spring practice
• All day – Track & Field, Buccaneer Invitational (Charleston)
• All day – Women's Swimming & Diving, NCAA Championships (Austin)
• All day – Women's Golf, Evans Derby Experience (Auburn)
• 12:30 pm – Women's Soccer hosts Wake Forest
• 1 pm – Men's Tennis hosts Vanderbilt, YouTube
• 2 pm – Softball hosts Ole Miss, SECN+
• 6 pm – Baseball at Tennessee, SECN+
– Jackson Fields (email)
------------------------------------
5. This Date in Gamecock History
March 21, 2006 – The Gamecocks needed some overtime heroics to keep their NIT title drive alive, as they finished regulation tied with Florida State at 58. South Carolina thought they'd won the game in regulation but a Renaldo Balkman jumper was ruled to have been after the buzzer in Tallahassee. Tarence Kinsey sealed the win in the extra period by making three free throws in the final 26 seconds, giving USC a 69-68 win. Tre Kelley led USC's scoring with 17 points, while Kinsey added 14, Rocky Trice 12 and Brandon Wallace 11. The Gamecocks would go on to win the NIT in New York nine days later.
March 21, 1985 – The Gamecocks set a school record with nine home runs and Dave Hollins tied a record by homering three times in a 29-3 win over Cincinnati.
– John Parker (gamecockarchives.com)
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6. Key Dates (Countdown) ⌚
• March 22 – Muschamp Coaches Clinic (1)
• April 6 – Football: Spring game (16)
• April 25 – NFL Draft begins (35)
• May 8 – SEC Softball Tourney (48)
• May 21 – SEC Baseball Tourney (61)
• July 15 – SEC Media Days begins (116)
• July 20 – Muschamp Ladies Football Clinic (121)
• Aug. 31 – Football: Gamecocks vs UNC (163)
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7. Birthdays and Celebrations!
• Tarence Kinsey – The Tampa native played sparingly as a true freshman, though he did make three starts. Kinsey averaged 2.2 points and 0.8 rebounds that year (2002-03). He stepped into the starting lineup the next season and remained there during his time at USC. Kinsey averaged 8.3 points in 2003-04 and 8.9 points in 2004-05 as Carolina won the NIT. As a senior, Kinsey averaged 35 minutes a game, increasing his totals to 15.8 PPG and 4.6 rebounds. USC would win its second straight NIT that year and Kinsey earned honors for his work, being named second-team all-SEC by the league's coaches. He would go on to play three seasons in the NBA with the Grizzlies and Cavaliers before going on to a long career overseas in Turkey and Israel. He was named MVP of the 2010 Turkish League finals.
• Billy Byrne (football/fullback, 2010-11)
• Eric Cooper (football/offensive guard, 1984-87)
• John Green (football/linebacker, 1974-77)
• Brian Hawkins (football/defensive lineman, 1988-91)
• Bruce Hoffman (football/middle guard, 1973-76)
• Leroy Martin (football/wide receiver, 1983)
• Cedric Surratt (football/safety, 1988-92)
– John Parker (gamecockarchives.com)
------------------------------------
8. Around Gamecock Nation
• March 27 – Greenville, President's Reception (link)
• April 10 – Give 4 Garnet (link)
• April 23 – Augusta, Spurs Up Tour
• April 24 – Midlands, Spurs Up Tour
• April 29 – Lancaster, Spurs Up Tour
• April 30 – Greenville, Spurs Up Tour
• May 2 – York, Spurs Up Tour
• May 7 – Sumter, Spurs Up Tour
• May 8 – Myrtle Beach, Spurs Up Tour
• May 9 – Atlanta, Spurs Up Tour
• May 14 – Charleston, Spurs Up Tour
Note: Will Muschamp is scheduled to appear at all of the Spurs Up Tour events. More information, including specific locations and ticket prices, will be announced as it becomes available.
– Brian Shoemaker (email)
------------------------------------
Customize: You get to choose which breaking news alerts and newsletters to receive from Gamecock Central.
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NEED HELP? If you have a Gamecock Central account (free or pay) and cannot remember your password, please go to this link and enter your email address. If you don't receive an email from Rivals within five minutes, please alert me at shoe@gamecockcentral.com. The password needs to be at least nine characters, including at least one number.
DID YOU KNOW? You can receive this report (Gamecock Nation Today) early each morning in your email inbox. Sign up here.
------------------------
Gamecock Nation Today
Thursday, March 21, 2019
Good morning and Happy Thursday!
Today is the football program's annual Pro Timing Day. We are 16 days from the spring game and 163 days from the season opener versus North Carolina in Charlotte. Not that we're counting.
Facebook & Twitter. If you were directed to this newsletter from Facebook or Twitter, you can sign up here to receive it each weekday morning in your email inbox.
– Brian Shoemaker (email)
------------------------------------
Randrecous Davis/Credit: Chris Gillespie
1. Three things we learned about USC’s offense
Gamecock offensive coordinator Bryan McClendon spoke with the media on Wednesday and updated several topics related to the offense. Here is what we found out during our talk with McClendon:
USC’s backup quarterback situation is still unsettled
Everyone knows that senior Jake Bentley is the incumbent starter, but the battle for the No. 2 spot is one of the most intriguing storylines of the spring. Will Muschamp has noted that the staff would like to have an idea of who the next man up is at the conclusion of spring, but there does not appear to be a clear frontrunner at this stage.
What McClendon said: "I still think we have a lot to look at before we even consider a pecking order. Right now we’re trying to give those guys the exact amount of reps. Now we have a good body of work of understanding who exactly did what with each group. It’s kind of gets tough when you look at somebody working with the third team, then the second team, then the first team. We’ve got a lot more information to gather before we get there."
Improving the run game continues to be a point of emphasis
Coaches and players alike have harped on it all spring: The offense needs to be able to run the ball better against good teams in 2019 to have success against a loaded schedule. McClendon expanded on that and how he hopes to utilize the backs.
What McClendon said: "The inability to stay balanced hurts any quarterback. When you can do that and they have t o play both the run and the pass on a play, it puts any quarterback in a comfort zone. I think you’ve got to rely on a couple guys (backs) going into each game. Trying to play three a game is way too much. It’s kind of hard for a guy to get into a rhythm. We want to be able to narrow it down going into a game. You would like it to be the same two guys."
No spots are guaranteed on offense
Prompted by a question about Rico Dowdle returning from injury and getting back to full strength and how it could affect his playing time, McClendon began talking about the senior back before expanding on a larger point: The staff expects every player, no matter the experience or talent level, to warrant a spot on the field.
What McClendon said: "If he doesn’t earn it in practice, he ain’t gonna get it in the game. We’re going to play the best two guys. If he’s not in the best two, he’ll be over there standing next to me. He’s got to go out there and compete and get it right in practice. That goes for everybody, whether it be quarterback, running back, receiver, tight end, o-line. We’re going to play the guys that do it the best in practice. All those guys are getting reps and getting reps with a different group. Who is the most productive guy? That’s the only fair way to go about it. This isn’t the YMCA. Not everyone plays. Performance is the only language I understand when it comes to playing time."
– Chris Clark (email)
------------------------------------
Ryan Hilinski/Credit: Chris Gillespie
2. Hilinski, Pro Day and more football
The most impressive thing Ryan Hilinski has done this spring
Bryan McClendon is quick to point out that freshman early enrollee quarterback Ryan Hilinski has just participated in seven practices as a college player. But there is one thing in particular that has impressed the Gamecocks' playcaller about the young quarterback: his bravery in the pocket.
"That's one of the biggest things that I've been most impressed with is he hasn't flinched, he hasn't flinched," McClendon said. "They go in there, and they send stuff at him, and he's making the right checks and doing the right things and just he hasn't flinched. That's probably been the biggest thing that I've been really really impressed with him about."
A former four-star prospect, ranked the No. 3 pro-style quarterback in the 2019 class, Hilinski is currently competing for the No. 2 quarterback spot.
Gamecocks set to work out for NFL scouts
Thirteen former South Carolina players are set to work out for NFL scouts at the Jerri and Steve Spurrier indoor practice facility today.
The Gamecocks set to participate are Bryson Allen-Williams, Ben Asbury, Zack Bailey, Blake Camper, K.C. Crosby, Dennis Daley, Rashad Fenton, Steven Montac, Keisean Nixon, D.J. Park, Deebo Samuel, Michael Scarnecchia and Malik Young.
The players will first go through NFL-Combine style testing such as the 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump, broad jump, 3-cone drill, 20-yard shuttle and 60-yard shuttle before working out on the field for scouts.
Pro Day begins at 8 a.m. and Gamecock Central will have complete coverage.
More Gamecock Football
- Photo gallery: Spring practice No. 7 (link)
- Video: McClendon breaks down the offense (link)
- Carolina Confidential: Wes Mitchell offers his thoughts about the offensive depth chart after Wednesday's practice (subscription)
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Mark Kingston/Credit: Chris Gillespie
3. New and notes
Football: Bryan McClendon on the wide receiver signees – Offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon brought in a three-man receiver class that features size and athleticism. On Wednesday, McClendon discussed what he saw in all three incoming players. (link)
Baseball: Kingston announces rotation, updates injuries – Heading into the second weekend of SEC play, the Gamecocks are sticking with some familiar faces in the weekend rotation against Tennessee. (link)
This weekend's SEC baseball series
• Florida at Vanderbilt (begins tonight)
• LSU at Georgia
• Texas A&M at Kentucky
• Arkansas at Alabama
• Auburn at Miss. State
• South Carolina at Tennessee
• Ole Miss at Missouri
Baseball Links: SEC Standings | Schedule | Statistics | Polls
Softball: Gamecocks come back in walk-off win over Duke – South Carolina scored five-unanswered runs over the final two innings on its way to its largest comeback victory of the season in a 5-4 win over Duke. (link)
Swimming & Diving: USC opens NCAA Championships – South Carolina opened the 2019 NCAA Championships with a 7:13.66 in the 800 freestyle relay, the first event of the four-day meet. (link)
Men's Tennis: Carolina to host pair of top-40 SEC teams – South Carolina will be back at home to host a pair of ITA top-40 teams this weekend beginning with No. 40 Kentucky on Thursday and then No. 28 Vanderbilt on Saturday. (link)
Men's Golf: Gamecocks move into rankings – South Carolina entered the top-25 of the latest Golfstat team rankings at No. 20 after three consecutive top-four finishes to open the spring campaign. (link)
– Jackson Fields (email)
------------------------------------
Deebo Samuel
4. Plan your schedule accordingly
Thursday, March 21
• All day – Women's Swimming & Diving, NCAA Championships (Austin)
• Morning – Football Pro Timing Day; Will Muschamp speaks with the media
• 4 pm – Men's Tennis hosts Kentucky, YouTube
Friday, March 22
• All day – Women's Swimming & Diving, NCAA Championships (Austin)
• All day – Will Muschamp Football Coaches Clinic
• Morning – Football spring practice; tight ends coach Bobby Bentley speaks with the media after practice
• 1:45 pm – Women's Basketball vs Belmont, NCAA Tournament (Charlotte), ESPN2
• 4:30 pm – Women's Tennis at Vanderbilt, video
• 6:30 pm – Baseball at Tennessee, SECN+
NCAA Tournament games in Columbia
• Game 1: 12:40 pm – Ole Miss vs Oklahoma
• Game 2: 3:10 pm – Virginia vs Gardner-Webb
• Game 3: 7:10 pm – Duke vs North Dakota State
• Game 4: 9:40 pm – VCU vs UCF
Saturday, March 23
• Morning – Will Muschamp Football Coaches Clinic
• Morning – Football spring practice
• All day – Track & Field, Buccaneer Invitational (Charleston)
• All day – Women's Swimming & Diving, NCAA Championships (Austin)
• All day – Women's Golf, Evans Derby Experience (Auburn)
• 12:30 pm – Women's Soccer hosts Wake Forest
• 1 pm – Men's Tennis hosts Vanderbilt, YouTube
• 2 pm – Softball hosts Ole Miss, SECN+
• 6 pm – Baseball at Tennessee, SECN+
– Jackson Fields (email)
------------------------------------
5. This Date in Gamecock History
March 21, 2006 – The Gamecocks needed some overtime heroics to keep their NIT title drive alive, as they finished regulation tied with Florida State at 58. South Carolina thought they'd won the game in regulation but a Renaldo Balkman jumper was ruled to have been after the buzzer in Tallahassee. Tarence Kinsey sealed the win in the extra period by making three free throws in the final 26 seconds, giving USC a 69-68 win. Tre Kelley led USC's scoring with 17 points, while Kinsey added 14, Rocky Trice 12 and Brandon Wallace 11. The Gamecocks would go on to win the NIT in New York nine days later.
March 21, 1985 – The Gamecocks set a school record with nine home runs and Dave Hollins tied a record by homering three times in a 29-3 win over Cincinnati.
– John Parker (gamecockarchives.com)
------------------------------------
6. Key Dates (Countdown) ⌚
• March 22 – Muschamp Coaches Clinic (1)
• April 6 – Football: Spring game (16)
• April 25 – NFL Draft begins (35)
• May 8 – SEC Softball Tourney (48)
• May 21 – SEC Baseball Tourney (61)
• July 15 – SEC Media Days begins (116)
• July 20 – Muschamp Ladies Football Clinic (121)
• Aug. 31 – Football: Gamecocks vs UNC (163)
------------------------------------
7. Birthdays and Celebrations!
• Tarence Kinsey – The Tampa native played sparingly as a true freshman, though he did make three starts. Kinsey averaged 2.2 points and 0.8 rebounds that year (2002-03). He stepped into the starting lineup the next season and remained there during his time at USC. Kinsey averaged 8.3 points in 2003-04 and 8.9 points in 2004-05 as Carolina won the NIT. As a senior, Kinsey averaged 35 minutes a game, increasing his totals to 15.8 PPG and 4.6 rebounds. USC would win its second straight NIT that year and Kinsey earned honors for his work, being named second-team all-SEC by the league's coaches. He would go on to play three seasons in the NBA with the Grizzlies and Cavaliers before going on to a long career overseas in Turkey and Israel. He was named MVP of the 2010 Turkish League finals.
• Billy Byrne (football/fullback, 2010-11)
• Eric Cooper (football/offensive guard, 1984-87)
• John Green (football/linebacker, 1974-77)
• Brian Hawkins (football/defensive lineman, 1988-91)
• Bruce Hoffman (football/middle guard, 1973-76)
• Leroy Martin (football/wide receiver, 1983)
• Cedric Surratt (football/safety, 1988-92)
– John Parker (gamecockarchives.com)
------------------------------------
8. Around Gamecock Nation
• March 27 – Greenville, President's Reception (link)
• April 10 – Give 4 Garnet (link)
• April 23 – Augusta, Spurs Up Tour
• April 24 – Midlands, Spurs Up Tour
• April 29 – Lancaster, Spurs Up Tour
• April 30 – Greenville, Spurs Up Tour
• May 2 – York, Spurs Up Tour
• May 7 – Sumter, Spurs Up Tour
• May 8 – Myrtle Beach, Spurs Up Tour
• May 9 – Atlanta, Spurs Up Tour
• May 14 – Charleston, Spurs Up Tour
Note: Will Muschamp is scheduled to appear at all of the Spurs Up Tour events. More information, including specific locations and ticket prices, will be announced as it becomes available.
– Brian Shoemaker (email)
------------------------------------
Customize: You get to choose which breaking news alerts and newsletters to receive from Gamecock Central.
Celebrating 20 years! Established in 1998, Gamecock Central provides in-depth and insider coverage of Gamecock sports and recruiting, and is home to The Insiders Forum. Not a member of Gamecock Central? Subscribe here. Read what our members think about Gamecock Central.
