B
Brian Shoemaker
Guest
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Gamecock Nation Today
- Tuesday, April 30, 2019 -
Good morning from Gamecock Central.
Spurs Up Tour: The Greenville stop scheduled for tonight has been postponed to a date to be announced later.
1. The three defenders who made the biggest jump this spring
One of Will Muschamp's most used statements is "football is a development game" and spring football practice and the offseason as a whole is the time for individual development and progress.
Muschamp, who spoke to the Lancaster Gamecock Club Monday at the Catawba Fish Camp (incredible fried flounder by the way, if you've never been), was asked which players this spring showed the most progress since the fall.
He talked about three that caught his attention.
Sophomore LB Ernest Jones
"One man's misfortune is another man's opportunity. T.J. (Brunson) not going through spring, I think really helped Ernest. He had to play the MIKE, he had to make all the calls. And Ernest is really, really smart, but to have the communication piece of that, is really important and to be able to be in front of our guys and call the defenses and make the checks, it's lot on the MIKE linebacker. I think that was really good for him and to see him step forward like that."
Sophomore DT Rick Sandidge
"Rick Sandidge is a guy that had a tremendous spring. His playing from fall to spring practice was drastically different as far as his pad level, his consistency in performance."
Junior DT Jabari Ellis
"Jabari Ellis is a guy that I think made huge strides. Those would be three hat just jump off the page at me of saying, hey, these three guys made tremendous strides for the fall."
Related: Notes from Muschamp at the Lancaster Spurs Up Stop (subscription)
– Wes Mitchell
2. This, that, and the other
Football: Secondary approval for Williams-Brice renovation - The USC Board of Trustees issued Phase II approval for a renovation to Williams-Brice Stadium. (link)
Football Recruiting: Another strong visit for Luke Doty - South Carolina quarterback commit Luke Doty, a mainstay in Columbia since committing to the Gamecocks last summer, was back on campus Saturday for the Spurs Up Elite Player Day, checking out his future school and recruiting others to join him. (subscription)
Football: 49ers on Deebo: 'He plays angry' - For four years, South Carolina fans saw Deebo Samuel's infectious smile off the field and angry playing style on it. The San Francisco 49ers apparently noticed. (link)
Football Recruiting: Longtime OL target talks Spurs Up Day visit - Georgia's Micah Morris was back on campus over the weekend and breaks down his time in Columbia. (subscription)
Baseball: Chapman enters transfer portal - One of South Carolina's frontline starters and projected weekend-rotation pitchers heading into this season has entered the transfer portal. (link)
Baseball Recruiting: Commitment updates Tommy John rehab, MLB Draft - A big piece of the team's 2019 class gives the latest. (subscription)
Men's Tennis: Gamecocks to travel to Charlottesville for NCAA Championships - The Gamecocks earned a bid to the NCAA Championships and will play ETSU in the first round. (link)
Women's Tennis: Gamecocks No. 4 seed for NCAA Championships - USC heads to the NCAA Championships for the 25th-consecutive year and hosts the first and second rounds for the fourth year in-a-row. (link)
– Jackson Fields
3. This Date in Gamecock History
April 30, 1955 – South Carolina edged Clemson, 4-3, behind the pitching of Heyward Tunstall, who struck out eight Tigers, and a series of singles and walks.
4. Birthdays and Celebrations!
Troy Williamson (football/wide receiver, 2002-04)
Robert Echols (football/running back, 1999-02)
David Golembiewsi (football/quarterback, 1980)
Hayden Lehman (baseball/pitcher, 2019)
Matt Threehouse (baseball/pitcher, 1989-93)
– John Parker, gamecockarchives.com
5. ⌚ Key Events (Countdown)
• May 8 – SEC Softball Tourney (8 days)
• May 21 – SEC Baseball Tourney (21)
• July 15 – SEC Media Days begins (76)
• July 20 – Ladies Football Clinic (81)
• Aug. 31 – Football: Gamecocks vs UNC (123)
More happenings
• May 2 – York, Spurs Up Tour
• May 3 – Football season ticket deadline
• May 4 – Baseball: Earl Bass jersey retirement
• May 7 – Sumter, Spurs Up Tour
• May 8 – Myrtle Beach, Spurs Up Tour
• May 8 – Marion Gamecock Club meeting
• May 9 – Atlanta, Spurs Up Tour
• May 14 – Charleston, Spurs Up Tour
• May 18 – SC Legends Baseball Camp
Will Muschamp is scheduled to appear at all of the Spurs Up Tour events. More information, including locations and ticket prices, can be found here.
DID YOU KNOW? You can receive this report (Gamecock Nation Today) early each morning in your email inbox. Sign up here.
------------------------
Gamecock Nation Today
- Tuesday, April 30, 2019 -
Good morning from Gamecock Central.
Spurs Up Tour: The Greenville stop scheduled for tonight has been postponed to a date to be announced later.
1. The three defenders who made the biggest jump this spring
One of Will Muschamp's most used statements is "football is a development game" and spring football practice and the offseason as a whole is the time for individual development and progress.
Muschamp, who spoke to the Lancaster Gamecock Club Monday at the Catawba Fish Camp (incredible fried flounder by the way, if you've never been), was asked which players this spring showed the most progress since the fall.
He talked about three that caught his attention.
Sophomore LB Ernest Jones
"One man's misfortune is another man's opportunity. T.J. (Brunson) not going through spring, I think really helped Ernest. He had to play the MIKE, he had to make all the calls. And Ernest is really, really smart, but to have the communication piece of that, is really important and to be able to be in front of our guys and call the defenses and make the checks, it's lot on the MIKE linebacker. I think that was really good for him and to see him step forward like that."
Sophomore DT Rick Sandidge
"Rick Sandidge is a guy that had a tremendous spring. His playing from fall to spring practice was drastically different as far as his pad level, his consistency in performance."
Junior DT Jabari Ellis
"Jabari Ellis is a guy that I think made huge strides. Those would be three hat just jump off the page at me of saying, hey, these three guys made tremendous strides for the fall."
Related: Notes from Muschamp at the Lancaster Spurs Up Stop (subscription)
– Wes Mitchell
2. This, that, and the other
Football: Secondary approval for Williams-Brice renovation - The USC Board of Trustees issued Phase II approval for a renovation to Williams-Brice Stadium. (link)
Football Recruiting: Another strong visit for Luke Doty - South Carolina quarterback commit Luke Doty, a mainstay in Columbia since committing to the Gamecocks last summer, was back on campus Saturday for the Spurs Up Elite Player Day, checking out his future school and recruiting others to join him. (subscription)
Football: 49ers on Deebo: 'He plays angry' - For four years, South Carolina fans saw Deebo Samuel's infectious smile off the field and angry playing style on it. The San Francisco 49ers apparently noticed. (link)
Football Recruiting: Longtime OL target talks Spurs Up Day visit - Georgia's Micah Morris was back on campus over the weekend and breaks down his time in Columbia. (subscription)
Baseball: Chapman enters transfer portal - One of South Carolina's frontline starters and projected weekend-rotation pitchers heading into this season has entered the transfer portal. (link)
Baseball Recruiting: Commitment updates Tommy John rehab, MLB Draft - A big piece of the team's 2019 class gives the latest. (subscription)
Men's Tennis: Gamecocks to travel to Charlottesville for NCAA Championships - The Gamecocks earned a bid to the NCAA Championships and will play ETSU in the first round. (link)
Women's Tennis: Gamecocks No. 4 seed for NCAA Championships - USC heads to the NCAA Championships for the 25th-consecutive year and hosts the first and second rounds for the fourth year in-a-row. (link)
– Jackson Fields
3. This Date in Gamecock History
April 30, 1955 – South Carolina edged Clemson, 4-3, behind the pitching of Heyward Tunstall, who struck out eight Tigers, and a series of singles and walks.
- Right fielder Bill Tarrer drove in a pair with a single in the second and first baseman Bob Cross matched the feat in the fourth.
- Those two players were the only Gamecocks with more than one hit and Tarrer also stole a base.
- Tunstall gave up a run in the second, fourth and sixth before shutting Clemson down for the final three innings.
4. Birthdays and Celebrations!
Troy Williamson (football/wide receiver, 2002-04)
- Williamson selected the Gamecocks over Tennessee and Georgia.
- As a freshman, highlights included 100-yard games against Kentucky and Clemson, and a 60-yard touchdown versus LSU. He was named Freshman All-SEC.
- As a sophomore, Williamson scored on a 99-yard touchdown reception in an upset of No. 15 Virginia.
- His junior season would be his best. It included a three-game stretch (Georgia, USF, Troy) in which he caught 14 passes for 446 yards and four TDs, highlighted by a 210-yard game against USF. Williamson was named all-SEC by the Associated Press.
- He decided to turn pro a year early and was taken seventh overall in the 2015 draft by the Minnesota Vikings. Williamson played three seasons there and two more with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Robert Echols (football/running back, 1999-02)
David Golembiewsi (football/quarterback, 1980)
Hayden Lehman (baseball/pitcher, 2019)
Matt Threehouse (baseball/pitcher, 1989-93)
– John Parker, gamecockarchives.com
5. ⌚ Key Events (Countdown)
• May 8 – SEC Softball Tourney (8 days)
• May 21 – SEC Baseball Tourney (21)
• July 15 – SEC Media Days begins (76)
• July 20 – Ladies Football Clinic (81)
• Aug. 31 – Football: Gamecocks vs UNC (123)
More happenings
• May 2 – York, Spurs Up Tour
• May 3 – Football season ticket deadline
• May 4 – Baseball: Earl Bass jersey retirement
• May 7 – Sumter, Spurs Up Tour
• May 8 – Myrtle Beach, Spurs Up Tour
• May 8 – Marion Gamecock Club meeting
• May 9 – Atlanta, Spurs Up Tour
• May 14 – Charleston, Spurs Up Tour
• May 18 – SC Legends Baseball Camp
Will Muschamp is scheduled to appear at all of the Spurs Up Tour events. More information, including locations and ticket prices, can be found here.
