Insider Report, November 14th
With the start of a new football season, GamecockCentral.com is happy to announce a new feature: The Insider Report. Check back each weekday during the season for a new edition.
For continuity reasons, if you have question regarding this report, please use today’s “Ask Tony" thread on The Insiders Forum.
SIX Keys To Victory
Survive the first quarter - Florida has jumped all over their opponents in the first quarter of games during their five game winning streak. They outscored LSU, Kentucky and Vanderbilt by a combined 66-0 during the first quarter alone. Carolina can not afford to fall into the same trap, as teams don’t come from behind when the Swamp is rocking and the Gamecock offense is not proficient enough to overcome a large deficit against a team like the Gators.
Move the chains - The odds of Carolina winning a high-scoring affair against Florida are not in their favor, and the best way to shorten the game is to consistently move the chains and prevent their defense from getting worn down. When these two teams met in Gainesville in 2006, the Gamecocks racked up over 400 yards of total offense, 23 first downs and controlled the ball for more than half the game. To win this game, Spurrier’s offense will likely need another performance along those lines.
Handle the read option - One of the base plays of Urban Meyer’s offense is the read option, a play his quarterback Tim Tebow has mastered. With the speed Florida’s offense puts on the field, Ellis Johnson’s defense must play disciplined football against this play, wrap up and not let their playmakers get into the open field.
Get off the field on third down - Coming into this match up, Florida leads the SEC in third down conversions, doing so almost 47 percent of the time. If they meet or exceed that number against Carolina, the chances of the Gamecocks pulling off the upset diminish greatly. When given the chance to get the Gator offense off the field, Johnson’s defense must come up big the majority of the time.
Win the turnover battle - When Ole Miss upset Florida in week four, their defense forced three fumbles and picked off a Tebow pass and the Rebel offense didn’t turn it over once. It will be nearly impossible for the Gamecocks to lose the turnover battle and still win this game, as the Gator offense is just too good to give them extra possessions.
No special teams breakdowns - The Gators have also made a living on special teams, particularly by blocking punts and turning them into easy scores. The Gamecock special teams units must be at their best Saturday afternoon.
Recruiting Tidbits
A great performance tomorrow in the Swamp could benefit Carolina on multiple fronts on the recruiting trail. First off all, there will be a ton of underclassmen from the Sunshine State in attendance. While the Gamecock coaches can’t interact with them, they can grab their attention with a strong showing on the field. There will also be a large number of potential prospects watching the game on television, which provides them with another opportunity to positively impact recruiting.
I am more confident now than at any time in the process that Tampa (Fla.) Gaither four-star running back Jarvis Giles will ultimately commit to David Reaves and the Gamecocks. It’s primarily a matter of time.
I also feel more strongly today than at any other point in time that St. Matthews (S.C.) Calhoun County four-star receiver Alshon Jeffrey will ultimately decide to stay home and bring his talents to Columbia.
Team Information
It’s going to be a game time decision on whether Akeem Auguste starts against the Gators. It’s actually his hamstring that’s bothering him more than his ankle. If he can’t go look for Stoney Woodson to start in his place.
If you have any news or tips you'd like to share, please send an email to recruiting@gamecockcentral.com
This post was edited on 11/15 5:08 PM by Brian Shoemaker
With the start of a new football season, GamecockCentral.com is happy to announce a new feature: The Insider Report. Check back each weekday during the season for a new edition.
For continuity reasons, if you have question regarding this report, please use today’s “Ask Tony" thread on The Insiders Forum.
SIX Keys To Victory
Survive the first quarter - Florida has jumped all over their opponents in the first quarter of games during their five game winning streak. They outscored LSU, Kentucky and Vanderbilt by a combined 66-0 during the first quarter alone. Carolina can not afford to fall into the same trap, as teams don’t come from behind when the Swamp is rocking and the Gamecock offense is not proficient enough to overcome a large deficit against a team like the Gators.
Move the chains - The odds of Carolina winning a high-scoring affair against Florida are not in their favor, and the best way to shorten the game is to consistently move the chains and prevent their defense from getting worn down. When these two teams met in Gainesville in 2006, the Gamecocks racked up over 400 yards of total offense, 23 first downs and controlled the ball for more than half the game. To win this game, Spurrier’s offense will likely need another performance along those lines.
Handle the read option - One of the base plays of Urban Meyer’s offense is the read option, a play his quarterback Tim Tebow has mastered. With the speed Florida’s offense puts on the field, Ellis Johnson’s defense must play disciplined football against this play, wrap up and not let their playmakers get into the open field.
Get off the field on third down - Coming into this match up, Florida leads the SEC in third down conversions, doing so almost 47 percent of the time. If they meet or exceed that number against Carolina, the chances of the Gamecocks pulling off the upset diminish greatly. When given the chance to get the Gator offense off the field, Johnson’s defense must come up big the majority of the time.
Win the turnover battle - When Ole Miss upset Florida in week four, their defense forced three fumbles and picked off a Tebow pass and the Rebel offense didn’t turn it over once. It will be nearly impossible for the Gamecocks to lose the turnover battle and still win this game, as the Gator offense is just too good to give them extra possessions.
No special teams breakdowns - The Gators have also made a living on special teams, particularly by blocking punts and turning them into easy scores. The Gamecock special teams units must be at their best Saturday afternoon.
Recruiting Tidbits
A great performance tomorrow in the Swamp could benefit Carolina on multiple fronts on the recruiting trail. First off all, there will be a ton of underclassmen from the Sunshine State in attendance. While the Gamecock coaches can’t interact with them, they can grab their attention with a strong showing on the field. There will also be a large number of potential prospects watching the game on television, which provides them with another opportunity to positively impact recruiting.
I am more confident now than at any time in the process that Tampa (Fla.) Gaither four-star running back Jarvis Giles will ultimately commit to David Reaves and the Gamecocks. It’s primarily a matter of time.
I also feel more strongly today than at any other point in time that St. Matthews (S.C.) Calhoun County four-star receiver Alshon Jeffrey will ultimately decide to stay home and bring his talents to Columbia.
Team Information
It’s going to be a game time decision on whether Akeem Auguste starts against the Gators. It’s actually his hamstring that’s bothering him more than his ankle. If he can’t go look for Stoney Woodson to start in his place.
If you have any news or tips you'd like to share, please send an email to recruiting@gamecockcentral.com
This post was edited on 11/15 5:08 PM by Brian Shoemaker
