Question for older fans
- Thread starter Scsfinest50
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I'm going to reminisce, sorry. I was 10 in '87 but remember the team pretty good. Roy Hart was a solid DT, Brad Edwards a solid safety. I think the Fire Ant defense went back to '84 as well. I remember they use to post "Fire Ant defense" on the scoreboard when the defense was on the field to get the crowd fired up. My dad taped the Clemson game and labeled it "Tiger Burn '87". I must have watched Brad Edwards returning that pick 6 from Irmo's Rodney Williams 500 times. Sterling was my favorite Gamecock of all time. Bethea was fun to watch too. Harold Green was another all-time Carolina great-with crazy juke moves. That year was my first bowl game. I remember proudly wearing my Gamecock gear in Jacksonville even though we lost to LSU.
I would say the two defenses were comparable. This year's team probably has more playmakers though and the d-line is stronger.
I would say the two defenses were comparable. This year's team probably has more playmakers though and the d-line is stronger.
Spread offenses had not shown up yet so defenses really only had to defend against a split end (today’s wideout) and a RB in the slot. The other RBs were usually in an I formation with a fullback and tailback. The game back then seemed to be played more between hash marks. The Fire Ant defense required all defensive players to be within five feet of the ball when the play ends. That’s impossible to do with today’s spread offenses.
Virtually impossible to compare, if for no other reason than the size & speed of the players. Back then, you didn't have 240+lb QB's that ran the ball. Back then, you didn't have 300lb+ OL's and if you did, they were fat & slow. Back then, you didn't have EDGE RUSHERS, you had Defensive Ends whose job was to keep the RB from getting outside. Totally different game.
But in an attempt to answer your question, in my humble opinion, this year we had the most amazing DE's/pass rush, in Carolina history. Back then, we had LB's & DB's that SWARMED, like wet hornets that attacked in mass. GANG TACKLING!
Fact! Hell we’d blitz 10 sometimes. Joe Lee Dunn was the most aggressive DC we’ve ever had or ever will. Can’t play like that anymore. Was alot of fun to watch
But we were a much smaller but pretty fast defense that had zero regard for their bodies. Im sure there are some old games on YouTube somewhere you can watch.
Almost like different games. Different rules. No longer rush first then pass. Defense had so many advantages in the past.
This was later but does anyone remember the Sheldon Brown blitz where he hit the opposing qb so hard he knocked HIMSELF out?
No. We actually won the tops one time and elected to go on defense. It was before the defer
Yes, the Fire Ant defense originated with the 1984 team under defensive coordinator Tom Gadd. While the Fire Ant defensive philosophy continued successfully under Joe Lee Dunn, Gadd is credited for creating it.
It also came from wearing the all garnet uni combo.
A better comp would be our '11 team, which was our greatest defense ever.
Yep, that '11 defense had Clowney, Gilmore, Ingram, Taylor, Robertson, Swearinger, Allen, Holloman, Wilson, Paulk to name a few.
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This defense is faster, stronger, and bigger than any defense we had in the 1980s. The game is very different so that's not a knock.
The concept of focused nutrition for athletes hadn't really been developed yet and getting the most out of each player from a nutrition standpoint wasn't a thing.
The concept of focused nutrition for athletes hadn't really been developed yet and getting the most out of each player from a nutrition standpoint wasn't a thing.
True. Also, it takes a year round commitment from the players regarding a strict training regimen- nutrition, lifting, cardio-especially defending today's spread offenses which was alluded to earlier. Having a nice practice facility with many amenities helps in that regard too. I'd imagine back in the day players were told to stay in shape and don't party too much during the offseason.
I don't think the two are comparable. This year's team has way more talent than the 1980s team, especially on the Dline. There are at least 4 potential first round draft picks on this team. There were no first round picks on the 80s defense.
The 80s team relied on blitzing. They blitzed, blitzed, and blitzed some more. Almost every play they blitzed. They lived by the blitz and they eventually died by the blitz as teams figured out how to counter the blitz packages we had. This years team can get just as much pressure on the QB with 4 rushing and no blitz. This year's team is also much better against the run than the 80s teams. This year's defense is the best we have ever had at USC.
The 80s team relied on blitzing. They blitzed, blitzed, and blitzed some more. Almost every play they blitzed. They lived by the blitz and they eventually died by the blitz as teams figured out how to counter the blitz packages we had. This years team can get just as much pressure on the QB with 4 rushing and no blitz. This year's team is also much better against the run than the 80s teams. This year's defense is the best we have ever had at USC.
Believe the fire ant defense had Joe Lee Dunn as DC. He crowded the line and blitzed a lot. The players swarmed to the ball every play which is where the idea fire ant defense came from. The uniforms were awesome. Black and garnet. Black death and black magic were also fun ideas back then. I was around 10 years old. Games were a blast because there weren't any on TV to watch. My dad used to call me the white Sterling Sharpe.
This year's defense is better than '11. There was only one first round draft pick among the guys listed above. This year's defense has 3 first round draft picks and a future first round draft pick. This year's LB corps is the best we've ever had and none of those guys are projected first rounders.
Actually, it was a thing going all the way back to the days of the Roost. They employed dietitians and nutritionists and had a separate dining hall for athletes. Perhaps, standards have changed since then and more is known with regard to diets and foods to eat than back then, but they did focus on it.
Steve Courson and Tommy Chaikin were workout warriors. But they also had dianabol for breakfast.
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