So our coaches had to tell the S&C staff that the d-line was too fat?

[KayakCock]

"The coaching staff made the demands and the strength and conditioning staff, led by coach Joe Connolly, put together the plan."

Isn't that the job of the strength and condition program...to make sure that our players are fit to play? Granted, offensive and defensive lineman will carry more bodyfat than any other position, but when it comes to the attention of our position coaches that our players aren't in shape, that concerns me.

I am glad that the players are in better shape, but I can't help but wonder if this had anything to do with our struggles last season. Don't forget, our defensive line play was one of the bigger issues last year...couldn't get any pressure on the QB at all.

I get that our players were equally responsible for being out of shape, but at least that part is being addressed with the newer players. I expect big things out of Sawyer, Blackshear, Lewis, etc. Those guys didn't show up on campus overweight!

 

[Pruittmatt44]

I wonder if the focused more on weightlifting last summer and not to conditioning.

 

[NaturalGC7]

Speed kills, especially on defense. I'm glad our D-Line has worked on body fat and won't be 3-4 steps behind a quarterback that scrambles. I believe Coach Hoke will have the defense brutalizing opposing backs and receivers.

 

[superflyby]

"The coaching staff made the demands and the strength and conditioning staff, led by coach Joe Connolly, put together the plan."

Isn't that the job of the strength and condition program...to make sure that our players are fit to play? Granted, offensive and defensive lineman will carry more bodyfat than any other position, but when it comes to the attention of our position coaches that our players aren't in shape, that concerns me.

I am glad that the players are in better shape, but I can't help but wonder if this had anything to do with our struggles last season. Don't forget, our defensive line play was one of the bigger issues last year...couldn't get any pressure on the QB at all.

I get that our players were equally responsible for being out of shape, but at least that part is being addressed with the newer players. I expect big things out of Sawyer, Blackshear, Lewis, etc. Those guys didn't show up on campus overweight!

http://southcarolina.247sports.com/Bolt/We-dont-have-fat-guys-38561500

absolutely....I have said all along that the strength and conditioning were a major problem. It started with Clowney's slow tired starts his last season and just failed from there. It was pathetic at best....

 

[Cocky kebo57]

Think back last year and recall who our DC was, that should be your first clue as to why we were a bad defense last year.

 

[LAST MANGO]

What is the context here? Who said this? Link?

 

[world famous 3rd base hecklers]

"The coaching staff made the demands and the strength and conditioning staff, led by coach Joe Connolly, put together the plan."

Isn't that the job of the strength and condition program...to make sure that our players are fit to play? Granted, offensive and defensive lineman will carry more bodyfat than any other position, but when it comes to the attention of our position coaches that our players aren't in shape, that concerns me.

I am glad that the players are in better shape, but I can't help but wonder if this had anything to do with our struggles last season. Don't forget, our defensive line play was one of the bigger issues last year...couldn't get any pressure on the QB at all.

I get that our players were equally responsible for being out of shape, but at least that part is being addressed with the newer players. I expect big things out of Sawyer, Blackshear, Lewis, etc. Those guys didn't show up on campus overweight!

Dabo is good playing the media....

 

[GarnetBlood80]

Maybe they won't stand up and titty-bump on the snap of the ball this year.

 

[kick#]

absolutely....I have said all along that the strength and conditioning were a major problem. It started with Clowney's slow tired starts his last season and just failed from there. It was pathetic at best....

Exactly. IMO S & C was a big problem.

 

[CliffordII]

absolutely....I have said all along that the strength and conditioning were a major problem. It started with Clowney's slow tired starts his last season and just failed from there. It was pathetic at best....

Get off Clowney's case, woman.
Clowney was typically double and TRIPLE-teamed . And No knowledgeable watcher of SEC football would hold Clowney responsible for not repeating the stats he usually gets in his last year.
HECK, THE N F L SELECTED HIM # 1 !
Are you THAT dumb to imply he didn't help Carolina his 3 years there ??
.......................................................................
Also, he was SICK and unconditioned the first game,2013 (North Carolina); AND his foot injury from high school (plus his rib injury) he never complained about.
But those'll start to catch up with ANYbody. Being double-teamed all the time, injuries made it YET HARDER to repeat his 14 1/2 sacks from the year before.
...........................................................................................................
Still, I give him credit for harassing That CLEMSON TIGER QB one last time in
November, 2013 ! That Tai Boyd guy threw so many INTs--just scared of getting a HIT from Clowney. We won 35-21 and we won with an excellent running Connor Shaw in the 2nd half on offense !
GO COCKS !

 

[Bongsummers]

Man, that's quit a leap from saying he started slow out of the gate to "didn't help in his three years here." Yeah...

Besides, SOS and others alluded to a, shall we say, a lack of urgency in jc's conditioning. So, what's your point?

 

[Bigger_Stronger_Faster]

Man, that's quit a leap from saying he started slow out of the gate to "didn't help in his three years here." Yeah...

Besides, SOS and others alluded to a, shall we say, a lack of urgency in jc's conditioning. So, what's your point?

The thread started about LAST YEAR'S DL and somehow got derailed so someone could take a cheap swipe at one of the greatest game changers we've ever had to play in the garnet and black. Talk about real leaps.

So maybe you and flyby would elaborate on your points...or at least try to stay on topic???

 

[jimnasium]

"The coaching staff made the demands and the strength and conditioning staff, led by coach Joe Connolly, put together the plan."

Isn't that the job of the strength and condition program...to make sure that our players are fit to play? Granted, offensive and defensive lineman will carry more bodyfat than any other position, but when it comes to the attention of our position coaches that our players aren't in shape, that concerns me.

I am glad that the players are in better shape, but I can't help but wonder if this had anything to do with our struggles last season. Don't forget, our defensive line play was one of the bigger issues last year...couldn't get any pressure on the QB at all.

I get that our players were equally responsible for being out of shape, but at least that part is being addressed with the newer players. I expect big things out of Sawyer, Blackshear, Lewis, etc. Those guys didn't show up on campus overweight!

Stevie Wonder could see they were fat and out of shape.

 

[KayakCock]

What is the context here? Who said this? Link?

I linked the article in my original post, but it has been removed, probably because it's from a different website. One of the coaches was quoted as saying "we don't have any fat guys" this year, or something along those lines.

 

[Gamecock Lifer]

"The coaching staff made the demands and the strength and conditioning staff, led by coach Joe Connolly, put together the plan."

Isn't that the job of the strength and condition program...to make sure that our players are fit to play? Granted, offensive and defensive lineman will carry more bodyfat than any other position, but when it comes to the attention of our position coaches that our players aren't in shape, that concerns me.

I am glad that the players are in better shape, but I can't help but wonder if this had anything to do with our struggles last season. Don't forget, our defensive line play was one of the bigger issues last year...couldn't get any pressure on the QB at all.

I get that our players were equally responsible for being out of shape, but at least that part is being addressed with the newer players. I expect big things out of Sawyer, Blackshear, Lewis, etc. Those guys didn't show up on campus overweight!

It is the coaches who tell the S&C staff what they want their players to look like, not the other way around. If it was all up to the trainers, they'd just aim all players at some random "optimal fitness" target most likely when the coaches might want to have their DL/ OL a little "beefy" compared to that, or they might want LBs bigger or smaller/ faster than the norm... So, the coaches tell the trainers (and players of course) what they want, S&C comes up with a plan to get them there and mold their workouts, diets and conditioning drills around achieving that. Which, seems to be exactly what happened in this case....

JFTR, I don't think we should get our hopes super high about Blackshear THIS YEAR.. He is a great player, but he suffered a nasty injury last year.. I don't know if he will be ready to play ball this Fall. Sawyer, Lewis, Wideman, Whitlow... They will hopefully all be ready to play! Not sure all four will start, but I suspect they will play a lot of reps... The DL will look completely different this season, and that is a good thing!

 

[Bongsummers]

Well, I thought it was pretty obvious it was also about the S&C coach, not just "LAST YEAR DL's." Guess you missed that. In any event, that S&C coach was also here when Clowney was here, so it's fair game.

And since Clowney's conditioning has been an issue in the national press, by the guys calling the games and even the HBC, I'd say it's germane. But hey, I guess talking about the conditioning of a DL player isn't relevant to a discussion of the conditioning of the DL. Or something.

 

[LAST MANGO]

I linked the article in my original post, but it has been removed, probably because it's from a different website. One of the coaches was quoted as saying "we don't have any fat guys" this year, or something along those lines.

Roger that.

 

[JGH 35]

As far as "Strength & Conditioning" goes, it wasn't so much the conditioning component last year as it was the Strength component. We had undersized DEs that could not get off blocks and put pressure on the QB. We needed some bigger stronger DEs who could shed blocks and get to the QB. I think we addressed that issue, not through S&C but in recruiting. Hopefully, these new guys will be a bit stouter and can get the job done.

 

[SportsSuites1]

Planting seeds of discontent (for which several people took the bait)?

Why?

Earlier this week our coaches said exactly OPPOSITE what the OP claims is their 'opinion' of this year's DL 'conditioning' ... praising the player's conditioning and overall reporting shape since arriving in June to work among themselves and with our S&C coaches. The comment was made that a few players still need to lose 5-6 pounds to get to their 'target' weight' - but it was quickly clarified that statement wasn't related to 'conditioning' - the coach was referring to 'optimum speed' target-weight - made in the context some guy currently at say, 321 they may want playing at 315 or a 6'1" player now at 239 they may want running around at 235.

I imagine 'bout any day in Columbia this time of year anyone weighing 321 walking 4-5 blocks from the horseshoe to the IHOP on Senate Street could lose 6 pounds during the trip.

These fella's are taking 2015 seriously ... they've worked very hard on their own and are working hard right now to get ready for UNC then KY then Georgia and then we'll go from there.

Here's a 'tell'. If an OP has less than 100 posts and especially if they have < 25 take all comments with a grain of salt - I don't care if their moniker is 'World's Greatest Gamecock Fan'.

Musings (and questioning) on subjects or nuances like conditioning, foot-speed, techniques, experience, drive, determination, dedication are subjective 'cerebral' subjects more likely invoked to incite doubt, fear and concern than to provide anything of useful value.

Concentrate instead on knowing these guys are dedicated to knocking people's a$$e$ off when it comes time to go face-to-face.

Supporting a football team ain't 'bout drinking the kool-aid but it is about believing our players want what WE want as much, if not more than we do - and are doing anything and EVERYTHING they can to reach our 'mutual' goals.

If we (fans) are going to 'wonder' about things try imaging our DT's and new DE's busting through our opponents OL on well-conceived stunts swiftly executed to knock somebody in a different colored jersey flat on his a$$.

Are we 'perfect'? Hardly. But Patton got it right when HE 'mused' what 'might' happen in the future ... "A 'good' plan violently executed NOW is better than a 'perfect' plan executed next week."

We are going to kick UNC's a$$ ... and our DL-guys WILL be sweating bullets and probably gasping some after 10-15 full-speed snaps 'fore 7PM arrives playing in the sunshine, heat and humidity we endure 'round here. But we'll be rotating 'em -keeping fresh legs, giving them fluids and managing whatever's going on in a well-considered, thoughtful, well-thought out way.

These guys will be running full-speed in Charlotte, let's keep it in perspective. Right up the road in Concord at the Charlotte Motor Speedway you could put BRAND NEW tires on a race car and they won't perform at optimum condition for more than a few laps if the track temperature is 125-degrees.

Sufficient will be that NO OPPONENT is in BETTER CONDITION than we are ... and they won't be.

 

[Jack_Burton]

Of all the changes and tweaks we have made this offseason, THIS is the one that could resonate the most. We were not in great shape last year. We were just not. This isn't a new take either. There were loud whispers about this last year. If this is true, that our guys up front on D are leaner and more in shape, this could actually mean something.

 

[KayakCock]

I thought it was pretty clear from the context of the quote, my comments about it, and the first responses that were made before the link I had in the OP was taken down by the mods that the coaches were referring to the conditioning of LAST YEAR'S d-line. I'm sorry that post count is your currency of legitimacy, how dare I weigh in? The audacity that took. The irony is this--the only way to increase my post count, and therefore my legitimacy, is to....POST. Crazy concept right? For the record, I had another handle on here for years, but mine was very similar to another member who has very different opinions than mine. I figured that I should change it in order to avoid confusion.

Planting seeds of discontent (for which several people took the bait)?

Why?

Earlier this week our coaches said exactly OPPOSITE what the OP claims is their 'opinion' of this year's DL 'conditioning' ... praising the player's conditioning and overall reporting shape since arriving in June to work among themselves and with our S&C coaches. The comment was made that a few players still need to lose 5-6 pounds to get to their 'target' weight' - but it was quickly clarified that statement wasn't related to 'conditioning' - the coach was referring to 'optimum speed' target-weight - made in the context some guy currently at say, 321 they may want playing at 315 or a 6'1" player now at 239 they may want running around at 235.

I imagine 'bout any day in Columbia this time of year anyone weighing 321 walking 4-5 blocks from the horseshoe to the IHOP on Senate Street could lose 6 pounds during the trip.

These fella's are taking 2015 seriously ... they've worked very hard on their own and are working hard right now to get ready for UNC then KY then Georgia and then we'll go from there.

Here's a 'tell'. If an OP has less than 100 posts and especially if they have < 25 take all comments with a grain of salt - I don't care if their moniker is 'World's Greatest Gamecock Fan'.

Musings (and questioning) on subjects or nuances like conditioning, foot-speed, techniques, experience, drive, determination, dedication are subjective 'cerebral' subjects more likely invoked to incite doubt, fear and concern than to provide anything of useful value.

Concentrate instead on knowing these guys are dedicated to knocking people's a$$e$ off when it comes time to go face-to-face.

Supporting a football team ain't 'bout drinking the kool-aid but it is about believing our players want what WE want as much, if not more than we do - and are doing anything and EVERYTHING they can to reach our 'mutual' goals.

If we (fans) are going to 'wonder' about things try imaging our DT's and new DE's busting through our opponents OL on well-conceived stunts swiftly executed to knock somebody in a different colored jersey flat on his a$$.

Are we 'perfect'? Hardly. But Patton got it right when HE 'mused' what 'might' happen in the future ... "A 'good' plan violently executed NOW is better than a 'perfect' plan executed next week."

We are going to kick UNC's a$$ ... and our DL-guys WILL be sweating bullets and probably gasping some after 10-15 full-speed snaps 'fore 7PM arrives playing in the sunshine, heat and humidity we endure 'round here. But we'll be rotating 'em -keeping fresh legs, giving them fluids and managing whatever's going on in a well-considered, thoughtful, well-thought out way.

These guys will be running full-speed in Charlotte, let's keep it in perspective. Right up the road in Concord at the Charlotte Motor Speedway you could put BRAND NEW tires on a race car and they won't perform at optimum condition for more than a few laps if the track temperature is 125-degrees.

Sufficient will be that NO OPPONENT is in BETTER CONDITION than we are ... and they won't be.