I'll run some thoughts on the Gamecocks' spring game beginning at noon in this thread. Thanks for being a member of GamecockCentral.com!
SECOND HALF
- OrTre Smith TD on a deep ball. Got some separation and used the body to shield and catch over the shoulder. That's it today.
- Jaylin Dickerson just got a pick. He's played a ton of snaps this game, probably because the staff really wants to get him ready to play this season (and he will play). He nearly had another interception on a ball thrown into the end zone earlier.
-On the whole, I think Bentley has had a nice game. He threw another touchdown strike up the seam to Jacob August. He did throw a couple balls up earlier in the game that weren't bad throws, but were some 50/50 type balls to receivers down the field. Those are throws every good QB tries and USC has some guys as starters that can win them.
- Jake Bentley and other starters on both sides of the ball did come out for some more good-on-good action.MJ Webb on defense looks the part physically. One thing that's stood out is that USC has not had negative plays running the football. That would be huge if USC could drastically cut down on those from last season.
- Caleb Kinlaw and other walk-ons, Jerad Washington factored in prominently on that drive which ended with a 1-yard Kinlaw touchdown. MJ Webb had a stop on the drive from his defensive tackle position.
- FYI, observations may not be as substantial here in the second half. It's Danny Gordon time at QB.
FIRST HALF
- Ty'Son Williams another nice outside run. It's sometimes tough to gauge in spring games because it's not always good on good, but you can tell he is a player and it really backs up what we've heard about him. DJ Smith has had a couple nice hits. He has the capability to be physical but he needs to be more consistent than he was last season in play and effort.
- Hasaan Belton, transfer from Western Carolina who played at Blythewood, with a nice pick. He's a guy I think could help USC on special teams or as a backup guy at LB.
- Bentley's chucking it around in the second quarter. He's gone to the end zone a couple times, no connection. Did have a nice ball to KC Crosby for a nice gain and Ty'Son Williams put a nice move on Steven Montac earlier. Woznick hit a 48 yard field goal.
- Scarnecchia completes a touchdown pass to Jerad Washington - was over the middle and then ran after the catch. OrTre Smith also caught his first pass of the game on a tunnel screen on that drive.
- Kiel Pollard racking up the targets here. He can do some things in the open field as well. USC's tight end rotation is one of the more intriguing things on the team. Hurst and Crosby will be the main two, but USC has a few others that can help.
- Bentley threw his second touchdown by laying in another beautiful ball into the end zone to Edwards over CB Chris Smith.
- Jaylin Dickerson has been active in coverage and in run support today, I think. USC is high on his future long term, of course. Been impressed by Ty'Son Williams running the ball. He can really bounce it outside and make some things happen.
- Woznick has had leg on his field goal attempts, one from 52 and one from 33, but he missed both of them. He has hit a 47 yarder.
- Kiel Pollard and Korey Banks had passes they couldn't haul in on this possession, and Jaylan Foster broke up another Scarnecchia pass as well. Then Kinlaw dropped a third down pass.
- Blake Camper working as the second-team left tackle. Muschamp previously spoke of how he's had a good spring. Kyle Markway just secured a nice catch and plowed forward into a crowd for more positive yardage. Good to see him healthy for the first time in a while.
- Bentley and the offense have moved the ball well but stalled out a bit aside from the one opening score. Ty'Son Williams looks good running the ball in the limited action I've seen. He and Dowdle and AJ Turner give USC three backs that can make guys miss and make plays in space.
- Kiel Pollard, wow. He just made a couple defenders miss in the open field after catching a ball in the flat and took it for a nice gain. Scarnecchia has been targeting Pollard a lot, hasn't been able to connect on several of them - slight overthrows on a few.
- Rashad Fenton just intercepted Bentley. Had some pressure up the middle and he threw it up into the end zone, overshot the closest offensive player which was KC Crosby.
- DJ Smith laid a big hit there and Bryan Edwards was banged up. Jamarcus King got caught up in it and was down for quite a while but is up now and walking to the locker room. Looked like it may have been some type of upper body injury.
- I think the first team offensive line has been solid so far. Rico Dowdle had a few nice, tough runs early on. Looking forward to seeing more Ty'Son Williams. As I type that, he gets a screen and looks quick in the open field, nice gain.
- Charlton just hit another one about a mile in the air. Pretty good punt there. While we're on the subject of concerns here, losing the starting kicker, punter, and snapper, all good players as well, causes consternation for the program. Just have to develop consistency there.
- Looking at the second group on defense really illustrates how much USC will need early help from newcomers all over, particularly at LB and in the secondary with just pure numbers. The play overall will have to improve up front, but some more of that will need to be guys already on campus stepping up and just continuing to recruit for the future.
- The defense brought pressure the last couple of times, and I still think (based on what we've seen this spring and the early stage of this game) that pass rush is going to be a concern for this defense just as it was last season. Jake Bentley has looked in control of the offense, moving around in the pocket as needed and not holding the ball too long.
- Moore has been in on the last couple of stops and after he's announced for that last tackle, got a nice ovation from the crowd.
- Skai Moore is out there at LB. He was just dropped deep into basically a safety look, but that's something that this staff utilizes at times in a certain defensive look.
- With Lammons out, the corners for the first team are Fenton and King and Montac at nickel. FYI, doesn't look like Hayden Hurst or Deebo Samuel will be doing a heck of a lot today in this game.
- Charlton's first punt was a really nice one. Rashad Fenton fair catches it at the four yard line. Charlton had nice hangtime and placement there. If he can be consistent, he has the leg for sure. Consistency has been the question there.
- Other positional notes: Kaleb Chalmers at second-team nickel. Javon Charleston running second-team safety. Chandler Ferrell is the backup center.
- Early enrollee freshman Jaylin Dickerson was one of the first-team starters at safety. Keir Thomas is playing outside at defensive end on this second series along with the second team on defense.
- Rico Dowdle got the first carry, for those wondering. Donell Stanley is in at left guard. On the second play, Bentley threw a beautiful ball right down the left sideline to Bryan Edwards for a long, 68 yard touchdown. Offensive line did a nice job on the running play and then Bentley had a nice pocket and got the ball out quickly on that throw.
- Joseph Charlton is kicking off, and the first kick-off was live as anticipated, and covered well. Demetrius Smalls returned it, but that wouldn't be the case during the season.
- Team is conducting Oklahoma drills before the actual game gets started.
- Per Wes Mitchell, no Sadarius Hutcherson, DJ Park, or Chris Lammons today. Not dressed out to play. Muschamp mentioned on his call-in show that Hutcherson and Park could miss with minor injuries.
SECOND HALF
- OrTre Smith TD on a deep ball. Got some separation and used the body to shield and catch over the shoulder. That's it today.
- Jaylin Dickerson just got a pick. He's played a ton of snaps this game, probably because the staff really wants to get him ready to play this season (and he will play). He nearly had another interception on a ball thrown into the end zone earlier.
-On the whole, I think Bentley has had a nice game. He threw another touchdown strike up the seam to Jacob August. He did throw a couple balls up earlier in the game that weren't bad throws, but were some 50/50 type balls to receivers down the field. Those are throws every good QB tries and USC has some guys as starters that can win them.
- Jake Bentley and other starters on both sides of the ball did come out for some more good-on-good action.MJ Webb on defense looks the part physically. One thing that's stood out is that USC has not had negative plays running the football. That would be huge if USC could drastically cut down on those from last season.
- Caleb Kinlaw and other walk-ons, Jerad Washington factored in prominently on that drive which ended with a 1-yard Kinlaw touchdown. MJ Webb had a stop on the drive from his defensive tackle position.
- FYI, observations may not be as substantial here in the second half. It's Danny Gordon time at QB.
FIRST HALF
- Ty'Son Williams another nice outside run. It's sometimes tough to gauge in spring games because it's not always good on good, but you can tell he is a player and it really backs up what we've heard about him. DJ Smith has had a couple nice hits. He has the capability to be physical but he needs to be more consistent than he was last season in play and effort.
- Hasaan Belton, transfer from Western Carolina who played at Blythewood, with a nice pick. He's a guy I think could help USC on special teams or as a backup guy at LB.
- Bentley's chucking it around in the second quarter. He's gone to the end zone a couple times, no connection. Did have a nice ball to KC Crosby for a nice gain and Ty'Son Williams put a nice move on Steven Montac earlier. Woznick hit a 48 yard field goal.
- Scarnecchia completes a touchdown pass to Jerad Washington - was over the middle and then ran after the catch. OrTre Smith also caught his first pass of the game on a tunnel screen on that drive.
- Kiel Pollard racking up the targets here. He can do some things in the open field as well. USC's tight end rotation is one of the more intriguing things on the team. Hurst and Crosby will be the main two, but USC has a few others that can help.
- Bentley threw his second touchdown by laying in another beautiful ball into the end zone to Edwards over CB Chris Smith.
- Jaylin Dickerson has been active in coverage and in run support today, I think. USC is high on his future long term, of course. Been impressed by Ty'Son Williams running the ball. He can really bounce it outside and make some things happen.
- Woznick has had leg on his field goal attempts, one from 52 and one from 33, but he missed both of them. He has hit a 47 yarder.
- Kiel Pollard and Korey Banks had passes they couldn't haul in on this possession, and Jaylan Foster broke up another Scarnecchia pass as well. Then Kinlaw dropped a third down pass.
- Blake Camper working as the second-team left tackle. Muschamp previously spoke of how he's had a good spring. Kyle Markway just secured a nice catch and plowed forward into a crowd for more positive yardage. Good to see him healthy for the first time in a while.
- Bentley and the offense have moved the ball well but stalled out a bit aside from the one opening score. Ty'Son Williams looks good running the ball in the limited action I've seen. He and Dowdle and AJ Turner give USC three backs that can make guys miss and make plays in space.
- Kiel Pollard, wow. He just made a couple defenders miss in the open field after catching a ball in the flat and took it for a nice gain. Scarnecchia has been targeting Pollard a lot, hasn't been able to connect on several of them - slight overthrows on a few.
- Rashad Fenton just intercepted Bentley. Had some pressure up the middle and he threw it up into the end zone, overshot the closest offensive player which was KC Crosby.
- DJ Smith laid a big hit there and Bryan Edwards was banged up. Jamarcus King got caught up in it and was down for quite a while but is up now and walking to the locker room. Looked like it may have been some type of upper body injury.
- I think the first team offensive line has been solid so far. Rico Dowdle had a few nice, tough runs early on. Looking forward to seeing more Ty'Son Williams. As I type that, he gets a screen and looks quick in the open field, nice gain.
- Charlton just hit another one about a mile in the air. Pretty good punt there. While we're on the subject of concerns here, losing the starting kicker, punter, and snapper, all good players as well, causes consternation for the program. Just have to develop consistency there.
- Looking at the second group on defense really illustrates how much USC will need early help from newcomers all over, particularly at LB and in the secondary with just pure numbers. The play overall will have to improve up front, but some more of that will need to be guys already on campus stepping up and just continuing to recruit for the future.
- The defense brought pressure the last couple of times, and I still think (based on what we've seen this spring and the early stage of this game) that pass rush is going to be a concern for this defense just as it was last season. Jake Bentley has looked in control of the offense, moving around in the pocket as needed and not holding the ball too long.
- Moore has been in on the last couple of stops and after he's announced for that last tackle, got a nice ovation from the crowd.
- Skai Moore is out there at LB. He was just dropped deep into basically a safety look, but that's something that this staff utilizes at times in a certain defensive look.
- With Lammons out, the corners for the first team are Fenton and King and Montac at nickel. FYI, doesn't look like Hayden Hurst or Deebo Samuel will be doing a heck of a lot today in this game.
- Charlton's first punt was a really nice one. Rashad Fenton fair catches it at the four yard line. Charlton had nice hangtime and placement there. If he can be consistent, he has the leg for sure. Consistency has been the question there.
- Other positional notes: Kaleb Chalmers at second-team nickel. Javon Charleston running second-team safety. Chandler Ferrell is the backup center.
- Early enrollee freshman Jaylin Dickerson was one of the first-team starters at safety. Keir Thomas is playing outside at defensive end on this second series along with the second team on defense.
- Rico Dowdle got the first carry, for those wondering. Donell Stanley is in at left guard. On the second play, Bentley threw a beautiful ball right down the left sideline to Bryan Edwards for a long, 68 yard touchdown. Offensive line did a nice job on the running play and then Bentley had a nice pocket and got the ball out quickly on that throw.
- Joseph Charlton is kicking off, and the first kick-off was live as anticipated, and covered well. Demetrius Smalls returned it, but that wouldn't be the case during the season.
- Team is conducting Oklahoma drills before the actual game gets started.
- Per Wes Mitchell, no Sadarius Hutcherson, DJ Park, or Chris Lammons today. Not dressed out to play. Muschamp mentioned on his call-in show that Hutcherson and Park could miss with minor injuries.
Last edited:
