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Weekly Thoughts & Predictions (CCU Edition)

Josh Low

Gamecock Central Analyst
Jun 12, 2012
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It is great to be back doing this. It means that college football is here and hopefully it doesn’t go by as fast as it usually does.


Position by Position Thoughts


I usually start this feature off by giving some keys or thoughts on the game that is coming up. This week is a little different since it is the first week and South Carolina is playing Coastal Carolina. I want to start off by just giving my general thoughts on where South Carolina is right now at each position.

Quarterback

This is all about Jake Bentley. It is a must for South Carolina to keep Bentley healthy all season for them to have the type of year where they can contend for the SEC East. I do think it will be a positive for Bentley to have Dan Werner now coaching him. I think you want to see Bentley be a little more consistent and take a step forward. He didn’t have a great year last year but it wasn’t bad either. He needs to have a good season this year. Michael Scarnecchia is the next man up at quarterback. There is a lot of unknown with Scarnecchia. He has played in three games and has thrown one pass. The scary part here is the unknown with him. He is a fifth-year senior and the reports from practice on him have been good.

Jay Urich and Dakereon Joyner are both great athletes but still need time developing as passers. You can say this for just about every team in college football and that is South Carolina might be in trouble if they get this far down on the depth chart at quarterback. It will be interesting to see what South Carolina does if given the opportunity to play other quarterbacks this year. On one hand, Scarnecchia needs experience just in case something does happen to Bentley. On the other hand, it will be good for Urich and Joyner to get some experience. Scarnecchia should be the first person off the bench.

Running Back

Rico Dowdle should get the first carry for South Carolina on Saturday. Will Muschamp challenged him before camp and Dowdle needs to respond. He needs to be able to stay on the field because he is the most talented running back on South Carolina’s roster. I will go ahead and predict a breakout season for Dowdle. I think he goes over 1,000 yards rushing this year.

Ty’Son Williams, A.J. Turner, and Mon Denson are the next three running backs. South Carolina should feel good with the depth they have at the position right now. I think you could argue last year was a little bit of a disappointment for Williams. He needs to be more consistent this year and be a better pass blocker. I think you know what you are going to get with Turner and Denson. They might not have the potential that Dowdle or Williams have, but they are reliable.

Deshaun Fenwick is the wildcard at this position. It will be interesting to see what the coaches do with him as far as a redshirt. He might be too valuable on special teams to redshirt. If that is the case, then I’m sure they will try to get him some carries at some point as well.

Receiver

I think you have to feel good about this position right now. Deebo Samuel is returning and could be a dark horse Heisman candidate. He just has to stay healthy. If he does, then the production will be there. Bryan Edwards is poised to make another step forward this season. I think he has All-SEC potential this year. Shi Smith should also take a step forward in his second year with the program. The potential for the starting group is really high.

I also think you have to like the depth at this position. We know what OrTre Smith can do. He could step in and be a starter right away. Randrecous Davis should start the season healthy and needs to stay healthy. Josh Vann is a true freshman that should make an impact right away. Chad Terrell and Chavis Dawkins are two others that should return from injury at some point this season.

Tight End

This is another position where there are a lot of candidates for playing time. K.C. Crosby is obviously the guy that stands out at this position. The expectation is that he has a breakout season this year. He seems to find ways to find the endzone when he is on the field. The production that South Carolina lost with Hayden Hurst should go to Crosby. Jacob August is also returning. He has always been reliable as a blocker.

Kiel Pollard is someone that I want to see more of this year. He is someone that could be a sleeper at this position. Kyle Markway and Evan Hinson are two others at this position that should provide good depth.

Offensive Line

I like the starting group for the offensive line. The interior is really big and there is talent there. I think Donell Stanley is one of the more overlooked players on offense right now. It will be interesting to see how he transitions to center, but he is someone that I would bet on. Zack Bailey will be right next to him at guard. He looks like a NFL guard right now. That is a lot of experience and talent right there on the interior. Sadarius Hutcherson will join them on the inside and he is another big guy. I know the staff is really high on him as well.

Dennis Daley and Blake Camper should be the starting tackles. They are both seniors. I thought Daley was solid last season and should be even better this year at left tackle. Camper is the one I’m a little worried about. He doesn’t have as much experience as the others. The depth at this position could be a concern as well. Malik Young should be the sixth guy and he has a lot of experience. After Young, it seems to be a lot of unknowns right now. There are some guys with potential but no experience.

Defensive Line

I think you have to feel good about the starters along the defensive line as well. D.J. Wonnum, Aaron Sterling, Keir Thomas, and Javon Kinlaw should form a solid SEC defensive line. That is a lot of experience returning. I think Wonnum and Kinlaw have All-SEC potential this year. I think Kinlaw could have a monster year. I think Thomas is a little overlooked on the defensive line. You also have to factor in Bryson Allen-Williams when he moves to the BUCK position. Allen-Williams, Wonnum, Sterling, Daniel Fennell, and Brad Johnson provide USC with pass rushers on the outside.

I think some people will point to the depth at this position as a concern. There might not be a lot of experience but there is a lot of potential backing the starters up. Kobe Smith, Shameik Blackshear, Fennell, and Johnson all have experience and have shown flashes at some point. J.J. Enagbare, Rick Sandidge, and Jabari Ellis are the newcomers that have potential and should provide depth. I didn’t even factor in Josh Belk who could see his playing time grow each week depending on how he progresses. I really like the direction of the defensive line and that includes the recruits they currently have in the 2019 class.

Linebacker

T.J. Brunson is the obvious leader of this group. He should also be one of the leaders of the entire defense. He will be joined by Allen-Williams and Sherrod Greene as the starters at the three linebacker positions. This group is losing Skai Moore and that is going to hurt. I do think the starters are a strong group. Greene is someone that impressed me when he played last year as a true freshman. I think he can be a thumper.

The depth at this position is a little bit of a concern. Fennell should factor in here as well as the backup to Allen-Williams. Eldridge Thompson and Rosendo Louis will be relied on heavily to provide the depth. I think it is a must that South Carolina stays healthy at this position.

Secondary

This is the position that I’m probably most anxious to watch on Saturday. It is going to be real interesting to me where everyone plays and how much they play. Jaycee Horn and J.T. Ibe are the two guys I’m looking forward to watching on Saturday. Horn is obvious because he is the true freshman that everyone is praising right now. I’m looking forward to watching Ibe because he became a starter after beginning camp injured. He was able to pass both Jamyest Williams and Nick Harvey at the position. He must have been impressive these last couple weeks.

Rashad Fenton and Keisean Nixon should form a good duo at cornerback. I’m excited to see Israel Mukuamu at cornerback as well. Steven Montac returns at safety and should be solid. I like the overall mix in the secondary right now. There are a lot of older guys with experience at this level and there are some promising younger guys. Jaylin Dickerson is another young guy that has a lot of promise if he can get healthy.



My Concerns


I believe that I was real positive overall in my thoughts above. I’m now going to list a couple things that have me concerned about South Carolina right now.

1). Tempo and play calling – I want to start off by saying that I liked the hire of Bryan McClendon as offensive coordinator. I think it was the right move for Muschamp and will pay off. I definitely believe it will be an upgrade over last year. I just think the unknown and inexperience can be a concern right now.

2). Running game – I know I’m going against what I said above with predicting that Dowdle will be a 1,000-yard rusher but the running game coming into the season should still be a concern. Dowdle has had his share of injuries in the past. The running game also wasn’t good last year. I did say above that I liked the interior of the offensive line for South Carolina and that should help things out. It will also be interesting to see if the tempo will help out the running game as well.

3). Depth – I want to start this out by saying that I really like where South Carolina is with their starters. I think they can match up with a lot of teams with the starting group. The depth at certain positions is a concern to me. I’m talking about quarterback, offensive line, and linebacker. I think some people would include defensive line as well but I’m not as concerned there. South Carolina also needs to stay healthy. They need a dynamic Deebo Samuel all year.



USC Game-by-Game Predictions

Don’t hold me to these. I think there are a lot of coin-flip games.


Coastal Carolina – WIN (45-14)

This should be a nice season-opener for South Carolina. They should be able to figure some things out ahead of Georgia and win comfortably.

Georgia – LOSS (24-21)

I can easily see South Carolina winning this game. I might even change my pick before next Thursday. I think it will be like a lot of USC/UGA games but right now I have UGA by a nose.

Marshall – WIN (30-17)

It seems that a lot of people are saying this is a dangerous game for South Carolina and I agree. In the end, South Carolina should still win by two scores.

@Vanderbilt – WIN (27-20)

This is another game South Carolina should win. It is at Vanderbilt so I do think it will be closer than some want it to be. In the end, South Carolina wins by a touchdown.

@Kentucky – WIN (34-20)

The streak is going to end at some point. I think South Carolina will get tired of hearing about it before this game and will make a statement.

Missouri – WIN (27-24)

I think Missouri could be a little bit of a sleeper in the SEC this year with Drew Lock. With the game being at South Carolina, I think the Gamecocks figure out a way to come out on top.

Texas A&M – WIN (31-27)

I think this game is a little overlooked right now. I think it is a coin-flip game right now. I will take South Carolina because they are at home and they are due against A&M.

Tennessee – WIN (34-17)

I think this is a game South Carolina should win. I don’t see Tennessee being very good this year. I think South Carolina wins comfortably.

@Ole Miss – WIN (38-30)

Another dangerous game for South Carolina. I think it could be a coin-flip game. I do expect some offense in this one and I got South Carolina finding a way to win another one.

@Florida – LOSS (20-17)

Another coin-flip game in my opinion. I’m not a believer in Florida this year but I do think South Carolina will slip up somewhere and this is where I predict. It will be close but South Carolina finally loses a close game.

Chattanooga – WIN (44-13)

South Carolina should get a nice tune up before Clemson.

@Clemson – LOSS (31-17)

Clemson might be the most talented team in the country and it is at Clemson.


So I have South Carolina going 9-3 and 6-2 in the SEC. Honestly, I could see anywhere from 7-11 wins this year realistically. I think seven could be a little on the low side and 11 on the high side.



SEC Predictions

East:

1). Georgia

2). South Carolina

3). Florida

4). Missouri

5). Kentucky

6). Tennessee

7). Vanderbilt


West:

1). Alabama

2). Auburn

3). Mississippi State

4). Texas A&M

5). LSU

6). Arkansas

7). Ole Miss


I have Alabama and Georgia playing in the SEC title game with Alabama winning the conference.

Give me Alabama, Clemson, Penn State, and Auburn as my playoff picks. Alabama over Penn State in the championship.



Big Game Predictions

I’m changing things up this year. I’m going to have a little family battle this year in this section. As most of you know, Chris Low (the one that writes for ESPN) is my dad. I’m going to have him make his picks and I will make my picks. We will see who wins at the end of the year.


Auburn vs. Washington

Chris: Auburn has one of the toughest schedules in the country with three games away from home against top 6 teams in the preseason AP poll, but the combination of playing so close to home and Washington having to come all the way across the country coupled with a suffocating defensive line will be the difference for the Tigers.

Auburn 24 Washington 20

Josh: This should be the best matchup of week one in college football. Auburn and Washington are contenders for the playoff. I do think Auburn’s defensive line will give Washington’s offense fits. I think Jarrett Stidham is the difference in this game. I think he outplays Jake Browning in a battle of two pretty good quarterbacks.

Auburn 27 Washington 20


Tennessee vs. West Virginia

Chris: There’s renewed hope around the Tennessee program with Jeremy Pruitt taking over and his no-frills, hands-on approach, but this is a tough opener for the Vols. Will Grier and his talented West Virginia receiving corps can put up points in bunches, and Tennessee isn’t equipped offensively to win a shootout.

West Virginia 34 Tennessee 24

Josh: I believe you will see a motivated Tennessee team to start this game. I think Pruitt will have them believing and should keep this competitive for the most part. In the end, I don’t think Tennessee has the talent to keep up with West Virginia. Will Grier is a Heisman candidate for a reason and I think he shows why in the second half of this one.

West Virginia 38 Tennessee 20


Michigan @ Notre Dame

Chris: The Michigan fans were ecstatic when Jim Harbaugh returned to his alma mater to lead the Maize and Blue, and while they’re still hopeful that he’s going to bring them a championship, season number four is a critical one. The Wolverines will be nasty on defense, and Ole Miss transfer quarterback Shea Patterson should pump some life into the offense. But playing on the road against a Notre Dame team that might be a College Football Playoff sleeper will be too much for the Wolverines in the opener.

Notre Dame 21 Michigan 20

Josh: The first game we disagree on. I have Michigan winning for all the reasons he listed for why Michigan should have promise this year. Michigan’s defense should be one of the top groups in the country this year and they should make life for Notre Dame’s offense tough. I also think Shea Patterson comes out on fire for Michigan. I think he is the player that a lot of people will be talking about after week one.

Michigan 27 Notre Dame 17



Other Notable Games:

Chris:


Ole Miss over Texas Tech by 7

Georgia over Austin Peay by 31

Kentucky over Central Michigan by 27

Missouri over UT Martin by 35

Arkansas over Eastern Illinois by 28

Mississippi State over Stephen F Austin by 34

Florida over Charleston Southern by 40

Vanderbilt over Middle Tennessee by 7

Alabama over Louisville by 24

Miami over LSU by 4

Ohio State over Oregon State by 17

Texas over Maryland by 21

Florida State over Virginia Tech by 3

Cal over North Carolina by 10


Josh:

Texas Tech over Ole Miss by 4

Georgia over Austin Peay by 27

Kentucky over Central Michigan by 14

Missouri over UT Martin by 38

Arkansas over Eastern Illinois 20

Mississippi State over Stephen F Austin by 40

Florida over Charleston Southern by 31

Vanderbilt over Middle Tennessee by 10

Alabama over Louisville by 21

Miami over LSU by 8

Ohio State over Oregon State by 24

Texas over Maryland by 13

Florida State over Virginia Tech by 7

Cal over North Carolina by 14



Coastal Carolina @ South Carolina

Chris: Will Muschamp has recruited well, created some depth on both sides of the ball and also has some firepower on offense, led by Jake Bentley at quarterback and a healthy Deebo Samuel at receiver. The Gamecocks won’t have much trouble in the opener, but it will be worth keeping an eye on what should be an improved defense.

South Carolina 42 Coastal Carolina 13

Josh: This should be a nice tune up for South Carolina before the Georgia game next weekend. It will be interesting to see what the offense looks like with the new tempo and someone else calling plays. I think the offense has a big day, especially on the ground. I expect the same out of the defense. I think they will create several turnovers. I expect to see a lot of different players playing for South Carolina on Saturday.

South Carolina 45 Coastal Carolina 14
 
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