Why This Could Be A Historic Season For USC

[CavDad62]

I'm 51 and have been a Gamecock fan and going to games since my dad started taking me when I was 5. I want them to win every game...we all want the Gamecocks to win every game. I've been through the many tough years and the few good ones. I expect the best from our team and administration.

But it helps to keep perspective about our program. Here are some numbers that ought to make you realize we've never been the elite in college football...and how this years team can be one of our best ever.

110 years of college football

6 - seasons out of 110 years where we have won 9 or more games (as a reference, Clemson will have its 7th straight season with 10 or more wins after this year)

13 - seasons where we have won 8 or more games

26 - seasons where we have won 7 or more games

The point is...if we are to grow the program into what we expect, it is going to be a process.

Dang..I get mad when we lose any game, and disappointed that we aren't winning 12 games a year.

But realistically, we have only ever been that kind if team 3 years out of 110, and then our HOF coach checked out on us.

As head shaking as this season has been, as awful as some think our offense is, as bad as our kicking is, if we beat UF, Wofford, and either Clemson or win the bowl game, we will have had a 9-win season...for only the 7th time in our history.

Be a little more patient. 3 wins just 2 years ago. 6 wins in Muschamps 1st year...this will be (historically) one of the best seasons we have ever had if we win 8 or 9 games. Building up our program is a process...it doesn't have the glamorous history that we would like. Let's take it one season at a time...and know that, based on our history, we are starting to reach rare numbers in Muschamps 2nd year. Could things be better? Sure. But let's enjoy the journey we are on now...and expect to get better each year.

 

[Kitchenlabs]

Always laugh when people tell gamecock fans to be patient. We've only been waiting 110 years.

 

[Number1pjones]

Always laugh when people tell gamecock fans to be patient. We've only been waiting 110 years.

Exactly. We've been patient. Forever!!!

 

[robertfootball]

Always laugh when people tell gamecock fans to be patient. We've only been waiting 110 years.

We are more patient than Monks.lol

 

[slufstuff]

My dad passed away 12 years ago and only saw one really great year, 1984, and it was tarnished by the Navy disaster. He never got to see Spurrier on the sidelines at all. I agree with the OP. If you look at the SEC standings, the Gamecocks have more conference wins than every team except Alabama, Georgia, and Auburn. If we beat UF this Saturday, we are almost a lock for second place in the East. Yet some here carry on like we are scraping bottom. Far from it. I think Muschamp will prove to be a bigger success than Spurrier in the long run.

 

[robertfootball]

My dad passed away 12 years ago and only saw one really great year, 1984, and it was tarnished by the Navy disaster. He never got to see Spurrier on the sidelines at all. I agree with the OP. If you look at the SEC standings, the Gamecocks have more conference wins than every team except Alabama, Georgia, and Auburn. If we beat UF this Saturday, we are almost a lock for second place in the East. Yet some here carry on like we are scraping bottom. Far from it. I think Muschamp will prove to be a bigger success than Spurrier in the long run.

I think a lot (me included) are yelling "hurry up and win now!" because we realize the East won't be this down forever. Florida is looking for a new coach, Tennessee will be here soon, Kentucky is still giving us fits, we need to make the most of this opportunity and keep running behind UGA. We can get a big leg up on recruiting if we finish the season strong. Losing to Kentucky doesn't help recruiting, but playing GA like we did does help. Beating Florida helps. Beating UT helps. We have a golden opportunity that might not come around again and we need to take advantage of it because it'll be the difference between USC being a player every year or go back to fighting it out with UK And Vandy. The way this season finishes is huge because it'll either give us a leg up in recruiting or we will be behind again.

 

[slufstuff]

I understand your point. IMO this very reason is why Spurrier's lack of effort his last 3 years, especially in recruiting, is such a betrayal. He could have built a grand legacy, but instead played golf and abandoned his team mid-season. So much for the old "When the going get's tough..." philosophy. I am grateful he came here, but he should have won the east at least 2 additional times during his tenure. I think Muschamp will build a better foundation. I do agree with you, there needs to be a sense of urgency. Losing to UK is much more unsettling to me than a hard fought loss to UGa.

I think a lot (me included) are yelling "hurry up and win now!" because we realize the East won't be this down forever. Florida is looking for a new coach, Tennessee will be here soon, Kentucky is still giving us fits, we need to make the most of this opportunity and keep running behind UGA. We can get a big leg up on recruiting if we finish the season strong. Losing to Kentucky doesn't help recruiting, but playing GA like we did does help. Beating Florida helps. Beating UT helps. We have a golden opportunity that might not come around again and we need to take advantage of it because it'll be the difference between USC being a player every year or go back to fighting it out with UK And Vandy. The way this season finishes is huge because it'll either give us a leg up in recruiting or we will be behind again.

 

[ExpatCarolinian]

I think a lot (me included) are yelling "hurry up and win now!" because we realize the East won't be this down forever. Florida is looking for a new coach, Tennessee will be here soon, Kentucky is still giving us fits, we need to make the most of this opportunity and keep running behind UGA. We can get a big leg up on recruiting if we finish the season strong. Losing to Kentucky doesn't help recruiting, but playing GA like we did does help. Beating Florida helps. Beating UT helps. We have a golden opportunity that might not come around again and we need to take advantage of it because it'll be the difference between USC being a player every year or go back to fighting it out with UK And Vandy. The way this season finishes is huge because it'll either give us a leg up in recruiting or we will be behind again.

UF will not be down for too long. For UT, I'm not so sure. Three bad coach hires in a row for them. Seems more like a trend than an anomaly. Maybe this is the new normal for the Viles.

 

[Bigger_Stronger_Faster]

As head shaking as this season has been, as awful as some think our offense is, as bad as our kicking is, if we beat UF, Wofford, and either Clemson or win the bowl game, we will have had a 9-win season...for only the 7th time in our history.

Be a little more patient. 3 wins just 2 years ago. 6 wins in Muschamps 1st year...this will be (historically) one of the best seasons we have ever had if we win 8 or 9 games.

I hope you don't think I'm being impatient, but I hope we win out INCLUDING beating Clempson and win our bowl game to end with a 10 win season. And I'm convinced we can do it if we do everything we need to do to make it happen...coaches and players.

 

[slufstuff]

I hope you don't think I'm being impatient, but I hope we win out INCLUDING beating Clempson and win our bowl game to end with a 10 win season. And I'm convinced we can do it if we do everything we need to do to make it happen...coaches and players.

Knocking Clemson out of the playoff would be the greatest Carolina victory in the history of the series IMO.

 

[Bigger_Stronger_Faster]

Knocking Clemson out of the playoff would be the greatest Carolina victory in the history of the series IMO.

Not sure about that but we could claim we beat the NC's like the taters did when they beat Auburn the year after they won it.

 

[92Pony]

My dad passed away 12 years ago and only saw one really great year, 1984, and it was tarnished by the Navy disaster. He never got to see Spurrier on the sidelines at all.

I hear you friend. My Dad (a USC alum) passed away in July of '10. He got to see the first baseball title (but missed the back-to-back), and didn't get to see the 11 win seasons. I hate that, because like your Dad (I'm sure), he was a long-time, long-suffering, Gamecock fan.

 

[CavDad62]

I hear you friend. My Dad (a USC alum) passed away in July of '10. He got to see the first baseball title (but missed the back-to-back), and didn't get to see the 11 win seasons. I hate that, because like your Dad (I'm sure), he was a long-time, long-suffering, Gamecock fan.

My dad passed away in August 2015. He did get to see some of the good years, but sure did see some lean years. Conversely, my 21 year old son has grown up in the good years (football/Spurrier; baseball nattys, women's basketball, etc.). He doesnt remember Richard Bell, Furman, the Citadel debacle #1 with Jack Douglas, etc.

Back to current stuff...we need to stay focused and beat UF and Wofford. Some have said we can beat Clemson...we can, but I'm afraid our offensive production against them will mirror our Goeorgia performance, meaning not very many rushing yards or points. But strange things can happen, and they play the games for a reason.

We need to win a few more than last year, get a few more program changers in recruiting, win some more, add a few more, and build as we go. We can get there!!

 

[Bigger_Stronger_Faster]

I hear you friend. My Dad (a USC alum) passed away in July of '10. He got to see the first baseball title (but missed the back-to-back), and didn't get to see the 11 win seasons. I hate that, because like your Dad (I'm sure), he was a long-time, long-suffering, Gamecock fan.

My dad passed away in August 2015. He did get to see some of the good years, but sure did see some lean years. Conversely, my 21 year old son has grown up in the good years (football/Spurrier; baseball nattys, women's basketball, etc.). He doesnt remember Richard Bell, Furman, the Citadel debacle #1 with Jack Douglas, etc.

Back to current stuff...we need to stay focused and beat UF and Wofford. Some have said we can beat Clemson...we can, but I'm afraid our offensive production against them will mirror our Goeorgia performance, meaning not very many rushing yards or points. But strange things can happen, and they play the games for a reason.

We need to win a few more than last year, get a few more program changers in recruiting, win some more, add a few more, and build as we go. We can get there!!

Lost my dad in Jan '11. He did get to see the baseball championships but he was more of a football fan and even said before he went down hill he wasn't even sure if Spurrier could turn things around, as it didn't really look like it the first 5 years. But I know he was watching and I know he enjoyed it!
And you may be right about our offense, but I don't believe CU's offense is as balanced as Uga's. I think we'll get more possessions and opportunities on offense and our defense will keep them off the scoreboard to give us a chance to win it near the end. But that's a long ways away. First things first, we gotta send the swamp lizards packing with a loss.

 

[slufstuff]

I hear you friend. My Dad (a USC alum) passed away in July of '10. He got to see the first baseball title (but missed the back-to-back), and didn't get to see the 11 win seasons. I hate that, because like your Dad (I'm sure), he was a long-time, long-suffering, Gamecock fan.

Thanks for the kind words. My dad would have loved to see the 11 win years, but I really hate he missed seeing the baseball titles. He played baseball in high school and really loved the game. He attended USC during the 50's, interrupted by the Korean war, and saw more than his share of mediocre and bad football.

 

[cockhornleghorn]

We've been the beneficiary of an easy schedule as the SECE is down except for Georgia and the 2 SECW teams we played are 2 of the 3 worst 3 in that division. NC State is decent, but not great. This is not one of our best teams.

 

[king ward]

Always laugh when people tell gamecock fans to be patient. We've only been waiting 110 years.

Plus I'm almost 67. How patient can I afford to be?

 

[jimnasium]

Always laugh when people tell gamecock fans to be patient. We've only been waiting 110 years.

So that means you're 111 years old. I'd give up...lol

 

[jimnasium]

We were near the top before Spurrier's give a darn left. I'll wait until Boom gets it straight.

 

[BigTomE]

I don't think it's impatience as much as it's frustration that the success built by Spurrier disappeared like a fart in the wind. We had a taste of success only to have it ripped away like a fresh bandaid.

 

[flatwoodcock]

Always laugh when people tell gamecock fans to be patient. We've only been waiting 110 years.

Wait til next year has been around too long.

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

I'm 51 and have been a Gamecock fan and going to games since my dad started taking me when I was 5. I want them to win every game...we all want the Gamecocks to win every game. I've been through the many tough years and the few good ones. I expect the best from our team and administration.

But it helps to keep perspective about our program. Here are some numbers that ought to make you realize we've never been the elite in college football...and how this years team can be one of our best ever.

110 years of college football

6 - seasons out of 110 years where we have won 9 or more games (as a reference, Clemson will have its 7th straight season with 10 or more wins after this year)

13 - seasons where we have won 8 or more games

26 - seasons where we have won 7 or more games

The point is...if we are to grow the program into what we expect, it is going to be a process.

Dang..I get mad when we lose any game, and disappointed that we aren't winning 12 games a year.

But realistically, we have only ever been that kind if team 3 years out of 110, and then our HOF coach checked out on us.

As head shaking as this season has been, as awful as some think our offense is, as bad as our kicking is, if we beat UF, Wofford, and either Clemson or win the bowl game, we will have had a 9-win season...for only the 7th time in our history.

Be a little more patient. 3 wins just 2 years ago. 6 wins in Muschamps 1st year...this will be (historically) one of the best seasons we have ever had if we win 8 or 9 games. Building up our program is a process...it doesn't have the glamorous history that we would like. Let's take it one season at a time...and know that, based on our history, we are starting to reach rare numbers in Muschamps 2nd year. Could things be better? Sure. But let's enjoy the journey we are on now...and expect to get better each year.

I think Carolina is in a good spot, likely to end up tied for 2nd in the East with UK. Whoever UF hires and most likely UT will have a big effect on how the division shapes up in the near future. I know fans of other teams aren't sold on Kirby, but UGA fans are, don't know what he has to do, every game, team looks prepared and motivated, that wasn't the case with previous staff. I know fans,particularly Carolina fans say he is winning with Richt players, some are former Richt players, but we are no longer the finesse team that Richt brought to the games, as should have been evident by the number of Carolina players who had to visit the tent, our S&C program has made our guys stronger, better condidtioned than ever before, no pulled hammy's, no cramps. Kirby is doing well, Muschamp is doing well, UF and UT are struggling, I know Carolina fans would rather be 9-0, but it's great to see those 2 struggling.

 

[surfincock]

I don't think it's impatience as much as it's frustration that the success built by Spurrier disappeared like a fart in the wind. We had a taste of success only to have it ripped away like a fresh bandaid.

I think you hit the nail on the head with your post. How did we drop so fast after three 11 win seasons? That has always bothered me that we were so easily toppled. The thing I do understand though is it is almost ALWAYS about the head coach. He is the key. Notre Dame, Alabama, Ohio State are all traditional powers that can't do it every year unless they have the right coach. It's about the coach (which means recruiting and coaching).