desegregation pioneers honored, 8
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID COLUMBIA SC PERMIT NO. 389
$1.50
Streaking! nation’s longest home win streak lives at Williams-Brice; stands at 16 straight
November 20, 2013 • Volume 35 • Issue 34
2 • Spurs & Feathers
November 20, 2013
photo by allen sharpe
Shon Carson had a career day against the Gators. Carson finished his efforts in the Gamecock victory with 102 yards rushing on 13 carries. He ran for 58 yards on this play.
Second-half surge by Gamecocks chomps down Gators by mike kucharski mike@spursandfeathers.com
with his third interception of the season with 1:22 remaining. South Carolina’s freshman kicker Fry had South Carolina earned its sixth SEC win a career game with four field goals, going of the season by defeating Florida, 19-14, four-of-five with a career-long 45 yarder in inside Williams-Brice Stadium to set the the second quarter. program record for longest home winning Quarterback Connor Shaw was 14-for-28 streak at 16 straight games. passing for 213 yards and one touchdown. The Gamecocks were able to take over in The victory gave Shaw his 24th win as a the second half, scoring the final 12 points starter, tying the school record held by Todd of the game. The win also extends the lonEllis. Shaw has a 24-5 career record as a gest current home winning streak in the starter and is 15-0 at home as a starter. country. “Obviously it’s something special and “Somehow or other it worked out again. hopefully we can come out next week and We had trouble scoring obviously around execute and beat Coastal. I’ve got plenty of the three-yard line two or three times, but time after I’m done here to look back on all Elliott Fry kicked some field goals and our that stuff so I’m just going to continue trydefense was really sensational in the second ing to help this team win,” Shaw said. half,” head coach Steve Spurrier said. “We The Gamecocks were able to regain the got tougher. We got tough in the second lead with 6:43 remaining at 16-14, their first half and shut Florida down pretty good and lead since 3-0 in the first quarter. The drive somehow or other it worked out for us. started on the Gamecocks’ own 10-yard line “We’re proud of the guys, proud to win 16 and went 87 yards in eight plays capped by in a row here and 6-2 in the conference three Fry’s third field goal of the game. The drive years in a row. That’s pretty good for us saw a 58-yard rush by Shon Carson and a and we’re proud of our players. Our players 34-yard catch by Rory Anderson in traffic. played like winners,” Spurrier said. Fry added to the lead with a 43-yard field The Gamecock defense held strong in the goal to make the score 19-14 with 2:16 second half, holding the Gators scoreless remaining after South Carolina stopped a and senior Jimmy Legree sealed the victory Florida (4-6, 3-5 SEC) fake punt from its
own 32-yard line. South Carolina (8-2, 6-2 SEC) was able to gain some momentum after halftime by forcing a quick three-and-out from Florida’s offense to get the ball back. The Gamecocks proceeded to go on a seven-play, 64-yard drive in 2:32 to cut the lead to 14-13 on a 32-yard touchdown hookup from Shaw to Bruce Ellington. The catch was Ellington’s sixth touchdown of the season and Shaw’s 19th touchdown pass this year. The touchdown came as South Carolina went for it on fourth down and three from the 32-yard line. Florida next went on a drive aided by a roughing the passer call down into the red zone, but the Gamecock defense stiffened and a Jadeveon Clowney six-yard tackle for loss forced the Gators to kick. The 32-yard field goal attempt missed left and the Gamecocks held Florida scoreless on the drive. The Gamecocks received the opening kickoff and went down the field on a 10-play, 70-yard drive capped by a 25-yard field goal by Fry. Shaw completed a 39-yard pass to Damiere Byrd and Mike Davis had a 23-yard run on the drive that gave South Carolina the early lead with 10:21 left in first quarter. Florida came right back with a scoring
drive of their own to take a 7-3 lead with 3:03 remaining in the first quarter. The Gators scored on a 20-yard touchdown run by Kelvin Taylor. South Carolina answered with another field goal, a career long of 45 yards from Fry, to cut the lead to 7-6 with 14:04 left before the half. The field goal capped a nineplay, 57- yard drive in 3:59. Florida answered with another touchdown run by Taylor, this one from from 29 yards out. The six-play, 75-yard drive put the Gators up, 14-6, with 10:51 left before halftime. The score would stay 14-6 at the half as the teams traded punts before the Gamecocks missed on a 38-yard field goal attempt. South Carolina’s rushing attack was led by Carson with a career-high 102 yards on 13 carries and Davis contributed 54 yards of his own. Ellington and Byrd each had four receptions. Ellington had 67 yards and the touchdown while Byrd totaled 55 yards. Anderson also chipped in three grabs for 69 yards. “This was a wonderful win for South Carolina. The fans were super, screaming and yelling, that made it tough on the Gators. Just to get a win the way it started out was good for us, good for the Gamecocks,” Spurrier said.
Spurs & Feathers • 3
November 20, 2013
South Carolina-Florida postgame notes/quotes South carolina athletics media relations General • No. 11/12 South Carolina’s 19-14 victory over Florida extends the home winning streak to 16 games, establishing a new school record. The previous mark of 15 straight was set from 1978-1980. The 16-straight wins at Williams-Brice is the longest current home winning streak in the country. • The victory is the 39th Gamecock win in a four-year period, also a new school record. The previous mark of 38 was set by last year’s senior class. • The Gamecocks have now recorded six SEC wins for the third-straight year. South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier is now 4-5 overall in games against his alma mater, including a 3-2 mark in Columbia, S.C. • Florida’s 14-6 lead at the half was the first time South Carolina trailed at the half at home since Auburn in 2011. • The announced attendance of 83,853 is the most of the season at Williams-Brice. • At the half, South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley was presented the Order of the Palmetto from South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. The award is the highest civilian honor that can be awarded by the governor, granted to those who have displayed significant achievement and service to the state. Staley joins several other elite South Carolina coaches who have received the Order of the Palmetto, including current track and field head coach Curtis Frye, former men’s basketball coach Frank McGuire and former football coaches Lou Holtz, Jim Carlen and Warren Giese. • The University also honored special Pioneers Carlton Haywood, Jackie Brown and Casey Manning tonight. The recognition was for those who took the monumental steps to desegregate athletics at the University of South Carolina. Haywood was the first African-American to enroll at the University of South Carolina on a football scholarship. Brown, who also played football and basketball at South Carolina, was the first African-American baseball player at the University. Manning was the first African-American basketball player at the University. Offense • Senior quarterback Connor Shaw now has 24 wins as a starting quarterback, tying the school record set by Todd Ellis. Shaw is 24-5 as a starter for the Garnet & Black. Ellis was 24-16-3 during his career.
On the struggles on the offensive side of the ball “Florida’s defense is really good. We knew that coming in. They’re one of the top [teams] in the league. We just couldn’t find the rhythm in the first half down in the red zone. The second half, I thought we battled a little bit stronger. W adjusted at half-time and came out and found a way to win.” On breaking Todd Ellis’ career starting quarterback wins record “Obviously it’s something special, and hopefully we can come out next week and execute and beat Coastal. I’ve got plenty of time after I’m done here to look back on all of it. So I’m just going to try and continue to help our team to win.”
photo by allen sharpe
•
Sophomore tailback Shon Carson’s 102 yards is a career high and the first 100-yard rushing game of his career. His 58-yard run in the fourth quarter is the longest of his career. • Sophomore tailback Mike Davis moved into sixth-place in rushing yards in a season by a Gamecock with 1,112 yards. He is just 85 yards away from third place (Marcus Lattimore: 1,197 yards, 2010). Defense • Senior cornerback Jimmy Legree’s fourth-quarter interception was his third of the season and sixth of his career. • Junior spur Sharrod Golightly tied a career high set against North Carolina earlier this season with six tackles. Redshirt freshman spur Jordan Diggs set a new career high with four tackles, eclipsing his previous mark of three against UAB last season. Sophomore defensive tackle Phillip Dukes recorded his first solo tackle for loss. Special Teams • Freshman placekicker Elliot Fry hit a career-long 45-yard field goal in the second quarter. Fry knocked a career-high four field goals through the uprights and went 4-of-5 on the night. It’s the most field goals made in a single game by a Gamecock since Spencer Lanning against Georgia in 2009. Head Coach Steve Spurrier Opening Statement “Somehow it worked out again. We had trouble scoring obviously around the three-yard line two or three times. Elliot Fry kicked some field goals and our defense was sensational in the second half. First half they [Florida] had us a little bit on our heels. Running the ball. But our guys got tougher in the second half and shut
Florida down pretty good. Somehow it worked out for us. We weren’t very good on offense again. Although we did make 370 yards, that’s pretty good I guess. Third downs we struggled again, but we had a lot of long ones. Anways it worked out again. We’re proud of the guys and proud to win 16 in a row here. We’re 6-2 in the conference, three years in a row and that’s pretty good for us. I’m proud of our players, our players play like winners. At halftime there wasn’t a lot of laughter or much joy in the locker room but afterwards we had a happy bunch of Gamecocks. Maybe something bigger is going to happen for us down the road, I don’t know. We’ll watch Missouri play a little bit, from a distance. We’ll be getting ready for Coastal and try to win our ninth game of the season next week if we can. We know they’re a good team and we know we’ve had struggles with just about everybody that’s come in here this year. This was a wonderful win for South Carolina. The fans were super, screaming and yelling, that made it tough on the Gators. Just to get a win the way it started out was good for us, good for the Gamecocks.”
Elliott Fry • Kicker • Freshman On feeling the pressure of making routine field goals “There’s pressure no matter what. It can get a little more nerve-racking just because you are expected to make anything from 40-yards in. Either way you go in with the same mindset.” On setting aside his missed field goal “A huge part of the kicking game is being able to block out the last kick and move on to the next one. After you miss there’s nothing you can do about it, so you just have to move on.” Jadeveon Clowney • Defensive End • Junior On grinding out wins “That’s the group of guys we have. We have tough guys that fight through a lot. We came in at half time, and we were down but I told the team keep your head up and keep fighting and that anything can happen in the SEC so we had to keep fighting.” On the defense growing “The young guys are getting smarter and the older guys are stepping up. We just keep gelling together as a group, and that’s what we try to do every week. We just try to keep getting better.”
Bruce Ellington • Wide Receiver • Junior On his touchdown catch “It was a kind of play that was designed for On when they learned that Auburn de(Damiere) Byrd to get the ball, but I saw my defeated Georgia “It was on the screen there, it was on the screen fender sitting so I just ran right past him. Connor (Shaw) did a heck of a job throwing the ball, and in the stadium and I think that’s when all our I scored a touchdown.” people started yelling. We haven’t even talked about it. Well after the game I said `by the way Shon Carson • Tailback • Sophomore we do know that Auburn beat Georgia today.’ On his career performance in game What a game that was, good gracious, a sort of “Coach gave me reps in practice. They were hail-mary ball that went ricocheting around. I keying in on Mike (Davis) and that helped open guess that’s why people watch football on teleit up for me more.” vision, games like the one they had. Ours was pretty interesting too. It was an old-fashioned Jimmy Legree • Cornerback • Senior football game I guess, a whole bunch of field goals by our team. We won one that way, usually On his interception “It was great coverage. It was kind of a desperyou lose that way but tonight we won it.” ate situation for them, the quarterback threw the ball right to me and I made the play.” Connor Shaw • Quarterback • Senior
4 • Spurs & Feathers
Spurs & Feathers Published by Aiken Communications, Inc.
November 20, 2013
What’s Inside? - Table of Contents Men’s basketball vs. Clemson......................................6 South Carolina honors pioneers................................8
Something to Crow About!
Gamecock women’s soccer defeats Furman in NCAA Tournament.....................................9 Women’s basketball drops a beat...........................10
Contact Us: 218 Richland Ave. W. Aiken, SC 29801 (803) 335-1399 To subscribe: Please call 800-559-2311; annual subscription price is $50 Scott B. Hunter Publisher & President Aiken Communications, Inc. Tim O’Briant General Manager tobriant@spursandfeathers.com (803) 335-1400 Ext. 500 Brian Hand Executive Editor bhand@spursandfeathers.com (803) 335-1399 Ext. 506 Mike Kucharski Reporter mike@spursandfeathers.com (803) 335-1399 Ext. 507 Ed Girardeau Contributing Editor ed@spursandfeathers.com (803) 335-1399 Ext. 501 Dee Taylor Advertising Director (803) 644-2371 Kathy Boyette Advertising Sales Manager (803) 644-2349 kboyette@spursandfeathers.com Matt Socha Graphic Designer Postal Information: Spurs & Feathers (ISSN 074454368) is published weekly by Aiken Communications, 326 Rutland Drive, Aiken, South Carolina 29801. Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Prices is pending at Aiken, SC. POSTMASTER: please send address changes to Spurs & Feathers, 326 Rutland Drive, Aiken, SC 29801.
Garnet Market Spotlight: Addams University Bookstore.................................11 Sand volleyball learns from competition.............12 Gamecocks/Chanticleers depth charts................13 Equestrian looks to ride strong fall finish............15 South Carolina/Coastal Carolina football rosters....................................................... 16-17 Recruiting Roundup............................................. 18-19 Changing perceptions................................................20 South Carolina Athletics launches Gamecock Career Network.......................................21 “Inside the Chart” with Andy Demetra.....................................................22 Upcoming Events: Gamecock Club........................26 South Carolina announces “Hoops for the Holidays” program................. 27-28 Compliance Corner......................................................29 Ed Girardeau’s column................................................30
Dawn Staley honored as women’s basketball excels South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley received the Order of the Palmetto from Governor Nikki Haley at halftime of the football game on Saturday. The award is the highest civilian honor that can be awarded by the governor, granted to those who have displayed significant achievement and service to the state. “I am grateful for Governor Haley’s generosity with this award and am humbled by joining the others who have received it,” Staley said. “Returning to South Carolina where my mother is from has been a blessing and we have spent five-plus years doing our best to represent the state well. I am so happy to coach at this University and be able to share my experiences and provide opportunities for the young women here to play for and thrive at their own state university.” The Gamecocks also played well on the court this past week, earning two victories over College of Charleston and Seton Hall. South Carolina defeated College of Charleston, 81-54, on Thursday and Seton Hall, 81-67, on Sunday. The Gamecocks are 4-0 this season and are next in action at Clemson on Wednesday, the first of three straight road games. Visit www.spursandfeathers.com for all your game recaps and news about the women’s basketball team. (Courtesy of South Carolina Athletics Media Relations)
Spurs & Feathers • 5
November 20, 2013
Sweet 16 was never supposed to be like this
Sweet 16 was never supposed to be like this. Those special moments are to be reserved for a moment of unbridled joy, a childlike happiness with an acknowledgment that it’s almost, but not quite, time to grow up. Maybe that only pertains in the real world because the effect of Carolina’s school-record 16th consecutive home victory was clearly a situation of bridled joy, restrained by Bart Wright the knowledge that the Contributing big payoff will only come Writer when an opponent falls and the Southeastern Conference effectively says, “take it, it’s yours.” The conference championship game in Atlanta will beckon again as this space has been suggesting for the last month, when Missouri is tripped up, either on an excursion to Oxford, Miss., this week, or if not there, when Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M upset the
Tigers’ plans in Mizzou’s final home game, two weeks out. Yes, I think it will happen, but then you shouldn’t place too many hopes on those beliefs, as my expectation was that a one-loss Carolina team would represent the division in Atlanta. Didn’t see that defeat coming at Knoxville and didn’t expect the Gators to put up as much of a fight for as long as they did Saturday night at Williams-Brice. Nothing that occurred in the first half struck as a surprise, you expected to see Florida, with its back to the wall of bowl game elimination, coming out as though there was no tomorrow. Give them credit, they extended the game longer than they should have, and give some credit to the Gamecocks for finding a way to win, again. The spectacular occurred elsewhere when Auburn somehow pulled off a miracle play on a long pass, converged upon by two Georgia defenders and one Auburn player that was tipped up and fell into the arms of Ricardo Louis, converted into what will be another storied chapter in the rivalry between those
Head coach Will Muschamp Opening statement … “I am very proud with our guys’ effort. We followed the script and what we felt like we did what we needed to do to win the game and that was ball possession, field position, beat the clock, play good defense, which we did for the most part throughout the night against a very good offensive football team. So I am extremely proud of our players and the way they continued to fight in the game. There’s a lot of negativity out there. These guys pulled together and showed you a little something of what they’re about. We just need to make some plays in those situations and win the game. The bottom line is winning and we didn’t do it. We did not get the job done. So that’s on me and we will go back and continue to work hard with these last two. I’m looking forward to that. The 58-yard run there at the end, we just kind of bounced out of our gap with our corner with pressure on the four down look. We changed gaps on it and they spit on us. We know we had the safety covering on the “X” and we had no overlap. Unfortunately when you pressure a little bit, that’s what happens. The 34-yard pass on the third-and-nine was a beautifully thrown ball. South Carolina had great coverage and their guy made a play. We have got to get the ball off in those situations, but I am extremely proud of our staff and our players have pulled together, trying to put ourselves in a position to win the game on the road against a very good football team. We
just got to come up with a couple of those plays here and there. Missed two field goals and we are a team that needs to capitalize on those opportunities. So we will continue to work on that. I felt like we got some good movement in the run game tonight and we got good pressure on the quarterback. His legs didn’t hurt us like they have before. He’s an outstanding player and scrambler, so I am pleased with that. We’ll get it done, we’ll keep working.” On the effort shown with mass injuries … “We have had one starter (on the offensive line) play the same position for nine games. It’s difficult. It’s hard. It’s not excuses; it’s real. Probably South Carolina and Missouri are the two best fronts we’ve played this year. You know Jadeveon (Clowney) gets a lot of credit, but 90 (Chaz Sutton) is a really good player and (Kelcy) Quarles is a very good player, 99. But I was very pleased. We could not get in loose downs with them, passing situations. We had to manage down and distance because they are an extremely athletic, talented front. I though that we did a very good job for the most part putting ourselves in situations to be successful.” Dante Fowler, Jr. • Sophomore On losing streak … “It’s frustrating, but I want to take my hat off to my team. For us, after all this adversity we have no excuses, but we kept fighting. For 60 minutes we played tough football and we gave it all we could. They came up with the ‘W,’ but at the end of the day I’m proud of my team.”
schools. It was a miracle in the sense that all lovers and true believers understand that miracles are nothing more than what is revealed when the thin veil of illusion is removed and for Georgia, that’s what happened. Beaten down with injuries, the Bulldogs have been surrendering points and yards at incredible rates ever since they managed to beat the Gamecocks in Athens and the way they have been able to win all these weeks is simply unsustainable. The football gods caught up with Georgia Saturday. It can be a cruel game. But you had your first abstract indication that this would be an awkward night in Columbia when television cameras showed Gamecock fans, with backs to the field of play, staring up at the stadium big screen, taking in Auburn’s winning play. From that moment on, there was an odd sense around this game, the near misses the Gamecocks had here and there throughout the game and the crazy play down in Auburn that almost replicated an even stranger play six days earlier. In an NFL game a week ago, Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton
heaved a Hail Mary pass to former Bulldog A.J. Green that was surrounded by three opponents and, inexplicably was tipped up, not down as players are taught. Green had the ball pop up and fall harmlessly into his waiting, end zone arms, so maybe one school gets only so many beneficial plays in a season – Green caught his, while his alma mater got burned in a somewhat similar – though not a Hail Mary – pass play. Shon Carson emerged with the vital 58-yard run that set up Carolina’s go-ahead points and the victory was secured, however unsteadily. These 19-point wins somehow never give a team great satisfaction because they are a product of one touchdown and four possessions that came close, but didn’t fully pay off. Coaches walk away thinking about how different it might have been if two of those four had been touchdowns. So they move on and wait to see when, and if, help arrives. If you’ve been keeping up here, you know the suggestion is that help will surely arrive, maybe this week.
What Florida had to say... The Coastal Carolina game
photo by allen sharpe
Freshman Elliott Fry had a career-best four field goals in the win over Florida. Coastal Carolina (10-1, 4-1 Big South) Site: Columbia, S.C. in Williams-Brice Stadium Time: 1 p.m. TV: Pay-per-view Series: First meeting Scouting: Coastal Carolina is averaging 45.5 points and 512.5 yards per game. The offense is led by running back Lorenzo Taliaferro who
has rushed for 1,466 yards and 23 touchdowns for 133.3 yards a game. The defense is led by junior linebacker Quinn Backus who has 108 total tackles and three interceptions. The Chanticleers are defeating opponents by an average of 20 points per game. This year is the second time in CCU’s 11 years of football that the program has registered 10 wins and they also secured a share of the 2013 Big South Championship.
6 • Spurs & Feathers
November 20, 2013
Tiger defense too much for young squad Gamecocks meet physical opponent in 71-57 loss
Clemson in turn shot 41.7 percent (10-for24) as a team. Clemson (12-for-14) attempted 14 free throws in the first half as a team, while the Gamecocks (1-of-3) had just three free throw attempts in the half. Seven different Gamecocks scored in the first half with Sindarius Thornwell leading the way with seven points. The second half commenced with the Gamecocks going on a 6-0 spurt to pull within three points at 35-32 with roughly 17 and a half minutes to play in the game. The Gamecocks would keep inching closer over the ensuing minutes and with 12:51 to By BRIAN HAND play they were down by just one at 40-39. That would prove to be as close as the CLEMSON, S.C. - A late second-half run Gamecocks would be able to get the rest of by Clemson proved to be too much for the the way with Clemson pulling away for the South Carolina men’s basketball team in a 14-point victory. 71-57 loss to the Tigers at Littlejohn ColiThe Gamecocks closed out the game seum. shooting 35.4 percent (23-for-65) as a team. “Give Clemson (3-0) credit … they are The Gamecocks could only knock down one rock-solid in how they play,” South Carolina 3-pointer (1-of-10) in the contest. South Car(1-2) head coach Frank Martin said. “I am olina ended the game shooting 55.6 percent not going to sit here and tell you I could of (10-for-18) from the free throw line. predicted this, but I knew unless we shot a Clemson ended its win over the Gamehigh, high percentage we were not going to cocks shooting 43.8 percent (21-for-48) from be very good defensively and good enough the field as a team. The Tigers hit five of to beat a team that plays as disciplined as their 14 (35.7 percent) 3-point attempts in Clemson.” the contest. Clemson shot 92.3 percent (24Martin said that a great deal of Clemson’s for-26) from the charity stripe as a team. success in the contest was due to the physiMindaugas Kacinas claimed a doublecality of the Tigers on the offensive and double in the game for the Gamecocks. He defensive side of things. claimed seven of his 12 rebounds on the of“After the Baylor game my first comment fensive glass. was that our perimeter defense stunk so we Thornwell was the only other Gamecock had to go to the zone to save us,” Martin in double figures with 10 points. He was photo by allen sharpe pointed out. “Players didn’t listen to me; 3-for-5 from the field and 3-of-3 from the Johnson ended the Clemson loss with five points, three rebounds and two assists. our perimeter defense stinks so today we free throw line. played a guard that’s a three-year guy that K.J. McDaniels was the star for the Tigers exposed us, drove the ball, got in the paint as he nearly secured a triple-double on 21 … that’s on us as coaches, we got to fix that points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks. He and the players have to listen and be more also had two steals and an assist. committed to getting better on the perimeter The Gamecocks held a 41-33 advantage defense.” rebound in the contest. Clemson had 12 After the first roughly 10 minutes of acblocks in the contest, while the Gamecocks tion, Clemson held a eight-point, 21-13, ad- swatted just two shots. vantage. Clemson’s lead was as many as 11 The early season loss to the rival Tigers points with under nine minutes remaining stings for the young Gamecocks, but Martin in the opening stanza. and the Gamecocks know it is just one game Clemson would go ahead by as many as in what is a marathon season. 13 points in the first half, but after missing “That’s why you play the season,” Martin 13 consecutive field goals and being held mused. “Just like I’m not going to celebrate scoreless for almost seven minutes, the a win in November, I’m not going to get Gamecocks went on a 5-0 run to pull within depressed over a loss in November … in life eight points at 26-18 with 3:20 remaining in you get what you deserve. We got what we the first half. deserved today.” The two teams entered the halftime break South Carolina will next return home to with Clemson clinging to a 35-26 advanwelcome Florida International to the Colotage. nial Life Arena for a 1 p.m. game on SunSouth Carolina concluded the first half day, Nov. 24. The contest will be televised shooting 33.3 percent (12-for-36) as a team. by SportsSouth/Fox Sports Carolinas.
Spurs & Feathers • 7
November 20, 2013
South Carolina Gamecocks
2013
football Schedule
Standings Team
SEC
Pct. Overall
Pct. Home Away Neutral Streak
5 - 1
.833
9 - 1
.900
5-1
4-0
0-0
W2
South Carolina 6 - 2
.750
8 - 2
.800
5-0
3-2
0-0
W3
Georgia
4 - 3
.571
6 - 4
.600
4-1
1-3
1-0
L1
09/28/13 .... at UCF..............................Orlando, Fla. ................W, 28-25
Vanderbilt
3 - 4
.429
6 - 4
.600
4-2
2-2
0-0
W2
10/05/13 .... vs. Kentucky.....................Columbia, S.C. ............W, 35-28
Florida
3 - 5
.375
4 - 6
.400
3-1
1-4
0-1
L5
Tennessee
1 - 5
.167
4 - 6
.400
4-2
0-4
0-0
L3
Kentucky
0 - 6
.000
2 - 8
.200
2-4
0-3
0-1
L2
08/29/13..... vs. North Carolina ............Columbia, S.C. ............W, 27-10
Eastern
09/07/13 .... at #11 Georgia..................Athens, Ga. ..................L, 41-30
Missouri
09/14/13 .... vs. Vanderbilt....................Columbia, S.C. ............W, 35-25
10/12/13 .... at Arkansas.......................Fayetteville, Ark. ............W, 52-7 10/19/13 .... at Tennessee....................Knoxville, Tenn. ............L, 23-21
Western
10/26/13 .... at #5 Missouri...................Columbia, Mo. .. W, 27-24 (2OT)
Alabama
7 - 0
1.000
10 - 0
1.000
6-0
3-0
1-0
W10
Auburn
6 - 1
.857
10 - 1
.909
7-0
3-1
0-0
W7
Texas A&M
4 - 2
.667
8 - 2
.800
6-2
2-0
0-0
W3
11/16/13 ..... vs. Florida.........................Columbia, S.C. ............W, 19-14
Ole Miss
3 - 3
.500
7 - 3
.700
5-1
2-2
0-0
W4
11/23/13 ..... vs. Coastal Carolina..........Columbia, S.C. ................ 1 p.m.
LSU
3 - 3
.500
7 - 3
.700
5-0
1-3
1-0
L1
Mississippi St.
1 - 5
.167
4 - 6
.400
4-2
0-3
0-1
L3
Arkansas
0 - 6
.000
3 - 7
.300
3-3
0-4
0-0
L7
11/02/13 ..... vs. Mississippi State.........Columbia, S.C. ............W, 34-16
11/30/13 ..... vs. Clemson......................Columbia, S.C. ................... TBA
8 • Spurs & Feathers
November 20, 2013
photos by brian hand
Left: Grouping of Gamecock pioneers at dinner on Friday, Nov. 15. Right: Casey Manning (left) and Alex English (right) pose with a picture of them and Frank McGuire during their playing days.
South Carolina Athletics celebrates its pioneers by brian hand bhand@spursandfeathers.com
that they have done and all they mean to South Carolina. South Carolina Athletics Director Ray TanThe University of South Carolina athletics ner kicked off the program portion of the department held a special pioneers reception evening shortly thereafter by thanking the pioin the Frank McGuire Club at the Colonial neers for what they mean to the University and Life Arena on Friday, Nov. 15. what they did to make it a better place. The special celebration was designed to Columbia lawyer I.S. Leevy Johnson then honor those who took the monumental steps addressed the crowd before giving way to forto desegregate athletics at the University of mer South Carolina Senior Associate Athletics South Carolina. Director for Academic Support and Student The evening focused on the past, while also Services Harold White, who retired from continuing to look forward. The event was South Carolina in 2007 after 36 years with the part of South Carolina’s celebration of 50 University. years of desegregation. White gave a history of African-American Rick Henry of WIS-TV in Columbia served student-athletes at South Carolina before as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening introducing each of the three honorees on the which honored Carlton Haywood, Jackie evening. Brown and Casey Manning. One of the most important things White Haywood was the first African-American to talked about during his time at the podium enroll at the University of South Carolina on was not just about each student-athletes contria football scholarship when he came to Cobutions on the playing field, but rather their eflumbia in 1969. He played with the freshman forts in the classroom as well. He pointed out team in 1969, took a redshirt in 1970 and then a study he did in the 90s that showed that from earned a varsity letter in 1971. the time of the desegregation of student-athBrown, who also played football and basket- letes at South Carolina in 1969 until that point ball at South Carolina, was the first Africanin time that among African-American studentAmerican baseball player at the University. He athletes who had exhausted their eligibility at passed away in 1990, but his family was at the South Carolina 92 percent had graduated. pioneers dinner. Ansel Brown then spoke on behalf of the Manning was the first African-American Brown family. The current Assistant Profesbasketball player at the University, attending sor of Political Science and head of the honors from 1969-73. He was a member of South Car- program at North Carolina Central talked olina’s ACC Tournament championship team about his father’s love of South Carolina and in the 1970-71 season. Manning is currently his devout faith. Brown also marveled at the a Circuit Judge for the state of South Carolina outpouring of love to his father’s legacy for his and since 1994 he has served as the analyst for family and particularly his mother, Sharon, Gamecock basketball on the Gamecock IMG who received a standing ovation from the Sports Network. crowd. The evening began with University President Haywood then gave a quick speech before Dr. Harris Pastides dropping by the social that giving way to Manning. commenced the night to thank everyone for South Carolina Deputy Athletics Director being there and the honorees for everything Charles Waddell then closed out the ceremony
by giving out game balls to the honorees. Game balls were given because the athletics department felt there was no better way to honor them since to a student-athlete a game ball signals excellence. White was also given a game ball for his efforts because he was the first AfricanAmerican coach at South Carolina as he was a graduate assistant football coach for two years before becoming an academic counselor in 1973. Other Gamecock African-American studentathletes in attendance, including Alex English, George Rogers, Harold Green and many more were given commemorative coins to honor their efforts. A man of few words during his official speech, Haywood was overwhelmed by the whole evening. “It’s a wonderful, overwhelming experience. Just to see those faces, see the memories coming back and the relationships you had with these individuals … the kind of things we all shared at the beginning. It brought it all back into focus about how things were as opposed to how things are,” Haywood mentioned. South Carolina head women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley was also in attendance on the evening as she wanted to attend to soak in the rich history that surrounded the event. “When you represent this special University you want to hear about the heritage, you want to hear about the culture, about how people’s experiences were to share some of the experiences with some of the students … they paved the way for so many African-Americans (student-athletes) to attend South Carolina,” Staley remarked. “They paved the way and they made life easier for some of the players I coach every day and also just being a representative of the University I am just forever grateful that I can coach here, be employed here because of the efforts that they’ve gone through.”
Spurs & Feathers • 9
November 20, 2013
Gamecocks blank Paladins to advance in NCAA Tournament by mike kucharski mike@spursandfeathers.com The Gamecocks took advantage of four first half goals to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after earning a 5-0 victory over Furman at Stone Stadium Friday night. “I’m obviously thrilled with the victory tonight ... we’re glad to be moving on. This is an exciting time for us,” head coach Shelley Smith said. “We had a great year as well; maybe not a championship, but we played close to a championship season. We’re just glad to be giving ourselves the chance to extend it and play for a National Championship. “This team has just worked so hard all year. The goals you saw tonight were because of that hard work and determination. They wanted to make sure they came in here and played their best at home and finished the season off here … I’m definitely proud of the team’s effort all season,” Smith continued. The five goals were the most that South Carolina (17-3-2) scored this season and the win also gave the Gamecocks a perfect 110 record at home this year. The 11-0 home record is currently the best in the program’s 19 seasons. Goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo said the team was proud of the win in front of the Gamecock faithful and the job the team has done all year in posting the undefeated home record. “It’s just a huge honor winning 11 games at home. You never want to lose at home and I think our team was determined to win the game. We knew Furman was going to be a tough game, but we came out and played our best and came out on top,” D’Angelo said. South Carolina started the game defending after a couple of free kicks threatened as scoring chances early in the first 13 minutes of the game. After defending the early Paladin charge, the Gamecocks went on the attack as Chelsea Drennan earned a corner kick from the right side. Drennan took the subsequent corner kick and Gabrielle Gilbert flicked the ball to Taylor Leach who put her head to it from the left side of the six-yard box. The ball bounced off a Furman defender and ended up in the back of the net to put the Gamecocks up, 1-0, in the 15th minute. South Carolina struck again quickly when just over four minutes later a long ball on a free kick by D’Angelo was headed by Danielle Au toward a streaking Raina Johnson. Johnson was able to maneuver past a Paladin to volley the ball past the oncoming goalkeeper to put the Gamecocks ahead, 2-0, in the 19th minute. D’Angelo earned her second assist of the season on the play.
The Gamecocks saw two goals form Coryn Bajema before the half to give them a commanding lead heading into the break. Bajema’s first goal came on another corner kick, this time from the left side, that was headed around in the box before she put her head to it and sent past the keeper. Elizabeth Sinclair and Daija Griffin were credited with assists on the goal in the 28th minute. The Gamecocks took advantage of set pieces, scoring their first three goals on two corner kicks and one free kick. “That was rewarding. We’ve been working on set pieces this week; that was something that we haven’t been very productive off of. I thought we put ourselves in good chances … tonight they were very well executed,” Smith said. The second Bajema goal was a left footed shot from inside the 18-yard box that she put across the goal and into the bottom right corner. Drennan earned her second assist of the game with a nice pass to free Bajema to put South Carolina up 4-0 in the 35th minute. Drennan’s two assists gave her 12 for the season, which is one away from program’s single season record. Drennan already owns the South Carolina freshman assist record as well. “I just try my best to put the ball in front of the net and pick out players to give them opportunities to score goals. Any way I can do that, I just try my best to do that,” Drennan said. South Carolina held a strong statistical advantage in the first half by scoring on four of six shots while only giving up three shots. The Gamecocks also held a 3-0 advantage on corner kicks, scoring on two of them. The Gamecocks added another goal in the second half when Sophi Groff corralled a cross form Au inside the 18-yard box and put the ball off the inside of the left goalpost and past the goalkeeper. Au also collected her second assist of the game on the play. D’Angelo kept a clean sheet, making one save to tally her 12th shutout of the year. D’Angelo’s 12 shutouts are the second-most in a season in program history, three away for the program’s single-season mark. “She’s been great all year and obviously Furman is a dangerous offensive team … Sabrina was ready to earn a shutout for sure and she credits all the players in front of her as well. If balls do get through we can count on her to make those saves,” Smith said of D’Angelo. South Carolina improved its all-time record in the NCAA Tournament to 5-5-1. The Gamecocks garnered their first Tournament victory since defeating Texas, 1-0, at home in 2011. The Gamecocks finished the game with a
photo by allen sharpe
12-4 shot advantage and a 6-1 edge in corner kicks over Furman (17-4-2). “There were things we did tonight that we did better than we have all season, so for sure we want to take that into our next game,”
Smith said. “Whatever comes our way, we’re ready to get back to work this weekend.” South Carolina will next face Stanford on Nov. 22 at Drake Stadium on the campus of UCLA. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
10 • Spurs & Feathers
November 20, 2013
south carolina athletics media relations
Women’s basketball drops a beat on the court by mike kucharski mike@spursandfeathers.com
The Gamecock women’s basketball team has started a tradition over the past few seasons of creating its own introduction song and video to be played each game before tip-off. “Freshman year we had a song too, but we didn’t make it such a big deal. Then last year coach Staley asked us to write another one, so we’ll have to do it every year now as long as we’re here,” redshirt sophomore guard Tina Roy explained. The writing of the team songs falls to Roy, who is known as an excellent musical artist by her teammates. Sophomore point guard Khadijah Sessions gives her the credit for being able to come up with the lyrics to the
song. “She’s a good artist. She’s blessed with another talent other than basketball and she does that stuff in her sleep. It took her maybe five or 10 minutes to write that and put it together. She gets all the credit this time,” Sessions said. Roy and Sessions worked together to create this year’s song, with Sessions serving as the the self-described “hype man.” Sessions also creates the beat and gives Roy feedback about shaping the song and what sounds good, but she does not write the lyrics. The theme of the song is about the team and players, with references to the teams’ goals, hard work, dedication and the team motto to “be the change.” “It’s the intent of the song to let the other team know what we’re about to do to them
and let them know what each individual player on the team brings,” Roy said. “The real Carolina” is mentioned multiple times in the song and Sessions said that this is in reference to the impending “Battle of the Carolinas” that will take place this season. The Gamecocks will take on the North Carolina Tar Heels in Myrtle Beach, S.C. on Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. “We know that we play North Carolina this year … and I know they’re coming for us and we’re coming for them. We know that it’s going to be a ‘Battle of the Carolinas’ and we feel like we’re the real Carolina. That’s just how we feel as a team, a unit and a Gamecock family,” Sessions explained. The Gamecocks feel the song is a good way to get pumped up before the game and Sessions and Roy agreed that it is a great pre-
game hype song. “I feel like when the song plays, it makes everybody hyped for the game so that’s a really good thing,” Roy said. Sessions and Roy feel that the team song will be a tradition that will continue for the Gamecocks, at least as long as they are on the team. “I don’t think we have a choice. As long as we’re here, we’ll do one,” Roy confirmed. You can view the video for the song at http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=O7WCeK3i-8o, or better still, come to the the Gamecocks’ home games and see it played on the scoreboard before the player introductions. As the song says, “they say they love our swag, they love our demeanor. The real Carolina plays at the Colonial Life Arena.”
Spurs & Feathers • 11
November 20, 2013
submitted photos
Addams wins by offering wide selection to all Gamecocks by mike kucharski mike@spursandfeathers.com
“This year we made sure that we stay open after each home game, no matter what time kickoff is. That means there are times that As a part of the Garnet Market and located we are open here until 1 a.m. depending on near the heart of South Carolina Athletics what time kickoff is,” Halstead noted. “107.5 facilities, the Addams University Bookstore comes by with Andy (Demetra) and his team serves the Gamecock community of stuand they do the live call-in show remotely dents, alumni and fans. right here from Addams University BookAddams moved to the intersection of Asstore. sembly and Whaley streets in 2007 from “That brings an air of excitement to it for a its previous location on North Main Street. lot of those fans that are on their way home This location puts the store on the way to from Williams-Brice who still feel like Williams-Brice Stadium, right next to the they’ve got a little football left in them for the Rice Athletics Center and the Athletics Vilday, they can stop by Addams, see Andy and lage and in close proximity to the Colonial maybe do a little bit of shopping in celebraLife Arena and Carolina Stadium. tion of what I hope will be another Game“It (the move) was probably a great thing cock victory,” Halstead said. for us and for all those people that we had Addams tries to add to fans’ gameday been fortunate enough to serve over those experience by providing the radio show years in that we were able to get this location and other promotions. For the game against down on Assembly,” store manager Ken Hal- Coastal Carolina on Nov. 23, Addams will stead commented. “There is a lot more acbe hosting Mrs. Pastides, the First Lady of cess to parking, so it is a lot more convenient the University of South Carolina, for a book from that standpoint plus the proximity now signing of her two cookbooks immediately to athletics is much enhanced. after the game in the store. “We’re pretty much in the center of athletic Halstead explained that the involvement life for sure, but at the same time we’re not in Gamecock Athletics is great, but a main that far disconnected from campus life … so focus of Addams is taking care of the needs we’re just very, very convenient for the cam- of students and faculty to deliver the highpus community,” Halstead continued. quality education offered at South Carolina. The upsurge in the performance of South “When we start talking about the UniverCarolina Athletics on all fronts - from Lou sity of South Carolina and the Gamecocks, Holtz and Steve Spurrier, the success of the sometimes it overshadows the main purpose baseball team to the current administration of the University which is to provide that under Athletics Director Ray Tanner - has significant higher education for all the stucoincided with Addams’ location change dents,” Halstead noted. “Our core is providand allowed the store to grow along with the ing course materials … we take a lot of pride Gamecocks. in our ability to able to work with adminisAddams has embraced the Gamecocks, tration and students to make sure that they especially during football season this year. have the exact, correct course materials that They have extended their hours on gamedays they need, whether it be a traditional textand set up stands with Gamecock merchanbook, the opportunity to rent a textbook or if dise around Williams-Brice Stadium. they need a digital offering.
“Whatever they might need, we want to be able to make sure that we’re there helping them through and walking them through the different options that a lot of times they have today … we want to be sure that we offer all the options and are able to explain them to the students so they can pick the one that is just exactly right for them,” Halstead continued. Halstead noted that this provides a great value for students with their money because of the many formats in which course materials are offered. He added that the staff wants to be able to walk the students through the different options so that the students get exactly what they need. “It has taken a focus to make sure that we stay adapted to all the change, but foremost we look at it as selling service whether it be to the professor or to the student. Either way it’s all about service and making sure that they have just exactly what they need at the best price possible,” Halstead explained. Halstead said there are many tie-ins to the University including the majority of the staff
being made up by current students. He said that they love being a part of all of the events at South Carolina and have enjoyed becoming members of the Garnet Market in association with the Gamecock Club. “We’re very excited about this association and appreciative of the fact that there are so many members of the Gamecock Club. Sure there are fabulous benefits for the members, but then again that is a great way for them to support the Athletics Department and stay very involved with that central part of the University,” Halstead said. “We’re excited about being able to be a part of the Garnet Market and being able to offer a 15 percent discount to those customers on all regular priced merchandise. “The fans for sure have really supported the Gamecocks over the years. We have seen it year in and year out, when times were a little lean and when times were really good. So the fan base is very, very loyal and really enjoys being able to show their pride as Gamecocks,” Halstead added. “We are glad to be a part of that tradition.”
12 • Spurs & Feathers
November 20, 2013
Sand volleyball digs into learning from competition by mike kucharski mike@spursandfeathers.com
are still learning new things every day, even now in their third year of competition. He said that it was a neat experience for his team to see The Gamecock sand volleyball team gained their first action. experience and perspective from its first col“One of the things that we focused on a lot is legiate competition against some of the best that we mixed our kids around this entire fall teams in the nation. so that we really didn’t allow them to develop Head coach Mortiz Moritz said that the a solid relationship with any one person,” conditions were great with a little swirling Moritz explained. “We had a couple pairs that wind, similar to what they can see at their own started off really strong with a lot of energy facility, which gave them a great backdrop for and maybe faded a little bit. We had the ability the matches against Florida State and Georgia in this event to switch it around to find some State. combinations that maybe worked a little bit “It was a lot of fun and a lot of perspective better chemistry-wise. gained. I think that is the huge thing for us “That allowed them to compete at a growth and for what we took from it,” Moritz said. “I level more than anything. The emphasis was didn’t stress the wins and losses right now, but never to go down in this first competition and I wanted them to compete against some of the “win, win, win!” It was ‘what are we learning? best teams in the country.” What are we seeing that they’re doing because The team got better as the day went along they are successful and that we can take from which pleased Moritz. He said the team may that?’” Moritz continued. have felt some first match jitters, but those After watching the other programs and teams had experience, were well-coached and coaches, Moritz had a pleasant realization. were good teams. Moritz added that experi“The cool thing is that it’s not so different. ence is a huge factor, but they are hoping to It’s not like I’m telling my kids anything sigbuild their own and overcome that of other nificantly different from what they’re telling teams. theirs or the organization is completely differMoritz said that his team is learning as a new ent,” Moritz commented. “Sure there’s some program, but the other coaches told him they little tweaks here and there, but I think we’re
on track and that’s pretty cool. “That will be the fun thing when we get our whole group together and do start to develop chemistry between pairs that are going to more likely be together for the season. We can develop that relationship and how they’re going to compete … it’s really going to give them the ability to compete at that level and be comfortable doing that,” Moritz said. Moritz said that he schedules the way he has - against some of the best competition in the country - to gauge where the program is and get the team used to competing against the best teams. He said it may cause a sharp learning curve at the beginning, but in the long run it will help the team grow and learn in order to reach the ultimate goal of competing for the AVCA Championship. “I think the huge thing for us is that we ended strong. We played our best volleyball at the end of the day,” Moritz said. “It wasn’t us adjusting to what Florida State or Georgia State was doing. There was really no point where we focused at all on what our opponents were doing. “It was always ‘what are we doing? what are we doing to control our ball control, our communication or the way that we’re competing so we can play at a high level?’ Down the road we
want to make more adjustments to what our opponents are doing because we’re comfortable playing next to each other,” Moritz added. Coming back from Tallahassee, Moritz was able to make notes on each player and things to work on going forward to build for the spring season. He said the experience helped to build perspective on where they are and what they will need to do to get to the next level. Moritz said there are process goals that must be accomplished to build toward the bigger goals of winning in the spring. He said he is happy with the baseline the team has established and is ready to continue working on the little details - whether technique, communication or other skills - the team needs to focus on to build a winning program. “I think that the did a good job and played well and I think they got to see what high-level teams do and how they do it,” Moritz noted. “I think they also realized ‘yes, these guys have been doing this for years and years and they have more experience and we’re behind, but we’re not that far behind.’ “Ultimately if that’s where they are at year three, then maybe we can be there by year three. Maybe we could even be better than that by year three. That’s pretty cool and pretty encouraging,” Moritz concluded.
Spurs & Feathers • 13
November 20, 2013
Depth Charts for November 23, 1 p.m. OFFENSE: WR: 4 Shaq Roland 8 Shamier Jeffery 85 Kane Whitehurst WR: 23 Bruce Ellington 11 Pharoh Cooper 80 K.J. Brent WR: 1 Damiere Byrd 3 Nick Jones 82 Kwinton Smith LT: 53 Corey Robinson 74 Mason Zandi LG: 50 A.J. Cann 65 Brock Stadnik C: 51 Cody Waldrop -OR- 54 Clayton Stadnik RG: 67 Ronald Patrick 75 Will Sport 55 Na’ Ty Rodgers RT: 71 Brandon Shell 78 Cody Gibson TE: 81 Rory Anderson 89 Jerell Adams 83 Mason Zandi QB: 14 Connor Shaw 17 Dylan Thompson 5 Brendan Nosovitch FB: 41 Connor McLaurin 31 Jordan Diaz TB: 28 Mike Davis 22 Brandon Wilds -OR- 7 Shon Carson OFFENSE: TE: 9 Cody Craig -OR- 5 Thomas Pauciello -OR- 14 Craig Weick LT: 73 Chad Hamilton 61 Voghens Larrieux LG: 72 Jamey Cheatwood 53 Jon Jenkins C: 57 Kevin Hart 64 Dom DiGalbo RG: 75 Mo Ashley 70 Sam Ekwonike RT: 78 Drew Herring 71 Kenny Fitzgerald WR: 84 Matt Hazel 19 John Israel SLOT: 20 Niccolo Mastromatteo -OR- 3 Tyrell Blanks 81 Adrian Sullivan WR: 11 DeMario Bennett 18 Bruce Mapp QB: 4 Alex Ross 1 Michael Church -OR- 2 Dalton Demos -OR- 12 Brian Kass RB: 15 Lorenzo Taliafero 31 De’Angelo Henderson 8 Travis Small
South Carolina
6-1, 190, So. 6-1, 207, So. 5-11, 179, So. 5-9, 196, Jr. 5-11, 184, Fr. 6-4, 188, So. 5-9, 166, Jr. 5-7, 174, Jr. 6-4, 212, RFr. 6-8, 341, Jr. 6-9, 293, RFr. 6-4, 314, Jr. 6-5, 286, RFr. 6-2, 319, RFr. 6-3, 281, RFr. 6-2, 315, Sr. 6-5, 294, So. 6-5, 296, Fr. 6-6, 323, So. 6-7, 286, Jr. 6-5, 242, Jr. 6-6, 237, So. 6-9, 293, RFr. 6-1, 209, Sr. 6-3, 218, Jr. 6-1, 220, RFr. 6-0, 237, Jr. 6-1, 233, Jr. 5-9, 215, So. 6-2, 223, So. 5-8, 219, So.
6-2, 225, Jr. 6-6, 250, So. 6-5, 215, So. 6-3, 305, Jr. 6-5, 265, RFr. 6-5, 330, Sr. 6-4, 300, Jr. 6-2, 260, Jr. 6-2, 260, RFr. 6-4, 320, Jr. 6-4, 305, RFr. 6-3, 310, Sr. 6-4, 280, Jr. 6-3, 190, Sr. 6-1, 190, So. 5-9, 180, Sr. 6-0, 160, So. 5-6, 165,Sr. 6-2, 190, Sr. 6-1, 170, RFr. 6-1, 200, So. 6-4, 185, So. 6-5, 195, RFr. 6-1, 195, Sr. 6-2, 230, Sr. 5-8, 200, RFr. 5-10, 200, Sr.
Lexington, S.C. St. Matthews, S.C. Duluth, Ga. Moncks Corner, S.C. Havelock, N.C. Waxhaw, N.C. Sicklerville, N.J. Moore, S.C. Hamer, S.C. Havelock, N.C. Irmo, S.C. Bamberg, S.C. Greensboro, N.C. Seffner, Fla. Greensboro, N.C. Cocoa, Fla. Milton, Fla. Waldorf, Md. Goose Creek, S.C. Tallahassee, Fla. Powder Springs, Ga. Pinewood, S.C. Irmo, S.C. Flowery Branch, Ga. Boiling Springs, S.C. Allentown, Pa. Raleigh, N.C. Hamilton, N.J. Lithonia, Ga. Blythewood, S.C. Scranton, S.C.
Moncks Corner, S.C. Trumbull, Conn. Moore, S.C. Charleston, S.C. New London, Conn. Boiling Springs, S.C. Miami, Fla. Cornelius, N.C. Colingdale, Pa. Honea Path, S.C. Cinnaminson, N.J. Myrtle Beach, S.C. Wall, N.J. North Augusta, S.C. Florence, S.C. Ortonville, Mich. Fort Myers, Fla. Charleston, S.C. Douglas, Ga. Philadelphia, Pa. Alpharetta, Ga. Kannapolis, N.C. Chesterfield, Mo. Raleigh, N.C. Yorktown, Va. Chesnee, S.C. Cheraw, S.C.
DEFENSE: DE: 90 Chaz Sutton 44 Gerald Dixon 34 Mason Harris DT: 97 J.T. Surratt 92 Gerald Dixon Jr. 93 Deon Green DT: 99 Kelcy Quarles 52 Phillip Dukes 94 Kelsey Griffin DE: 7 Jadeveon Clowney 5 Darius English MLB: 8 Kaiwan Lewis 11 T.J. Holloman 28 Jonathan Walton WLB: 10 Skai Moore 21 Marcquis Roberts 18 Cedrick Cooper SPR: 9 Sharrod Golightly 42 Jordan Diggs 32 Larenz Bryant CB: 27 Victor Hampton 4 Ahmad Christian SS: 12 Brison Williams 25 Kadetrix Marcus FS: 17 Chaz Elder 20 T.J. Gurley CB: 15 Jimmy Legree 1 Rico McWilliams
6-5, 263, Sr. 6-2, 268, So. 6-3, 218, So. 6-2, 307, Jr. 6-3, 318, So. 6-4, 287, So. 6-4, 298, Jr. 6-3, 315, So. 6-2, 292, Fr. 6-6, 274, Jr. 6-6, 226, RFr. 6-0, 221, So. 6-2, 228, RFr. 6-0, 234, Fr. 6-2, 205, Fr. 6-1, 225, So. 6-2, 213, So. 5-10, 195, Jr. 6-0, 214, RFr. 6-0, 215, Fr. 5-10, 202, Jr. 5-10, 189, So. 5-11, 218, Jr. 6-1, 195, Jr. 6-2, 199, RFr. 5-10, 196, So. 6-0, 187, Sr. 5-11, 187, RFr.
Savannah, Ga. Rock Hill, S.C. Fort Oglethorpe, Ga. Winston-Salem, N.C. Rock Hill, S.C. Windermere, Fla. Hodges, S.C. Manning, S.C. Buford, Ga. Rock Hill, S.C. Powder Springs, Ga. Mays Landing, N.J. Stone Mountain, Ga. Daphne, Ala. Cooper City, Fla. Powder Springs, Ga. Lithonia, Ga. Decatur, Ga. Fort Myers, Fla. Charlotte, N.C. Darlington, S.C. Jacksonville, Fla. Warner Robins, Ga. Stone Mountain, Ga. Union City, Ga. Cairo, Ga. Beaufort, S.C. Hampton, Ga.
Coastal Carolina
DEFENSE: DE: 93 Dominique Whiteside 44 Moon Edwards 56 Aaron McFarland DT: 50 Jeffery Salley 55 Arthur Kelley DT: 99 Marcus Crowder 96 Joe Coscarelli DE: 58 Calvin Hollenhorst 49 Roderick Holder SAM: 10 Mike McClure 39 Colton Blackburn MIKE: 30 Quinn Backus 40 Brett Johnson 48 Andre Johnson CB: 24 Samson Baldwin 29 Kamron Summers SS: 6 Pernell Williams 7 Imir Sanders FS: 23 Richie Sampson 26 Johnnie Houston WHIP: 25 LaDarius Hawthorne 21 Datarius Allen CB: 1 Denzel Rice 8 JaDamion Ross
6-3, 240, Sr. Hendersonville, N.C. 6-0, 245, Jr. Pageland, S.C. 6-0, 250, So. Bailey, N.C. 5-8, 265, Sr. Bamberg, S.C. 6-3, 260, Sr. Letohatchee, Ala. 6-1, 290, So. Mebane, N.C. 6-0, 255, Fr. Millstone, N.J. 6-2, 240, So. Ashburn, Va. 6-3, 225, So. Chesapeake, Va. 6-0, 215, Sr. Rock Hill, S.C. 6-2, 230, So. Newland, N.C. 5-10, 215, Jr. Greenwood, S.C. 5-11, 230, Jr. North Augusta, S.C. 5-10, 230, So. Buford, Ga. 5-10, 185, RFr. Greenville, S.C. 5-11, 180, RFr. Statesville, N.C. 6-1, 185, Jr. Douglas, Ga. 5-11, 185, Jr. West Mifflin, Pa. 6-1, 190, So. Kennett Square, Pa. 6-1, 210, Sr. Greenville, S.C. 5-9, 180, Sr. Ware Shoals, S.C. 5-11, 180, So. Cocoa, Fla. 6-1, 190, Jr. Winston-Salem, N.C. 5-7, 180, So. Greenville, S.C.
SPECIALISTS: KO: 19 Landon Ard 29 Elliott Fry PK: 29 Elliott Fry 19 Landon Ard P: 13 Tyler Hull 18 Patrick Fish KR: 11 Pharoh Cooper 23 Bruce Ellington PR: 27 Victor Hampton 11 Pharoh Cooper SSN: 58 Ryland Culbertson LSN: 47 Drew Williams H: 18 Patrick Fish 5 Brendan Nosovitch
5-9, 172, So. Rock Hill, S.C. 6-0, 150, Fr. Frisco, Texas 6-0, 150, Fr. Frisco, Texas 5-9, 172, So. Rock Hill, S.C. 6-2, 206, Jr. Mount Airy, N.C. 6-0, 195, Jr. Shelby, N.C. 5-11, 184, Fr. Havelock, N.C. 5-9, 196, Jr. Moncks Corner, S.C. 5-10, 202, Jr. Darlington, S.C. 5-11, 184, Fr. Havelock, N.C. 6-4, 265, Jr. Laurens, S.C. 6-2, 190, Fr. Irmo, S.C. 6-0, 195, Jr. Shelby, N.C. 6-1, 220, RFr. Allentown, Pa.
*These depth charts are taken from the listings from each team’s previous game. Spurs & Feathers goes to print shortly after each football game. Please visit www.spursandfeathers.com over the course of the week for updated depth charts.
SPECIALISITS: KO: 46 Alex Catron 89 Ryan Granger PK: 46 Alex Catron 89 Ryan Granger H: 35 Austin Cain -OR- 2 Dalton Demos LS: 42 Shane Ballard 51 Matt Broome P: 35 Austin Cain 38 Ben Hinson KR: 27 Devin Brown 3 Tyrell Blanks PR: 20 Niccolo Mastromatteo 36 Zach Silverberg
6-2, 170, Jr. Apopka, Fla. 6-0, 160, RFr. N. Charleston, S.C. 6-2, 170, Jr. Apopka, Fla. 6-0, 160, RFr. N. Charleston, S.C. 6-0, 200, Jr. Kennesaw, Ga. 6-5, 195, RFr. Chesterfield, Mo. 6-4, 210, Jr. Manning, S.C. 6-0, 180, Fr. Chesnee, S.C. 6-0, 200. Jr. Kennesaw, Ga. 6-3, 165, Fr. Columbia, S.C. 5-8, 155, RFr. Charleston, S.C. 6-0, 160, So. Abbeville, S.C. 5-9, 180, Sr. Ortonville, Mich. 5-10, 195, Jr. Baltimore, Md.
14 • Spurs & Feathers
November 20, 2013
Seeking Advertising Sales Executive If you love the Gamecocks and have a proven track record of sales success there is an opportunity to join the Spurs & Feathers team. The successful candidate will be responsible for sales around the State of South Carolina for advertising in the newspaper, magazine and web site. Please email your resume and a cover letter to General Manager Tim O’Briant at tobriant@spursandfeathers.
Spurs & Feathers • 15
November 20, 2013
photo by allen sharpe
photo by allen sharpe
Layla Choate currently leads the reining team with a 6-1 record this season. She earned her first MVP of the season against Kansas State on Sept. 20.
Samantha Smith and Gamecock horse Tucker jump a fence that was donated to the equestrian team by University of South Carolina President Harris Pastides and his wife, Patricia.
by mike kucharski mike@spursandfeathers.com
“What really matters in the long run is where we are when we get to SECs and the National Championship. I think that is where it all counts,” Major noted. “Certainly we’ve got to win to get to the National Championship and the more we win in the SEC the better seeding we can get there, but what it all boils down to is how well these girls can stay focused when it comes to March and April.” The Gamecocks and Major are looking for a strong finish to the fall schedule knowing that the Jackrabbits will give them a challenge on Nov. 23. “I think the last thing you want to have happen this weekend is that you have to sit on a loss to South Dakota State, or any team
Gamecocks looking to ride strong finish to fall schedule
little blind as far as what’s coming our way. “That’s a good test. It will be a very good test for us to see where we are and if we can The fifth-ranked South Carolina equesgo into a place where nobody knows any of trian team is looking to close its fall schedthe horses and the facility is unfamiliar to ule on a strong note as they make a long trip us,” Major said. to Brookings, S.D. to take on South Dakota The Gamecocks are fresh off of a bounceState on Nov. 23. back, road victory over second-ranked AuHead coach Boo Major said that the trip burn after two consecutive losses. will provide some unique challenges for the “You hate to say that a loss was kind of team. good for us because nobody likes to lose, but “The first thing you can do is look at the I think our team really sat down and anaweather out there and we’re having a cold lyzed what happened, why it happened and blast, but our cold blast and their cold blast were we going to let this happen again, that are two different things. I think the high kind of thing,” Major commented. “They rethere yesterday is something like 10,” Major ally put in a ton of work the two weeks prior said. “I have been looking at the weather to going to Auburn and I’m not looking at and it is going to be a little ‘warmer,’ like them doing any less against South Dakota maybe in the 40s will be the high. State even though they are not ranked as “Their facility is enclosed so we’re not too highly as Auburn was. worried about it. Yes it’s still going to be “I would have to say that win against Aucold, but we’re not going to be out in the ele- burn was one of our best efforts that we’ve ments if the weather turns bad or anything ever put out. I know that we’ve never been like that, so I think you have to deal with to Auburn and beat them by six points ever. that,” Major continued. I think that it was a good showing for our The weather will not be the only challenge group as to what they can really do when for the team as Major noted it has been a they’re focused and paying attention and long time since South Carolina has traveled performing at their best,” Major continued. to take on South Dakota State. Since the Major said that she was not surprised that Gamecocks last visited, the Jackrabbits have the team’s ranking dropped from two to five built a new facility which will create some following the consecutive losses to Georgia unknowns heading into competition. and at Texas A&M, but she added that they “I would say this is the first time in a long are both very good teams. time that we’re going to a place that we’ve “For us we’ve just got to keep plugging really never been before,” Major explained. and I’m glad to still be in the top-five,” Ma“So we really don’t know anything about jor said. “Our team, in my opinion, is a topthe horses, really don’t know anything about five team. I think they’re a great team. Now the facility, so we’re kind of going in there a they have to stay there.
for that matter, that you have to sit on that loss for the whole holiday break until we start back up in February,” Major said. “I think that’s the last thing these girls want to have happen. “I think that’s one of the things that we’re discussing with them a lot and preaching to them a lot is ‘don’t take this team for granted. We’ve got a lot of question marks going out there that we don’t know what’s going to happen and we have to be prepared for it to be a close meet.’ I bet it will be a close meet. I think after that big win at Auburn it’s kind of hard to get back up to compete against any team. I think South Dakota State is going to give us all they can,” Major concluded.
16 • Spurs & Feathers
November 20, 2013
South Carolina Gamecocks Football Roster # Name Pos. 1 Damiere Byrd WR 1 Rico McWilliams CB 3 Nick Jones WR 3 Jamari Smith CB 4 Ahmad Christian CB 4 Shaq Roland WR 5 Brendan Nosovitch QB 5 Darius English DE 6 Chris Moody FS 6 Connor Mitch QB 7 Jadeveon Clowney DE 7 Shon Carson TB 8 Kaiwan Lewis LB 8 Shamier Jeffery WR 9 Sharrod Golightly SPR 10 Skai Moore LB 10 Perry Orth QB 11 Pharoh Cooper WR 11 T.J. Holloman LB 12 Brison Williams SS 13 Grant Davitte QB 13 Tyler Hull P 14 Ali Groves CB 14 Connor Shaw QB 15 Austin Hails QB 15 Jimmy Legree CB 16 Kelvin Rainey TE 16 Nick St. Germain PK 17 Chaz Elder SS 17 Dylan Thompson QB 18 Patrick Fish P 18 Cedrick Cooper LB 19 Landon Ard PK 19 Jody Fuller WR 20 T.J. Gurley FS 21 Marcquis Roberts LB 21 Andrew Bunch WR 22 Brandon Wilds TB 23 Bruce Ellington WR 24 Ronnie Martin CB 24 Kendric Salley TB 25 Kadetrix Marcus FS 26 Jasper Sasser S 27 Victor Hampton CB 28 Jonathan Walton LB 28 Mike Davis TB 29 Elliott Fry P/K 30 Sidney Rhodes CB 31 Jordan Diaz FB 31 Mohamed Camara SPR 32 Larenz Bryant LB 33 Gerald Turner DE 33 David Williams TB 34 Mason Harris DE
Hgt. 5-9 5-11 5-7 5-10 5-10 6-1 6-1 6-6 6-1 6-3 6-6 5-8 6-0 6-1 5-10 6-2 6-1 5-11 6-2 5-11 6-3 6-2 5-10 6-1 6-2 6-0 6-3 5-9 6-2 6-3 6-0 6-2 5-9 5-11 5-10 6-1 5-11 6-2 5-9 5-11 5-9 6-1 6-0 5-10 6-0 5-9 6-0 5-10 6-1 6-1 6-0 6-2 6-1 6-3
Wgt. 166 187 174 183 189 190 220 226 212 227 274 219 221 207 195 205 212 184 228 218 190 206 184 209 214 187 233 175 199 218 195 213 172 217 196 225 185 223 196 179 183 195 192 202 234 215 150 167 233 181 215 256 200 218
Cl. JR RS FR RS JR FR RS SO SO RS FR RS FR RS FR FR JR RS SO SO RS SO RS JR FR RS FR FR RS FR JR FR RS JR FR SR RS SO RS SR RS FR RS FR RS FR RS JR RS JR RS SO SO RS FR SO RS SO RS FR SO JR JR RS FR JR FR RS JR FR SO FR JR RS JR FR FR FR FR RS SO
Hometown/High School/Last College Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek Hampton, Ga./Lovejoy Moore, S.C./Byrnes Jacksonville, Fla./Fletcher Jacksonville, Fla./Trinity Christian Lexington, S.C./Lexington Allentown, Pa./Central Catholic Powder Springs, Ga./McEachern McDonough, Ga./Henry County Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe Scranton, S.C./Lake City Mays Landing, N.J./St. Joseph St. Matthews, S.C./Calhoun County Decatur, Ga./Southwest DeKalb Cooper City, Fla./University Ponde Verda, Fla./Ponte Verda/Fla. State College Havelock, NC./Havelock Stone Mountain, Ga./St. Pius X Warner Robins, Ga./Northside/Fork Union Columbia, S.C./Irmo Mount Airy, N.C./Mount Airy/Guilford College Stone Mountain, Ga./Stephenson Flowery Branch, Ga./Flowery Branch Collinsville, Ill./Collinsville Beaufort, S.C./Beaufort Yulee, Fla./Yulee Powder Springs, Ga./McEachern Union City, Ga./Banneker Boiling Springs, S.C./Boiling Springs Shelby, N.C./Burns Lithonia, Ga./Lithonia Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe Charlotte, N.C./Sun Valley Cairo, Ga./Cairo Powder Springs, Ga./McEachern Mt. Pleasant, S.C./Bishop England/Presbyterian Blythewood, S.C./Blythewood Moncks Corner, S.C./Berkeley Spartanburg, S.C./Spartanburg/Georgia Military Williston, S.C./Williston-Elko Stone Mountain, Ga./Stephenson Jacksonville, Fla./Wolfson Darlington, S.C./Darlington Daphne, Ala./Bayside Academy Lithonia, Ga./Stephenson Frisco, Tx./Prince of Peace Christian Easley, S.C./Wren/Western Carolina Hamilton, N.J./Hamilton West Cumming, Ga./Forsyth Charlotte, NC./Vance Goose Creek, S.C./Goose Creek Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter Fort Oglethorpe, Ga./Ridgeland
Coaches Steve Spurrier - Head Coach Deke Adams - Defensive Line Kirk Botkin - Linebackers/Spurs Grady Brown - Secondary/Assistant Special Teams Coordinator Shawn Elliott - Co-Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line G.A. Mangus - Quarterbacks
# Name Pos. 35 Jeff Homad TE 36 Kyle Fleetwood SS 39 Max Huggins P/K 40 Andrew Komornik P 41 Kyle Morini LB 41 Connor McLaurin FB 42 Jordan Diggs SPR 43 James King LB 43 Garrison Gist FB 44 Gerald Dixon DE 45 Brandon Sturdivant FB 47 Drew Williams LS 48 Caleb Kelly PK 49 Garrett Shank S 49 Devin Potter TB 50 A.J. Cann OG 51 Cody Waldrop OC 51 Devin Washington DE 52 Phillip Dukes DT 52 Bryce King OG 53 Corey Robinson OT 54 Clayton Stadnik OC 55 Na'Ty Rodgers OT 55 David Johnson LB 57 Cedrick Malone SPR 58 Ryland Culbertson LS 59 Coleman Harley LS 65 Brock Stadnik OG 67 Ronald Patrick OG 69 D.J. Park OT 70 Alan Knott OC 71 Brandon Shell OT 73 J.P. Vonashek OT 74 Mason Zandi OT 75 Will Sport OG 76 Mike Matulis OT 78 Cody Gibson OT 80 K.J. Brent WR 81 Rory Anderson TE 82 Kwinton Smith WR 83 Carlton Heard WR 84 Matthew Harvey WR 85 Kane Whitehurst WR 86 David Wilkins WR 87 Drake Thomason WR 88 Drew Owens TE 89 Jerell Adams TE 90 Chaz Sutton DE 92 Gerald Dixon, Jr. DT 93 Deon Green DT 94 Kelsey Griffin DT 95 Michael Washington DE 97 J.T. Surratt DT 99 Kelcy Quarles DT
Hgt. 6-2 5-11 6-1 6-5 5-10 6-0 6-0 6-0 5-10 6-2 6-2 6-2 6-0 6-0 5-10 6-4 6-2 6-3 6-3 6-3 6-8 6-3 6-5 6-1 6-0 6-4 6-1 6-5 6-2 6-4 6-4 6-6 6-6 6-9 6-5 6-5 6-7 6-4 6-5 6-4 6-0 6-8 5-11 6-1 6-1 6-6 6-6 6-5 6-3 6-4 6-2 6-3 6-2 6-4
Wgt. 220 216 185 225 212 237 214 235 255 268 212 190 184 171 200 314 319 225 315 281 341 281 296 268 201 265 264 286 315 334 272 323 283 293 294 266 286 188 242 212 178 225 179 182 205 244 237 263 318 287 292 243 307 298
Cl. RS JR RS FR FR FR JR RS JR RS FR SO RS SO RS SO RS FR FR RS FR FR FR RS JR RS FR FR RS SO FR RS JR RS FR FR FR RS FR RS JR RS SO RS FR SR FR FR RS SO FR RS FR RS SO JR RS JR RS SO JR RS FR SO SO RS SO SR RS JR RS SO SO SR RS SO RS SO FR SO RS JR JR
Hometown/High School/Last College Hilton Head Island, S.C./Hilton Head/UNCP Stone Mountain, Ga./Stephenson Myrtle Beach, S.C./Myrtle Beach Fort Mill, S.C./Nations Ford Lexington, S.C./White Knoll/Gray Military Raleigh, N.C./Garner Fort Myers, Fla./Island Coast Goose Creek, S.C./Goose Creek/Benedict Rock Hill, S.C./Northwesterm Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe Fort Mill, S.C./Nation Ford/York Tech Irmo, S.C/Dutch Fork Cayce, S.C./Brookland-Cayce Marietta, Ga./Lassiter Granite Falls, N.C./South Caldwell Bamberg, S.C./Bamberg-Ehrhardt Seffner, Fla./Armwood Orlando, Fla./Jones Manning, S.C./Manning Dillon, S.C./Dillon Havelock, N.C./Havelock Greensboro, N.C./Western Guilford Waldorf, Md./McDonough Lithonia, Ga./Lithonia Camden, S.C./Camden/Coastal Carolina Laurens, S.C./Laurens Academy Aiken, S.C./South Aiken Greensboro, N.C./Western Guilford Cocoa, Fla./Cocoa Dillon, S.C./Dillon Tyrone, Ga./Sandy Creek Goose Creek, S.C./Goose Creek Saint Marys, Ga./Camden County Irmo, S.C./Chapin Milton, Fla./Pace Boynton Beach, Fla./Park Vista Tallahassee, Fla./Lincoln Waxhaw, N.C./Marvin Ridge Powder Springs, Ga./McEachern Hamer, S.C./Dillon Athens, Ga./Clarke Central/Garner-Webb Rock Hill, S.C./Rock Hill Duluth, Ga./Chattahoochee/Arkansas Cowpens, S.C./Broome Greenville, S.C./Eastside Charlotte, N.C./Ardrey Kell Pinewood, S.C./Scott's Branch Savannah, Ga./Jenkins/Fork Union Military Rock Hill, S.C./Northwestern Windermere, Fla./Olympia Buford, Ga./Mill Creek Allendale, S.C./Allendale-Fairfax/S.C. State Winston-Salem, N.C./Parkland Hodges, S.C./Greenwood/Fork Union
Joe Robinson - Special Teams Coordinator Everette Sands - Running Backs Jamie Speronis - Associate AD/Football Operations Steve Spurrier Jr. - Co-Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers/ Recruiting Coordinator Lorenzo Ward - Defensive Coordinator Robbie Liles - Director - Recruiting Operations Patrick Shine - Administrative Coordinator - Recruiting
Spurs & Feathers • 17
November 20, 2013
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers Football Roster # Name Yr. 1 Denzel Rice JR 1 Michael Church SO 2 Dontay Hears FR 2 Dalton Demos RS FR 3 Kelvin Deveaux JR 3 Tyrell Blanks SO 4 Alex Ross SO 5 Thomas Pauciello SO 6 Pernell Williams JR 7 Imir Sanders JR 8 Travis Small SR 8 JaDamion Ross SO 9 Cody Craig JR 9 Delton Wells RS FR 10 Mike McClure SR 11 Nicholas Clark FR 11 DeMario Bennett SR 12 Brian Kass RS SR 13 Andrew Allen SR 13 Tyler Keane FR 14 Craig Weick SO 15 Lorenzo Taliaferro SR 16 C.J. Thompson FR 17 Tim Burns FR 17 Michael Battle SO 18 Jesse June FR 18 Bruce Mapp RS FR 19 John Israel SO 20 Niccolo Mastromatteo SR 21 Datarius Allen SO 22 Adam June FR 22 Bucky Kennedy SR 23 A.J. Sattinger FR 23 Richie Sampson SO 24 Samson Baldwin RS FR 24 Taylor Bagley FR 25 LaDarius Hawthorne SR 26 Johnnie Houston SR 27 Devin Brown RS FR 28 Lorenzo Boyles SR 29 Kamron Summers RS FR 30 Quinn Backus JR 31 De’Angelo Henderson RS FR 31 Markel Hill FR 32 OsharmarAbercrombie FR 33 David Gaydosz FR 34 Rayshaud Shields SO 35 Austin Cain JR 36 Zach Silverberg JR 37 Kerron Johnson FR 38 Ben Hinson FR 38 Jarius McMillan FR 39 Colton Blackburn SO 40 Kenneth Daniels RS FR 40 Brett Johnson JR 41 Marcellus Hunter SR 42 Shane Ballard JR 43 Denzell Thomas RS FR
Pos. DB QB DB QB S WR QB TE DB DB RB DB TE LB LB DB WR QB DE QB TE RB DB QB LB DB WR WR WR DB LB RB TE DB DB DB DB DB WR DB DB LB RB DB RB RB DB P RB DB P-K LB LB RB LB DB LS LB
Ht. 6-1 6-4 5-11 6-5 5-11 6-0 6-1 6-6 6-1 5-10 5-10 5-7 6-2 5-11 6-0 5-11 6-2 6-1 6-0 6-0 6-5 6-2 5-10 6-4 6-1 5-11 6-1 6-1 5-9 5-10 5-9 5-10 6-2 6-2 5-10 6-1 5-9 6-1 5-8 5-10 5-11 5-10 5-8 6-0 5-10 5-11 5-10 6-0 5-10 6-3 6-3 5-10 6-2 5-10 5-11 5-10 6-4 5-11
Wt. 190 185 165 195 190 160 200 250 185 185 200 180 215 220 215 160 190 195 230 185 215 230 185 225 215 190 170 185 180 180 185 200 230 195 170 185 180 210 155 190 180 215 200 180 190 195 195 200 195 180 165 215 230 180 220 185 210 210
Hometown/Previous School Winston-Salem, N.C./Jacket Academy at Carver Kannapolis, N.C./A.L. Brown HS Gaithersburg, Md./Watkins Mill HS Chesterfield, Mo./Christian Brothers College Abbeville, S.C./Abbeville HS Fort Myers, Fla./Atlanta Sports Academy Alpharetta, Ga./Buford HS Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull HS Douglas, Ga./Coffee County HS West Mifflin, Pa./Lackawanna College Cheraw, S.C./Cheraw HS Greenville, S.C./Carson-Newman Univ. Moncks Corner, S.C./Timberland HS Ladson, S.C./Fort Dorchester HS Rock Hill, S.C./Rock Hill HS Hampton, Va./Bethel HS Douglas, Ga./Univ. of South Carolina Raleigh, N.C./Millbrook HS/Wofford Aiken, S.C./Aiken HS Myrtle Beach, S.C./Myrtle Beach HS Moore, S.C./Byrnes HS Yorktown, Va./Lackawanna (Pa.) JC Charlotte, N.C./South Mecklenburg HS Carrolton, Va./Nansemond-Suffolk Academy Charlottesville, Va./St. Anne’s Belfield School Wilmington, Del./Salesianum School Philadelphia, Pa./West Philadelphia Catholic Florence, S.C./Wilson HS Ortonville, Mich./Phillips Exeter (N.H.) Acad. Cocoa, Fla./Cocoa HS Bonneau, S.C./Timberland HS Columbia, S.C./Ridge View HS/The Citadel Clearrwater, Fla./Countryside HS Kennett Square, Pa./Unionville HS Greenville, S.C./J.L. Mann HS Wake Forest, N.C./Wake Forest-Rolesville HS Ware Shoals, S.C./Ware Shoals HS Greenville, S.C./Woodmont HS Charleston, S.C./James Island Charter HS Columbia, S.C./Columbia HS Statesville, N.C./West Iredell HS Greenwood, S.C./Greenwood HS Summerville, S.C./Summerville HS Chesnee, S.C./Chesnee HS Greenwood, S.C./Emerald HS Ona, W.Va./Cabell Midland HS Upper Marlboro, Md./Dr. Henry A. Wise HS Kennesaw, Ga./Harrison HS Baltimore, Md./Franklin HS Woodbury, N.J./Highland Regional HS Columbia, S.C./Irmo HS Orlando, Fla./Dr. Phillips HS Newland, N.C./Avery County HS Waldorf, M.D./Great Mills HS North Augusta, S.C./Air Force Academy Anderson, S.C./T.I. Hanna HS Manning, S.C./Manning HS Jersey City, N.J./St. Peter’s Prep
Coaches Joe Moglia - Head Coach Cory Bailey - Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coord. & DL Coach Clayton Carlin - Assistant Coach/Defensive Coordinator Dave Patenaude - Assistant Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Curt Baldus - Assistant Coach/Specialists/Special Teams Doug Colman - Assistant Coach/Linebackers/Special Teams
# Name Yr. 44 Moon Edwards JR 45 Alex Scearce FR 46 Alex Catron JR 47 Chase Travis RS FR 48 Andre Johnson SO 49 Roderick Holder SO 50 Jeffery Salley SR 51 Jaz Strong SR 51 Matt Broome FR 52 Devan Miller SO 53 Jon Jenkins JR 54 Tyler Watkins JR 55 Arthur Kelley SR 56 Aaron McFarland SO 57 Derek Carter FR 57 Kevin Hart JR 58 Calvin Hollenhorst SO 59 Shane Johnson FR 61 Voghens Larrieux RS FR 62 Randall Drayton RS FR 63 Ryan Barkley FR 64 Dom DiGalbo RS FR 65 Joe Kaleta JR 66 Nicholas Bonaparte FR 66 Drew Dettra FR 67 Cooper Clegg FR 68 Rodney Mitchell FR 70 Sam Ekwonike RS FR 71 Kenny Fitzgerald JR 72 Jamey Cheatwood SR 73 Chad Hamilton JR 74 William Walker RS FR 75 Mo Ashley JR 77 Devin Taylor JR 78 Drew Herring SR 79 Ashton Culick FR 80 Chris Jones FR 81 Adrian Sullivan RS SR 82 Tyler Gilmore JR 83 Trey Gattison FR 84 Matt Hazel SR 85 Shelton Whittaker FR 86 Stephen Denuel RS JR 87 Storm Baker RS FR 88 Landon Moss FR 89 Ryan Granger RS FR 90 Dwayne Price FR 91 Ed Brown FR 92 Clark Krimmer RS FR 93 Dominique Whiteside RS SR 94 Elijah Griffin FR 95 Darrin Phillips FR 95 Masamitsu Ishibashi FR 96 Joe Coscarelli FR 97 Leroy Cummings JR 98 Andrew Mitchell JR 99 Marcus Crowder SO
Pos. DE DB PK/P DB LB DE DT LB LS LB OL LB DT DE DL OL DE LB OL DT OL C DT OL DL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL RG OL/LS OL OL WR WR WR WR WR WR P/K P/K WR P/K DL DL DE DE DL DL P/K DL DL DL DT
Ht. 5-10 6-3 6-2 6-0 5-11 6-3 5-8 5-10 6-0 6-1 6-4 6-1 6-3 6-1 6-2 6-2 6-4 6-2 6-5 6-4 6-4 6-2 6-8 6-4 6-3 6-1 6-3 6-4 6-4 6-5 6-3 6-2 6-4 6-3 6-3 6-6 5-11 5-6 6-1 6-0 6-3 6-4 6-0 6-5 6-4 6-0 6-3 6-2 6-3 6-3 6-3 6-3 5-11 6-1 6-1 6-4 6-1
Wt. 245 190 160 205 220 225 265 225 180 220 300 230 260 245 245 260 240 220 265 290 290 260 315 295 250 285 290 305 270 330 305 310 320 300 310 265 165 165 180 175 190 185 180 195 195 160 250 225 225 240 265 240 155 260 270 255 290
Hometown/Previous School Pageland, S.C./Chesterfield HS Huntersville, N.C./Lake Norman Charter Apopka, Fla./Apopka HS Sevierville, Tenn./Tennessee-Chattanooga Buford, Ga./Buford HS Chesapeake, Va./Indian River HS Bamberg, S.C./Bamberg-Ehrhardt HS Chester, S.C./Chester HS Chesnee, S.C./Boiling Springs HS Leetonia, Ohio/Leetonia HS Miami, Fla./ASA (N.Y.) College Indian Land, S.C./Presbyterian Letohatchee, Ala./Carver HS Bailey, N.C./Southern Nash HS Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial HS Cornelius, N.C./Hargrave (Va.) Military Acad. Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge HS Yeadon, Pa./Salisbury (Conn.) School New London, Conn./New London HS Tampa, Fla./Armwood HS Fort Mill, S.C./Charlotte Catholic HS Colingdale, Pa./Monsignor Bonner HS Utica, N.Y./Washington State Baltimore, Md./Paul L. Dunbar HS Leesburg, Va./Stone Bridge HS Fort Mill, S.C./Fort Mill HS Cartersville, Ga./Atlanta Sports Acad. Cinnaminson, N.J/Cinnaminson HS Wall, N.J./Red Bank Catholic HS Boiling Springs, S.C./Boiling Springs HS Charleston, S.C./James Island HS Greenwood, S.C./Emerald HS Honea Path, S.C./Belton-Honea Path HS Summerville, S.C./Summerville HS Myrtle Beach, S.C./Carolina Forest HS Aynor, S.C./Aynor HS Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville HS Charleston, S.C./Bishop England HS Kannapolis, N.C./A.L. Brown HS Hartsville, S.C./Hartsville HS North Augusta, S.C./North Augusta HS Columbia, S.C./A.C. Flora HS Moseley, Va./Christopher Newport Univ. Raleigh, N.C./Hargrave (Va.) Military Alexandria, Va./T.C. Williams HS North Charleston, S.C./Fort Dorchester HS East Orange, N.J./East Orange Campus HS Cedar Bluff, Miss./West Point HS Kathleen, Ga./Houston County HS Hendersonville, N.C./Hendersonville HS Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown East HS Chicago, Ill./Chicago Hope Academy Goose Creek, S.C./Goose Creek HS Millstone, N.J./Red Bank Catholic HS Thomson, Ga./Thomson HS/Savannah State Greenwood, S.C./Greenwood HS Mebane, N.C./Eastern Alamance HS
Patrick Covington - Assistant Coach/Offensive Line Coach Curome Cox - Assistant Coach/Defensive Backs/Special Teams Renato Diaz - Assistant Coach/Wide Receivers Nick Jones - Assistant Coach/Tight Ends & Tackles Brock Olivo - Assistant Coach/Running Backs/Special Teams George Glenn - Chief of Staff Josh Stoner - Director of Speed, Strength and Conditioning Louis Francois - Coordinator of Football Technology
18 • Spurs & Feathers
November 20, 2013
South Carolina Gamecocks
Recruiting roundup by phil kornblut
DL Abu Lamin of Fort Scott JC, KS has been committed to USC since July, but in interviews after visiting Tennessee over the weekend, Lamin indicated he had something thinking to do between the Gamecocks and Vols. Apparently he’s thought enough about it and will be sticking with pledge to the Phil Kornblut his Gamecocks. “It’s Contributing close to home and they’ve been loyal Writer from the beginning,” said Lamin who is a native of Fayetteville, NC. “There’s no need to switch. They’ve been doing everything right. It’s the loyalty. I went on the visit to check it out. I really enjoyed it but I was committed to South Carolina and they just didn’t sway me off things that I should get off South Carolina.” Lamin said his academics look good as he needs only to complete a college algebra course and a couple of electives to be able to graduate in December and enroll in January. He also took official visits to USC, Florida, Nebraska, Arkansas and he plans to be at USC for the Clemson game. Lamin finished his season with 34 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss and he hopes to give the Gamecock defensive line another force in the middle. “I feel good about it and confident,” he said. ‘I’m an inside pass rusher and that guy fighting in the trenches to hold my side down.” USC had a large number of major prospects on hand for the Florida game Saturday night. It has not yet been determined if former commitment DB Wesley Green of Lithonia, GA will be among them. “He may be going to Auburn but he’s not quite sure yet,” Green’s coach Cortez Allen said Wednesday. “I’m not sure if he’s going to South Carolina or Auburn.” Allen said his junior DE Arden Key, also a former USC
commitment, is planning to go to Auburn Saturday for the Georgia game. As for Green, Allen said he also wants to visit Ole Miss. USC recruiter Lorenzo Ward was by the school in the last few weeks and recruiters from Georgia, Ohio State, Pittsburgh and Ole Miss also have been through. Green’s top four remain USC, Tennessee, Georgia and Ole Miss and he as not yet set his official visit dates. Allen says Green remains open minded about the four with no favorite. DB DJ Smith of Marietta, GA has visited three of his final four schools. He’ll make it four for four this Saturday when he comes to Columbia to watch USC take on Florida. “I want to see how the crowd and the team are in to it,” said Smith. “I’ll be checking out the coaches and how they prepare the corners, and checking if the players are having fun.” Smith said his dad and some teammates will join him and he plans to stay overnight. He was at Tennessee last weekend and has also been to Clemson and Georgia. All four are even and he plans to take official visits to each before making his decision. That decision may not come until National Signing Day. Smith talked to USC recruiter GA Mangus Monday but he feels right now Tennessee is recruiting him the hardest of his final four schools. DE Andrew Williams of McDonough, GA has been working with a short list of six schools but only four are assured of official visits later this recruiting season. Williams said he’ll definitely set dates with USC, Clemson, Ole Miss and Auburn. He’s considering LSU and Tennessee for his fifth visit. Williams said he’s in regular weekly contact with his recruiters from his top four. Williams plans to make his decision after the official visits. He was at Clemson for the Florida State game and is going to Auburn this Saturday. He also will try to get to USC and Ole Miss for games. There is no favorite. OL Damian Prince of Forestville, MD has his list down to seven and three of those are set for official visits. He actually
other offers include Clemson, Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Duke, Iowa, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Tennessee, UCLA and Wisconsin. RB Nyheim Hines (5-9 181) of Garner, NC last week he picked up an offer from USC. Hines also has offers from Clemson, NC State, Ohio State, North Carolina, Duke, East Carolina, Wake Forest, Tennessee, Connecticut and Akron. He has been to games at Clemson, North Carolina, Duke and NC State. He plans to be at USC this Saturday. Hines does not have a favorite from a recruiting standpoint, but from a personal standpoint he’s a long time Clemson fan. Hines also runs track and his coach is former USC track athlete Chris Love. “I believe it’s a great school,” he said of USC. “I always hear great Junior News: things about South Carolina and I just OL Zack Bailey of Summerville has like the university.” Hines doesn’t have a been to Clemson twice this season for favorite and said he values all his offers games. This month he plans to make two equally. “I’m looking at the offenses and trips to USC, for the Florida and Clemson I have to see myself fitting there,” Hines games. He’s not picked up any new offers said. “Nobody’s ahead. I’m graduating so he’s sitting on ones from USC, Clemearly so my decision will be sometime son, Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, between next October and December.” North Carolina and The Citadel. Bailey Going into last Friday’s game Hines had said he will also visit Oregon either late in rushed for 2450 yards and 38 touchdowns the season or in December. Right now he and has 600 receiving yards and 8 touchhas no favorites. “It’s going to come down downs. He said USC likes him as a slot to what the school brings as far as educa- receiver. tion and if it has my field of study,” Bailey OL Joseph Legg Jr. (6-4 300) of Faysaid. He wants to major in criminal jusetteville, NC is seeking his first offer but tice, engineering or architecture and con- has received interest from USC, Duke, struction. He did say USC and Clemson NC State, Virginia Tech, East Carolina, working the hardest for him and there’s Louisville, Michigan and Kentucky no favorite between the two. He will not among others. Legg attended a camp at make a decision until sometime during his USC over the summer. Legg wants to stay senior season. close to home and is looking to play in With several offers, junior DL Tim the SEC or ACC. He has visited several Settle (6-3 307) of Manassas, VA does not schools this fall including Wake Forest have any favorites but he knows when he and Duke. will make a decision…October 18th, 2014. DB Kaleb Chalmers of Greenwood Included in his offers is USC. He has received an offer from Georgia Tech visited Virginia, Virginia Tech, Michiduring a recent visit. The Yellow Jackets gan, Alabama, North Carolina and Ohio join Clemson, USC, Stanford, Tennessee, State. He also has plans to attend the Duke and North Carolina with offers Virginia-Virginia Tech game as well. His for Chalmers. He’s also hearing from went to Maryland this past weekend and will go to Florida December 7th. He’ll also set a date with Florida State. The others he’s considering are USC, Ohio State, Miami and Georgia. WR Jamil Kamara of Norfolk, VA just picked up an offer from USC Monday. At that time he had not scheduled an official visit with the Gamecocks. That’s changed now as Kamara revealed on his Twitter page Wednesday that he will visit the Gamecocks officially for the Clemson weekend. That visit replaces one he had scheduled for Virginia. Kamara has taken official visits to Michigan State and Wisconsin and is scheduled to visit Pittsburgh November 22nd. Earlier in the week he stated that Wisconsin was his leader ahead of Michigan State.
Spurs & Feathers • 19
November 20, 2013
Alabama, Michigan State, Indiana, Kentucky, Georgia and Vanderbilt among others. He does not have any favorites and hopes to get to USC and Tennessee before the season is over. USC was one of the first offers for OL Steven Gonzalez of Union City, NJ and recruiter GA Mangus is keeping in touch with the big tackle. As are others. Ohio State coach Urban Meyer checked in on Gonzalez at his school last week and left a strong impression on Gonzalez. Gonzalez has not been to any games this season but will visit Ohio State after the season. The Buckeyes, USC, Wisconsin and Rutgers have been showing the strongest interest and are his favorites at this point. All have offered along with Louisville, Virginia, Boston College, Syracuse and Massachusetts. Gonzalez doesn’t plan to make a decision until National Signing Day 2015. OL Jake Fruhmorgen (6-5 280) of Tampa has already received 26 offers with USC in that group. Fruhmorgen’s father is a former Alabama offensive lineman where his teammates included Lorenzo Ward. Next spring and summer father and son play to take a tour of the schools in the Southeast and USC will be a stop. Some of his other offers include Clemson, Florida, Alabama, Tennes-
mitment earlier in the week from catcher Christopher Cullen (6-4 190) of Cumming, GA. “It’s an honor and a blessing to Basketball News: say that I have committed to play baseball 6-2 Marcus Stroman of Keenan signed at the University of South Carolina!” Cullen his letter of intent with USC last Thursday tweeted Monday night after visiting USC morning during a ceremony at his school. over the weekend. PerfectGame.com named Stroman is regarded as the top senior prosCullen a 2nd team underclass All American pect in the state. He has been committed to last season and offers this scouting report on the Gamecocks since July of 2012. At that the righthanded swinger. time Clemson was his other offer and he Long and slender athletic build. Right was also getting interest from Virginia Tech, handed hitter, exaggerated open stance, bent Tennessee and Auburn. knee start, deep hand load, exaggerates stayUSC officially welcomed the second ing inside the ball, has bat speed and the ball member of their 2014 recruiting class with comes off the barrel very hard when weight the signing last Friday of 6-5 TeMarcus comes through and he squares up, has hitBlanton of Locust Grove, GA. Blanton ting tools that project very well but a comcommitted to the Gamecocks in September plicated approach. 6.98 runner, very good over Florida State, George Mason, Arkansas arm strength behind the plate, lower release and Auburn. angle creates issues when throwing with left The USC women are set to sign the folhanded hitters at the plate, can soften hands lowing prospects who committed to Dawn behind the plate. Has the athleticism to play Staley: in the outfield. Young player with lots of ath• Kaydra Duckett, PG, 5-11, Dreher letic tools to grow into with experience. • Bianca Cuevas, PG, 5-6, Brooklyn, NY Cullen played on USA Baseball national • Doniyah Cliney, 2G, 6-0, Newark, NJ teams in two of the past three summers. • Jatarie White, C, 6-4, Charlotte Cullen is the 12th commitment for the Gamecocks’ 2015 class and the second Baseball News: catcher. The USC baseball team picked up a comAnd Gamecock baseball coach Chad see, Georgia, Notre Dame, Louisville, Ole Miss, Ohio State and Cal.
Holbrook is set to sign another highly rated class. Here’s the list of players who have committed: • Clark Scolamiero, OF, 5-11, 160, Greenville • Junior Harding, RHP, 5-10, 170, Cambrdge, MD • O’kevius Conway, INF, 5-10, 175, Clinton • Jared Williams, SS, 5-9, 160, Gilbert • Braden Webb, RHP, 6-4, 185, Owasso, OK • Alex Destino, LHP, 6-2, 200, Weaverville, NC • Tyler Johnson, RHP, 6-2, 170, Midlothian, VA • Brandon Murray, RHP, 6-3, 200, Hobart, IN • Hunter Taylor, C, 5-11, 190, Oleny, VA • Dylan Rodgers, RHP, 6-2, 170, Spartanburg Methodist JC • Clarke Schmidt, RHP, 6-1, 165, Acworth, GA • Everett Eynon, 2B, AC Flora • Madison Stokes, SS, 6-3, 195, AC Flora • Jared Martin, C, 5-11, 200, Chattahoochee Valley JC, AL • Banks Cromer, LHP, 6-3, 150, AC Flora • Collin Steagall, 1B, 6-1, 240, Spartanburg Methodist JC
20 • Spurs & Feathers
Hand Writing
It is funny how quickly perceptions change. As Gamecocks we now feel it is our right to play for championships. We now feel that anything less is a travesty. That thought process is exactly spot-on and is the way it should be, but is it always the most logical? Let’s delve deeper. The football team is battling year in and year out for championships and national attention. Total credit to Steve Spurrier and his staff for everything that they have done to change the perception of Gamecock football, but let’s be honest it has not even been 20 years since the Gamecocks were in the midst of a 21-game losing streak. Lou Holtz looked to be changing the fortunes of the Gamecocks forever in the early 00s, but after great seasons to start the decade it was quickly shown how hard it is to compete not only nationally, but even in your own league. When Spurrier took over the Gamecocks he quickly took the thoughts of the Red Sox who that year had just changed the complexion of Boston baseball forever and said “why not us? Why not the University of South Carolina Gamecocks?” Spurrier’s first year at the helm of the Gamecocks was a success in that the Gamecocks finished 7-5 and obtained wins against Tennessee and Florida. The next year the Gamecocks went 8-5. The Gamecocks would not win more than seven games in a season for the next three seasons before breaking out with an SEC East championship and nine wins in 2010. The Gamecocks under Spurrier’s tutelage entered the 2013 season coming off back-to-back top-10 final national rankings and back-to-back 11-win seasons. These things had never been done in Gamecock football history, but yet as the 2013 season commenced it was decreed by most that nothing but battling for a championship would suffice. Well, the Gamecocks are battling for a championship and they are still in the top-10 nationally in the BCS. Next year should be much of the same for Spurrier and the Gamecocks. Sometimes it just takes having the right people on the bus and when Spurrier was hired at South Carolina it was known that it would take time, but that the goods would be delivered at some point. This understanding of the efforts it takes to truly build a program is exactly what Frank Martin needs of Gamecock fans. When Martin was hired to take over the Gamecock basketball program to say the cupboard was
November 20, 2013
not exactly full would be a vast understatement, but yet despite having a team that should not have been in many games the Gamecocks fought and eventually ended their first season under Martin last year with 14 wins. As evidenced by his team’s play so far in the 2013-14 season, Martin has indeed in year two started to bring in the individuals needed to make the Gamecocks a player in the SEC, which in turn will also mean nationally in the future. The thing that Martin needs the most from Gamecock fans is for them to understand that it takes ownership from Gamecock Nation as well. Gamecock basketball unlike football for the most part before Spurrier’s arrival had been a national player before with the Gamecocks winning big in the 70s behind Frank McGuire and winphotos by allen sharpe ning an SEC championship in the 90s. Colonial Life Arena could be one of the toughest places to play in all of college basketball. Martin will get the Gamecocks back to these heights, but what he needs now is the support of Martin needs Gamecock Nation to help him build the program into a consistent winner. Gamecock fans to help sustain success. The Colonial Life Arena could be one of the toughest places to play in all of college basketball if it is packed out. Martin has been dreaming about that since taking over the program a short time ago. Williams-Brice Stadium has undoubtedly become one of the toughest – if not the toughest – places to play in college football. The current home winning streak proves that point. If Colonial Life Arena is packed in the same way, not only will it be great for the current student-athletes, but even more top-notch recruits will take notice and make Columbia their destination of choice. This is exactly what is happening right now for sixth-year head coach Dawn Staley and Gamecock women’s basketball. Staley had to endure some bad times at the beginning of her tenure, but the Gamecocks entered this season coming off back-to-back 25-win seasons and recruits are more than taking notice as South Carolina presently is putting together one of the elite recruiting classes in the nation. Now nobody is looking past Staley and the Gamecocks. Gamecock women’s basketball foes know that the Gamecocks may just be seen as a contender for the SEC championship this year, but they know that soon the Gamecocks quite possibly could be the team to beat for years to come in the SEC. Big things are also ahead for the Gamecock men’s basketball program and this is still just the beginning of the Martin era at South Carolina. Join the movement. It truly will be a fun ride.
Spurs & Feathers • 21
November 20, 2013
South Carolina Athletics launches Gamecock Career Network Athletics development communications
“I ask you guys to consider the attributes you’re getting when you hire a studentathlete: team oriented with the desire to Under the direction of Athletics Director win, they demand results, they’re driven to Ray Tanner, the University of South Caro- overcome, they take initiative, they accept lina Athletics Department has launched a criticism, they have the ability to adapt new initiative to assist former Gamecock and maneuver in a highly competitive enstudent-athletes with employment after vironment while maintaining focus on the their time at the University. Titled the big picture,” Goodman remarked. “Those “Gamecock Career Network,” the mission attributes are relative to any successful of the Network is to utilize relationships business.” within the business community in order Special Assistant to Athletics Developto facilitate greater job and internship ment, Clyde Wrenn, also shared responopportunities sibilities with for Gamecock “When student-athletes come Goodman in student-athletes launching and recent grad- to Carolina, wear the garnet and the Network. uates. Wrenn previblack and graduate, they are On October ously spent 11 21st, the Athlet- Gamecocks for life. We want to years at the Uniics Department versity in the held a luncheon help our former student-athletes football office in the Zone at and has mainWilliams-Brice transition to a career after college tained strong Stadium to kick athletics, be successful and make relationships off the Netwith numerous work. Over 200 a positive contribution in their former studentguests attended athletes and communities. the luncheon, business leaders all of which from across the represented state. Wrenn companies who was essential in will potentially the execution of participate in the program. the luncheon to kick off the program. During the luncheon, Tanner commu“We were ecstatic to receive the type of nicated the importance of this initiative, response for this event that we did,” Wrenn explaining how strongly he feels about the commented. “Over 100 corporations parprogram. ticipated and each was very open to our “When student-athletes come to Carosuggestions. I feel like this will be a good lina, wear the garnet and black and gradu- relationship going forward between our ate, they are Gamecocks for life,” Tanstudent-athletes and these businesses.” ner noted. “We want to help our former Erica Nelson, Life Skills and Community student-athletes transition to a career after Outreach Coordinator, has been essential college athletics, be successful and make a in planning and communicating the imporpositive contribution in their communities. tance of this program. Nelson also spoke We appreciate the members of the business at the luncheon, elaborating on a day in the community who attended our Gamecock life of a student-athlete and the challenges Career Network luncheon and are willing she’s witnessed of student-athletes trying to invest in our former student-athletes.” to secure employment after graduation. Former football student-athlete, Andre Nelson works closely with all student-athGoodman, has played a tremendous part in letes, and was able to provide a perspective the creation of this program. In his current on their dedication to the University. role as Director of Football Student-Ath“This initiative means so much to the lete Development, Goodman helps Game- student-athletes,” Nelson said. “They have cock student-athletes grow to achieve their devoted four and sometimes five years athletic, personal and professional goals. to this university, so with the help of the During the luncheon, Goodman spoke business community we can give back to about his time as a student-athlete and pro- them.” fessional athlete and how those experiencFor more information about or if you es have prepared him to be successful as would like to participate in the Gamecock a professional. He mentioned the benefits Career Network, contact Andre Goodman of hiring student-athletes due to the skills at goodmaat@mailbox.sc.edu or Erica Nelthey acquire during their time competing son at enelson@mailbox.sc.edu. at the collegiate level.
~ Ray Tanner
submitted photo
22 • Spurs & Feathers
Damiere Byrd has always had the ability to make himself a blur. But that was the problem - the rest of the world became a blur to him, too. The Gamecocks’ junior wide receiver has always possessed the kind of blazing speed that instills fear in opposing defensive backs. A former nationallysprinter in Andy Demetra ranked high school, it was Contributing Writer no secret what Byrd planned to do when he lined up wide. Go fast and go far. But when he peered into the sky, his hands in a textbook triangle, everything changed. The junior struggled to catch the ball on deep routes, a problem not due to stone hands or mental frailty. “My eyesight has always been bad,” he explained. “On deep balls, I was running so fast that my eyesight would get lost.” At the most important moment, Byrd’s strength also revealed his greatest weakness. But after undergoing LASIK surgery last February, Byrd has blossomed into a key piece of the Gamecock receiving corps. He entered the Florida game as South Carolina’s leader in receiving yards. He’s the fifth receiver in Gamecock history with two touchdown catches of 75 or more yards. But to credit eye surgery for Byrd’s improved numbers would be, well, shortsighted. The junior has worked hard to turn
November 20, 2013
himself into a more complete receiver. “Everybody thinks that because I got LASIK, I’m a totally different athlete or something. It definitely has benefitted me. But I also feel like the amount of time I’ve put into my skills in the offseason has really been what’s turned everything around for me,” Byrd said.
It started with becoming a better routerunner. Byrd had gaudy numbers coming out of Timber Creek High School in Erial, N.J., gaining more than 1,500 yards from scrimmage his senior year. He also ran a 10.41 100-meter dash in track, the eighth-fastest non-wind-aided time in the nation that year. But when he enrolled at Carolina, he lacked
the polish of other wideouts. “Coming in, I wasn’t really comfortable as a receiver. I played in the slot, but most of my catches were on bubbles or screens. For the most part, they just wanted to get the ball in my hands. Probably 75 percent of my touches were from screens or running the ball out of the backfield,” he said. In the world of receiving, “fast” and “quick” often mean two different things. To take the next step, Byrd knew he needed to refine his technique, rather than rely on his raw speed. A hamstring injury sidelined him for most of Spring practice, but once he was cleared, Byrd returned to the field with focus. He did ladder drills to improve his footwork. He ran routes with quarterbacks Connor Shaw and Dylan Thompson two to three times a week over the summer. He also added more muscle to his 5’9” frame. Though still 166 pounds, his arms have a noticeable ripple. After a slow start to the season – he only caught three passes in his first three games – Byrd broke out against UCF, hauling in a career-high five passes for 74 yards. He backed that up with five more catches against Kentucky, including a 62-yard touchdown on the fourth play of the game. No longer just a once-in-awhile deep threat, Byrd has shown he can hold his own in the high-traffic, hard-hitting areas of the secondary. “It definitely feels good to be able to be known as a guy who can run whatever route. I can go across the middle and make tough catches,” he said. He’s always had the speed to make opponents nervous. Now, with better vision and more precision, Byrd is truly ready to take off.
Spurs & Feathers • 23
November 20, 2013
Florence Gamecock Club hosts Pre-Florida Rally by mike kucharski mike@spursandfeathers.com
who came out and Scaturro and he both said they would like to do something like this event again. “It was a great turnout and we had a lot
of fun,” Jernigan said. “It was the first time we’ve ever done something like that … you get all the different stories for the different Gamecocks and it was a great time.”
The Florence County Gamecock Club hosted a Pre-Florida Rally at Red Bone Alley Restaurant & Bar in Florence, S.C. on Nov. 14 with a turnout of around 50 to 75 fans. The rally was in conjunction with local radio host Ken Ard’s daily show on 98.9 ESPN Radio. The rally allowed the Gamecock fans an opportunity to discuss everything Gamecock-related on the show. The local Gamecocks were able to come together to have a good time in preparation for the showdown with the Gators and swap their favorite South Carolina stories with each other and Ard. “It’s really the first time that we’ve done anything like this and … we had a Gamecock rally with several of us on the radio talking about Gamecock Athletics, favorite moments, childhood memories and what it means to be a Gamecock,” chapter president Michael “Scat” Scaturro said. “There’s a lot of excitement out there right now … so it was a lot of fun. There were a lot of good times, a lot of stories and I think everyone enjoyed it.” submitted photo Former chapter president Rod Jernigan Radio host Ken Ard (left) and Rod Jernigan discuss the Gamecocks on 98.9 ESPN Radio. agreed that it was a great time for everyone
In Memoriam The Gamecock Club remembers the following member of Gamecock Nation who recently passed away. James Saye – James Saye was born in Rodman, S.C. and he was the son of the late James H. Saye, Sr. and the late Jean Lyle Hollis Saye. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church where he served as elder and deacon. He served in the U. S. Army Air Corps during World War II flying the B24 bomber. Mr. Saye retired from the U. S. Air Force Reserve with the rank of Major. Mr. Saye was also an avid Gamecock fan and a 33 year member of the Gamecock Club.
Spurs and Feathers
online at: www.spursandfeathers.com
24 • Spurs & Feathers
November 20, 2013
Spurs & Feathers • 25
November 20, 2013
Gamecock Radio/Television Information The Gamecock Sports Network from IMG College counts 34 affiliate stations for the 2013-14 season. For Sirius/XM subscribers, follow the Gamecock Radio Twitter page for weekly updates on channel information for Gamecock broadcasts. The weekly Carolina Calls show will air from 7-8 p.m. on the flagship station of the Gamecocks, WNKT-FM (107.5 FM), and over the Internet at www.GamecocksOnline.com. The show takes place each week at Wild Wing Café, located at 729 Lady Street in the Vista. Wild Wing Café, which is South Carolina’s home for the best wings south of Buffalo, has 12 locations in the Palmetto State. Visit www. wildwingcafe.com for more information.
Inside the Roost
South Carolina Athletics Director Ray Tanner and Derek Scott from the Gamecock Sports Network from IMG College host an hour long radio show every Monday night at 7 p.m. from Hilton Columbia Center in the Vista. The show is broadcast on 107.5 FM and features discussions on current issues with Ray Tanner and interviews with coaches and athletics department staff.
South CarolinaCoastal Carolina television
The game will be available on pay-perview. Visit www.GamecocksOnline.com for more information.
2013-14 Radio Affiliates City Abbeville Johnston/Aiken Allendale Anderson Camden Camden Charleston Charleston Chesterfield Clinton Columbia Columbia Florence Florence Florence Florence/Lamar Gaffney Gaffney Greenville Greenville Hilton Head Kingstree Myrtle Beach Myrtle Beach Newberry Rock Hill/Lancaster Rock Hill/Lancaster Seneca Seneca Spartanburg Sumter Sumter Union Woodruff
Call Letters
Frequency
WZLA-FM WKSX-FM WDOG-FM WRIX-FM WPUB-FM WCAM-AM WWIK-FM WTMZ-AM WVSZ-FM WPCC-AM WISW-AM WNKT-FM WHYM-AM WOLH-AM WOLH-FM WFRK-FM WZZQ-FM WZZQ-AM WROO-FM WGVL-AM WGZO-FM WDKD-AM WSYN-FM WHSC-AM WKDK-AM WRHM-FM WVSZ-FM WSNW-AM WSNW-FM WSPG-AM WIBZ-FM WDXY-AM WBCU-AM WQUL-AM
92.9 92.7 93.5 103.1 102.7 1590 98.9 910 107.3 1410 1320 107.5 1260 1230 98.9 95.3 104.3 1500 96.7 1440 103.1 1310 103.1 1050 1240 107.1 107.3 1150 103.5 1400 95.5 1240 1460 1510
Football Basketball Coaches Shows Baseball X X X X X X X X X X Women’s Basketball X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
X X X X X X X X X
X X X X X X X X X X
X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
X X X X X X X X X X X X
X X X X X
X X X
26 • Spurs & Feathers
November 20, 2013
Gamecock Club Upcoming Events Reminder from Gamecock Club: Please remember that the Gamecock Club renewal deadline is January 31, 2014. New York City Gamecock Club Weekly Football Game-Watching Event Saturdays at The Mason Jar. The best place to watch Gamecock football if you can’t be at Williams-Brice! Located at 43 E 30th Street in Manhattan, with a Gamecock-inspired menu and discounts for Gamecock fans. Call them at: (212) 213-3587. For more information, check out the website at: www.nycgamecocks.com or email chapter president JR Buzzelli at gamecockclubofgny@gmail.com. Savannah Gamecock Club Social Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 5:30 p.m. B&D Burgers - 209 W. Congress St. Savannah, Ga. Get to know other fellow Gamecocks, hear from some of the Gamecock Club staff members and talk about future events. Don’t forget to bring your business card for the raffle; prize is a signed Steve Spurrier football. RSVP by Nov. 13 to Reeves Skeen at reeves.skeen@gmail. com. Fairfield County Gamecock Club Meeting Tuesday, November 19th at 7:00 p.m. All Gamecock Club members and fans are invited to the Fairfield Cove Restaurant (1418 Hwy 321 Bypass South, Winnsboro, S.C. 29180) for the Fairfield County Gamecock Club business meeting. The meal will be a Dutch treat and there will be great door prizes. Additionally, a 2012 Outback Bowl autographed Steve Spurrier football will be raffled. Tickets will only be sold at the meeting
and you must be present to win. Guest speaker will be Jay Brown, Assistant Director of the Gamecock Club. A special thanks to Carolina Wings (Blythewood), Frank’s Carwash, Jewelry Warehouse Garnet and Black Traditions, and Scotties’ Café and Grill (Blythewood) for their generous donations to the Fairfield County Gamecock Club. Colleton County Gamecock Club - Pep Rally Monday, Nov. 25 from 6-8 p.m. Walterboro Elks Lodge at 236 Milestone Ln. in Walterboro, S.C. 29488. Fun for all ages! DJ and Cocky will be present with raffle tickets for awesome prizes. For more information contact Lori Beard at lori@docheno.com or (843) 9091919. Kershaw County Gamecock Club Meeting Langston Moore, former Gamecock great and current Gamecock Radio Sideline reporter, will address the Kershaw County Gamecock Club on the Monday (November 25) before the Carolina-Clemson game! The event will be held at Gadget’s in Camden and is free of charge! The bar and the restaurant will be open for your convenience. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. with Langston Moore speaking approx. 6:50-7 p.m. ALL GAMECOCK FANS AND FRIENDS ARE WELCOME! You do not have to be a Gamecock Club member to attend. There will also be raffle drawings and a drink special if you have on Garnet and Black. Come on out with your Kershaw County Gamecock friends and get ready to make it 5 IN A ROW against “that school in the upstate.” Contact Gamecock Club President Casey Robinson for more information at (803) 669-0273.
Gamecock Club Holiday Hours
Upcoming South Carolina Athletics Events zz November 20 Women’s Basketball at Clemson..............................................7 p.m. zz November 22 Volleyball at Arkansas...................................................................8 p.m. zz November 23 Cross Country at NCAA Championships............................. 11 a.m. Football vs. Coastal Carolina......................................1 p.m. Women’s Basketball at San Diego State................................4 p.m. Equestrian at South Dakota State................................................ TBA zz November 24 Men’s Basketball vs. Florida International...............1 p.m. Volleyball vs. LSU................................................... 1:30 p.m. zz November 25 Women’s Basketball at Southern Cal......................................8 p.m. Home events listed in Bold
Spread your 2014 Gamecock Club Membership out over the next three months We highly recommend taking advantage of this membership payment option. You must enroll in this three-month payment plan option by November 27th. Please see below for a chart showing your monthly installments should you to take advantage of this offer. To enroll in a payment plan, please log into your AccountManager by visiting
www.GamecocksOnline.com/Tickets, or contact the Gamecock Club at 803.777.4276 or GamecockClub@sc.edu. As a reminder, the renewal deadline for 2014 Gamecock Club membership is January 31, 2014. Thank you for your support of South Carolina Athletics. It’s great to be a Gamecock! (Story by the Gamecock Club)
November 20, 2013
Spurs & Feathers • 27
South Carolina Athletics announces ‘Hoops for the Holidays’ program by brian hand bhand@spursandfeathers.com
following men’s games at Colonial Life Arena: Dec. 17 against Manhattan, Dec. 19 against USC Upstate, Dec. 28 against Akron and Dec. The University of South Carolina Athletics 30 against Marshall. Department is undertaking a “Hoops for the The women’s basketball games as part of Holidays” program for the upcoming holiday “Hoops for the Holidays” at Colonial Life season. Arena will be Dec. 20 against Winthrop, Dec. “Hoops for the Holidays” will allow organiza- 22 against South Carolina State and Dec. 28 tions and people to purchase tickets that will against Savannah State. be donated on their behalf to bring deserving The Athletics Department will be working youth and military to a Gamecock basketball with organizations such as the Epworth Chilgame during the holiday season. dren’s Home, Children’s Chance, Dickerson “It is important to us to connect with our Center for Children, Family Connection of community and the ‘Hoops for the Holidays’ South Carolina, St. Lawrence Place, Palmetto program can bring smiles to many deserving Place Children’s Shleter, Sistercare, Carolina faces,” South Carolina Associate Athletics Di- Children’s Home, Family Shelter, Inc., Vital rector/CMO Eric Nichols said of the promotion. Connections of the Midlands, Inc. and Fort “Hoops for the Holidays” is being run Jackson as part of “Hoops for the Holidays.” through the Gamecocks Group Sales office. For more information on this great cause, or They are hoping to really help out some great to donate please call the Gamecocks Group organizations by obtaining their goal of 2,500 Sales office at 803.777.8850. You can also fill or more tickets being donated throughout the out the form included in Spurs & Feathers and holiday season. mail form and payment to: The minimum investment to sponsor a group University of South Carolina Athletics of 15 people is $150 for Gamecock men’s basAttn: Hoops for the Holidays ketball games. To sponsor a group of 15 people 1304 Heyward Street, Columbia, SC 29208 for a women’s basketball games is $60. **Make checks payable to South Carolina “Hoops for the Holidays” will be held for the Athletics**
photo by allen sharpe
28 • Spurs & Feathers
November 20, 2013
November 20, 2013
Spurs & Feathers • 29
30 • Spurs & Feathers
November 20, 2013
photo by jenny dilworth
There is no better way to get ready for the game
For the last few home games, I have parked and gone straight in to the press box to take in the football. It is something I had not done at a Carolina game since the early 1980s. A lot had changed. That press box is way up there, in the air that is. A little high for my liking. But it is very nice and there is a lot more room than in the “old” days. Great food is the same. Seawell’s is still doing the buffet and it is always a highlight of the day. I am sure that my fellow journalist in the box would all agree, it is much Ed Girardeau easier to do your job when Contributing Editor you are not hungry and USC does a tremendous job of making sure nobody goes hungry. So it is a different type of tailgating. But Saturday I went back to my roots and tailgated on the traditional side: in the parking lots. I was able to spend some time with the family as well as catch up with old college friends that I have not seen in 30 years and spend a little time with new friends in a cockaboose with Kevin Hunter and his family from Simplified Office Systems. With all due respect to the “press,” I will take the traditional style. There is no better way to get ready for the game. So rather than go up top for the game, I had decided to sit in my regular seat. You may not be aware, but in the press box it is frowned upon to “cheer” for your favorite team (though I understand that there was need for a reminder after the Auburn tip drill touchdown). With the Gamecocks playing
for a chance to win the SEC East against Florida, I knew going in, there was just no way I was going to be quiet, so I better sit in my seat. And it is not a bad deal. I get to sit next to my favorite former Gamecock football player of all time … my Dad! And there are lots of family and old friends who sit around us. We have been there since I was a little kid. And most of the fans in this area would not survive the “silence” of the press box. It is the place to be on a Saturday gameday. And what a day! First the Auburn win over Georgia. USC had to have the Dawgs lose one and what a way to lose it. I still cannot believe that we were able to watch the end of the game on the big board while we had a timeout on the field. From a fan’s point of view, it was great! And since the final result was a 19-14 Carolina win, the night was perfect. We now await Missouri’s final two games. The Tigers will go on the road to Ole Miss and then host Johnny Football and Texas A&M. Lose one, and the Gamecocks are going to Atlanta. Who would have thought that after the loss at Tennessee? Well, I guess we did, but I don’t know that we really believed it, but the chances are pretty good. In the meantime, South Carolina just needs to take care of business. Coastal Carolina will waltz in with one loss next weekend and visions of shocking the world a la Appalachian State beating Michigan in the Big House. There is no doubt in my mind that the fans helped carry the Gamecocks over Florida on Saturday night and the fans will need to be in the stands and make as much noise as was made on Saturday over the Gators.
The atmosphere was thunderous particularly when it needed to be in the fourth quarter. It will be a great warmup for Thanksgiving! Another record was tied Saturday night and it is a personal record by Connor Shaw as he tied Todd Ellis’ record of 24 wins as the starting quarterback at USC. This is quite an accomplishment by both Ellis and Shaw. Todd started 1986 as a redshirt freshman and as anticipated a player as we have ever had at Carolina. The team only won three games that year, but should have had more. That year included the home Nebraska game which was the first time I actually saw the east side of the stadium swaying. I’m glad we fixed that. The Cornhuskers were No. 3 in the nation and it was a heartbreaker for the Gamecocks as we lost it by three after leading in the fourth. The next year, 1987, included the payback, 48-0, game over NC State and the “Rodney” game against No. 8 Clemson in the freezing cold, winning 20-7. I swear I started the “Rodney” chant, but I guess a lot of others think that as well. The 1988 season included the win at home against No. 6 Georgia that included the Ellis to Robert Brooks pass for a touchdown that is still as good as any you’ll ever see on replay. And in 1989, there was the win at No. 23 Georgia, before Todd’s career was cut short with a knee injury against NC State. It was as quiet as I have ever heard Williams-Brice until Lattimore’s injury last year which made the stadium equally as quiet. Quite frankly, it still makes me sick to think about it. It was a great four years and its fitting that Todd is still right here in the middle of it do-
ing the play by play on radio for Carolina Football and pulling for Shaw and the Gamecocks. He as much as any of us, wants him to get the record next weekend, and then follow it with at least three more wins after that (wouldn’t that be something?). Free throws While heading down Huger Street one day a couple of weeks ago, I came across Cocky Town. I had never noticed it before which was somewhat embarrassing in that it is located in the Colonial Printing Building which is directly over the right field fence at Carolina Stadium and is where we happen to park at baseball games. Inside they have quite a selection of Gamecocks apparel and items, including all the tailgating supplies you would ever need. One thing that intrigued me most was the table top, corn hole set. It’s not as heavy as the big set (which they have, too) and can be played indoors or outdoors without all the heavy lifting. At $39.95 it makes a great Holiday present for any age. Rather than sit in traffic on the way to the stadium, I encourage you to stop by and check it out at 419 Huger Street. It was a rough week for the men’s basketball team, losing a heartbreaker by two at No. 23 Baylor and then losing at Clemson. Right now, the defense is certainly playing well at times, but the offense will need some work. These are the tough road games which will pay dividends as the season goes on, particularly once conference play begins. I still believe this team will make noise and be the surprise of the SEC before it is over with. Hang in there. Better days are ahead.
31 • Spurs & Feathers
November 20, 2013
32 • Spurs & Feathers
November 20, 2013