From the Charleston, S.C. Courier and Post:

[Note: Skip the self-indulgent fluff and go to the final paragraph.]

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2006 7:23 AM

My daughter vs. Spurrier: Almost a tie

BY GENE SAPAKOFF
The Post and Courier

On one sideline was the great Steve Spurrier, a genius/mastermind/legend who gets paid millions to wear a visor and coach the South Carolina Gamecocks.

On the other side was my daughter, a student trainer/student equipment manager/student gofer who gets work-study money to fill up water bottles and help out the football team at Wofford College.

Spurrier as a head coach won seven Southeastern Conference titles at Florida, his alma mater.

My daughter as a high school kid applied to almost that many SEC schools before settling on Wofford, which she hopes to be her alma mater.

Spurrier won the Heisman Trophy.

My daughter played in a powder puff football game.

Spurrier was an NFL quarterback for 10 years.

My daughter can name at least 10 NFL starting quarterbacks, and without someone spotting her Peyton Manning and Michael Vick.

Yet despite this apparent disparity, I-AA Wofford nearly sent a "mismatch" into overtime Saturday night at Williams-Brice Stadium before a turnover deep in South Carolina territory in the final seconds of a 27-20 thriller.

Dumb and stupid

They both wore school-issue shirts.

They both were a little nervous.

Spurrier because the Gamecocks were coming off a scoreless performance against Georgia and were without their starting quarterback.

My daughter because the last time Wofford played before such a huge crowd - at West Virginia last September in her very first road game on the sideline - she spent most of the game blushing.

"Dad," she said, "you wouldn't believe the things those West Virginia fans were saying."

No one on the planet was armed with as much information going into the Wofford-South Carolina game as I was, having been on the scene for the Gamecocks' debacle against Georgia and the Spurrier postgame rant in which he called his team both "dumb" and "stupid" (and labeled himself "stupid," too) and privy to frequent updates from Spartanburg.

You know, inside stuff like, "Practice went pretty well today. Did you send the money?"

Not that any of this insight helped. In what some people might technically refer to as an "office pool," I forecast a 34-point victory for the guys in garnet.

So now who's dumb and stupid?

Win-almost won

Sure, it's possible that Spurrier, angling toward upcoming showdowns in SEC games more meaningful than a tussle with the Terriers, wasn't exactly wearing out the playbook.

But probably not: Spurrier is too honest a guy with too struggling a team to take chances.

If anything, Wofford was peeking ahead to its next game, against arch-nemesis Furman, the classy and powerful purple Paladins who typically reign as king of the state's I-AA programs.

And my daughter went out of her way to give South Carolina a better chance. She gave all four of her allotted tickets to Gamecocks fans, namely my son, his girlfriend and her parents.

What a deal! A down-to-the-wire game without the mega-traffic headaches that come with a Georgia or Clemson visit.

"I wanted to go out there and shake hands with Spurrier after the game," my daughter said. "But I had to help clean up our sideline."

It was a win-almost won situation.

"We're fortunate to win this one," Spurrier said after the game.

"Dad," my daughter screamed into her cell phone. "It's almost like we won."

There is plenty of time to digest all this excitement, on both sides.

Wofford has a bye this week. So do the Gamecocks. They play Florida Atlantic.

Reach Gene Sapakoff at [email protected].

From The State in Columbia, S.C.:

Posted on Sat, Sep. 23, 2006

Posted on Sat, Sep. 23, 2006

Three keys to victory

Get a defensive or special teams score

Florida Atlantic has given up two defensive touchdowns and two returns for scores, including a 92-yard run-back by Clemson?s Jacoby Ford on a punt. USC coach Steve Spurrier said big schools should be able to score on defense or special teams when they play weaker, nonconference opponents. The Gamecocks have not returned a kickoff for a touchdown in four years, although Carlos Thomas has been close to breaking a couple.

Find an offensive rhythm

Spurrier?s Cock ?n? Fire offense has been misfiring, averaging only 14 points a game. The Gamecocks need to gain confidence before returning to SEC play next week against No. 2 Auburn. The Owls have given up more points than any Division I-A team in the country. It will be interesting to see how the quarterback platoon of Syvelle Newton and Blake Mitchell works out.

Put the game away

The Gamecocks have not shown that they can handle prosperity. They blew a 21-point, first-half lead against Missouri in a 38-31 loss in the Independence Bowl. Leading by 17 entering the fourth quarter last week, USC failed to bury Division I-AA Wofford. As FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger admitted, this game should not be close.


Key matchups

USC right guard Garrett Anderson vs. Florida Atlantic defensive tackle Jervonte Jackson

About Anderson: A year ago, Anderson was playing against the likes of Irmo for Dutch Fork High. Now the 6-5, 295-pounder is one of two freshman starters on the Gamecocks? line. Anderson did not allow any sacks last week in his first start against Wofford, although he tired toward the end of the game and started blocking with head down. He faces a bigger challenge tonight against Jackson.

How he?ll win the matchup: If Anderson uses better technique and keeps his head up, he should be able to keep Jackson off the Gamecocks? quarterbacks. On running plays, it will be imperative for Anderson to come out low and quick to gain leverage on the Owls? best run-stuffer.

Key number: 30, number of pounds that Anderson has gained since signing with the Gamecocks in February, an increase that convinced him to pass on a redshirt season.

About Jackson: The redshirt sophomore was listed on nearly every Sun Belt preseason team. The younger brother of Philadelphia Eagles offensive guard Jamaal Jackson, the 6-5, 290-pounder has six tackles, one pass breakup and a forced fumble. Jackson had a monster game against Middle Tennessee last season, finishing with 10 tackles, including two for losses.

How he?ll win the matchup: Jackson, who usually lines up on the left side of the line, is not a pure pass-rusher: He only had one sack a year ago. The Owls? best chance at generating pressure will be with stunts, which have given the Gamecocks? young linemen fits. But Jackson is a load to move off the ball on running plays.

Key number: 5.95, yards per carry that opponents are averaging against FAU, which ranks 117th out 119 Division I-A schools.

Undercard: USC defensive end Ryan Brown vs. FAU left tackle Nello Faulk: The 6-foot, 258-pound Brown, a converted linebacker, will be giving up a lot of size to the 6-7, 270-pound Faulk, who held Clemson defensive end Gaines Adams without a sack three weeks ago. Brown, who leads the Gamecocks with two quarterback hurries, is seeking his first sack.


USC vs. FAU | Injuries

USC ? OT Gurminder Thind (foot), ROV Emanuel Cook (knee), TB Cory Boyd (ankle), OLB Cody Wells (ankle) and WR Mike West (hamstring) are out; FB Lanard Stafford (ankle) and CB Captain Munnerlyn (forearm) are probable.

Florida Atlantic ? LB Ed Bradwell (chest) and RB Felix Collazo (knee) are out; LB Andre Clark (leg) and RB B.J. Manley (shoulder) are doubtful; OL Antes Perkins (knee) is questionable.

From the Anderson, S.C., Independent-Mail:

Spurrier seeks improvement from offensive line

By STEPHEN FASTENAU
Independent-Mail
September 23, 2006

COLUMBIA - Steve Spurrier characterized his team's situation at offensive line this week as a "struggle."

With two freshmen slated to start on the line for a second week in a row, the struggle may continue for a unit that has taken the brunt of criticism for the Gamecocks? play through three games.

Spurrier wasn?t pleased last week with the play of the line and has taken steps in practice to try anything that might work in preparation for Florida Atlantic tonight.

"The effort level last week was not very good, especially up front," Spurrier said. "It wasn?t good enough. When lineman fall on the ground in the fourth quarter trying to block, there?s something wrong somewhere."

Spurrier has attempted to patch the line as best he can in hopes that eventually there will be a combination that works.

Two freshmen, Hutch Eckerson and Garrett Anderson, will start for the second straight week and Web Brown will start at left guard.

Matt Raysor, who was a defensive lineman until two weeks ago, is also expected to see playing time on offensive line.

Raysor has worked on the offensive side of the ball since the Gamecocks 18-0 loss to Georgia on Sept. 9.

Spurrier?s formula? Find players in practice who show a desire to play, regardless of experience.

The coach said he had seen that from Brown this week.

"Web?s got a little fight in him, he cares," Spurrier said. "Anybody that has a little spunk and has a little competitive fire and cares got a good chance to play for us. We?re going to try our best to put 11 out there that play as if they really care."

The offensive line?s best asset will probably be Syvelle Newton, who will start at quarterback for the second straight week and has shown the ability to bail out poor blocking with his feet.

With running back Cory Boyd sidelined with a sprained right ankle, Newton will probably be asked to run more often.

Sophomore Mike Davis will start in place of Boyd but has struggled to find holes through the first three games.

The good news for an ailing Gamecocks? offense is that it will face a defense in Florida Atlantic that ranks last in the NCAA in points allowed.

Not that last week?s game against Division I-AA Wofford was a confidence booster.

Spurrier said he hoped to move the ball effectively against the Terriers, but the Gamecocks? offense struggled in the second half while holding on for 27-20 win.

"We were very careless in that fourth quarter," Spurrier said. "Hopefully we all learned a lesson, including me. With a 17-point lead we probably should have not even attempted a pass in our own territory, that sort of got it started."

Spurrier has tried to get more effort out of his offensive line by turning up the heat in practice this week. His goal at the beginning of the week was to have a player call "no fair" at the increased workout level.

While Spurrier heard no complaints, he?s hoping the point got across to his players.

"No one?s quit," Spurrier said. "Everyone has accepted it pretty well, so hopefully it will turn into a solid performance Saturday night.

From the Greenville, S.C., News:

Gamecocks target Owls to shake slump
Florida Atlantic surrendering at least 45 points in three games

Published: Saturday, September 23, 2006 - 6:00 am

By Rick Scoppe
COLUMBIA BUREAU
[email protected]

COLUMBIA – The University of South Carolina football team has struggled to score, but if the Gamecocks are ever going to have a prolific game, it could be tonight at Williams-Brice Stadium.

USC (2-1) has scored 42 points and ranks 105th among 119 Division I-A schools nationally. Florida Atlantic (0-3), in its sixth year of existence and second in Division I-A, has given up at least 45 points in each of its games.

Given USC's offensive woes, coach Steve Spurrier was asked if the Gamecocks were going to score 40 points in a game, would tonight be their best chance.

"Well," Spurrier said, "I don't know if we can score 40 offensively."

Spurrier suggested that if the defense and special teams contributed, USC could improve its scoring output against the Owls, who are giving up 49 points a game – worst in the nation.

"We were about like this last year," Spurrier said. "We weren't really roaring up and down the field. But, you know, we've still got to believe we can improve like we did last year."

Last year, however, was a transitional season for Spurrier with the Gamecocks, who had spent the previous six under coach Lou Holtz's conservative attack.

Yet after three games this season, USC quarterbacks are still attempting to throw their first touchdown pass. A year ago, it took Blake Mitchell just 2:14 into USC's season-opening 24-15 win over Central Florida to pass to Greenville's Noah Whiteside for a 49-yard touchdown.

That, Spurrier said, was "a bit" frustrating.

But Spurrier's No. 1 frustration has been the offensive line, which he had talked up during preseason drills as having worked harder than any other unit on the team. The hard work hasn't made up for the lack of experience up front with the exception of senior center Chris White.

"It's really disappointing," Spurrier said.

Spurrier "It's mostly all of them. Every now and then they may block a play correctly, but not very often."

The problems up front in some ways forced Spurrier's hand to look for a more elusive quarterback in Syvelle Newton, who is scheduled to start his second straight game

Unlike last week, Newton will share time with former starter Blake Mitchell, back after a one-game suspension. Spurrier was less than forthcoming on how he would use his two-quarterback system.

"Could be anything," he said.

In light of his team's problems on offense, and especially with Florida Atlantic coming to town, Spurrier was asked if USC didn't need a "big" victory against a team it's favored to beat by 30.

"We're not worried about big wins," he said. "We're worried about Florida Atlantic and playing the best we can. That's what we're worried about right now."