Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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,Geor The other game was just two years ago and Carolina lost 21-0, but that game is also easy to forget as the Gamecocks then operated an im potent offense behind quarterback Bill Troup and a failing offensive line. What is not easy to forget is that Mississippi, supposedly a weak sister in the Southeastern Con ference this season, bogged down nationally-ranked Missouri offense last week and the Rebels won. 10-0. Mississippi returns seven starters on defense, making the unit at least the equal of last year's which surrendered more than 20 points just once. Still, the Rebels stumbled to just a 6-5 year, in a season in which they did not play powerful Alabama. Offensively, the Rebels have some weak points, particularly the line where just one starter returns. But the backfield positions seem a strong point. Quarterback Kenny Lyons excels as do running backs Larry Kramer, Paul Hofer and James Reed. Mississippi has a young team, just 34 lettermen are back, but only 16 were lost So, this inexperience is probably the cause of coach Ken Cooper's concern and the reason most experts aren't tabbing te Rebels as threat in the Southeastern grouping. The schedule is, as always,tough and Carolina may be aided by the fact that Mississippi will be coming off games with Alabama and Georgia, while USC will have just rested with Virginia Tech. North Carolina Four years ago USC stopped playing North Carolina and that proved a most appropriate time to break off the series. The Gamecocks had won four straight meetings since 1967 and it appeare& as 4f USC's domination was about to end as the Tar Heels were about to enter some strong football years. The series will resume this year, and USC's schedule maker must again be extended a .pat on the back. The Gamecocks should be capable of dominating the game again as North Carolina is rebounding from a dismal 4-7-01973 campaign. North Carolina does appear improved, if by no other indication than their 42-7 win over Ohio University last week. The Tar Heels, behind a strong backfield, piled pJp 236 yards on the ground and complimented that total with 156 through. the air. Quarterbacks Churis Kupec and Bill Pashcali guide the Tar Heel offense, sharing time almost equally. The running backs are strong, with Mike Voight and James Betterson the ones to watch. Sadly for Coach Bill Dooley, the offensive line, which should prove a key to the backfield's success or failure, is young and inex perienced. Only Ken Huff is worth noting in that position. Defensively the Tar Heels should be better, but that isn't really saying much when one considers that seven teams scored 2r7 or more points versus North Carolina in 1973. North Carolina's schedule this year is relatively easy, but the Gamecocks haeve the advantage of meeting the Tar Heels as they come off the worRt part of the slate. Maryland, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech and North Carolina State are the four match-eps prior to the gia, H~ . Hodgi Gamecocks. For Dooley, it may prove too late to salvage the season after that rugged part of the schedule gets over. By then, the Tar Heels might already be looking to next year. North Carolina State Maryland is favored to win the Atlantic Coast Conference, but North Carolina State has already begun to cast some doubts upon those predictions by displaying an offensive-form not too far off last year's. State figured to finish runner-up in the ACC, but the Wolfpack is now making its final conference -game with Maryland, on Oct. 25, as If It will be the determining -factor. State has hsad lttle trouble in running over Wake Forest and Duke, as expected. But what might frighten Maryland fans and State haters is that State had done so in much the same fashion as they did In winning the ACC last uston Dued. beas fteti broher plyin qurtebac an Stae anor 24n ayard agast brothr fulaynureback Stanrids wtdrecer asse for 278-d re.in scin sufes, a thenattr, Dona sredntero a 4yar's pafu fromlback ffenv bfidt t somet proesmgt ave toradine Athrefr otronentsnner retuns,g began sufie earta, aeior, isela rtrfrmlast year 'spwr. thatpacs offensie bield at n somten pro tas migt yeav,e te Aother amstog anil rearns, h RGandecoks, altough to a ust thhscofebtnethnt will becn more explosive. So far, his beliefs appear accurate. 1ead f -usher Defensively, State .wasn't anything to brag about last year but they got the job done in the 9-3-0 season, including a Liberty Bowl win. Most of the defense from last year is back, and judging from the first two games appears to be Appalachian Sae East Tennessee, Middle Tien nessee, Davidson, Western Carolina, Tennmeem Tech Inner Rhyne, East Carolina,'The Citadel, Furman and Richmond. Hardly major football powers, but those schools join Carolina to comprise the football sel:edule of Appalachlan State. And un fortunately for Carolina, those other schools are of the same caliber of teams that sent Ap palachian reeling to a 3-7-1 year last season. There doesn't appear much reason to play Appalachian, the Gamecockscan't possibly gain any further recognition by winning and a loss would nrea r to oes humiliating to even consider. But USC will be playing Appalachian for the third straight season this year and the series will continue for three more years. Actually Appalachian was more or less a last minute entry for Carolina's schedules. When Maryland was dropped a few years back a replacement was needed and the Mountaineers from Boone, N.C. surfaced Y After 1977 their schedule might again be void of any big name school. Carolina has won the previous two meetiings, 41-7 and 35-14. But last year's game was enough to scare the bejeebers out of Carolina's team and staff. For at least a half the Mountaineers appeared capable of pulling off an upset. But the 7-7 halftime tie' ended with Carolina sprinting away. Appalachian Coach Jim Brakefield looks for some strong recruits to improve his team, but even if his team improves he'll be 'looking to beat teams on Ap palachian's own level before they aspire to knock off Carolina. Wake Forest There once was a day when Wake Forest University operated ke most consistent offense in the Atlantic Coast Conference, but last year's offensively dismal showings has made that day difficult to remember. TIe Demon Deacons were shut out four times last season and managed to score as many as 14 points just once during the 1973 season. Wake's woeful offense last year represented a huge tumble from the days when Larry Russell, Larry Hopkins and Ken Garrett were making the Deacon veer the most potent and feared offense in the ACC. Wake's offense does .figure to improve from last year, if for no other reason than they lost 15 of fensive lettermen and have 16 returning. Wake did do some strong offensive recruiting and the newcomers may prove more ef ficient than last year's inept let termen. Rookie running back Clark Gaines andfirst-year lineman Tom Parker figure high in Coach -Chuck Mils' plans. LAtterman Frank Harsh, who has started in the offensive back field since his rookie year and was forced to suffer along with the other members of last year's of fense, Is the key msn of Wake's ogense. Quarterback Bill Armstrong Is another strong point. At first glance, Wake's dbifense dki't appear much betera than the offense last year. On six occasin Wake's defense surrendered 35 or more points. But, aMll explains why the defense appeared weak. "Our defense played decenty last fall with the pressure that was on themu,"Mills said, referring to his 19i3effes. "Gettihes off-the field for a rest will help." By the time Wake plays Carolia it should resemble Jerry Qar after one of his fights wt Mudiammed All. in md-eason Wake plays tires straight read games- Ut Oklahomna, at Pean State and at Maryland. Ry STEnVe PaARER