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ijjt11|i 1j^llfjl WjMB^^^P^HQWK&ys.y:::>^>X--':>:x-:^^^^^^^gpS^^?^^ BMMpI ^B^m^llli8 hhbR9k\ SIh^MB&. Carolina's Rick Sa Wildcat QB impressive in 14-14 tie By Mike Chlbbaro Gamecock Staff Writer Prior to the start of the 1978 season, much of the skepticism concerning the Kentucky Wildcat's football team was centered around the unproven ability of Mike Deaton. Deaton, who is trying to fill the shoes of Derrick Ramsey, the Wildcat's 1977 standout quartprhaplf chnuioH cr\nnnl ofrnrr WMVM) UliV TV VVI opWUAUlUi O Saturday night that he possesses the potential to become a capable collegiate quarterback. After Kentucky's 14-14 tie with the Gamecocks, Deaton said, "This was a tough place to begin my career as a quarterback. The crowd noise and the intensity of the ^ 1 _ !i. ^ _ ?i .t - ? gome muue u a cnaiienging opener for me. I felt like I grew a few gray hairs out there tonight." Deaton, who was under a great amount of pressure going into the game with USC, exhibited a poise of a seasoned veteran and also displayed a very accurate inrowing arm. HE COMPLETED 12 of 22 passes for 180 yards, but it was little consolation to the Greensburg, Ky. native. "We had the game in our hip pocket, but we just didn't take advantage of our opportunities tc win," said a dejected Deaton. The 6-1180-lb. junior was quick tc assume the blame for the Wildcat's unexpected tie with th< Gamecocks. He cited the in i: i A.i ..hAL I . lercepuun lie uirew wun i;o remaining as a deciding factor ii the game's outcome. "It was my interception tha beat us. If I hadn't thrown it thei we would have won. It's tha simple," said Deaton. In the second quarter, Deatoi engineered a 99 yard Wildca * scoring drive which wai highlighted by his 42 yard touch down pass to running back Rand: Brooks. :x^:^>.?SSl^^M^^?S^SS8^cja^^^^?&S-aB3feKgi5ST?-;1E?BSTfS^1 inford draws a bend on K< and draers hii D "WHEN WE GOT THE BALL o the one, I really wasn't thinkin i touchdown," said Deaton. "I jm wanted to get the ball out to the fiv or six. It didn't really hit me thf we had driven it 99 yards until I g< to the bench." \ In assessing the Wildcat ineffectiveness, Deaton en j phasized Kentucky's inability I . obtain good field position. J "We just couldn't get the fie - position that we needed to open i 7 our offense. If we could've gott< i better field position than maybe v cotfld've thrown more on fir t down," said Deaton. 1 t In Deaton's opinion the Wildca were not ready for their cont? with the Gamecocks. He also sai t "The Gamecocks were as tough we expected them to be. They ha a real good ballclub." I In Deaton's first two seasons Kentucky, he saw limited act! C.hn.rxrfi impress ny mine tiunt Sports Editor CAROLINA SHIFTED, went in motion, balanced the line, unbalanced the line and totally perplexed the massive Wildcat defense by blowing huge gaps in a defensive line that averaged over 250 pounds. ^ntucky's Chris Hill near the ^Hr '- ^1^K;'w^^VilBBH^CT siS^S? IB? v* :^^vfil "^jsSy^Jg ^lF::::::^^'-:&::i?MWlBK&vj&^ i .1 ii* tn down on tne one yard line i n and had thrown only 27 passes g prior to Saturday night's game, it After an impressive performance e in the Wildcat's spring game, he kt was awarded the job as Kentucky's >t number one signal caller. Kentucky's head coach Fran 's Curci was pleased with Deaton's l- play. 111(11 J! J _ -- 1 * ? iviiKe aia a very gooa jod. fie made great play selection and did Id a good job throwing the ball," said *P Curci. in the disheartened exst PRESSION on Mike Deaton's fare after SaturHav night's onmo t9 revealed that he personally jst assumed the burden for Kenid, tucky's inability to defeat the as Gamecocks. ve In all fairness however Deaton must be given a large part of the at credit for the Wildcat's salvaging a n tie. d up Ca m a we in sU Offensive coordinator Jack Fligg said after the game that USC had practiced the offense all year and the time for it was against Kentucky. it was the first time the Gamecocks have used such an offense this year, basically Jim uarien said oecause rney aian i need it against Fur man. The great Wildcat goal line o save a touchdown / ? /H f ui titXJi ilemate amount of Kentucky scouts in the stands during the Furman game also was a reason to give the shifting offense, its debut against Kentucky. The shifting offense symbolized Carolina Future as the offensive linemen, especially George Schechterly and Bill Lane, cleared it fz-1 .11 -_a i?i. _r pains iui Laroiiiiu ? strung iriu 01 backs, George Rogers, Spencer Clark and Johnnie Wright. The shifting offense also symbolized Carolina Future as Garry Harper, a 19-year-old with more pressure on him than anybody will ever know, emerged as a poised leader who seemed at home in the middle of all the shifting that was going on. In their 14-14 tie against the Kentucky Wildcats, Carolina displayed a split personality: that at times of Carolina Past, but more often than not, that of Carolina Future. Carolina Future was the team that stepped on the field against the nation's 17th-ranked team and possessed the ball all but five plays of the first quarter. During that impressive span, the Gamecocks surprised 55,000 fans by going to a Dallas Cowboy-type offense. HARPER, STILL unsure of himself in several cases when he called the wrong snap count, nevertheless ran the draw, the option and the quarterback keeper surprisingly well for one who has started but two varsity games. But despite his poise in carrying out the plays called from the bench, Harper in one way symbolized Carolina Past. A poor pass on the one-yard line resulted in an interception on the one-yard line. Thirteen plays and 90 yards later, the score stood Kentucky 7, USC 6. See CAROLINA, page 16 It^Nn McCorntack ? 9AMICOCK