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Defense Gamecoi By MIKE LOUGH ^ SUH Wrtttf j When a team has a super-human offensive player ? like,. tor example, ueorge itogers ? someone wno runs over, through, past and around people, not much attention is focused on the defense. You remember the defense, don't you? They may not be as exciting as a runner or receiver, but it's just as beautiful to watch a tackle annihilate a quarterback on a stunt as it is to see a good run. It's poetry in action. While the national sports media ogled Mr. Rogers (and deservedly so), the USC defense, under the direction of coordinator Richard Bell, was quietly holding the opposition to only 9.3 points per outing for eight straight games. NOT SUCH a bad stat, right? "Well, I really don't look at stats like that/' Bell chuckled. "I worry about what the scoreboard says after the game." The scoreboard didn't show that the Gamecock defense held their opponents to an average of only 129 yards rushing per game. "Most of the teams we faced were run-oriented," Bell said "Our defense learned a lot about running from going against George Rogers. The kids learned to play the run very well. "BUT THE TREND recently has moved to the wide-open offense ? the passing game." And that's a spot in which the Carolina defense had some trouble. USC averaged 120.3 yards per game in the air. Unfortunately, everyone else threw for about 180. However, there is a bright spot. Three bright spots. Harry Skipper, Pat Bowen and Robert Perlotte will grace the USC secondary again this year, trying to reverse those passing stats. "WE'VE GOT to concentrate on the pass a little more," Bell said. "It hurt when we lost Perlotte who was injured in the eighth game) last year, but with the experience we have, it won't be easy to pass against us. We didn't realize how valuable Perlotte was until we didn't have him any more." Skipper, who as a sophomore last year picked off three I Set High I It >ou'rc searching f and ha\e ambitious care* of Exploration and Deve Marathon Oil Company. > gists, Geophysicists. and I for professional growth. r< L! sibility in an informal, ; ] environment. Office localic :k Defense passes and deflected five, will Bowen and Perlotte make up a nnfnfn onntc onf) onnhnmn UIC IHUCljr OJWUI, OIIU Ijupiiuiiiv letterman, will take over the Mark Bridges. The linebacking core was led last season. Kater led the te Baxley was next with 109. graduated. "The losses of Baxley and I said. "They were experienced. "NOW WE DON'T really h? Often Lookin By MARK GILLIAM ^ffWrifrr With the powerful legs of George Rogers, Carolina was one of the better offensive teams in the nation last season. While amassing over 5,000 yards of total offense, the Gamecocks averaged almost 30 points per game as they posted an 8-4 record at season's end. However, the 1981 offensive unit for the most part will be inexperienced. As the Your ? i Carec or high career visibility ?r goals in the :ieltk lrmm#?nt frwiu in r?n klaraihon offers GeoloLandmen opportunities cognition, and re^pon.et highly professional >ns include: Anchorage, (M\ umathqn/ \j Ml I v ?pp Kav To Su< return to the corner back slot. \ nifty one-two combination at j re Troy Thomas, a returning cornerback hole vacated by i 1 i by Ed Baxley and Walt Kater am in tackles with 120, and 1 ko/1 vtrwarc* 10 fkmr DUl UIC UOU ll^TTO AO VUVJ I Cater hurt us the most," Bell t ive any linebackers that have ise ig For New season gets underway, many questions remain unanswered. Who will be the Gamecocks' quarterback? Head Coach Jim Carlen faced that Question not onlv at the outset of the 1978 campaign, but throughout that season. Skip Ramsey and Garry Harper exchanged the starting job several times during the year. Ramsey left school, and Harper took charge for two seasons. tights I r Visit Alaska; Houston and ! Illinois; Shreveport an Casper and Cod>. Wye If you will he com during this academic y< to talk with you on Se about the highly visibl citi/cnship or pcrmanei lararthon il Company I mplo\ci :cess For l1 valuable, crucial game experien< roung players who will definitelj J.D. Fuller, who lived the pli njured in the first play of th etuming. "He's a good football player a i great deal," Bell said. The right linebacker spot it hurrah, a sophomore. Two fresl fames Sumpter, join Paul Vogal USC'S FRONT FIVE includes Emanuel Weaver, whose buil Offensive Now, after Harper's graduation, uie siarung joo will go to Terry Bishop (6feet,170) or Gordon Beckham (6-1,185) ? both juniors. Harper's understudy last year, Beckham, had back surgery last winter and missed spring practice. Bishop played mostly with the JV team, occasionally getting varsity experience. Both quarterbacks have performed well in preseason scrim ages, and each will see a considerable amount of On lility ki'ji i T n-iJ ? vnuianu, flt*\as; onu^pu d Lafayette, Louisiana; a iming. pleting an MS in Gcolo ?ar, our recruiters would li ptember 15th, 16th, or 1" c careers at Marathon. U nt rr*ciH^?nt wtntnc it; rpnnirf . V ..V.V... 981 Squad ce. But we've got some good, ' give it their best shot." ayer's nightmare of getting ^ le first game last year, is nd having him back helps us tost likely will go to Mike nmen, james beawngni ana as the top reserves. two possible Ail-Americans, d resembles Mt. Everest, is See DEFENSE, page S. i Firepower playing time regardless of who starts. Freshmen quarterbacks Rich Ingold (6feet, 190) and Bill Bradshaw ( (6-feet, 170) could possibly take some snaps before the season concludes. With the departure of Rogers, the ground game should be considerably different from past seasons. A strong crew of running backs is expected to share the load. Starting in the backfield See OFFENSE, page 4. nd J