The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, August 29, 1983, Page 13, Image 13
Freshmen I
By Jeff Rogers
USC's soccer team made its first fall appca
Saturday in a 2-2 scrimmage tie with Winthrc
coach Mark Berson a look at his injury-wrack<
Among the injured starters are Dan Goggin
surgery over the summer, and Tommy Norton
his knee just before fall practice began Aug. 13
said both players would probably be out for tl
Other injured Gamecocks include Mike Me
and Chip cooney with a torn ankle ligament. M
action in the Gamecock's home opener Thursc
lege, while Cooney is expected back in two to
EXTREMELY HOT weather always brings c
ari rvnf^ T* 1 ' 1
jjiay an uuiuuui ojjuii, anu nicc s a 1 u me recer
Columbia has made the team take special prec
"The coaches and players were all aware
blems), and we warned the players of any sympt
sions started. The guys have worked around it r
oi coia water on tne Held."
Despite the injuries, Berson said he was hap
"At this point in time, I'm very pleased
freshmen showed some good things, and I'm p
They were tremendous."
II I 1 ^1- -
neau Touioan co
with USC's fina
By Jeff Hartsell
USC head football coach Joe Morrison
said he was "pretty pleased" with the
Gamecocks' final scrimmage before this
week's season opener against North
f "arrvl i n u
The Gameeoeks practiced Saturday at
Williams-Brice Stadium before a crowd of
about 5,000.
Morrison got a look at backup quarterbacks
Allen Mitchell and Jim Desmond
because the top two quarterbacks, Bill Brad
shaw and Mike Hold, were sidelined with injuries
suffered Wednesday.
BRADSHAW, OUT with a twisted knee,
is scheduled to start against North Carolina.
Hold, who sustained a second degree separation
of his left shoulder, will be out for three
to four weeks.
Mitrhell marrherl the first tpflm offense HO
yards in eight plays on its first possession,
connecting with wide receiver Ira Hillary on
a nine-yard pass for the touchdown. The
drive was highlighted by running back Kent
Hagood's 39-yard run.
The touchdown proved to be the only
score of the day, however, as Carolina's
defense shut down an offense plagued by
timing problems.
Morrison said the timing problems were to
hp exnerteri because most of the scrimmage
was devoted to looking at younger players.
"I THOUGHT Mitchell and Desmond did
nrettv eood iobs on such short notice," Mor
rison said. "We had some balls dropped, but
Injuries move t
By Mike Lough
Since spring football practice began this ye
back Allen Mitchell wasn't sure of what the s
head coach Joe Morrison held for him.
Would he play junior varsity ball again t
he play behind Bill Bradshaw and Mike H
quarterback candidates, and returnee Jim
would his knee, which underwent surgery
repair ligament damage, hold up? And
redshirted?
"i tnougrit rci oe reasnirieu mis year,
from Batesburg said Saturday after the G
scrimmage at Williams-Brice Stadium.
iiaiuv/i y iiv a?.
.% Mitchell be
a. ? n r # a ?* K 1
USC quarterback After a 10-ya
Allen Mitchell chell hit Ira
SportS
r
in in lor injured
the Graveyard
)D Collcce :- : I : !
xl team. ^
, who tore ligaments in
. USC trainer Jim Price nv
le season. 9
mm
expected to -jjjg
lav aoainct I ->t^~?- r"^1 *-^?__^L
three weeks. \\\
oncern for athletes who
InnnfgreC Wea,her in USC soccer coach
autions. ..
HA or!/ Unrn/tn
mails uciduil
of it (heat-related pro- USC'S FRESHMEN accounted for both
oms before practice ses- Gamecock goals in the first half.
eal well. We kept plenty Bill Hency opened the scoring for
Carolina with a goal from the left side,
py with his team's play. Aaron Blakeney added another goal a
I," Berson said. "Our minute later, as he blasted a shot off the left
leased with their effort, post from five yards outside the penalty
area.
tach 'pleased' i
I scrimmage
we were pretty much pleased with the 8
scrimmage." * ? ?
Morrison said he was not pleased with the
team's inconsistent hustle. "We need to have
everyone going all out every time." MH5P ,
Hagood led all rushers with 56 yards on six
carries. Freshman Mark Hardy gained 29 * ^'flB'
yards on seven attempts, and sophomore
Thomas Dendy carried the ball five times for mm
Mitchell completed five of 13 passes for 36
yards and one touchdown. Desmond hit on +W8f?
fnnr r?f ninp inccfi: fr*r AO vnrclc anrt
freshman Todd Fennell connected on two of
four passes for 22 yards. Freshman Kevin
White missed on his only pass attempt.
PUNTERS CHRIS Norman and Brian
Burns both had high punting averages. Nor- . *
man, a senior, averaged 46.5 yards on seven
punts, including a booming 66-yanier that '
brought the loudest ovation of the day.
Burns, a sophomore, averaged 43.3 yards on
. x . i>-W?, -s '#, ->N?S <s ? " \
inree punis.
Senior place kicker Mark Fleetwood miss- USC Wide receive
40-yarderhiS ?"ly ^ " Brought down by L
, r , and Tuesday will be
Morrison said that freshman backs Jerry off from Wednesda
Dunlap and Raynard Brown did a good job
on punt and kick-off returns." Brown, who "WE KNOW t
Morrison said will return kick-offs this year, team," Morrison Sc
had two tor 46 yards. Dunlap returned iwo two good tailbacks j
punts for 59 yards. tionally ranked last
Morrison said USC will begin preparation Only one player
for North Carolina on Monday. "Monday scrimmage. Sopho
edshirt candidate to re
quick out for nine more yards.
ar, USC quarter- Four plays later, the Mitchell-Hillary connectioi
eason under new again, this'time for a nine-yard touchdown.
his year? Would "That was the first time I've ever taken the first t<
old, the top two a score," Mitchell said. "It felt good."
Desmond?' How
in the spring to AS STARTING junior varsity quarterback in 1
, would he be chell passed for four touchdowns, hitting on 28 of 6
for 406 yards. Knee surgery in the third week of sp
tice put Mitchell on temporary hold for this year.
the sophomore
larnecocks' final "Coach Frank Sadler and I talked about me I
shirted and if 1 wasn't in the running for quar
would've been," Mitchell said. "It would've given i
V I have to start opportunity to learn the whole offense and be better
: playbook a lot Plus, I'd still have three years here.
lid. "Today did
good, starting "I'd guess I'd rather go ahead and play instead c
ioom in a rpQ 1 \ui 11 nueh mp ta Iparn matp fhinoc CAAnpr P\yp hpp
IVC41I1 I** M ? VV4? TV ABA J/Ui?I A A11V IV AVUI II IIIV/A V lAAAAA^O IVI I T V V V V
n." myself really hard all year and when they (Bradsaw
gan the day at went down, it kind of hit me that 1 could start."
engineering* an Whether he starts or not, Mitchell said he feels b(
v 80-vard USC's chances against this season's schedule tha
rive on the first tlons 8mn8 n0 better tnan a L'K) mark, mow ca
st pass attempt l^e same team that went 4-7 last year against a
picked off by schedule do well against the likes of Georgia, Soi
Mike Durrah ancl Notre I)ame? According to. Mitchell, it's th<
rd keeper, Mit- staff.
Hillary on a THE COACHING STAFF has done a super job
I
soccer players
The second half saw a change in the momentum, as Winthrop continually
kept the ball on Carolina's side. USC's defense held until the
three-minute mark, when a Carolina player fouled Winthrop's John
Newcombe inside the penalty area.
Newcombe's penalty kick was blocked, but he managed to score on
the rebound.
THE EAGLES continued to apply the pressure on Carolina's
defense, and their persistence paid off with three seconds remaining,
when Larry Tavino tied the score on a cross from the left wing. Neither
team was able to score in the two five-minute overtimes that followed.
Berson said the scrimmage was the first full-field match against an
opponent, so he didn't expect a flawless game.
"I expected some inconsistency," Berson said. "We made a mistake
in giving them the penalty kick, and we had a few defensive
breakdowns. Our goal is to improve our consistency practice by practice
and game by game."
ur.KSurN SAID he looks forward to getting the fan support he has
seen in recent years.
"We have a good record at home, and I think the fan support is a
good reason for that. 1 hope that USC students will continue to support
the team this season."
The Graveyard is located south of Bates House. Admission is free
and no identification is required.
Game time Thursday is 4 p.m.
. i' ">V;SV'" ";;V- ' ,
Photo by Gafy Bowden
r Eric Poole
add Fletcher (14)
our heavy days, tapering Morris sprained his right knee and is doubty
on. ful for the North Carolina game. Morrison
said that Morris will be replaced by freshman
hey're a good football James Chambliss.
lid. "We know they have c . , , aa q i
, . . , _ 7 Senior running back Todd Berrv and
and their defense was na- , r . r i 1 r? i a a
,, senior defensive tackle Paul Martin did not
r' play in the scrimmage because of minor inwas
injured during the juries. Morrison said both should be at full
more cornerback Otis strength today.
eg H
sserve quarterback role
us more mentally for practice and games," Mitchell said.
*1 r\\nirf>r\ "Thpv'rp 'a lr*f mr?rf* pnthiiQiaQtir ahnut thp eamc. They're all
football."
;am in for Another reason is quarterback preparation.
"1 think the offense is better prepared going in than last
?? I ! J ilTI I l.? I, ? ^ ? I ^ t mr.rn nUmil
year, nc saiu. 1 nc quaiiciua^Ns miuw a iui mua uuum
982, Mit- defenses, too."
7 attempts
ring prac- Mitchell said that last year there was very little checking off,
or changing a play at the line of scrimmage, he added that
there was no instruction on reading defenses and "getting out
)eing red- of bad plays."
:erback, I
Tie a good
prepared. "THIS YEAR, we've worked really hard on that. Coach
Sadler really goes over the defenses and we cover a lot more.
We check off and have learned how to read defenses better,
f sit. This That's the main thing."
n pushing As for his own performance Saturday, five of 13 for 36
and Hold), yards, Mitchell said things went well.
, "I think 1 did all right," he said. I think a little more poise
ttCr hl?U anc* p'ay'n8 t'me rne a *ot 8??d-"
n pu ica- Mitchell said he had a problem with timing most of the
n basically aftemoon
moderate
ithern Cal )ot times, 1 threw the ball too early," the 6-0,
i coaching 172-pounder said. "That's from inexperience. 1 sure had real
good protection almost all day. The incompletions were mainnrpnarino
Iv on uiv nart, but that will come with noise."
r "I,v" "O * * ?