The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 08, 1985, Page 7, Image 7
SDOftS
Friday, November 8, 1985 Hi 7
' f THE GAMECOCK ?
f?? ~ :
II x O i
upsei uamecocxs
down, but not out
After USC's last minute loss to N.C. State, the
atmosphere among players and coaches in the
USC locker room was like Christmas morning ?
without any presents.
Disappointment filled the air, as the
Gamecocks' chance of finally establishing a winning
streak and salvaging a respectable season
went from a realistic possibility to a fading
dream. Haywood Jeffries' game-winning
touchdown for the Wolfpack was a fatal blow to
...v vjcn.twt*:) pians lor finishing 8-3 and
receiving a post-season bowl bid.
Instead, when Mike Hold's fourth-down pass
to Eric Poole in the end zone was broken up,
USC players and coaches realized they may be
home for Christmas.
Hold exemplified the frustrations in the locker
A room. While his teammates made their way to
^ their respective lockers, a dejected Hold was on
his knees in the center of the room, trying to
figure out how the Gamecocks had let the game
slip away. Condolences from USC President
James Holderman didn't wipe the disappointed
look from Hold's face.
Coaches congratulated Chris Major for an
outstanding defensive game. But Major's two interceptions.
one for a tnnrhHnujn ? -
r M VWWIIMV**II| UIUII \ dtt'lll IU
matter to the junior defensive back, who was instrumental
in USC's Black Magic season a year
ago.
^ "Out of all the losses this year, this one hurts
the most," he said. "We really needed to win this
game."
While the press interviewed surrounding
players, defensive end Willie Mclntee sat facing
his locker, trying to understand why the defense
cracked at the end after playing its best game of
the year for the first three and a half quarters.
"I just don't know what happened," Major
said. "We were out there (on the field) for a long
time. Maybe it finally took its toll. But we really
can't blame the offense."
"The dqfeiwc'wa&jkajttiiig to get jt badnrttarr
the Pitt gdme," said'Kenifttth Robirt$cfh,,,CSC'J 1
leading tackier. "I thought we were getting it
back together.
"This one is bitter, real bitter. We played well
enough to win. They just caught us at the end."
Just as the defense couldn't explain the lack of
chemistry in the game's final minutes, neither
could the offense explain its inability to move the
ball against the 2-7 Wolfpack.
"I really don't know what the problem was,"
Hold said. "1 was really ready for a good game
^ against them, but not like this. We just kept try
ing to think of some way to get it in the end
zone."
It was the most stunning loss the Gamecocks
have suffered since head coach Joe Morrison
came to Carolina two years ago. Not since 1982,
when Richard Bell was in his first and only year
as USC's head coach, have the Gamecocks experienced
such a shocking defeat.
In '82, USC was 3-2 before the Furman
Paladins came to WilHams-Brice Stadium and
upset the Gamecocks 28-23. That team lost four
of its last five games to finish the season 4-7.
fc It was a disappointing loss, but not to the same
extent as last week's loss to State. Bell's '82 squad
didn't have to follow up the best season in
USC's history, and it wasn't really expected to be
among the nations elite at season's end. It wasn't
expected to provide many magical moments like
this year's team.
After USC's 52-10 shellacking of East
Carolina, talk of Black Magic resurfaced.
Players confidently pronounced they could win
their next four games and secure a post-season
appearance.
When the players took the field against State,
^ the enthusiasm of a year ago was apparent. But
P the magic was not. The offensive ineffectiveness
and fourth quarter letdown by the defense made
fane \ur\r\/i+* if I ^ ~
.mkj nviiuvi it UJV vanjr uvhiviu IU salvage (S
winning season and go to a bowl.
Despite the loss, the players feel all is not lost.
They remember how they came from behind to
win three big games a year ago. And many
believe they still have the capability of bouncing
back and winning the remaining games.
"We're not down and out," defensive end
Tony Guyton said. "We just have to dig down
and say, hey, let's go get it. Let's don't quit
now."
A 7-4 record might still be enough for a bid to
one of the smaller bowls. Last year, Michigan
I went to the Holiday Bowl after finishing the
' regular season 6-5. The USC fan support will still
attract the scouts. Now it's up to the players to
keep them interested.
"We really needed it (a win against State) to
get to a bowl," Ouyton said. "We felt we had to
win our last four. Now we must start over and
win our next three. We have to prepare hard and
hopefully next week have an upset at Florida
State.
"We just have to keep playing," Guyton said.
"We have to keep fighting and don't quit. I hope
r i- *1. ii
tvciyunc iccis mat way,
| Jeff Owens is the assistant sports editor of The
Gamecock.
.
Volleyballers 1
preparing for
season finale !
I
By JEFF SHREWSBURY
Staff writer
USC's volleyball team, 14-15
overall, ended its Metro conference
season Nov. 3 at home,
with a record of 5-1. The Lady
Gamecocks square off against the
Duke Blue Devils, in Durham,
N.C., on Nov. 15, and will compete
in the N.C. State Tourna
ment in Raleigh, N.C., on Nov.
16 to complete their regular
season. '
Duke knocked USC out of the
NCAA tournament last year, by
defeating them in the early
rounds. The Lady Gamecocks
have already played the Blue i
Devils this season in a four game I
losing effort, 12-15, 15-8, 11-15,
9-15.
Freshman setter Sue Fcdenic
said of the upcoming Duke
match, "If we all work together
as a team, do the jobs as we're
supposed to do them, and just
stay consistent, I think we'll beat
them."
At N.C. State, USC will take
on Rutgers and Virginia in a
round-robin tournament that will
be the last regular-season matches
of the year.
Going into the Metro conference
chamnir?nchir?c !r? Uo#
? r.in ft IMl"
tiesburg, Miss., on Nov. 21-23,
USC is seeded No. 2. Carolina
finished in a tie w^th FSU and
Louisville during the season, but,
\?W.
Mike Hold scramble* away from N.C.
'
| Sports boot
'Pistol Pete' ,
to conduct
hoop clinic
From staff reports
Pete Maravich, college basket- 1
Hnll'c ...Ml
I .> uii'iiiiiv .ivuiillg ItUUCI , Will
I conduct a shooting and ball- i
handling clinic from 5:30-6:40 '
p.m. before the USC-Irish Na- i
tional exhibition game Nov. 14. i
At 7:30 the Fighting
Gamecocks will host the Irish Na- i
tionals in men's basketball, and
"Pistol Pete" will present an ex- <
hibition at halftime. I
Maravich was drafted by the
Atlanta Hawks in 1970 after an 1
outstanding college career at (
Louisiana State University. He I
was traded to the New Orleans
(now Utah) Jazz in 1975 and r
finished his NBA career with the i
Boston Celtics in 1980. s
Maravich averaged 44.2 points r
per game in three years at LSU, a f
figure still unmatched. He led the t
NBA in scoring in 1976-77 and t
finished second, third and fourth
in other seasons. He was a four* f
time starter on the NBA all-star (
team. p
Admission is $2. To reserve S
tickets, send a check for the s
number of tickets reauested to r
Jim Petrus, Athletic Ticket
Manager, Athletic Department, Ji
University of South Carolina, N
Columbia, S.C. 29208. Tickets 1'
may be picked up the night of the te
game from the will-call window at
at the coliseum. D
V JPB 'H;:
pB^A<w?'^WT /VH
Briflf kSBSAI IAJP^RB VH
m,^ vHBr^
Sue Fedenic and Toni Venturini i
season.
according to the point system used,
was seeded behind the
Seminoles.
At the tournament, the Lady
Gamecocks will play last place
State defenders lest Saturday.
t
Maravich's performance is
presented by The South Carolina
Network.
It's noisy j
at the top
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
They're making a lot of noise
this week in Gainesville, Fla.,
where the 7-0-1 Florida Gators
are ranked No. l for the first time
in the 50-year history of the
Associated Press college football
poll.
"It will give our tevam the in:entive
to play 100 percent," said
inebacker Patrick Miller.
There's noise in State College,
Pa., as well, where Penn State
8-0) again finds itself in a
jrouhaha over the rankings.
"1 don't think weekly (i.e.,
egular-season) polls are worth a
lickel, and I've said that consistently,"
said coach Joe Pater10,
who usually conducts his own
>ostseason Paterno Poll when he
hinks his Nittany Lions have
>een treated unfairly.
But the most noise of all comes
rom the Big Ten where Iowa
roach Haydcn Fry said he almost
lulled his team off the field
iaturday because of what he conidered
excessive noise by the
rowd at Ohio State.
Rest assured it will be noisy in
icksonville's Gator Bowl where
o. I Florida is favored over No.
1 Georgia in their annual inrstate
blood-letting. The Gators
e unbeaten in 18 games, the
awgs in seven.
RAY GRONBERG/Tf* Gamecock
stand poised in match earlier this
Virginia Tcch, in the first round,
at 11 a.m. on Nov. 21.
"We've just got to take one
game at a time and we'll continue
to win," Fedenicsaid.
wt 1 *
^8 JTTOF ^
Up in arms
USC't Linwood May* (30) and Di
Gamecocks' intrasquad scrimmafa Nek
quad scrimmage was held Oct. 30 at
USC 'has
against S
I By GREGG LASKY
Sports editor
If USC's football tc
( ecuting and controlling
last Saturday against N
to beat Florida State
coordinator Frank Sad
"Florida State has ai
They're 6-2 and they've
have a nucleus with a Ic
did last year, especia
Sadler said. "If we exe<
Carolina still has a cha
Defensive eoordinai
Florida State game "is
"Every year there ar
the leaders in overall o
State. They are very, v
fensive line ? there ar<
Gadd said. "They hav
put a lot of pressure on
pose a lot of problems \
fensive line."
Sadler and Gadd spol
rison at his weekly pres;
rison was unable to sp
speaker at the Columbi;
Florida State head
characterized the Game
beat you."
"They're no doubt nc
year. They lost too ma
But it should be anoth*
game," he said.
Bowden said the Sem
Fla. 35-27 Saturday, wil
tion of the quarterback j
second string quarterba
Chip Ferguson, who sti
Flurricanes, will start ag
"Ferguson started la.?
did well for a freshma
characterizes him as "a1
I IC/^ A A
h-<4, is cominj
minute loss to N.C. Sta
"I'm real disappoinu
is. I felt like 1 was numb
ing to have a cardiac arr<
kind of football game t
I delight."
"They (the defense) h
the way they wanted tl
great football. But with
? them out of the bag. T
| thfcy find a way to get ir
"They have to ledf-n't
, have to live with the d
years old, it's easier to b
that. They've gotta put
win," Gadd said.
A record crowd of
Stadium and a national t
the Gamecocks nr<?vnil r?
The win improved USC'i
to No. 2 in the Associat<
The game was highlig
57-yard run and Raynan
return. Safety Bryant G
with four pass intercept
earned national defensh
selected by Sports Illustr
- -v
-M^ ^
Ill
Jl
irryl Martin (44) battlo foi
I Tuesday night at Carolina (
Cofear Collage in Hartavilla.
a chance'
eminoles
am can do a better job exl
the football than they did
.C. State, they have a chance
, said Gamecock offensive
ler.
1 outstanding football team.
2 been ranked all year. They
t of experience much like we
lly in the skill positions,"
:ute, the University of South
nee to win the ballgame."
tor Tom Gadd said the
gonna be a real test for us."
e two teams that are among
ffensc ? BYU and Florida
ery well-coached on the of;
none coached any better,"
e great skill people ? they
yuu oy mrowing deep. They
vith their speed and their ofke
for head coach Joe Mor>
conference Monday. Mor>eak
because he was guest
a Touchdown Club.
coach Hobby Bowden
cocks as "a team that can
>t as strong as they were last
ny people from that team.
rot l ? in/^ r - '
;i gv.;uu r3U-U,1L lootoail
inoles, who lost to Miami,
1 be healthy with the excepoosition,
where the first and
cks arc injured. Freshman
arted last week against the
;ainst USC.
>t week against Miami and
in," Bowden said, but he
vcrage at that position."
I off a disappointing last
tc, 2-7, Saturday.
:d about the loss, everyone
all over. 1 felt like I was go;st,"
Gadd said. "It was the
hat was a second-guesser's
lad their opponents playing
.viii ivj, mcy were piaying
i seven minutes left, we let
here's gotta be a day when
t done,'* he'.said.' !
6 live with the ups and they
owns. But when you're 18
ounce back from a loss like
it behind them just like a
75,500 in Williams-Brice
elcvision audience watched
ver FSU 38-26 a year ago.
; record to 9-0 and lofted it
:d Press poll.
hted by Thomas Dendy's
i Brown's 99-yard kickoff
illinrst c?t o 1
. ??>U DVI u JillUUI ICtUlU
ion during the game and
'e player of the week as
ited.
fBBSg8|\ S/Jfe- BS3
3SEPH QARNETT/rhfl G^tock
r a Imn tall during tin
USC't first intra*
I
1