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? Kickoff O Friday, October 31, 1986 Ellis is c By RICHARD BREEN Senior reporter The expectations. Oh, the expectations. They weren't just big, they were immense. And they grew even bigger during Todd F.llis' rrrUliirl vi>:ir My the time the freshman from Greensboro's Page High School stepped on the field against the University of Miami Aug. 30, Gamecock fans were expecting Jim Kelly incarnate. What they got was something entirely different. Passes sailed high. Drives stalled with interceptions near the goal line. Wins looked hard to come hy. Pat Turner's name came up in more and more conversations. "It was a little rocky at first," said sophomore wide receiver Ryan Bethea. "But now we're {-'.riling nseu 10 iinn anu lie s gelling used It) us." lans are getting used to F.llis, too. And getting used to raising expectations after each rccordbreaking game. Passes hit receivers in stride. Almost every drive ends in a scoie. Optimism is at an all-time high despite a 2-4-1 record. And Ellis is rolling up impressive statistics. Hr\ M'miul in ihr n.'itimi in total offense with 283.0 yards per game. He's fifth in the nation in passing with a 144.4 rating. Fillis holds Gamecock singlegame records with 394 passing Coaches expt offensive bat By JOHN BOYETTE Kickoff editor Throw out the record books and the scoreboard. That's ilie general feeling USC he Joe Morrison and N.C. State head cc Sheridan have about Saturday's co ween the Gamecocks and the Wolff I he Wolfpack is a decided favor prove their 5-1-1 record against USC in control of the Atlantic Coast C race after last week's 27-3 manha ( leinson. The Gamecocks, on the other 1 having one of those "if" seasons. If avoided late interceptions against and Nebraska and three missed fi against Virginia lech, its record w bably be 5-2 instead of 2-4-1. Despite the better record, Sherid; USC will give the Wolpack a stern < 1 le pointed out his squad has had tre (aining (cams that use (he pass e which is (he Gamecocks' strong sui "We're now las( in the ACC defense, and that really concerns i licular playing an offense the ealil (iamccocks," he said via telephone I JSCs weekly football conference really done very poorly against goc teams and we haven't played a pa? as efficient or effective as South C "Offensively they're the most team we vc faced this year, Shei tinned. " I hey have the most diffici to defense. I think they've steadily as I odd l .llis has gained confidei new system. South Carolina's a everybody realizes could have a record." Peerless p> S;?y it ain't so, Joe. By virtue of public outcry, thi been forced to release Ins pigskin | lor I Ins week's games. Some of you may have been wonc pened to I he Gamecock '.v weekly appeared on a regular basis last fa locked in a secret vault ever since I ( people were making money off exper lise. hut alter months ol arguing, I when (iamecock supporters threat* leather me if I didn't tell who was ] 11S( N.( State game. I hey said i pigskin prognosticator, didn't rel they'd slap a lawsuit on me faster I Paul Perkins. Willi that kind of nressnre st;irini I decided discretion was the bettei ( I ranslatcd, J his is r?y f irst week 01 Kukoff page and I wanted to maki So without tUrther ado, let's g( lineup: llorida State at Miami ? Ho renowned for taking the Serninoles knocking off favored opponents, tells rne Morula State is looking week's clash with IJSC instead of c Vinny festaverde and the Hurriai contest . . . Miami 3H, llorida Sta renn State at West Virginia ? I closer than most people think, hut fust horn child on the Mountainec has his troops geared up for a p I losing in yards and 26 pass completions. j And he's closing in on several season passing records with four games still left on the schedule. It is conceivable Ellis will break two of Tommy Suggs' school passing records in the game with the Wolfpack. He needs only seven more completions to break the old mark of 136 and just 64 yards to break the record of 2,030 yards, both set in a single season. "He's settled down a lot, and he's really throwing strikes," said Gamecock junior Sterling Sharpe. The wingback has been the prime beneficiary of Ellis' success, with 671 yards and six touchdowns on 48 catches (third in the nation). "He is showing a lot of confidence in the offensive line blocking and in the receivers running their routes," Sharpe said. Ellis isn't holding back any praise for his talented corps of receivers, either. "A lot of cnmnlftioiK tr? receivers besides the ones I have wouldn't be touchdowns," Ellis said. More touchdowns mean less pressure on USC's Fire Ant defense, which likes to gamble and go for the big plays. "I like it (Ellis' improvement) from a defensive standpoint because he's not turning the ball over," said linebacker Matt McKcrnan. Fans' expectations sometimes get too big for anyone to live up f r\ TKit 11 m A thofonc turf V* cwl * /a iw. ill.? IIIIIV, I I I v IUIIO J ll.Tl IIC1U IVi wait a few weeks. use had MWBB Cicorgia icld goals ould proTodd Ellis throws a pass in I an believe challenge. mble con- The Gamecocks arc c ffcctively, pressive offensive showinj t. Homecoming victory aga in total Eillis and backup Pat I is, in par- throw for five touchdowr 3er of the defense held the Pirates t hookup at . "We've But history indicates i \rl n?C(^ino /'nni^/niAn^p u/linn tn;. /m vv/iiovvjuviivc nnvii mv. i rv < ising team years ago the Wolfpack t arolina. down to the wire before 1c explosive year a 75-yard touchdow idan con- final two minutes gave jit offense decision against USC in < improved "In my three seasons nee in the had any more exciting g team that with North Carolina Sta different "The last two are good citcment. Both teams arc IV igsKin prog\ s columnist has prognostications predictions that jt? II. They've been finally relented gg^if I L'ned to tar and 111? going to win the f I, the peerless ________???_?, ease my picks, than I could say championship me* I me in the face, f iesta or Citrus B< r part of valor. one after five strai] n the job on the Perm State 24, Wc c some picks). Auburn ut Flori > to this week's ol college lootbal year. Auburn has bby How den is of Heisman Troph 011 the road and pect anything to Hut something Auburn 35, F lorid ahead to next Texas A&M ut ? oncentrating on Southwest Confer mcs. It'll be no Georgia. The farr ite 17. Aggies have come his gamt will be in their opener witl don't bet your but look for Texa trv Joe Paterno Texas A&M 41, SI ossible national Southern Cnl a on all-time THE ELLI: Opponent Com. Ai Miami 18 3 Virginia 12 2 W. Carolina 16 2 Georgia 21 3 Nebraska 26* 3 VPI 20 3 E. Carolina 17 2 Totals 130 21 * denotes USC record I'lilil III 'HiliiiniiMliHiWmMH I IH'MI'HWH'I IWIII'MI - * ^vfe* " J " ' THOMAS I JSC's 3B 3 Homecoming victory against East Carolina oming off ail im- to the very end. 1 t ea11 > i in last week's 38-3 same this time." inst Hast Carolina. Morrison also showed urncr combined to job Sheridan has done i i passes, and USC's Wolfpack program earli o just a field goal. "Coach Sheridan anc M Mnrritm records arc of little have their team playing o schools meet. Two up with some awfully in ook the Gamecocks "I expect Saturday's I )sing 35-28. And last passing afternoon with n pass in the game's Kramer throwing tin N.C. State a 24-17 "However, both teams Columbia. and it appears that we : we've probably not provcment on defense, ames than the ones down to the wire, like tl te," Morrison said. Kickoff lor the game examples of the ex- Saturday at Carter-l ink always in the game will not be televised. losticator pick jhf JOHN BOYETTE'S pEARLESS eting with Miami in either the unknown u owl. West Virginia is due to win and the pr< gilt losses, but not this week . . . probably hi ;st Virginia 13. we don't sc da ? The Gators have been one Anyway, tl i s mggesi disappointments mis Keep on ro continued to roll despite the loss . . . South ly winner Bo Jackson. Don't ex- Richinon change for either team . . . 'Dogs, I a a 23. picking the iouthern Methodist ? This is the pick a tean ence's version of Clemson vs. isn't as sha ners against the Had Boys. The trouble hail on strong after being ambushed mond 14. h LSU. SMU has been surprising, Duke at i s A&M to keep on rolling . . . the intellec VIU 31. these two / t Arizona ? F or some rertson roundboll t USC passing L .X S FILE It. Yds. TDs Int. 8 227 2 4 7 155 0 2 JPP 4 245 2 1 2P^r 1 342 3 4 pc^g| 8 286 1 1 6 394* 2 1 ' 3 318 4 1 !fg| ; 17 1967 14 14 M USC quarterbai '?*3? Carolina I IJSC holds a slim 2.1-2 R lead in games played agai "4 IfL N.C. Stale. I lie two scIki c lirst met in 19(H> with Ciamccoeks posting a 12-0 > M in Columbia and a 17-5 deeis in Raleigh. Wolfpaek in panics played JSSsSm ^ N.C. State leads *14-6-3 in ! meetings in Raleigh. I (iamecocks have won six ol jpSU k last 10 meetings. N.C. Stale _ , J?j\ ? ?T/ a won fout in a row f rom S3W* (iamecocks on two occasic while US( has taken il ._ / - straight several times. HUMPHREY/The Gamecock last weak. Mixed succes: I ICV Iww .... Im.uwI . i expect more ot the w,v M,,> u,JunAI ^ cess in games against le.i some respect lor the coached by Dick Shetidan. I since taking over the <?amccocks beat his I urn er this year team 45-10 in 14>7K. but I J his staff arc to be 28-23 to the Paladins in i said. "They really Sheridan has close ties well. They've come US(' ,k* graduated lio.n li upressive victories. 1,1 '964 and received rootball game to be a ".aster's degree from USC I odd Hllis and Hric 1969. He has coached at sevi . . i.;..i. . ..iww.i, ? i I* ball llC StilCl iwv.cn m^ii uuuun, iiiliuu can run the football Airport, Orange bin ire both showing im- Wilkinson and i-.au < laiie. This one could go Sheridan was an assist liose in the past." coach at l urman trom 197. is set for 12:15 p.m. 1977 until he took over the h y Stadium. The game at 'Orcenvillc schoo 5 Gamecocks o more in ten Man lam I el ty I)ri< couching cl However, hum anol forecast i ),;,s t() p|;,y ed lhem ai (hut vsill si I*veil again had a team South ( the one v< ? anyone hut myself, I am one of the few and the ' >ud who actually like the Trojans. It's inemoiahli realise my roommate can't stand them; tost should e eye to-eye when it comes to loot hall. ed against le pick here is that the other IJS( will Howl, hut tiling, hilt not without sonic ilitliculty look lot I crn C'al 2H, Arizona 24. I v. Dick SI d ut (Georgia ? As much as I dislike (lie he can yet wi't sec blowing my per feci iccortl by I ' S( .1H, |s F ighting Spiders. How the heck can you I his she l with that kind of nickname? (icorgia campus w\ rp as in years past, hut they'll have no lusi temci dling the Spiders . . . (icorgia 49, Rich pick some win the Sn '*eorgiu Tech ? This one could he called I Innk a tual howl. Instead of playing loothall, \CC lightweights should break out the John H< ind play some hoops. It would be a lot editor of I I records * ** * jfl t ; JENNIFER STEIBfTh* QmtcocV :k Todd Ellis leads series ? I i NOTES 1 .vin ion I????????????J I97K. He resigned lo lake the I he head position at N.C. State last in season alter guiding the ikI, I'aladins to the finals ot the the Division l-AA nlavolls. rhe ? l has Tough schedule USC's opponents this season 11 have posted a combined record ol 5.V27-3, good lor a 66.9 winning percentage, 'through the g litst eight weeks six of the Gamecocks' 1 1 opponents have been or are currently ranked in nc- the nation's lop 20. It's no mis wonder l)S( "s schedule was ) I he lankeil lomth toughest in the lan nation a week ago. lost ; Injury report Ins in l or the first time this season, :ral the (iainecocks' roster does not ling appeal to he hit hard by inrg juiies. Only two players, delen- ; sive ends Willie Mclntee and ant ( uttis Kilgore, ate questionable \ to loi Saturday's contest. f..clntee ^ ead has a sprained left ankle and ? r I in Kilgote has a sprained left knee. ver Tack sling . . . (ieorgia I ccli 31, Duke 7. >1 al North (arolina ? Rurnoi lias it that . sell will make his college football . cbiii iMis Saluiclay al Kenan Stadium. ' not even old haldy can save I lie lerps | hci dcleat Norlli (aiolina 24, | ( | 14. ' al Wake Forest ? I pity ilic (cam that \ the I igers after the way N.( '. State kick- !; ouiul last week IJnloitunaiely, tlie team ) Littci litis week is the Demon Deacons. isi a soli schedule, the ligers aren't that ! i . ( lemson IS, Wake I orest 10. ; urolina at Norlli C arolina State ? I his is > ni've been waiting lor. The (iamecocks > Woltpack have hooked up lor some *! contests in ycais past, and the 1986 conhe no dil lerent. I'll admit I haven't pick the (iamecocks since the 1980 Ciator ,? this is one i really believe IJSC will win. . ) Mis, Sharpc, el al, to pass N.( . State sil- | lieiidan's a line man, but thete's no way ] Ins troops up loi another big game ... J.( State 24. ^ ,.ii ,.i . i i, i. ? * 'tiivi * i?i y (ill ui iiu | m v. r. 11 vi y iaii> wu , t<> iv.'c1 advice in these kinds of matters. * unci "'ill ilie last time I had the urge to too*'nail games, I picked New Ingland to ' iper Bowl and IJS( to go (> ?. in I98S. \ houl it. >\rtte i s munuKiHK editor and Kick off he Ciameeock. 0 I