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t '*? * to "**" , ' <" Gamecock Patrick Hinton tries to record a sack in this pas ? II2 PUT %UNu1 AN ENDTO YOUR %( DEADLY ^^^^OjMaintenance HAB^ 2 ;t season's match with Georgia. file photo JJ3H 1MB : STUDENTS... WfM TAN safe noNTHj^fe 1215 Augusta Rd. T1.ITE.D ^St- W. Columbia .95 If 7948267 ^ \ wlv \ SYSTEm J Across Gervais St. Bridge Leta Tau Alpha O has rci)n The * "5., Ultimate iter!. A t t LOC&1CSI ve ^Pirit of ^ the way! Carolina USC, Hinto for Pirates By DAVID CARAVIELLO Staff Writer On a cool October night this past season in Raieign, N.c., Patnck Hinton stepped out of the trenches and into the limelight. The Atlanta native picked off three N.C. State passes, ran one back for an 83-yard touchdown, and was named player of the game in front of a national television audience. Not bad for a sophomore linebacker. "I was playing a lot of positions at that time, which kind of had me out of sync," Hinton, now a junior, modestly said Wednesday. "In that (last year's) defense, I was playing a little bit of everything, a little safety, linebacker, end ? a lot of things. That game changed everything a little bit, but not much." A year later, Hinton finds himself an integral part of an often-maligned Gamecock defense, on a team some people doomed to failure before the season had even started. At least it seemed that way until this past week's upset at Georgia. "I think it's been a matter of us coming together," Hinton said of the defensive effort in Athens. "There's no doubt we have good athletes on our team, and there's no doubt we can play better than some of the teams we've played on our schedule ... "I don't think we should have tied I GAME RAIN PONCI DUCK HE. \g}/ KHAKI PA ?fOUP AT GROUMHEY'RE V OPEN' TIL 2 AJt Ja ^fsc o traF "All ABC Regulations _ ^ Enforced" 2107 Gr n ready offense Virginia Tech, but we weren't as good a defense back then. But now, we're coming together, we've alleviated most of the mistakes that were killing us in the earlier part of the season, aria i mm* now were mictiiy oumiuy together and playing good defense." Hinton believes the win between the hedges at Georgia was just what the Gamecocks needed. "It gave us a little national attention," Hinton said. "We also got a couple of votes in the Top 20 poll, but as far as bowls go, it's too early to tell." Although the coaching staff is uptight over a possible letdown after the big Georgia win, Hinton says the players seem pretty confident. weve beaten Georgia, so now we've got to keep everybody levelheaded and say hey, East Carolina can come in here and beat us if we don't practice hard ... The coaches, they don't want a letdown, but as far as the players are concerned, they're all fired up and ready to play. I don't think there's going to be a letdown by any means." "The players see it (homecoming) as a big day for everybody... I think it's a matter of respect. Another team coming in and beating you on your homecoming shows a lack of respect on their part. I think the guys take it as a big respect game, saying this is our homecoming and nobody's going to beat us." ros $2.98 AT I -i=y NTS BookBags Ther^ lock and ^ eene St. gt-h?