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1993 full The roller-coaster """" ride that was the 1992 H Gamecock football season ended in an d upbeat fashion, leaving I everyone optimistic about next year and the W': years to come. This off-season has been one of many fond memories and future K speculation for q q Gamecock tans, the football team experienced one of the most unbelie1 able seasons in recent history. T1 Gamecocks lost their first fi\ games, including several lopsidt contests to the likes of Georgi Arkansas and Alabama. During this stretch, tf Gamecocks lost their startin senior quarterback, Wrigl Mitchell, who quit the team. Whi riding the crest of what woul become the nation's longest losir streak at that time, the team unde went their infamous player revol Emotions were high, and so wt the confusion as to what actual took place. The only certain thing was th a sizable percentage of the playe were unhappy with the directic the team was headed and asked fi the removal of their coach, Sparl Woods. South Carolina's he2 LI ML 11 1SMJCU till uuuiiaiuui lvJl u players to return to practice reac to listen to him and his staff. T1 players did return, and, apparentl Woods said and did the rigl things. The Gamecocks came out th Wofa MUF STRUTS COMPUTE AMERICA 2701 Millwood Ave... (Across from ETV) 700 Bush River Rd.... (Next to Shoney's) Ca j *See Warranty Terms In Shop of expectatii week and defeated 1 5 t h r a n k e d Mississippi State at Williams-Brice Stadium under a national media microscope. That win began the upward turn for the rest of the season, and it E V ' N also began die deluge ) U L T E R ?f Steve Taneyhill hype. Every day, the papers ran stories ..u:11'r> u^ v- auuui i diicliiii a u/ng nan anu ie earrings and even more stories 'e about how his teammates wouldn't id care if he wore a dress, a, At any rate, this freshman was providing the young Gamecock ie football team with the confidence ig and enthusiasm they had lacked it earlier in the year. With Taneyhill le at the helm, South Caroina find ished the year with five wins in ig their last six games, losing only to r- Florida in Gainesville by a very It. close 14-9 score, is Perhaps the most exciting game ly of the year was the home game against Tennessee, which the at Gamecocks won on a game-saving rs tackle by Hank Campbell that pre>n vented a successful two-point Conor version in the closing seconds. :y That game also saw the birth of id what could be a tradition at ie Williams-Brice Stadium, cup toss ly ing. le The last game of the season was y, the annual Carolina-Clemson it game that had been dominated by the Tigers in recent years. Fan at anticipation and emotion were if Beats FLERS BRAKES SHOCKS S C.V. JOINTS CATALYTIC CO RIZED WHEEL ALIGNMENT & ^ ASE Certified Mechanics t THE MIDAS MUFFLER We Ha THE MIDAS GUARANTEE* Fc M THE MIDAS PRICE Quality At j V FREE ESTIMATES Call Or Driv N & FOREIGN CAR S ....254-5068 2752 De< (Across iron ....798-6494 812 Elm' (Next to Liz; ^ce: 992 Knox Abbott Dr....79< (Next to Western Steer) ons for Gai very high all week, and vandalism by Carolina supporters to Clemson's campus added another memorable chapter to this storied rivalry. South Carolina went into Death Valley and controlled the game on both sides of the ball. With the victory by the Gamecocks, both teams finished with S-fi rprnnk hnf rhpv mpitnt very different things to each team. Clemson and its fans were devastated with die reality of the losing season that the Cocks had sealed for them. South Caroina's season, on the other hand, seemed to be ending in a bowl-game atmosphere that no one wanted to end. With the addition of a solid recruiting class, providing players at needed positions, next season promises to be one of the most successful in some time. The team will lose only five starters, fewer than any other SEC school. And what is particularly exciting about the second-half performance of the football team is that the success wasn't achieved on Taneyhill's shoulders alone. A running game that had been unproductive in the first half of the year began to put up impressive numbers with the introduction of a new offensive scheme during the transitional midway point of the season. Rob DeBoer and Brandon Bennett both benefited from a more diverse attack that began using the tight ends, the screen pass and the draw play more effectively. Both backs seemed to have the uncanny ability to break a big run just when the team needed it. Hidm PRINGS NVERTERS BALANCING ve The Right Muffler For Your Car >r As Long As You Own Your \ Competitive Price e In PFPT A T .TSTS :ker Blvd 788-0613 i Dent School) wood Ave 252-6760 aid's Thicket) >-5794 Midas Muffler Shops mecock foo Mike Reddick displayed pass catching abilities out of the backfield as well as the ability to advance the ball upfield after the catch, and redshirt freshman Joe Troupe has had an impressive spring season to date. The offensive line, where the Gamecocks will feel the biggest loss, were the unsung heroes in this newfound success. Giving Taneyhill pnnnnh limp Ia nocc onH iKp rnnninn viivugii uiiiv. iv pooct cuiu uiv backs holes to run through proved vital in the SEC, which emphasizes strong play along the line of scrimmage. The receiving corps provided big-play capability. The early loss of Don Chaney to the NFL draft will hurt this area of the team, but Asim Penny, Toby Cates and Terrell Harris all showed they have the talent to step up and contribute. With so much attention being given to the offense, the defense could very well be the catalyst for next season's success. This past year saw the defense turn in several impressive performances late in the season. Mississippi State, Florida and Clemson all had trouble moving the ball against South Carolina. Even with the loss of Cedric Bembery at the nose guard position, South Carolina opponents will have a difficult time scoring against what will amount to a very balanced defense. The line will be anchored by u/nok:nninn c..n:..nn VV Cl.Mll ULllWll, L<I IV. OUlIlvail, and David Turnipseed. These young players will be called upon to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks and stop the run. If they can't do this, it could be a very long season for the Gamecocks. They should, however, benefit from having already gained meaningful playing time and knowing they have very talented players behind them to take the pressure off of them. The linebacking core is going to MM tball team bo one of the most talented in the SEC. Eric Brown, Ernest Dixon, Hank Campbell and Chris Rumph all return, having spent time as starters last year. Each one of these players is very solid against the run and have great pass-rushing abilities. The linebackers will have to do both of these things this season to make up for some of the inexperience along the defensive front. In addition, the lack of exceptional ajjccu ci.> a ^iuup is dii aica uiai will have to be addressed. The possible loss of Lawrence Mitchell to another knee injury would deprive the Gamecocks of a gifted athlete, but, fortunately, the Gamecocks are as deep at this position as any other. The secondary, the self-proclaimed "Lynch Mob," will feature a group of players as talented as they are self-confident. They like to challenge opponents and play an extremely aggressive style of football. This group, comprised by the likes of Frank Adams, Jerry Inman, Tony Watkins, Norman Greene and Ron Nealy, prides itself on being around the ball every play. All have exceptional speed and like to play very tight coverage when possible. If last year's improvement during the season is an indication of what the secondary can do on a regular .AllAmerican, but had struggled until he eventually hit his stride late in the year. Simpson will have to hit on a more consistent basis for the Gamecocks this year. The demanding schedule the Gamecocks are going to play surely means that at least several games are going to be decided by a field goal or less. The punting duties also fell into Simpson's hands, and he has proved more than adequate. Simpson's strong leg put opponents in bad field position many times.