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? nmuun Woods c By ANDREW BORGERT and NANCY SALOMONSKY Staff Writers For most people summer vacation is a time to rest and relax, but for head football coach Sparky r Woods it has been business as usual as he prepares for the upcoming season. Last season's player revolt caused Woods to re-evaluate his coaching strategy. "We have set aside time for conversation with the players and to get the input of the players. It seems like last year, when we were losing, everyone was trying harder and harder to try and come up with a way to win, and less time talking," Woods said. | The coaching staff has also set up a player committee to give team input to the decision-making process. The players select the member of the committee, and they meet with the coaches every so often. "We meet to talk about policy, gripes and things that they are concerned about," Woods said. Talking with and listening to the players seems to be a key in keep ing the relationship strong between coach and athlete. ^ "I think that I have always been honest and straight forward," W/aaHp n <4 a KniTrt nl..>/\nn vv uuus aaiu. yy t nave aiwiip - allowed the players to give input. Players decide on the uniforms and . lots of things that they are probably not able to do at other schools. "We have an open-door policy. We require the players to come in once a semester, we actually set up a 15- to 20-minute meeting with the player one on one. During that , time, I ask them what can I do to help them, and I ask them what they can tell me to be a better | coach. They are pretty honest, so that is helpful." During the off-season, Woods , likes to remain in contact with his . players, making sure they stick to their fitness program. "We give them a written program, and we ask them to fill out , progress cards that we send to them. We also communicate week) ly with a letter in terms of what is Ni J&HE Ml PR( > jrL .( 1 '' PURPOSI THE U.S. GOOD SSCHOLA autious, < going on," Woods said. Ending last season 5-1 created a sense of enthusiasm Woods hopes will carry over to this season. "There's a lull in there, but I tninK tne anticipation tor me rail is good," Woods said. "It's going to be fun and like everything else, it's at a higher pitch this time of year than it has been since I've been here, but it will continue to raise as it gets closer to August." "I think the anticipation for the fall is good. It's going to be fun and like everything else, it's at a higher pitch this time of year than it has been since I've been here." Sparky Woods USC Head Football Coach TV.^ U? U? J nit vjainttutivs uavc nau ictciii academic problems resulting in the loss of Lawrence Mitchell, Tony Law and Kyle Cloyd. "I think that the only thing worse than losing a game is losing an athlete," Woods said."I think that they need to be in school and need to graduate. That is most disappointing overall. I think that apparently there was a wake-up call from first semester to second semester because, although we lost those, AW 10TC junnivi E: TO PRODUCE NAVY OR MARK rARTING SALAR RSHIPS AVAILAE -ALL TUITIO ?PLUS $ 10C N^j 3ptimisti< overall the team did much better in school." A major bonus for Carolina this fall is the return of senior fullback Rob DeBoer, who was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this summer. A smile appeared on Woods' face as he talked about Deboer. "Rob is a real special young man," Woods said. He is a very unselfish young man who is devoted to cause and to his team. "He is probably the ultimate team player." With Brandon Bennett, DeBoer and Steve Taneyhill returning in the backfield, the Gamecocks' main concern will be their protection on the offensive line. "I think that is the biggest challenge we have," Woods said. "We were depleted more there through graduation than any other area. The Southeastern Conference is a physical league that is played on the line of scrimmage." Taneyhill, the spark plug of the Gamecock offense, will have to overcome the pressure of living up to high expectations. "Steve grew up in a coach's' home," Woods said. "He should probably be more aware, or have an understanding, of how things like that happen. I think what happens with the sophomore jinx, it's not that the players do worse, it's that the expectations are higher. "t think that Steve's challenge is going to be that a lot is going to be expected of him from the outside, and that the team is expecting him to be a really fine quarterback." Woods remains cautious when discussing his team's potential. High preseason rankings can easily be offset by a difficult schedule. "We set our goals high," Woods said. "I believe that we are going to go to Georgia, and we will be an obvious underdog. But if something happens, and we don't win in Georgia, then the most disappointed neonle of all will be the nlavers. We have all the intentions of winning in Georgia. If we beat Georgia, then we can become a challenger for the conference." 7M 1! WELL-TRAINFn slE CORPS. GUAF Y. 5LE, PAYS: N -ALL BO< 1.00 A MONTH CZZH - -1 L : apour upc **< Ilf . ^?t'*!T**** my ^00000!m* saSK' ... ! ^ Jli^111 JSI Jfl 1993 Gamecocl Sent. 4 at ("renrcri Sept. 11 ! at Arkans Sept. 18 ! LOUISA Sept. 23 t KENTUC Oct. 2 \ ALABAP xHomecon Oct. 8 Cockiest Oct. 9 EAST C/ Oct. 16 at Missis.' Oct. 23 VANDEF Oct. 30 at Tennes Nov. 13 FLORID, Nov. 20 CLEMSC ARfih jp^^oflHjJpir. fmg&s iyS. w L LJP^HkNLBWR HC9 EDUCATED OFFICEF WNTEED EXCITING . 3KS -ALL FEE SUBSISTENCE PA CONTACT: LT. McKINNEY 203 FLINN HALL 777-4124 oming season m MJ ^W ^ L* ? ^8 .^H BT\ '7 ; . .jfowy^w ^>v> ^ *0JKr /j fl ilBHRHHHHHHHHHHHHHHBHHHHHHHHHHHHHI Williams-Brice Stadium, home of the USC Gamecocks : Football Schedule a 1 p.m. as 3 p.m. ^.NA TECH 7 p.m. :KY|||^ 8 p.m. HA \ 7 p.m. ling 1993\ \ 7:30 p.m. U*OI IN A \ 1 n m >ippi St. I 7 p.m. tBILT 1 p.m. See Kllfel 1 p.m. 1 p.m. )N 1 p.m. iESc pp < N pM p >y <v | " pp^p ' '% pp .. *%&. ?S TO SERVE IN JOBS WITH A :s Y i