Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Quote of the Week: "Last year's team showed great improvement in February and at the SEC Tournament and we look forward to building on that momentum" Eddie Fogler, USC men's basketball coach _.„ Ihc Gamtack ^ Sean Ravford Sports Photo Editor USC junior quarterback Phil Petty attempts a pass during the 2000 spring game. A • •* "A Anxious moments ahead for Gamecock football by Pete Iacobelli Associated Press South Carolina football coach Lou Holtz has a few anxious moments ahead this summer. He hasn’t gotten official word from summer session grades yet, but “I have an eerie feeling a couple of athletes did n’t perform up to their potential,” Holtz said on his Website, Coach Holtz.com. Athletic department spokesman Ker ry Tharp said Tuesday that grade reports wouldn’t be out until the end of July. “While this is disappointing, let me reiterate that we don’t have the final grades, so hopefully, I am wrong,” Holtz said. Any aaomonai losses, academically or by injury, could cripple the Game cocks, who have dropped 21 straight games — the longest streak in the nation —and who Holtz said need a shot of con fidence to turn them around. There have been some discouraging signs already: — Massive lineman Kevin Rivers, an all-Southeastem Conference freshman two seasons ago, was penciled in as an an chor to the offensive line. But he was lost to grades in January. — Linebacker Dan Gawronski, who Holtz continually praised last season as a player to watch, left the program after a run-in with campus police. — A new-style defense that South Carolina worked on this past spring was scrapped after Holtz said it confused some players. All is not doom-and-gloom for Holtz, however. He said one preseason magazine fist ed the top 310 players in college football and not one player from South Carolina was mentioned. Another Holtz read did not include a Gamecock on its project ed first and second all-SEC teams. “If you listen to the experts, USC has no chance,” he said. “I don’t believe this, and I don’t think our players do ei ther.” nouz, starting ms secona season, saia if the Gamecocks get a defense this year that resembles the one that last year ranked among the country’s 20 best, and get improved play from their offense and special teams, “we can be a factor in the SEC sooner than the experts think.” “I have a lot of reasons to believe this may happen this year,” he said. Holtz was pleased that many new comers, including quarterbacks Dondr ial Pinkins and Rod Wilson, were on cam pus and working out. Later this month, South Carolina should know if junior college transfer Jar rod Reese, who had once played quar terback at Oklahoma, will make the team academically. Holtz said coaches can send Reese the Gamecocks playbook and vis it him one-on-one, but “what is most im portant at this time is for Jarrod Reese to gain his eligibility.” The practice field has lights so the Gamecocks can escape brutal workouts in South Carolina’s 100-degree temper atures. The team will report to fall prac tice in August. And Holtz thinKs the defense, despite losing several key performers like line man John Abraham and defensive backs Arturo Freeman and Ray Green, can match last season’s performance, which he said was “truly amazing” considering how poorly the offense played. South Carolina scored only 87 points "last season. Holtz said the season, which starts Sept. 2 against New Mexico State, will be an uphill struggle. “I personally think we have a chance to be successful,” he says. “It may not be as good as Ralph Nad er’s chance to be President, but we do have a chance.” Fogler stays put at USC Sean Rayford Sports Photo Editor On July 7 Eddie Fogler took himself out of the running for the head coach opening at the University of North Carolina. Fogler became a leading can didate after Kansas head coach Roy Williams declined the position to coach the Tarheels. USC Sports Information University of South Carolina men' head basketball coach Eddie Fogler an nounced on July 7 that he has withdraw! his name from consideration for the men' head basketball coaching position at thi University of North Carolina. “Although I had one preliminary dis cussion with (North Carolina Athletic Director) Dick Baddour, the timing i not right for me to continue any fur ther discussions with the university,’ Fogler said. “North Carolina has the pre mier basketball program in the countr and I was honored to have this discus sion with them, but I know there are oth er outstanding candidates out there fo the head coaching position at UNC.’ USC Athletics Director Mike McGe< had this to say about Fogler's decision t( remain with the Gamecocks: “Obvious ly, we are pleased that Coach Fogler wil remain as South Carolina’s head coach We look forward to continuing our bas ketball program's development unde Coach Fogler and expect to have a sue cessful program under his leadership.’ Bouknight named SEC male athlete of the year use Sports Information South Carolina pitcher Kip Bouknight earned another award Mon day when he was named the Male Ath lete of the Year in the Southeastern Conference. The junior finished the 2000 sea son with a record of 17-1 with a 2.81 ERA and 143 strikeouts in 144 in nings while leading the Gamecocks to a school record 56 wins and the pro gram's first ever SEC Championship Bouknight was previously name the SEC Player of the Year, and was chc sen National Player of the Year by Co! legiate Baseball Newspaper, The Amei ican Baseball Coaches Association an the Rotary Club of Houston, Texa; This is the second time a Game cock athlete has been named SEC Atf lete of the Year, as softball pitcher Trir ity Johnson was chosen Female Athlet of the Year in 1997. j Check out GamecockCentral.com for message boards j chat rooms, football, baseball, basketball, and morelj