The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, September 06, 2002, Page 8, Image 8
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8 THE GAMECOCK ♦ Friday, September 6, 2002
GAME SCHEDULE
EN’S SOCCER vs. N.C. State in Durham, N.C., 5 p,m. Friday
CONTACT US VOLLEYBALL vs. Arizona State, 7 p.m. Friday
WOMEN’S SOCCER at Charlotte, 7:30 p.m. Friday
Story ideas? Questions? Comments? FOOTBALL at Virginia, 7:45 p.m. Saturday
E-mail us at gamecocksports@hotmail.com VOLLEYBALL vs. Creighton, 10 a.m. Saturday
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GAMECOCKS HIT THE ROAD
PHOTO B*CANDI HAUGLUM/THE GAMECOCK
The USC defense barely got to New Mexico State quarterback Buck Pierce last Saturday in the season opener. The
Gamecocks hope to do a better job of putting pressure on the quarterback when it plays Virginia on Saturday.
Looking tor answers
USC defense needs to show improvement at Virginia
No. 19 USC at Virginia
7:45 p.m. Saturday
Scott Stadium
TV: ESPN
BY NICK YOUNG
THE OAIIECOCK
The USC football team, ranked 19th in the
ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Poll and 22nd by
the Associated Press, has a 21-11-1 all-time
record against Virginia, its opponent
Saturday night.
But most fans know that history is mean
ingless in the world of college football, and
many folks in Columbia are worried about
the Virginia game after last weekend’s shaky
season opener against New Mexico State.
The one person that voices the most con
cern is head coach Lou Holtz.
“The University of Virginia is very tal
ented and returned 13 starters from last
year,” Holtz said. “They have some out
standing young players they are playing, and
they will just get better.”
The Gamecocks (1-0) have spent a week of
practice working predominately on their de
fense, which was burned for 419 yards of total
offense last Saturday. New Mexico State
gained 212 yards on the ground and 207
through the air.
“Our defensive backs didn’t play with
much confidence, and at times, they weren’t
in the same ZIP code as the receivers,” Holtz
said. “We had some people play well on de
fense, but we didn’t contain the perimeter,
we didn’t cover the pass, and we got hurt
when the quarterback scrambled.”
Those problems have Holtz worried about
the Cavaliers’ offensive weapons.
“They have a great receiver in Billy
McMullen and two very talented quarter
backs,” Holtz said. “Matt Schaub is a picture
perfect pro-style quarterback, tall, strong and
accurate. Marques Hagans is very fast. I’m
sure we will see both of them, and we have had
problems against both type of quarterbacks. ”
To correct the problems of last Saturday’s
game, the coaching staff will look to change
some personnel and switch players around.
Few players are ensured the same starting
spot as last weekend. Holtz said the only play
ers that don’t have to worry are defensive
tackle Langston Moore,
I-——i linebacker Lance Laury and
spur Jonathan Martin.
Holtz has also been work
ing heavily with the corner
backs this week.
“I coached the secondary
all mv lifp ” Hnlt7 saiH
“Dunta Robinson has had a
Robinson good week of practice. Taqiy
Muhammad and Rachiem
Moore have also improved. Gonzie Gray and
Andrea Gause have been working at corner
back this week.
“We have such an acute need at corner.
We have had problems on the perimeter and
we need to get that corrected.”
With a full week of practice, the
Gamecocks defense hopes to return to its
form of last season, when it was third in the
SEC in total defense.
Despite having trouble last weekend
against an Aggies team that it was heavily
“We had some people play well
on defense, but we didn’t
contain the perimeter, we didn’t
cover the pass, and we got hurt
when the quarterback
scrambled.”
LOU HOLTZ
use FOOTBALL HEAD COACH, ABOUT USC’S GAME AGAINST NEW
MEXICO STATE LAST SATURDAY
At *»'
favored against, the Gamecocks still had
many positives in the 34-24 victory.
The offense showed promise and was very
successful against the Aggies’ defense.
Senior quarterback Corey Jenkins rushed
for 113 yards and passed for 166. Running
back Andrew Pinnock bulldozed his way to
95 yards and looks to be recovered from an
earlier injury. The offensive line held strong
and paved the way for 419 total yards of of
fense. Holtz said that receivers Matthew
Thomas, James Adkisson, and Michael Ages
played well.
Virginia is 0-2, with losses to Colorado
State and Florida State, and the Cavaliers
should be out for blood and hungry for their
first win. But like the Gamecocks, Virginia
has many questions about its defense, espe
cially against the run. The Cavaliers gave
up 397 yards rushing to Florida State last
Saturday.
Both defenses will get a shot at redemp
tion in front of a national television audi
ence. Saturday night’s game, which will be
played at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville,
Va„ will be televised on ESPN at 7:45 p.m.
Comments on this story?E-mail
gamecocksports@hotmail.com
Hoops star
Parker on way
toColumbia
After dsmissal
from hntucky,
forwari decides
to playfor USC
BY MATT RCHENBERG
THE GAMECOCK
Just days air being dismissed
from the Univsity of Kentucky
men’s basketbl program, Jason
Parker has fold a new home in
Columbia witlhe Gamecocks.
Parker, a 6 power forward
from CharlotteM.C., announced
Thursday his i.ention to trans
fer to USC.
In line wii
mvision i pouc,
Parker must s
out the entire 20C
03 season. But 1
can still practic
with the team, an
he’ll have tw
years oi eiigiDim;
starting in th< Pa|,ker
2003-04 season.
The only word <t of Kentucky
is that Parker W5 discharged
Friday for “violatg departmen
tal policy,” someiing he is re
morseful for.
“I regret my ations at the
University of Kenfcky, but I am
ready to put thabehind me,”
Parker said. “I’m xited about
coming to Carolinawhere I plan
to finish my degree id hopefully
have a positive impk on this bas
ketball program. ”
In 2000-01, his freanan year at
Kentucky, Parker /eraged 8.6
points and 4.7 reboids en route
to being named to te SEC All
Freshman team. T1 following
year, he tore the anteor cruciate
ligament in his rightnee on two
separate occasions ad was red
shirted.
Before playing for the Wildcats,
Parker was named a Parade High
School All-American at West
Charlotte High School. He also
spent a year at Fork Union
Military Academy in Virginia
when he was declared academi
cally ineligible to play at North
Carolina.
While in high school, USC head
coach Dave Odom scouted Parker,
leading to a bond that brought the
athlete to Carolina.
Odom was also Parker’s coach
on the 1999 USA Junior World
Team that won a silver medal in
Portugal.
“Over the past several years,
I’ve established what I believe is
a responsible relationship with
Jason,” Odom said. “We recruited
him out of high school when I was
at Wake Forest, and I believe I
know him pretty well.
“Both he and his family have
been extremely forthright con
cerning his recent situation at
Kentucky, and I believe our pro
gram will be a good fit for him, and
vice versa.”
Parker’s father, Jesse, told the
Lexington Herald-Leader that sev
eral junior colleges and Division
II programs contacted them, but
in the end, his decision brought
him to USC.
“I did have other schools ex
press an interest in me, but my 1
family and I wanted to come to
South Carolina and play for Coach
Odom,” Parker said.
Odom is equally as pleased to
have his new “recruit” joining the
team.
“Over the past several days,
Jason has had many options made
available to him,” Odom said. “His
family is confident'that this is the
best place for him, and I couldn’t
agree more.”
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecocksports@hotmail.com
PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK
Berna Dwyer, Niece Cur, Megan Hosp (No. 14) and the rest of
the USC volleyball teanwill play host to the Carolina Classic
this weekend. The Gameocks won the last Classic in 2000.
Caroliia Classic
will begin Friday
di nuDin nunm. \
THE GAMECOCK i
1
Carolina’s volleyball tun \
comes home this weekend forts <
first action at the Volleytll i
Competition Facility this seasa.
The Gamecocks will play hit <
to the 20th Carolina Classic wh ;
one of the toughest fields of coi- ;
petition ever. Arizona Stat, 1
Creighton and No. 13 Pacific joi i
the Gamecocks in the event.
USC has a history of playin i
well in the Classic, especially ur i
der head coach Kim Christopher ;
Under her direction, thi
Gamecocks have gone 22-4 in thr 1
event, and they took home the tro- (
phy in 2000. Last year’s Classic i
was canceled due to the events of
Sept. 11. :
Tournament play begins Friday ^
at 4 p.m., when Creighton plays i
Pacific. USC will play its first game 1
at 7 p.m. Friday against Arizona
State. i(
Games continue on Saturday 1
mui oai onna piaying weigmuu
110 a.m., Arizona State playing
’acific at 12:30 p.m, Creighton
laying Arizona State at 5:30 p.m.,
nd USC playing Pacific at 7:30
i.m.
Against Arizona State, the
lamecocks will look to take the
11-time advantage in the series,
,s both teams have won one of
heir past meetings. USC won the
aost recent meeting in 1998,3-2.
The Sun Devils bring an expe
ienced team from the Pac-10 that
eturns all six starters from last
ear’s squad.
The Creighton Blue Jays come
rom the tough Missouri Valley
Conference for their first meeting
vith the Gamecocks. '
Sophomore Ashley Williams
tarred for the Blue Jays last
veekend in their season opener
vith Kansas, as she had 11 kills to
ead the team.
In the.{oumament’s final game,
► PREVIEW, SEE PAGE 9
Who has the edge?
No. 19 USC (1-0) at Virginia (0-2)
1ICP. ADVANTAGE:
USC s pass against the Virginia defense:
Virginia's secondary is experienced; all four starters played last season. That could cause trouble for USC QB
Corey Jenkins, who struggled against New Mexico State throwing the ball, especially in the first half. Jenkins
had a touchdown pass, but the jury is still out on his ability to make teams pay with his arm.
USC's rush against the Virginia defense:
Florida State rushed for 397 yards last Saturday against the Cavaliers. That should have the Gamecocks
licking their chops. The USC ground game, led by Jenkins and FB Andrew Pinnock, was in midseason form
against New Mexico State. Jenkins rushed for a game-high 113 yards, and Pinnock added 95.
Virginia s pass against tne ust oerense:
USC head coach Lou Holtz was upset with how loose his secondary played against NMSU. He spent all week
in practice trying to remedy that problem. Luckily tor USC, the Cavalier offense hasn’t shown to be a
consistent passing threat, with QBs Matt Schaub and Marques Hagans sharing playing time.
Virginia's rush against the USC defense:
The Gamecocks couldn’t stop NMSU’s option attack, and that’s the same type of offense Virginia likes to run.
Hagans’ style is very similar to Michael Vick, and if he sees a lot of snaps, he’ll make USC pay more than
Buck Pierce did last week with the Aggies.
Intangibles:
Both teams will be pumped to play a nationally televised game. While USC has more experience and overall
talent, it should be offset by a rabid home crowd at a renovated Scott Stadium. Both head coaches - Holtz
and Al Groh - are master motivators who shouldn’t have any problems getting their teams up for the game.
4 —* COMPILED BY KYLE ALMOND AND MATT ROTJ^ENBERG , .