Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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High-powered Tiger offense exposes USC defensive weakness BY STEPHEN DEMEDIS THE GAMECOCK In a game that was supposed to carry a theme of the Hatfields vs. the McCoys or Athens vs. Sparta, an allusion to Germany vs. France in World War II more appropri ately describes Clemson’s 63-17 routing of Carolina. While Clemson put forth a record-setting performance and posted its season high offensively, the Gamecocks did very little in thwarting their rival’s cause on defense. first three scores all came through the air and within a seven-minute span. On two of the three first quarter drives, the receivers found major holes in the defense, and Tiger quarterback Charlie Whitehurst found his receiver un covered. USC head coach Lou Holtz said that the touchdowns could be at tributed to blown coverage. “We had to give different for rnations,” Holtz said. “They came out empty, and we checked out. The safety wouldn’t get it. He would be playing a short zone, and everybody else was in a different coverage. Their guy ran down the middle untouched time after time.” After each touchdown, the de fense stood around and looked at each other wondering who had been assigned the open receiver. Clemson came into the game ranked second in the ACC in pass ing and boasting three explosive receivers. Instead of switching to a nickelback formation, Carolina opted to play zone, leaving an out side linebacker and safety to cover the slot receiver. Senior corner back Dunta Robinson offered his explanation for the defense’s struggle. “We didn’t have a safety in the middle of the field, but instead out on the hashes,” Robinson said. “They just found holes up the mid die. Our linebackers aren’t fast enough to cov er guys like that, and we put them in that situation because we be lieve in them. We expect them to step up.” Coming out in the second half, the Gamecocks opted for different coverage and played man-to-man. “We tried to play a lot more man coverage so that we could just try to get some pressure on the quarterback and not give him all day,” Robinson said. “It worked; things got a little better, but then it got that much worse.” While pressure on Whitehurst did increase, the Gamecocks still could not get a sack. The team was further hampered by injuries to cornerback Ted Crawford, who left the game with a concussion, and safety Andre Gause, which left the secondary undermanned. Equally unsuccessful was the Gamecock’s run defense. The Tigers ran inside and out for a to tal of 240 yards and five touch downs on the ground. It got to the A The USC de ^Rnse allowed the Tigers’ of fense to gain 542 yards, 190 more than the average allowed for the year, along with nine touch downs. Clemson’s “When I looked up at the scoreboard and they had 56,1 was like, ‘how can anyone score 56 in a rivalry game?'” DEANDRE EILAND use CORNERBACK point where Clemson moved the ball on the ground and through the air at will. This left the defense shell shocked. It was not just the most they had surrendered all season, □ but it also ties the all-time high that a Carolina team has given up. Senior corner back Deandre Eiland, who grabbed the team’s only interception, couldn’t believe what was happen ing to his defense. “When I looked up at the score board and they had 56,1 was like, ‘how can anyone score 56 in a ri valry game?”’ he said. The defense’s inability to stop the Tigers handicapped the team on offense. Instead of looking to the running game for production, the unit’s strength, the team had to push the pass. This took the ball from the hands of freshman stars Demetris Summers and Cory Boyd. The team not only had to turn to the passing attack that was ranked 10th in the SEC but also had to rely on back up quarter backs Bennett Swygert and Mike Rathe to carry the team when starter Dondrial Pinkins went down with a sprained ankle. The result was the most one-sid ed victory in the 101 years the two teams have played and over whelming humiliation for USC. “I don’t care about confidence — I’m embarrassed,” Holtz said. “We are embarrassed as a football team.” Comments on this story?E-mail gamecocksports@hotmail.com PHOTO BY JOHNNY HAYNES/THE GAMECOCK Clemson’s Bobby Williamson dropped one of the few incompletions by the Tiger offense. FAN LOYALTY PHOTO BY JOHNNY HAYNES/THE GAMECOCK Carolina fans show their support by degrading Clemson on their chests. Fans from both sides filled the stands to be a part of one of the nation's most intense college rivalries. Rivalry fuels students’ passion for game BY WES WOLFE THE GAMECOCK The sight from the stands at Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday night featured some of what has come to be expected of the USC-Clemson rivalry. There were USC guys with Clemson •|irls, friends supporting rival “ hools and a healthy mix of gar net and orange in the stands. Every fan had a different ex perience to tell. For Corey Hutchins, a fourth-year print journalism student from Delmar, N.Y., this was his first experience with a major Southern football rivalry. “It looks like you guys really care about this, and it’s a great thing,” Hutchins said. “It’s in credible to me that the entire state is focused on this 100 yard field for four hours. It’s amazing.” Kristin Cubbage, a second-year advertising student, is attending Carolina even though her father played football for Clemson and her mother was a cheerleader for the Tigers. “Carolina is the right choice, obviously,” Cubbage said. “The school here, academically, is way better, and I just love Carolina as a whole.” Second-year elementary edu cation student James Horn brought his girlfriend, Sarah Gilbert, to the game. Gilbert is a first-year physical fitness student at Clemson. The couple met while at Riverside High School in Greer. When asked if the rivalry causes any strain on the relationship, Gilbert quipped, “Well, yeah. Clemson’s better.” Kyle Bawden, a first year pre physical therapy student at Clemson, used to live in Mobile, Ala., and thinks that USC-Clemson compares well with the notori ously vitriolic Alabama-Auburn rivalry. “I’ve never been to an Alabama Auburn game, but this is awe some,” Bawden said. “I think they’re probably about the same, to be honest. They’re both big in state rivalries.” Clemson’s two early touch downs still didn’t have an effect on the Carolina fans, who stayed loud until Clemson built another touchdown drive, going up 21-0. However, some fans still held out hope. “I think anything can happen,” second-year history student Blah Baker said. “It’s still early.” Others, though, were not quite so optimistic. “I feel like that is horrible,” Cubbage said. “I hate Clemson.” As Carolina lined up for a field goal in the first quarter, some people thought the Gamecocks should still try to get a touch down. “If I was playing NCAA Football 2004, I’d do a fake field goal pass,” Hutchins said. Horn, though, thought USC should just stick to the plan. “The trick plays haven’t really worked all that well for Carolina this year,” Horn said. The Gamecocks got a field goal and a touchdown to cut the Clemson lead to 11. On the offen sive series following the touch down, though, USC quarterback Dondrial Pinkins was pulled in favor of Bennett Swygert. The move confused fourth-year me chanical engineering student David Riser. “Looks like a bad idea to me,” Riser said. “I mean, it’s obvious that we’re not doing anything bet ter now. We started to pick up a little momentum, and now we’ve lost it. It’s definitely a bad idea.” Later it was learned that Pinkins had an ankle injury and, though he came back for a few plays, was forced to leave the game. Soon thereafter, Clemson began pouring on the points and Carolina fans began pouring out of the stadium. After Clemson went ahead 42 10, first-year advertising student Erin Ellis made her way to the exit. “I don’t want to see Clemson anymore,” Ellis said. “Clemson sucks.” The Clemson game marked the second straight season Carolina has lost four consecutive games to finish the season 5-7, which has fueled speculation about USC head coach Lou Holtz’s job security. “I think he’s safe for at least an other season,” said Nicholas Perez, a third-year psychology stu dent. “But after that, if we don’t turn it around next year, I think he’s probably out.” The 46-point loss left third-year advertising student Traci Hunter unhappy, but she still has pride in her team. “Well, it sucks,” Hunter said. “This game was going to make our not-so-terrific season, and the fact that not only did we lose, but we lost really bad is a big disappoint ment. Still, at the end of the day, we’re still Gamecocks, and they’re still Tigers.” Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocksports@hotmail.com