Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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THE GAMECOCK ♦ Wednesday, July 21, 2004 9 TAATAmn FIGURE OF THE WEEK CONTACT US |_$2.75 million: Pay cut the Titans asked running back E-mail us at gamecocksports@gwm.sc.edu | |~| | Eddie George to take this season, which he turned down. SEC coaches excited over returnees BY BRAD SENKIW THE GAMECOCK The 2004 SEC Men’s Basketball Summer Press Conference showed what a difference a year makes. Last season, the coaches couldn’t stop talking about all the missing pieces that jumped early to the NBA or graduates that forced teams to rebuild quickly. This year, the SEC leaders met and discussed who was coming back during Monday’s conference. USC head coach Dave Odom will return several players, in cluding rising senior Carlos iruweii, juiuujl icueiiLit: xvuiacy cuiu sophomore Renaldo Balkman. With no question a team that ex ceeded expectations and made the NCAA Tournament last year has talent for this season, Odom is worried about where leadership will come from with the departure of last year’s seniors Michael Boynton and Rolando Howell. “Who are our leaders? Can they face the pressure of another sea son in the Southeastern Conference? I don’t know,” Odom said. “Carlos Powell is a guy you could look to early and hope he could do it. I think John Chappell; he does have a way about him that is magnetic. He could give us some leadership.” At point guard, the Gamecocks will look to sophomore Tre Kelly for quick help. Kelly played point at times last year behind Boynton, but this season he could be looked upon for more than production. “When you look at leadership, you always look at your point guard,” Odom said. Odom also said he’s “holding the team to a different standard” this season, and Powell might be the centerpiece. “Carlos Powell is probably our most notable player returning,” Odom said. “We have challenged Carlos this summer to become the best player he can. He has had three good seasons but hasn’t played up to the level of consis tency that I feel he can.” Other teams feel better about who they have coming back for the 2004-2005 season. Vanderbilt hopes to build on last season’s Sweet-16 run in the NCAA Tournament. While the team will have to replace its leading scorer and All-SEC forward Matt Freije, Vandy head coach Kevin Stallings is pleased with his three return ing starters. “For the first time since we’ve been here, we feel like we have more upperclassmen than we have underclassmen,” Stallings said. “We are excited about how our season ended, with the Sweet 16 appearance, and hopefully our players will carry that in to this season. We like the mindset of our team right now.” Mississippi State head coach Rick Stansbury, who was crushed last summer with NBA depar tures, is happy to be getting reign ing SEC Player of the Year Lawrence Roberts back for anoth er season. Roberts flirted with an early entry into the draft but chose to remain for his senior season. ♦ COACHES, SEE PAGE 10 PHOTOS COURTESY OF KRT CAMPUS Clockwise ■«.. from top left, ILSU’s John Brady, USC’s Dave Odom, Miss. State’s Rick >» Stansbury and Kentucky's I Tubby Smith are returning more starters and talent than last year. Most coaches in the SEC are finding it l easier this L summer to I plan for the I upcoming J season. Gamecock baseball loses Meyers to Old Dominion BY BRAD SENKIW THE GAMECOCK The USC baseball team lost an important part of its pitching staff Monday as assistant and pitching coach Jerry Meyers left Carolina to become the head coach at Old Dominion, ODU athletic director Jim Jarrett announced. Meyers was a part of the Gamecock coach ing staff for eight years as he worked with a pitching staff that accumulated a 373-152 record. “We’re excited for Coach Meyers and the opportunity he’s been presented at Old Dominion,” USC head coach Ray Tanner said. “He’s done a terrific job for us at South Carolina, as a pitching coach and developer of talent.” During Meyers’ tenure at USC, the Gamecocks made three College World Series appearances, won two SEC championships and four SEC Eastern Division titles. In his ca reer, Meyers has coached 33 play ers that have gone on to play pro fessional baseball, including 17 from Carolina. He’s also had pitchers un der his guidance finish as All Americans in the past five seasons. “Jerry has played a big role in the success we’ve been fortunate enough to have here, and we appre ciate all of his contributions to the Carolina program,” Tanner said. Meyers served one year as an assistant coach at Old Dominion in 1996 before becoming an assis tant coach at USC. He also spent four years as pitching coach at UNC-Wilmington and Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, Fla. Meyers was a captain and most valuable player during his four collegiate years at Iowa State University. “Jerry Meyers is an outstand ing baseball coach, and I am de lighted that he will lead the Old Dominion University baseball pro gram,” Jarrett said. Meyers replaced Tony Guzzo at ODU after the team finished 26-28 in 2004. Under Guzzo, the Monarchs went to three NCAA Tournaments in 1995,1996 and 2000 and won two NCAA Championships. “I am extremely excited about coming to Old Dominion University as baseball coach,” Meyers said. “We are going to roll up our sleeves and work hard to attract the quality of student-ath letes it will take to succeed not only on the conference level but the national level as well.” Comments on this story?E-mail gamecocksports@gwm.sc.edu %,( '