The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 03, 2004, Page 10, Image 10
GAME SCHEDULE
1 fl MEN’S SOCCER at Charleston Tournament, 5 p.m. Friday
rage iu WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL vs. LSU, 7 p.m. Friday
Wednesday, November 3, 2004 FOOTBALL vs. Arkansas, 12:30 p.m. Saturday
Bowl hopes
could ride
on Clemson
showdown
■ Both teams could
enter rivalry game
needing one more win
Even though Halloween was a few
days ago, I’m still haunted by a
frightening possibility.
No, I’m not talking about the
election. Around here, politics is just
about the only subject more volatile
than USC football, and I have no
desire to inject myself into that little
fray.
It started about halfway through
the third quarter of the Tennessee
game.
JOEL
WALLACE
FIFTH-YEAR
PRINT
JOURNALISM
STUDENT
The fair
weather fans had
already left with
the Gamecocks
down 22-8 —
come on guys,
two touchdowns
is not as
insurmountable
as you might
think — and
even die-hard
fans had to
come to grips
with the
possibility that
not only might we lose, but the next
two games against Arkansas and
Florida are also very losable.
Just like they were last year, and the
year before that, and, well, you get the
idea.
So anyway, yes, we could very easily
lose these next two games. That would
leave our record at 5-5, right?
That leaves Clemson as our last
chance to qualify for a bowl and avoid
the shame of going 0-13 over the past
three years in games where a win would
make USC bowl-eligible.
Well, Clemson’s terrible this year,
right? I mean, from what I’ve been
♦ Please see CLEMSON, page 11
Holtz optimistic after third loss
_.1..... .. .:_ • _:z_lu
KATIE KIRKLAND/THE GAMECOCK
USC head coach Lou Holtz leads the team out of the tunnel Saturday against Tennessee. Holtz said
Monday that his team might only be a few plays from being in the thick of the SEC East race.
By TODD GREEN
THE GAMECOCK
Despite what looked like a lopiided
scoreboard, USC head coach Lou Holtz
found some positives to take away from
Saturday’s 43-29 loss to Tennessee.
“That was one of the best games we
have played since I have, been here, with
the exception of about eight plays on
offense and eight plays on defense,”
Holtz said at a Monday news
conference.
With Cedric Houston scoring in the
fourth quarter to give Tennessee a
commanding 21-point lead, many
USC fans seized on the negative and
began heading to the parking lot with
14 minutes left in the game.
What they missed was a team that
was not willing to go away.
The USC offense opened up,
putting 21 points on the board in the
final period. At one point, with the
score 28-14, the defense forced
Tennesseean to a three-and-out, giving
USC the ball with-.l 0 minutes to go and
an opportunity to Thake it a one
touchdown game.
The optimism of the remaining*fans
began to fade soon after. On a crucial
third-and-one, Dondrial Pinkins was
hit as he threw. The ball was
intercepted by UT’s Omar Gaither,
ending USC’s comeback hopes.
Tennessee would score six plays later to
seal the victory.
Despite the loss, USC is 5-3 on the
year. The Gamecocks are only one win
away from bowl eligibility with games
remaining against three opponents,
none of which have winning records.
Clemson is 4-4, Florida is 4-4 and
Arkansas is 3-4. USC’s final two games
are on the road where the Gamecocks
are undefeated this year, having won at
Vanderbilt, Alabama and Kentucky.
Even after losing handily to
Tennessee, Holtz continued to
emphasize areas where USC has
improved since the beginning of the
year.
“Demetris Summers played an
excellent game, the best game he has
played since he has been here as a total
game — running, catching and
blocking,” Holtz said. “I thought
(Pinkins), with the exception of one
play, was outstanding.”
If the Gamecocks are to reverse the
trend of their late-season slides from the
past two years, it will take a complete
team effort.
In 2002 and 2003, USC lost its final
four games to finish with five wins on
the season, one win shy of a potential
bowl birth. The list of opponents
causing USC misery is also familiar. In
2002, the Gamecocks began the
collapse with a loss at home to
Tennessee, and then lost to Arkansas,
Florida and Clemson. Last year, USC
started its slide with four games to go
against Ole Miss, then again lost to
Arkansas, Florida and Clemson.
USC fans might see changes in the
offensive strategy as the Gamecocks
seek their critical sixth win of the
season.
“Maybe we need to be more wide
“We are also close to
being an outstanding
football team. I’m not
talking about an
average team — I’m
talking about an
excellent team.”
LOU HOLTZ
use HEAD COACH
open, maybe we need not to be as
conservative, and let’s have a little bit
more faith and confidence,” Holtz said.
At the beginning of the year, Holtz
said his goal was to change the culture
of losing that has been associated with
Gamecock football for so many years.
The potential for reaching that goal will
be greatly affected by the outcome of
these last three games.
Holtz spoke affectionately about the
determination of his players.
“They believe they can win, and
they want to win. We are also close to
being an outstanding football team.
I’m not talking about an average team
— I’m talking about an excellent
team.”
Comments an this story? E-mail
gamecocksports@gwm.sc. edu
Lack of red-zone success
plagues Gamecock offense
■ Inability to finish
drives could have cost
USC wins this season
By STEPHEN DEMEDIS
STAFF WRITER
The USC coaching staff say they are
frustrated at not being able to score, despite
moving the ball well on offense for much of
the season. This week, the Gamecocks (5-3,
3-3 SEC) will focus on improving their
production in the red zone as they prepare for
Saturday’s game against Arkansas (3-4, 1-3
SEC), a team that Carolina has not defeated
in four years.
While USC is a better team than Arkansas
in the standings and in most statistical areas,
the trend does not include the red-zone
production of each team. Carolina is dead last
in the SEC with a league-low red-zone
scoring percentage of 63.9.
Inside the 20, the Gamecocks have
committed a league-high six turnovers and
scored just 14 touchdowns, third lowest in
the SEC.
Arkansas has performed exceptionally well
in the red zone. Head coach Houston Nutt’s
team is second in the SEC. The Razorbacks
have scored on 88.9 percent of their trips
inside the 20. Of their 27 red-zone
appearances, they have 22 touchdowns and
just three field goal attempts to show for their
efforts.
“Our inability to score in the red zone is
discouraging,” USC head coach Lou Holtz
said at the Monday news conference.
“Our problems are coming from two big
things, and that’s in the red zone,” Holtz
said. “They are turning the ball over and
running plays for negative yards. We do a lot
of good things on offense, yet we had
nothing to show for it, and that is the bottom
line.”
The team tried to improve its efficiency in
the red zone over the bye week. Holtz said the
team installed a package that was designed for
red-zone play before playing Tennessee, but
any improvements made in practice were not
apparent in the game.
Carolina moved the ball inside the
Tennessee 20-yard line seven times during
the game, resulting in three field goal
attempts, one interception and three
touchdowns. After reaching the red zone
three times in the first half, Carolina had just
eight points, two of which were scored
defensively. This proved critical, as the
Volunteers were able to tie the game with just
one score before the half.
Tennessee scored a touchdown in its only
trip to the red zone, but also added four
touchdowns from just beyond the 20. The
end result was a 14-point deficit for the
“We do a lot of good things
on offense, yet we had
nothing to show for it, and
that is the bottom line.”
LOU HOLTZ
use HEAD COACH
Gamecocks despite out-gaining the Vols by
155 yards.
Holtz compared this statistic to playing
golf.
“In golf, you can reach the green in two,
then three putt and you have nothing to
show for it,” Holtz said. “We have been
moving the ball up and down the field but
don’t score.”
It was not the first time this season the
Gamecocks out-gained their opponent but
still lost. USC racked up 491 yards against
Ole Miss, compared to 414 by the Rebels, but
still lost 31-28.
Holtz said the team would go back to
working on the red-zone offense in practice
this week. The team might try to spread out
the formation instead of playing in tight
like they have in previous games.
Regardless, the team has to find a way to be
productive when it drives inside its
opponents’ 20.
Comments, on this story? E-mail
gamecocksports@gumt.sc. edit
KATIE KIRKLAND/THE GAMECOCK
Running back Andrea Gause sneaks into the end zone during the fourth quarter of
Saturday’s loss to Tennessee. Carolina did not score a touchdown until the fourth quarter.
__ _
SEC News & Notes
Greene’s performance earns offensive honors
Georgia quarterback David Greene has been named SEC
offensive player of the week. The senior completed 15-of-23 passes
for 255 yards and three touchdowns Saturday to lead Georgia to a
31-24 win over Florida. The win was Greene’s 39th as a starter, tying
him with Peyton Manning for the most wins by an NCAA Division
I-A starting quarterback.
Junior Auburn linebacker Travis Williams has been named SEC
defensive player of the week for his efforts against Ole Miss. The
Spring Valley High School graduate accounted for 12 total tackles
and a sack in the Tigers’ 35-14 win. Williams was part of a defense
that earned seven sacks and kept the Rebels from scoring on the
ground for the eighth time in nine tries this season.
Croom to face alma mater for first time in week 10
Arkansas comes into Columbia trying to deny the Gamecocks an
elusive sixth win. This might be USC’s best shot at
becoming bowl eligible this season.
Georgia plays at Kentucky while still holding on to \
hopes of winning the East. However, time is running
out, and Tennessee's schedule just keeps getting easier.
Florida goes to Nashville hoping to inch closer to
bowl eligibility. The Gators have won the last 13
games against Vanderbilt.
Tennessee gets a solid out-of-conference test against
Notre Dame this week. The game has no effect on the SEC
standings, but any national title hopes would be dashed with j
another loss.
Sylvester Croom will take Mississippi State into Tuscaloosa to
play his old team this week. Alabama is one win away from going
to a bowl for the first time since being put on probation by the /
NCAA. /.
DANNY JOHNSTON/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS J
Georgia quarterback David Greene passes during
the fourth quarter of UGA’s win over Arkansas.