Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Seniors get one final crack at archrival Last shot at in-state opponent important for USC\ CU seniors RJBembry STAFF WRITER When Carolina squares off against Clemson for the 103rd time Saturday, 20 seniors on both sides will start their final regular-season college football game. The bittersweet ending to college playing careers leaves only one thing for USC’s senior class: beat Clemson. If Clemson beats Carolina on Saturday, the current crop of Gamecock seniors will become the 11th group in USC’s football history to have never posted a win against their in-state archrival. Still, those seniors playing for five years have posted a career record of 32-25, not bad considering former coach Lou Holtz left Carolina with a losing record during his L tenure. “It would be unfortunate and disappointing (to not beat Clemson), but (my career) won’t be incomplete,” senior offensive lineman Na’Shan Goddard said. “We’ve had some good times here, and this has been a real good year for » us. Others see the game as an opportunity for the veterans to introduce this young Gamecock team to the intensity inherent in the rivalry. “All the seniors, we’ve really just been telling everybody to focus and take it seriously this week. We’ve got to have a great week of practice. Clemson always plays a great game against South Carolina. We’ve really got to have a great week of practice and play great on Saturday,” senior offensive tackle Jabari Levey said. Staring down the Gamecocks on the opposite sideline is a Clemson senior class intent on keeping its perfect record intact against Carolina and win in Williams Brice for the second straight time. Clemson quarterback Charlie Whitehurst already has a 3-0 record against Carolina, tying him with Homer Jordan (1980-1982) as the only quarterbacks to beat the Gamecocks three times. If Clemson wins, Whitehurst will become the only quarterback in the history of the program to go 4-0 against USC. Clemson coach Tommy Bowden, coming off a two game winning streak that saw an avenging of last year’s loss to Duke and a victory against father Bobby Bowden’s FSU Seminoles, explains what he’ll remember about Whitehurst’s collegiate career. “Other than the wins over Tennessee, South Carolina, Florida State, Miami, I think he’s benefited this university from a recruiting standpoint, from a leadership standpoint. I don’t think you really learn about life until you experience a season like he did during his junior year. You saw how he responded. He rebound(ed) after his junior year and it was nice of him not to blame it on me,” Tommy Bowden said. The last time Whitehurst was in Williams-Brice, he went 18-of-26 for 302 yards with one interception and four touchdowns. If he manages to post a similar game against USC this time around, the senior class will most certainly be left with another Clemson loss and a slightly hollow feeling on the season. Senior linebacker Lance Laury looks to. exorcise the orange demons by not placing any special importance on beating Clemson. “Both of us are fighting for that win. Everybody always talks about the Clemson and USC game and never look at the other games before them,” Laury said. “We’re just going to play like we’ve been playing for the past couple weeks. We’ve been winning, being ourselves and having fun out there. If that’s what it takes, then that’s what we’re going to have to do.” Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocksports@gu>m. sc. edu C#»A Starters Offense Kris Klark, wide receiver Jabari Levey, left tackle Freddy Saint-Preux, left guard Na Shan Goddard, right tackle Daccus Turman, full back Defense Chris Tucker, defensive tackle Orus Lambert, defensive end Lance Laury, outside linebacker Tremaine Tyler, free safety Clemson Starters Offense Chip Myrick, right guard Bobby Williamson, tight end Curtis Baham, wide receiver Charlie Whitehurst, quarterback Cliff Harrell, full back Defense Charles Bennett, defensive end Cory Groover, nose guard .Trey Tate, defensive tackle *'■ Tyc Hill, cornerback Jamaal Fudge, free safety Juan BWTHE GAMECOCK Senior Daccus Turman will get one last shot at Clemson on Saturday. Turman is one of 20 USC seniors. McKinley coming of age in Spurrier offense Freshman receiver continues to step up ^ in clutch for USC Saui Smith FOR THE GAMECOCK When Kenny McKinley said goodbye to his family as he was dropped off at USC, he was welcomed with open arms straight into a new one. The 6 foot-174-pound freshman is like a “little brother,” said wide receiver Sidney Rice. From Mableton, Ga., McKinley played high school football for South Cobb High School. As a junior, he ran for 400 yards and eight touchdowns and threw for 1,575 yards and 12 touchdowns. His senior year he ran for 750 yards and scored 12 touchdowns, and threw for 1,470 yards and 16 touchdowns. Both years he was awarded the All-County Honors. His career didnt start in high school, though. McKinley has been playing football for 12 years, and his parents have been behind him every step of the way. His dad has been to all of his games and his mom has been to every home game, and [ both are on their way up for the Carolina-Clemson game this weekend. McKinley went from a high school quarterback to a Division I college wide receiver, and not only is he making the adjustment, but he’s making it with huge strides. “It’s been kind of hard,” McKinley said. “I had to come here early and learn how to run routes and learn how to catch the ball, but its getting good now.” As a player who showed coaches a lot of potential at the « r\f rjjp vear. it’s obvious he’s growing into his role with ease and seemingly without the freshman nerves. “I don’t get nervous. It’s not me, I’m just laid back,” McKinley said. He stepped up during the Arkansas game while Rice was battling a suffocating defense. McKinley caught three passes for 58 yards and caught a 42 yard touchdown pass in the third quarter to put the Gamecocks ahead and eventually to a victory to push the team’s record to 6-3. “It’s unbelievable to go out there my first year and contribute to the team,” McKinley said. “I know I’m young and I’ve got a lot of years left.” With the big Clemson vs. Carolina game coming up this weekend, the team is buckling down and trying to put last year’s score out of its head. “It’s going to be a tough game and a tough challenge for us because Clemson’s a tough team,” quarterback Blake Mitchell said. But Rice is sure that his “little brother” is going to perform just fine under pressure. “I’ve got a lot of confidence in him,” Rice said. “I think that he can step up.” The way the team has been performing also has been contributing to the team morale and play. “At first we’d come to practice down, but now every week, everybody’s spirits are up,” McKinley said. His work ethic is carrying him personally through the season, but also represents the general play of the Gamecocks. “You just have to work hard,” McKinley said, “and if you work hard, you can get there.” Comments on this story? E-mail zamecocksports@vwm. sc. edu f i1 nil fi '’•PWT* SYSfy^SMS /«*» 5£w/THE GAMECOCK Freshman receiver Kenny McKinley has 251 yards receiving. ir.. NAME: Kenny McKinley POSITION: Wide Receiver HOMETOWN: Mableton, Ga. HEIGHT: 6 foot WEIGHT: 174 pounds YEAR: Freshman -Third on the team in his first year with 251 yards , receiving on 21 catches -Caught three passes on game-winning drive against Tennessee i -Played quarterback all throughout high school and never played receiver until arriving at USC Riunmv • connnueD mom B2 where Carolina did not lose to Clemson. Another great victory for the Gamecocks came in the Black Magic season of 1984, when USC came from behind to beat Clemson, 22-21. In the past 10 years, the Tigers have owned the rivalry, wihning eight of the matchups. The last time Clefnson came to Columbia, the Tigers throttled USC 63 17. The game is not something that sits well with senior offensive lineman Na’Shan Goddard. “I try not to remember any of that (game),” he said. “That was an unfortunate mishap right there. Everything was clicking, for them, and it wasn’t clicking for us.” Spurrier and his players have been maintaining the company line that this is “just another game,” but Clemson coach Tommy Bowden was more candid in his assessment. “Dislike — I don’t know the right word,” he said. “It’s a rivalry. It is a pretty strong, uncomfortable feeling (toward) the opponent during the course of the game.” With this year’s pre-game pleasantries aside, Bowden underlines the fact that the “fight” and “kick ass” will never leave this rivalry. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocksports@gum.sc.edu Photo courtesy of the Associated Press Ciemson coach Tommy Bowden talks with wide receiver Chansi Stuckey after last year's fight at the Clemson-Carolina game. TH#%AMECOCK \ • Interested in writing for The Gamecock Sports section? e-mail gamecocksports@gwm.sc.edu f