South Carolina irks Spurrier

[DKW 86 7,425]

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/spo...es/15484147.htm

South Carolina irks Spurrier

USC coach decries Gamecocks' listless effort, `dumb' plays

DAVID SCOTT

dscott@charlotteobserver.com

SLIDESHOW | Carolinas football action

COLUMBIA - South Carolina's Gamecocks took themselves right out of their SEC college football game Saturday against 12th-ranked Georgia.

With the generous Bulldogs allowing them to remain close through three quarters, the Gamecocks fumbled it right back, eventually losing 18-0 in front of an overflow crowd of 82,513 at Williams-Brice Stadium.

With the loss, South Carolina (1-1, 1-1) lost a chance at some valuable early-season momentum in the SEC's Eastern Division. After beating Mississippi State in their season opener, the Gamecocks now will bide their time for 2½ long weeks -- with home games against Division I-AA Wofford and the Sun Belt Conference's Florida Atlantic -- before returning to conference play at home against Auburn on Sept. 28.

It was the first time since Spurrier's first year as a college coach -- at Duke in 1987 -- that a team of his had been shut out. Rutgers blanked the Blue Devils 7-0 that season.

The Gamecocks trailed 15-0 at the beginning of the third quarter. It might have been worse, but Georgia freshman quarterback Matthew Stafford -- replacing the injured Joe Tereshinski -- threw two first-half interceptions.

Those turnovers, plus another early in the third quarter when Stoney Woodson picked off Stafford again, left the door open for South Carolina.

But quarterback Blake Mitchell, after breaking loose for what seemed to be an encouraging 19-yard gain, fumbled at the Georgia 41.

After Georgia (2-0, 1-0) went three and out, the Gamecocks again drove. This time South Carolina moved to the Georgia 1.

With a third and goal at the 1, South Carolina's Cory Boyd burrowed into the line. Georgia defenders pried it loose, and referees ruled it a fumble. But after a long video review, the ball went back to the Gamecocks.

Then, on fourth and goal, Mitchell tried to sneak it in. He fumbled into the end zone, where teammate Sidney Rice recovered. A fumble can't be recovered by a teammate in the end zone, though, so the ball went over Georgia on downs.

Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier was disgusted.

"I can't watch what we're doing," said Spurrier. "We'll make some changes and we'll announce them later."

The closest the Gamecocks came to threatening was late in the second quarter, when they drove to the Georgia 19. But Mitchell couldn't handle the snap from center Chris White and he fell on the ball for a 15-yard loss. Ryan Succop's 51-yard field goal attempt hit the left upright and bounced away.

"That's how dumb ...we are," said Spurrier. "The quarterback didn't know we snapped the ball. That's how stupid we are now. The coaches are stupid too. We're going to try and get smarter."

[TigerOne 1,146]

he tells it like it is, that was a game he knew they should have won but it slipped(fumbled) away.

[saniflush 0]

I disagree. All the parts of it I watched it that game was ONLY close in the score. SC's offensive is awful. and their defense isn't much better. If you can't get it done against a freshman QB, you can't get it done.

[SouthLink02 8]

he tells it like it is, that was a game he knew they should have won but it slipped(fumbled) away.

Why should they have won? We outrushed them, beat their ass on the DL, and gave them 3 INT's yet still dominated them on defense?

UGA is the better team and was much better prepared

[saniflush 0]

Cause the media loves Spurrier's

[TigerOne 1,146]

he tells it like it is, that was a game he knew they should have won but it slipped(fumbled) away.

Why should they have won? We outrushed them, beat their ass on the DL, and gave them 3 INT's yet still dominated them on defense?

UGA is the better team and was much better prepared

probably should say "could have won" but yes Georgia is the better team and has better coaches.