Turning the page: reasons to hope vs UK?

[18IsTheMan]

Asking seriously. Putting the ODU game behind, as hard as that is to do. I'm at the point where I've done enough post mortem of the ODU game that I'm starting to fantasize about how we might turn it around this week.

Our DL looked pretty stout most of the game but had some trouble making adjustments when ODU had their scoring drive late in the game. Nevertheless, overall, they played a great game. Stewart looked great in that he looked like a legit SEC DL playing against a Sunbelt team.

Sanders is legit. If not for his raw talent, not sure he'd have had more 10 or 15 yards.

The looming question is, even if we lean on our D, can we score on offense? Our only 2 TD drives against ODU were 3 yards and 6 yards. We had OL issues in Game 1 last year against UNC, and that proved to be our undoing all season long. Is it possible we can learn from that and figure out how to make adjustments this year? Conventional wisdom would say, if you can't control the line of scrimmage against ODU, you're not gonna control the line of scrimmage against an SEC team. And UK has a very good DL. Deone Walker tormented us last year.

WRs to me are still an unknown since Sellers didn't give them much of a chance against ODU. The good news is, they were getting open against ODU. Sellers just didn't see them in most cases. Given the few opportunities they had, I didn't see much egregious from them. There was the drop on the beautiful long bomb for Sellers, but we had a penalty on that play anyway.

I suppose I'd try to get Sellers settled down early with an easy pass of some kind. Roll him out and dump it off for a short gain, I dunno. Some kind of high percentage pass to get him settled in.

Odds are long, and I really don't know if there's anything we can do about the OL, given our track record last year.. We have all the personnel back that the coaches said last year would have given us a solid OL.

 

[Lurker123]

The OL is what it is. I lile your idea of rolling him out, give him the choice to run at that point too.

My sole hopes rest on some magical improvement from week 1 to week 2. We have played stinkers in game 1's before.

I said a while back, the season hinges on this game. Imo, we need this if we entertain hopes of a bowl game.

 

[18IsTheMan]

The OL is what it is. I lile your idea of rolling him out, give him the choice to run at that point too.

My sole hopes rest on some magical improvement from week 1 to week 2. We have played stinkers in game 1's before.

I said a while back, the season hinges on this game. Imo, we need this if we entertain hopes of a bowl game.

I think Beamer is coaching for his job. Fans are in the dumps. If we lose at UK and then follow up by getting drubbed at home by LSU, it will be the lowest the fan base has been in a good while. Not sure why, but watching that ODU game gave me some 1990s vibes.

 

[Bubba Fett]

Sadly, we won't do, or can't do, what we really need to do...

Install an entirely different offense. One that fits the players we actually have.

 

[Fried Chicken]

Here’s the hope…we almost lost to Jax State last season. Seriously, we were closer to losing that one than we were the ODU game. We still beat some teams.

Sellers looked bad, but it was his first start. Everyone seems to think highly of this kid. He has the ability. Did he just choke? We better hope so.

Us looking terrible isn’t really anything different. Defense looked pretty good. They’ll face a stiffer challenge this week. I don’t think we’ll win Saturday, but I won’t be shocked if we do. We find a way to win 4-5 games each year and, usually, it feels like we should’ve lost them all. I’m expecting the same this season.

so, that’s not a ton of hope…but it’s more than “we have no shot”.

 

[Beanerball]

Definitely like the idea of more roll out passes. Get away from the inside pressure, and stretch the field side to side. That should open up the middle a little better for Sanders. Will it work? Maybe. Will we do it? Doubtful.

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

Defense looked pretty good.

A Sun Belt team scored two touchdowns and two field goals against our starters at home.

 

[HI Cock1]

I'm looking forward to watching the 1st quarter. That might be all.

 

[PrestonyteParrot]

I didn't see much involvement with the touted TE's group which could be a target for Sellers to get the short passing game going.

 

[AllinGamecock]

We shall see but don’t get your hopes up. Have something fun planed after the 1st quarter.

 

[Fried Chicken]

A Sun Belt team scored two touchdowns and two field goals against our starters at home.

I don’t think you’re giving ODU enough credit. I certainly didn’t expect to shut them out. This isn’t Furman or Chatanooga. We gave up 28 to a Sun Belt team last season. Our d forced 4 fumbles. We got a pass rush. We had a terrible lapse on D early. But we made the plays on D that won the game. 2 fumbles that set up TD drives of 3 and 7 yards. An interception in the endzone after we gave them the ball on the 8. As I mentioned in my previous post, the competition will get better. But our defense wasn’t the problem, especially in a day when the game is setup for the offense.

But this is the hope. This thread was about what hope we have. This isn’t the thread to sit and debate how bad we were. Everyone knows we sucked and had issues all over the place. Let’s try to keep it in context here. It gets exhausting having to defend comments because people can’t keep the discussion in context. Nobody feels good about this team. I don’t. You don’t. Nobody does. But if there is hope, that’s it. That’s the point of this thread and my post.

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

No, your right. I guess I was giving us too much credit and still somewhat in shock. I was expecting a 55-0 kind of game and was really excited for kick off.

 

[Captain_Obvious]

It’s a new week and the garnet blood in my veins refuses to remove all optimism, so I’m still thinking we have a 50/50 shot and our defense can help us out this week while the offense will look better than they did week 1.

 

[will110]

No, your right. I guess I was giving us too much credit and still somewhat in shock. I was expecting a 55-0 kind of game and was really excited for kick off.

I was expecting to at least look like a competent, competitive football team. I didn't need a 55-0 blowout, but I did expect a convincing win. Instead we got whatever that was on Saturday.

My excitement/optimism balloon got popped quick.

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

I was expecting to at least look like a competent, competitive football team. I didn't need a 55-0 blowout, but I did expect a convincing win. Instead we got whatever that was on Saturday.

My excitement/optimism balloon got popped quick.

Mine too. It just took a few minutes. 11 more to go.

 

[will110]

Mine too. It just took a few minutes. 11 more to go.

Gamecock football is depressing lol.

I woke up Saturday morning around 4:30 and couldn't go back to sleep because of my excitement. So misguided...

 

[treyno2722]

A Sun Belt team scored two touchdowns and two field goals against our starters at home.

Would have been three touchdowns and a probable loss if Fortune doesn't get the Int in the End Zone.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Would have been three touchdowns and a probable loss if Fortune doesn't get the Int in the End Zone.

ODU gifted us two TDs. Considering we only mustered 3 FG drives on our own, we most certainly would have lost this game if not for those miscues by ODU.

 

[will110]

ODU gifted us two TDs. Considering we only mustered 3 FG drives on our own, we most certainly would have lost this game if not for those miscues by ODU.

We did force those fumbles with a strong pass rush. It's not like the QB just dropped the ball without any help or something. But, yes, without those fumbles we probably lose. Relying on forced fumbles inside the opposition's 10 yard line is probably not a great recipe for continued success this season.

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

Would have been three touchdowns and a probable loss if Fortune doesn't get the Int in the End Zone.

Yeah, I said at the time ODU could have run the ball 3 times and still tie the game with a FG. We were FORTUNEnate to win that game. And then I listened to our coach's post game comments. Wow.

 

[treyno2722]

The hope is, the offense has some speed. You have to do quick hitters to Juju, Mazeo, Harbor, and Jacobs.

 

[18IsTheMan]

The hope is, the offense has some speed. You have to do quick hitters to Juju, Mazeo, Harbor, and Jacobs.

To do that, the ball needs be thrown within a catchable radius....

 

[Lurker123]

To do that, the ball needs be thrown within a catchable radius....

Sellers has his "first start jitters" out of his system and will now play like Cam Newton?

 

[18IsTheMan]

Sellers has his "first start jitters" out of his system and will now play like Cam Newton?

Ha, here's hoping. I saw one optimistic person on Twitter note that in his first career start, Connor Shaw went 3/9 for 21 yards against ECU.

 

[Coastal Gamecock]

Hope? Well every year South Carolina seems to pull 1 upset that we shouldn’t. Maybe Kentucky is that game this year.

Thats all I can offer

 

[treyno2722]

To do that, the ball needs be thrown within a catchable radius....

So true, almost got three of our receivers hurt.

 

[treyno2722]

One positive note, LaNorris is now 59th on our career passing yards. Didn't know that Jake Bentley is at number 4.

 

[18IsTheMan]

So true, almost got three of our receivers hurt.

And tackled our RB from behind.

All in a day's work.

 

[fpr4]

Not sure how the conclusion is made that the cocks' defense is good. Giving up 4 scoring drives to a team in the bottom 25% of the sun belt and 50% 3rd down conversions when they turned it over 4 times and made mistakes at every turn is good?

If UK turns it over 2 times or less, how are they held under 40 points?

 

[92Pony]

Not sure how the conclusion is made that the cocks' defense is good. Giving up 4 scoring drives to a team in the bottom 25% of the sun belt and 50% 3rd down conversions when they turned it over 4 times and made mistakes at every turn is good?

If UK turns it over 2 times or less, how are they held under 40 points?

Toward the end of the game, this was my feeling about our D:

When ODU had the lead, I wasn't too worried about stopping them. I figured they'd do what so many teams do - go conservative - and we could stop them. Once we retook the lead, I feared we were in trouble, because they had shown all game that if they wanted to move the ball, they were somewhat capable against our D. Thankfully, we held on and eeked out the win.

 

[USCEE82]

Hope? Well every year South Carolina seems to pull 1 upset that we shouldn’t. Maybe Kentucky is that game this year.

Thats all I can offer

I predict this year our single upset is Vandy.

 

[Guy in the Back]

I have 3 hopes….

1-you usually see your biggest improvement in between games 1 and 2.
2-Sellars is better than he played…first game adrenaline as QB 1 is in the past
3-in my life as a Gamecock fan, I have seen us several times play down to a team we should beat handily and play well against a team we had no business having a chance.

 

[Fried Chicken]

One positive note, LaNorris is now 59th on our career passing yards. Didn't know that Jake Bentley is at number 4.

Bentley would’ve broken the all-time passing record if he had not been injured.

 

[Fried Chicken]

Not sure how the conclusion is made that the cocks' defense is good. Giving up 4 scoring drives to a team in the bottom 25% of the sun belt and 50% 3rd down conversions when they turned it over 4 times and made mistakes at every turn is good?

If UK turns it over 2 times or less, how are they held under 40 points?

So you use the 4 turnovers to talk about how bad ODU is rather than giving the defense credit for forcing 4 turnovers. On a thread talking about what hope we might have. You know…a thread looking for any positive spin on the game? That’s the thread you come in on and try to be negative? Did you not understand the purpose of the thread? Or do they not teach context in Lexington?

As far as the defense goes, nobody is saying they are world beaters. Nobody actually said they are good. I said they looked pretty good. They clearly did some good things Saturday night. They also clearly have room for improvement. But I’m also saying this considering the expectations for our defense coming in. I certainly don’t think they are Georgia, which I made clear in another post saying my expectation wasn’t a shut out.

You also mentioned where ODU ranks statistically last season. Well, if we’re going off how teams are last season…we should beat Kentucky. We beat them the last 2 seasons. Is that how this works? Honestly, I don’t believe that’s the case…but just pointing out how silly your arguments are.

Unfortunately I think we’ll lose this weekend. But if we have any chance at winning, and we do regardless of what people think because they are pissed off, we’ll need some of these things to be the case.

Regardless, you should go hang out on the UK board with your own people.

 

[gcockwin]

ODU had a losing record last year and are replacing a lot of starters. The wheels are off of this thing guys. It's going to be very ugly. Only real question is, how ugly will it have to get before we pull the plug on Beamer. Because it's not a case of if, it's a case of when?

We lose our top talent every year to other schools. Money isn't why they leave, it's incompetence. We are witness to it every single Saturday.

 

[Piscis]

I have 3 hopes….

1-you usually see your biggest improvement in between games 1 and 2.
2-Sellars is better than he played…first game adrenaline as QB 1 is in the past
3-in my life as a Gamecock fan, I have seen us several times play down to a team we should beat handily and play well against a team we had no business having a chance.

1. Won't UK have their biggest improvement between games 1 and 2 as well?
2. After that dismal outing against ODU is Sellars going to suddenly be confident and not be nervous?
3. UK looking past Carolina to Georgia the next week may be the best hope.

 

[HI Cock1]

Ha, here's hoping. I saw one optimistic person on Twitter note that in his first career start, Connor Shaw went 3/9 for 21 yards against ECU.

As a true freshman, he was replaced by Garcia after he beat out Garcia in the pre-season - for all of the usual Garcia reasons. A drop by Alshon Jeffrey is all that separated him from an amazing start to his career. I remember the game vividly. CS did not play the whole game.

 

[treyno2722]

As a true freshman, he was replaced by Garcia after he beat out Garcia in the pre-season - for all of the usual Garcia reasons. A drop by Alshon Jeffrey is all that separated him from an amazing start to his career. I remember the game vividly. CS did not play the whole game.

Carolina ended up winning that game in Charlotte, 56-37. We were down 17-0 in that game.

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

Carolina ended up winning that game in Charlotte, 56-37. We were down 17-0 in that game.

I think Shaw fumbled in that game too. Let go of the ball so that both hands could hit the ground.

 

[treyno2722]

I think Shaw fumbled in that game too. Let go of the ball so that both hands could hit the ground.

If I remember correctly, that WR for ECU (Hardy) had a monster game. I really sweated this one out. Why do we always sweat out the games against ECU?