How South Carolina's secondary can throw off the Kentucky passing game
The South Carolina secondary faces a big challenge in Kentucky’s passing game.
Kentucky has three main targets in the wide receiver room that all pose a threat, and Tayvion Robinson, Barion Brown, and Dane Key all possess similar stat lines for the Wildcats.
All three guys have at least 15 receptions on top of at least 15.2 yards per attempt. Not to mention eight combined touchdowns.
Shane Beamer’s defense will have its hands full with playing such a dynamic passing attack.
“Those three guys are really really talented, it’s going to be a big challenge for not only Cam (Smith) and Marcell (Dial) and Darius (Rush) and our corners, but our whole defense,” Beamer said.
Robinson is still quarterback Will Levis’s favorite target. He is ranked 2nd in the SEC in receiving yards with 24 catches for 365 yards and 3 touchdowns through five games. All three of Kentucky’s wideouts rank in the top 16 in the SEC.
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Obviously, the passing game starts with Levis. Kentucky’s offense is based on timing throws with a heavy dose of the run game. Stopping the run is a challenge of its own with star tailback Chris Rodriguez back in action.
Now South Carolina’s defense also needs to stay disciplined to throw off the timing of the passing game.
“He’s a really good quarterback, he’s more of a like throw it to a spot guy like on time like he and if you um mess up the receiver’s timing with their routes it messes up the throw. So basically we have to get our hands on the receiver and mess up the timing but he’s a really good timing throw quarterback,” Dial said.
The Gamecocks secondary should be back to full health for the road test.
Darius Rush returns after missing the past two games due to a hamstring injury. Cam Smith is beginning to look like the Cam of old and RJ Roderick has also returned to full health.
The veteran presence back on the field for this defense is a big factor going into Saturday night.
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“It’s a team effort because they’re really really explosive, they can make big plays and they can go up and get it,” Beamer said.
As to how the defensive backs are approaching it, Dial says that all of the guys in the room pose a threat.
“What we see from them is really just fast. They’re not that big they’re just fast and they’re really well coached. They run really good routes, but yeah they’re just fast and skinny,” Dial said.
