South Carolina offensive linemen talk poor performance, steps for progress

Coming into the season, South Carolina’s offensive line wanted to be the focal point and strength of this new offense under Dowell Loggains. 

Which makes what happened in the Gamecocks’ opener that much harder to stomach for the older guys in the room. 

“I don’t think anyone is more disappointed or embarrassed than the 20 guys in the room at what we put on display,” Nick Gargiulo said. “We pride ourselves on competing and being a focal point of the team. That obviously didn’t happen on Saturday.”

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The Gamecocks’ offensive line looked porous, giving up nine sacks and 16 tackles for loss in a 31-17 loss. It’s the most sacks and tackles for loss since at least 2000 when Sports Reference’s database started. 

South Carolina also rushed for fewer than three yards per carry (sack adjusted) in what was a very boom-or-bust offensive performance.  

“We played poorly. I know we’re disappointed in our performance in the room,” Gargiulo said. “But it looked like we weren’t good with technique, we weren’t good with fundamentals and we weren’t good in the things we prepared for. It was on display.” 

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The Gamecocks had three new starters on the offensive line against North Carolina–Cason Henry, Sidney Fugar and Gargiulo–with Vershon Lee starting his first game at center after playing guard last season. 

It resulted in a day where South Carolina finished averaging 5.2 yards per play while having just a 37.1 percent success rate. The Gamecocks had a success rate under 30 percent when running the ball. 

Per College Football Data, the offensive line averaged 1.1 yards of push per rush attempt against the Tar Heels.

“You always have high expectations for yourself and your group,” Lee said. “We as a group, no one felt good about it as we left the field. Just continuously work to improve the performance you put out.” 

Lee was making his first start at center, mentioning he could have certainly done better putting guys in better positions. 

North Carolina pressured Spencer Rattler on 21 of his 55 dropbacks (38.2 percent) while the average grade of the offensive linemen was 55.7. The average PFF run block grade for the offensive line was 54.6 with the average pass block grade being 56.8. 

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“I feel like I could do better to put my team in better positions. There are a lot of things that I need to improve on and a lot of things everyone needs to improve on,” Lee said. “We need to continuously get better to put better performance week in and week out.”

South Carolina has to turn the page quickly with a top-10 FCS team in Furman coming to Williams-Brice this weekend with three-straight games against SEC teams on the docket before a bye week. 

And there are plenty of things the Gamecocks want to see improve. 

“I would like to play more cohesive as a unit,” Gargiulo said. “I would like to protect the quarterback, to be frank. And I’d like to see continued growth.” 

Lee echoed that, mentioning technique and effort as things that can also improve. 

“Being a more cohesive unit, understanding and taking good steps being more technically sound and playing harder,” Lee said. “Then protecting the quarterback and not letting the quarterback get hit.”

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Gargiulo also talked about a report of a North Carolina defender saying the offensive line was tipping its plays but mentioned that down, distance and situation could have an impact on that. 

“We’ll have a tendency report, and we always do to see if anyone is tipping off anything,” he said. “When you’re down 14 with six minutes left in the game you’re probably going to pass. That might have something to do with it. If anything shows up, we’ll correct it and move forward.” 

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