'That was very special': Mario Anderson steps up big for South Carolina in run game
Mario Anderson knew he could do it. After competing hard in practice every day, he knew he had what it took to shoulder a heavier workload for a South Carolina team needing to get his rushing attack off the ground.
Before Saturday, his carries were far and few. He had only rushed eight times for 41 yards in the first three games. But that all changed Saturday night.
With his first real chance to make an impact, Anderson answered the call, running for 88 yards and a touchdown in a 37-30 win over Mississippi State.
Despite struggling all year to get the run game going, it seems the Gamecocks have found their guy to lead the charge.
“We felt like going into it that Mario was going to play, no matter who went out there first,” Shane Beamer said. “Certainly, Mario showed what he can do tonight.”
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From the first drive of the game, Anderson was making an impact. With a linebacker crashing in, Anderson stepped up and laid down a big block. As a result, it gave Spencer Rattler the extra time he needed to connect with Xavier Legette for what would be a 76-yard touchdown pass to open the scoring.
“Coach Mo (Hardesty), he really emphasizes that, setting a window, shooting our hands up, being really physical,” Anderson said. “That’s every day because we’ve got a guy like Spencer in the backfield. So we have to (protect him). It gets the game going.”
Coming into Saturday, South Carolina had a plan to run the ball more often. It had struggled to do so in the first three games. But it ended up running the ball 47 times for 144 yards in the win. And Anderson, who had 26 carries, was the biggest part of it.
As the game went on, Anderson became a focal point in the offense. He would continue to be fed the ball and churn out small but productive runs. He ran for five or more yards on seven carries, averaging 3.4 yards per attempt overall.
“The way I feel right now, I’m about to cramp a little, I’m not going to lie,” he said. “Just being able to compete and practice every day is really hard. We just push each other in the running back room. That’s how we practice: very physical, heavy on physicality. So the workload just came naturally.”
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Eventually, his carries would pay off in a big way. Leading by three in the fourth quarter, South Carolina was knocking on the doorstep. On second and goal, Rattler flipped the ball to Anderson, who broke a tackle around the five-yard line.
As more tacklers came his way, his offensive line was able to help push him into the end zone for what would be the difference in the game.
“For me, it was long overdue,” Anderson said. “Like I said, seize every play possible. Just thankful to be able to go out there and compete.”
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After the game, Beamer handed a game ball to Anderson, and rightfully so. He stepped up when the Gamecocks needed him to the most.
“That was very special. That’s actually going on my dresser, I ain’t going to lie,” Anderson said. “I’m thankful for that. I’m blessed for that. Just being able to get the game ball from them, it meant a lot. It was a very special moment for me.”
