The 3-2-1: Three key plays, two game balls, one burning question from South Carolina's loss at Missouri

We break down the three key plays, two game balls, and one burning question from South Carolina’s 29-20 loss at Missouri.

Three Key Plays
Sellers off-tackle
LaNorris Sellers had one run in the first half, a scramble that lost two yards. On the second snap of South Carolina’s first drive of the second half, Sellers kept for a run off tackle. He finished the game with just three designed runs. That’s not what happens when your quarterback is fully healthy and running the ball just as often as he did last season.

So many missed tackles
Missouri had first and goal from the five. Ahmad Hardy rushed up the middle. He got stopped, turned around, lifted up, put down, and then he turned around and ran in for a touchdown. South Carolina couldn’t tackle all game, but this was the most wretched defensive play of the game. 

Too high
LaNorris Sellers and Vandrevius Jacobs connected on big plays all game, but the one they missed is going to live in their nightmares. Trailing by six with six minutes to play, South Carolina faced third and nine. The pocket collapsed around Sellers, who stepped up to evade the pressure. He started to scramble, but saw Jacobs wide open coming across the middle for a big gain. Sellers’ throw sailed on him and was too high for Jacobs. South Carolina had to punt, and tMIssouri was able to tack on a game-sealing field goal.

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Two Game Balls
Vandrevius Jacobs
Jacobs finished with seven catches for 128 yards, both career-highs. He also had a 49-yard touchdown. South Carolina’s receivers got off to a slow start this season, but led by Jacobs, they looked much better on Saturday.

LaNorris Sellers
South Carolina had no run game (actually less than no run game), couldn’t block, the defense couldn’t get off the field, and the banged-up offensive line couldn’t even stay onside before the snap. But Sellers’ arm and the talented young receivers improbably kept the Gamecocks in the game. Sellers finished the game 18-28 for 302 yards and two touchdowns. You know the saying about chicken salad? That’s what Sellers was doing.

One Burning Question
What can the Gamecocks do about the miserable tackling?
There is plenty to pick from. South Carolina finished the game with -9 yards rushing. The Gamecocks committed 14 penalties for 98 yards, and six were false starts. But the missed tackles… good grief the missed tackles.

Tackling isn’t something that you can fix in one week in the middle of the season. The coaches can harp on it – and they almost certainly have already been doing so – but they can’t make the players tackle. They can practice it this week, but only so much. They have a game against Kentucky to prepare for.

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