 |
| A&M QB Ken Hill has all day to pass. And DBs had virtually no coverage for SC's defense. Quarles and Hampton could have played a big role, but they were gone. |
Were the very ill-advised departures of
South Carolina's defensive tackle Kelcy Quarles and cornerback
Victor Hampton a sign that the Gamecocks' defensive coaches lack
adequate influence over players?
Of course it's hard to convince a
college student to do what is best in the long run sometimes. But
just as soon as Quarles and Hampton announced they would forgo their
final year of eligibility at South Carolina, and enter the NFL draft,
it was seen as a BAD idea. Was no one close to them at USC, and in authority, counseling them?
Quarles barely got signed, after being
cut over this weekend. He was picked up by the Patriots.
Such a low status for a man who would
have been heralded as one the SEC's best linemen if he would have
played in 2014. And the Gamecocks D, that looked pathetic, with no
pass rush, desperately needed him. That was evident versus Texas A&M
last Thursday.
And the Gamecocks' defensive secondary
was horrible, as the Aggies put up record passing numbers against it.
Hampton could have been a shining star on the big stage. Instead he
is not playing football.
The leadership of upperclassmen Quarles
and Hampton would have been invaluable to a unit that looked green and lost.
Instead of possibly lauding those
veterans Thursday, SC Head Coach Steve Spurrier was left calling out
his defensive coaches after one of the most-embarrassing performances
ever delivered at USC.
How much responsibility does the SC
defensive coaching staff shoulder for not having the influence to
convince their players to stay?
How Spurrier handles a defensive
coaching staff that failed miserably will indicate the Gamecocks'
fortunes in 2014.
Fans better hope the SC defensive
coaches inability to advise players is not a sign of a lack of
control. Otherwise, a season that has begun ugly, could get
worse.
No comments:
Post a Comment