(Not) Holding against the Gamecocks in SEC Country

Totally not holding, guys. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-US PRESSWIRE

Besides game previews, our weekly top 25 and “what SC learned”, we don’t run many continuing series at Garnet and Cocky.

Well we’ve decided to add another, largely based on an observation made last season.

South Carolina was called for 10 holding penalties in league play last year, compared to the three holding penalties called against SEC opposition. There was only one hold called against an opposing SEC offense, and it came with 3:55 left in the fourth quarter against Arkansas. The other two holds were called on the special teams units of Vanderbilt and Mississippi State.

This year, the refs haven’t called a hold against the Gamecocks or either of their SEC opponents (although a phantom clipping negated an 80 yard touchdown run by Connor Shaw to start the Missouri game off).

I’m not here to rip referees on a weekly basis, but with the defense SC had last year (quick count: 26 sacks, 79 tackles-for-loss), it’s beyond unfathomable (yes, beyond something that is impossible to fathom) to assume opposing SEC offenses committed just one holding the entire freaking season.

Again, that’s 10 holding penalties on the Gamecocks to just three for opposing SEC teams.

So bookmark this page in your browser, because Garnet and Cocky will be keeping track of every holding penalty called against the Gamecocks and their SEC opponents this season and posting that total every Sunday evening.