South Carolina football: 3 good, 3 bad from win over East Carolina
By Jacob Elsey
It was ugly, but the South Carolina football team pulled out a come-from-behind on the road against East Carolina over the weekend. Things didn’t go the Gamecocks’ way for much of the game. Starting quarterback Luke Doty was held out for a second straight week. There were three first-half turnovers. A few questionable officiating calls nearly shifted the final outcome.
Still, the Gamecocks were able to overcome to earn a tough win with a reserve signal caller under center.
Shane Beamer was proud of how his team fought for four quarters. He was proud of how they handled adversity. It was the first true test of the season, and the Gamecocks ultimately passed.
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With that being said, the performance was far from perfect. The defense allowed a 75-yard touchdown pass on the game’s opening play, and the team wasn’t able to grab its first momentum until the final minute of the first half, when Damani Staley scored on a pick six.
Still, some explosive plays late in the game helped lead South Carolina to a win. Josh Vann had a career day, with the senior recording his first 100-yard performance. Dakereon Joyner and Jaheim Bell made huge plays in the receiving game, too.
Juju McDowell shouldered the load late at running back, finishing with 71 yards to lead the team. He also ran back a 63-yard kickoff to set up a game-tying field goal in the fourth quarter. McDowell will only become more involved in the offense moving forward.
Let’s take a closer look at some good and some bad from this past weekend’s win over East Carolina.