South Carolina Football’s GOAT Series: Top-10 greatest defenses of all-time
By Kevin Miller
South Carolina Football’s No. 5 Greatest Defense of All-Time:
2001
It was only fitting that the team that begins every game with 2001: A Space Odyssey would have a great season in the year 2001. The Gamecocks built off of their success from 2000 and were an even better team than the year before. The defense was close to a carbon copy from the prior season and was almost as good as the record-breaking group from 2000. Defensive coordinator Charlie Strong’s third season in Columbia was his third good defensive unit as the Gamecocks surrendered more than 17 points just three times all season.
2001 was the final season in garnet and black for Gamecock defensive greats like Sheldon Brown, Kalimba Edwards, Rashad Faison, John Stamper, Kenny Harney, Willie Offord, and Andre Goodman. These seniors set the tone for one of the SEC’s best defenses at every level. Edwards, Faison, and Brown made at least one All-American team each that season, and five Carolina defenders were taken in the 2002 NFL Draft after the ’01 season.