No more tuneups. No more cupcakes. This is where the rubber meets the road. SEC play begins for South Carolina as the team welcomes Mississippi State to Wiliams-Brice Saturday afternoon.
With raised expectations among the fanbase for the Gamecocks, this game has quickly turned into feeling like a pivotal matchup for the entire season especially as Mississippi State also enters the matchup 2-0.
On my podcast Cox Talking Gamecocks I outline the "crows to the game" every week. Why crows? Because everyone does keys to the game and we have our rooster crow, so why not. Let's get into it.
Defensive Crows
1. Make Kamario Taylor one-dimensional: Taylor has quickly become the talk of the SEC and his development is apparent through two games. A true dual-threat quarterback, Taylor provides unique challenges to the Gamecock defense. I’m looking at the linebacker group to contain Taylor’s running ability, limit his scrambling, and force him to stay in the pocket. Across his two games, he's produced 726 total yards of offense, including six touchdowns.
2. Get Kamario Taylor on the ground: Sticking with a common theme, it is imperative to disrupt Taylor’s timing. He largely had his way last weekend on the road against Minnesota. But there were signs that if you get him on the ground, he struggles to bounce back. Also, this will be the best defensive front the Bulldogs have faced this year, so it’s time for Carolina to flex its muscles.
3. Generate a turnover: Through two games, South Carolina has just one interception. This would be a great time to change that. It's is shaping up to be a close one, as South Carolina is listed as a 4-point favorite. Any time the defense can give the offense an extra possession it will be critical. Plus, I’d like to see how the MSU offense responds to some adversity.
Offensive Crows
1. Play mentally sharp: We’ve seen penalties, and fumbles, on opening drives this year. There have been dropped touchdown passes in critical junctures, as well. Simply put, that won’t fly when you’re in a close SEC matchup. The hope is that after two weeks, the offense has fully gelled. Some of those mishaps against Towson should serve as a wake up call and teaching moments for the staff and roster. If the offense stays ahead of the chain, it will fully open up the playbook.
2. Anticipate and react to unique defensive schemes: Everyone knows Mississippi State runs a unique defense. The base 3-3-5 gives defensive coordinator Zach Arnett an ability to mask where pressure comes from. It’s imperative that LaNorris Sellers anticipates, reacts, and makes the correct read on who is bringing pressure. Making smart decisions with the football will also be key.
3. Score more than 21 points: Bulldog head coach Jeff Lebby’s record at MSU when opponents score more than 21 points is 1-18. He will be trying to reverse that trend on Saturday. But if this game were to turn into a shootout, that would favor the Gamecocks.
If the Gamecocks want to have the type of season that gets remembered, it starts this Saturday. Mississippi State is not a slouch of an opponent, and will present challenges. But this is the type of game South Carolina has to win if the program is to progress forward. Anticipate a back and forth game against the backdrop of a raucous Willy-B to start things off in conference play.
South Carolina spent big on its roster despite big gap among SEC heavyweights, per estimates
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