| A promising 5-1 start, which easily could have | | | | enters the season as Garcia's top returning target. |
| been 6-0, quickly went south when the South | | | | He caught 46 passes for 763 yards and six |
| Carolina Gamecocks lost four of their last six | | | | touchdowns in 2009. Another thing that would |
| regular season games, and then their bowl game | | | | make Garcia's life easier is a running game. The |
| with Connecticut, to finish the 2009 season 7-6. | | | | Gamecocks have finished at the bottom of the |
| Despite boasting one of the top quarterbacks in | | | | SEC the last three years in rushing offense, and |
| the SEC statistically, South Carolina was plagued | | | | that needs to change in 2010. Kenny Miles is the |
| by an offense that only averaged 20.6 points per | | | | team's top returning rusher on the strength of a |
| game (11th SEC). An offensive line that gave up | | | | 626-yard season, but there is a lot of hype being |
| the most sacks in the league, and struggled to | | | | thrown in the direction of freshman Marcus |
| open holes in the running game, was the biggest | | | | Lattimore. |
| reason for the Gamecocks' struggles. While | | | | Defense: South Carolina returns seven starts on a |
| legendary head coach Steve Spurrier is yet to | | | | unit that finished No. 3 in the SEC in total defense. |
| capture an SEC championship at South Carolina, | | | | This means that S.C. should once again boast one |
| there is reason to believe that this could be the | | | | of the better stop units in the league. In 2009, the |
| year. SEC East rivals Florida, Georgia and | | | | Gamecocks were solid against the run (No. 5 SEC) |
| Tennessee must all break in new quarterbacks, | | | | and downright stingy against the pass (No. 2 SEC). |
| and it's never easy to make the jump to starter | | | | With a strong pass rush and experience across |
| in a league as talented as the SEC. | | | | the back, the Gamecocks will excel in pass |
| Offense: Spurrier decided it was time he started | | | | coverage once again. End Cliff Matthews and now |
| calling the plays late last season, and he plans on | | | | outside linebacker Shaq Wilson will apply most of |
| doing so again in 2010. Hopefully, the Ol' Ball Coach | | | | the heat. Matthews is a high-energy guy who is |
| can find a few plays in the ol' play book to get | | | | never outworked. He will look to improve on the |
| the South Carolina offense in the end zone more | | | | seven sacks he recorded last year. Wilson was |
| often. How good the offense will be, and | | | | valuable as a middle linebacker, but the |
| ultimately how good the team will be, depends on | | | | Gamecocks need him to move outside to fill the |
| the offensive line. The good news is there is | | | | big shoes of Eric Norwood. |
| talent up front. Tackle Jarriel King is even being | | | | Prediction: 3rd SEC East - While there is certainly a |
| projected as a high NFL Draft pick. But individual | | | | chance South Carolina could find a way to win the |
| talent doesn't mean anything if the boys up front | | | | East, conventional wisdom tells me not to count |
| don't come together as a unit. Quarterback | | | | the chickens before they hatch. The Gamecocks |
| Stephen Garcia was the second-leading passer in | | | | have averaged only seven wins per season under |
| the SEC in 2009 despite facing constant pressure. | | | | Spurrier, and they haven't posted a winning mark |
| He threw for 2,862 yards and 17 scores with 10 | | | | in SEC play since 2005. Make sure you check out |
| interceptions. If he gets the time to throw, he | | | | how I have the rest of the league shaping up in |
| could really shatter those numbers. Alshon Jeffery | | | | my 2010 SEC football predictions. |
