TheState.com: GoGamecocks

Norwood not satisfied, eyes strong finish

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:01 EST

South Carolina launched a Web site this week to promote senior linebacker Eric Norwood.

Now the All-American hopeful intends to add some new highlight videos and records.

Norwood, a two-time All-SEC selection and USC's all-time sacks leader, has been mired in a midseason drought, from a statistical standpoint.

Norwood has gone more than five weeks without a sack, dating to the Gamecocks' 16-10 victory against Mississippi on Sept. 24. He had two sacks that night to give him 28 for his career and move past Andrew Provence atop the school's career list.

Since the Ole Miss game that was televised nationally for every SEC offensive coordinator to see, Norwood has faced a number of double teams, chip blocks from running backs and offenses on the lookout for where the Gamecocks' No. 40 lines up.

[Video] Pep rally sends off Gamecocks

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:01 EST

Gamecock Club members organized a pep rally/send-off event for the South Carolina football team Friday before the players and coaches headed to Arkansas.

Gameday preview: USC vs. Arkansas

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:01 EST

Injury report; five game storylines; five questions with wide receiver Tori Gurley; and more.

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Injuries

USC - DE Cliff Matthews (shoulder), FS Chris Culliver (shoulder), FS Jarrett Burns (finger) and OT Jarriel King (concussion) are out.

Arkansas - CB Ramon Broadway (hamstring) is questionable; RB Michael Smith (hamstring) is probable.

Gameday blog: USC vs. Arkansas

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:08 EST

Join Seth Emerson as he blogs live Saturday from South Carolina vs. Arkansas.

http://blogs.thestateonline.net/gameday/

Joe Person's gameday forecast, prediction

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:01 EST

Speaking with reporters after Thursday’s practice, Ellis Johnson downplayed the loss of free safety Chris Culliver, who was benched because of a shoulder injury and an incident Monday when he walked out of practice.

“Cully didn’t play well last week,” said Johnson, USC’s assistant head coach for defense. “So you say we’re going to miss him. We ain’t going to miss him with a bad shoulder.”

Johnson did not try to minimize the absence of defensive end Cliff Matthews.

No one around the Gamecocks’ program has tried to.

USC will wake up Saturday morning in Fayetteville, roll out of bed for the 11:21 a.m. local kickoff, and prepare to face a quarterback Johnson called the SEC’s best pocket passer running a “well-conceived” offense – again, Johnson’s words – that averages just under 300 passing yards a game.

USC advances to SEC soccer finals

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:17 EST

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. - Kim Miller converted a penalty kick in the 11th minute, and South Carolina shut out top-seeded Florida 1-0 to advance to the program's first SEC tournament championship game.

The win was the second ever against the Gators.

A first-time champion will be crowned Sunday when second-seeded LSU faces the Gamecocks in the nationally televised game at 3:30 p.m. Neither program has played for the title, and South Carolina will look to knock off the third and final team during the tournament that earned a victory against USC in the regular season.

Miller hit her penalty kick at 10:36 after Lindsay Small was taken down in the box. The penalty kick was her second in as many games; senior All-SEC performer had one blocked in the first half against Georgia in the quarterfinals.

"Lindsay Small did a good job to get in the box," Miller said. "I missed a PK yesterday when (Georgia's) Michelle Betos made a great save. Today I had confidence in myself and so did my teammates. I knew I'd get it in. I knew how much this one means to the team. I was focused and hit it where I wanted it to go."

SEC fines Meyer $30,000 for criticizing officials

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:13 EST

Urban Meyer of Florida became the first coach to be disciplined under the Southeastern Conference's new policy regarding criticizing officials.

The league fined Meyer $30,000 on Friday, two days after he said referees missed a late hit against quarterback Tim Tebow in No. 1 Florida's 41-17 win against Georgia. Meyer sent video of the play to the SEC office, but his mistake was telling reporters refs missed the call.

Last week, the SEC changed its policy about coaches publicly criticizing officials, making the punishment either a fine or a suspension and doing away with reprimands. The change came after Tennessee's Lane Kiffin, Mississippi State's Dan Mullen and Arkansas' Bobby Petrino were reprimanded after they publicly questioned officiating.

"Coach Meyer has violated the Southeastern Conference Code of Ethics," SEC commissioner Mike Slive said in a statement. "SEC bylaw 10.5.4 clearly states that the coaches, players and support personnel shall refrain from public criticism of officials. The league's athletics directors and presidents and chancellors have made it clear that negative public comments on officiating are not acceptable."

Meyer apologized following the fine.

Walk-on Chisolm impresses USC staff

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:25 EST

As a walk-on who could not begin practicing until preseason drills were nearly over, it took offensive lineman Garrett Chisolm several weeks to get the attention of South Carolina coaches.

It is not like he was going to speak up.

While kick returner Bryce Sherman was the walk-on generating the buzz in August, the quiet Chisolm kept showing up and making life miserable for the Gamecocks' starting defensive linemen.

As injuries and defections began to take their toll on USC's offensive line depth, Chisolm continued to climb the depth chart. The transfer from Pikeville, an NAIA school in Kentucky, will make his first start at left guard Saturday at Arkansas after playing most of the second half last week at Tennessee.

The next interview he grants will be his first.

Muldrow surprises in exhibition

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:39 EST

Beyond the empty seats in Colonial Life Arena, this was the surest sign it was just an exhibition game: The first shot of the game was a 3-pointer by center Sam Muldrow - and it went in.

Yes, it was the same Muldrow who had never attempted a 3-pointer in his first two years at South Carolina. He tried another one late in USC's 78-55 victory against Division II Kentucky Wesleyan, and he made that too.

"He was slinging that thing tonight," USC coach Darrin Horn said.

Muldrow led the Gamecocks with 17 points on Thursday night. The stats will not count, but Horn was happy to see the aggressiveness out of Muldrow as the Gamecocks look for more scoring options.

"He told me in practice that whenever I get the ball to score and be aggressive," Muldrow said.

Coach Johnson backs Culliver

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:25 EST

Ellis Johnson does not condone how South Carolina safety Chris Culliver acted this week. But the Gamecocks' assistant head coach for defense said it is time for fans to get off Culliver's back.

Culliver, a junior with 22 career starts, will not make the trip to Arkansas. He was benched because of a shoulder injury and an incident Monday when Culliver walked out of practice after an argument with coaches.

Culliver has come under fire for his effort in last week's 31-13 loss to Tennessee. Culliver had a couple of glaring missed tackles, although it was later revealed he reinjured his surgically repaired shoulder in pregame warmups.

Lorenzo Ward, who coaches USC's safeties and cornerbacks, said Culliver told him about the injury before the game but indicated he was OK.

"Really it's our fault for not seeing that he wasn't himself," Johnson said Thursday. "Now what happened after that, he didn't handle it well. And as a result, he's not going. But I'm tired of all the Chris Culliver bashing."

Morris: Game scars will endure with Rogers

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:21 EST

GEORGE ROGERS IS hurting these days. All over.

During an 11-year period covering his careers at South Carolina and in the NFL, Rogers carried the football 2,646 times. His body was beaten to a pulp with injuries ranging from a thumb that once was bent behind his pinky finger to a dislocated shoulder that prevents him from effectively swinging a golf club.

Today, Rogers is a 50-year-old operating in a 65- to 70-year-old body. He is Exhibit A for what ultimately happens to a bruising running back that used his body with a total lack of restraint. He represents the brutal aftereffects of the sport.

"Some days I hate to wake up," Rogers says, "because I know I can't stand on my feet. I have trouble walking some days."

Rogers remains employed by the USC athletics department, serving as a goodwill ambassador for the school where he won the Heisman Trophy in 1980. A year later he was the NFL rookie of the year with the New Orleans Saints. His professional career lasted seven bruising seasons.

Pep rally to send off Gamecocks

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:03 EST

The Gamecock Club will hold a send-off pep rally Friday for the USC football team as they prepare for their trip to Arkansas this weekend.

It will be held Friday in the southwest corner of Williams-Brice Stadium (outside Gate 11). Fans are encouraged to arrive as early as 1:30 p.m., as the team is scheduled to leave the stadium at approximately 2:15 p.m.

Cocky, the Gamecock cheerleaders and dance team are expected to be on hand for the send off.

Spurrier does not let Culliver walk over team

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:03 EST

USC is getting ready to face the SEC’s top-ranked passing offense and No. 1 passer.

If there was a game the Gamecocks could have used their starting free safety, this Arkansas game certainly qualifies.

But Steve Spurrier was right to bench Chris Culliver this week before Culliver’s attitude problem festered into something more detrimental that could disrupt the Gamecocks’ locker room during this key, three-game stretch to close the regular season.

Culliver walked out of Monday night’s practice after an argument with an assistant coach, according to sources.

Lorenzo Ward, Culliver’s position coach, told 1400 The Team on Wednesday that Culliver would not accept a move from safety to corner, and responded with a poor attitude. Ward said Culliver’s shoulder injury made him a better fit at corner, where there is less hitting required.

Arms race in SEC: Garcia, Mallett atop league passing charts

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:16 EST

Tim Tebow or Jevan Snead?

That the was the preseason discussion about who was the SEC's top quarterback - a debate South Carolina's Steve Spurrier jumped into when he initially left Tebow off his first-team ballot for the coaches' preseason all-conference squad.

But from a strict passing yardage standpoint after the first two months of the season, Tebow and Snead are not in the conversation.

Instead, the SEC's top passers are a pair of redshirt sophomores in their first full seasons as starters who will square off Saturday when USC travels to Arkansas.

Ryan Mallett and Stephen Garcia are 1-2 in passing yards and total offense, and are the only quarterbacks in the conference to eclipse 2,000 yards in either category. They both were highly recruited high school quarterbacks who have had at least one off-the-field incident.

Recap: USC football Q&A

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:08 EST

Read the transcript from Thursday's question-and-answer session with GoGamecocks.com's Joe Person as South Carolina prepares to take on Arkansas on Saturday.

USC football with Joe Person

ACC-SEC rankings

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:06 EST

As voted on by writers from The State (Seth Emerson and Paul Strelow), The Charlotte Observer (Ron Green Jr. and Ken Tysiac) and the Raleigh News and Observer (Joseph Giglio and Edward Robinson).

Team Votes Last week

1. Florida (6) 144 1 One trip to Atlanta punched . . .

2. Alabama 138 2 . . . Another one on the verge.

3. Georgia Tech 130 4 Paul Johnson: The ACC’s best coaching hire since Roy Williams?

Matthews' injury leave extends

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:25 EST

It looks like South Carolina will be without one of its best defensive players until the regular season finale against Clemson.

Defensive end Cliff Matthews, already ruled out for Saturday's game at Arkansas, will also miss the Florida game, coaches said Wednesday. The junior has a dislocated shoulder.

"I am not going to put him out there and jeopardize his career," defensive line coach Brad Lawing said. "I'm not going to do that. I don't believe in that. Cliff's a tough kid. And with him, we've got to make sure that he really is able to be out there."

Matthews ranks second on the team with five sacks, and has forced a team-leading three fumbles.

"That's tough to lose a guy like that," Lawing said. "He's probably our most high-energy guy on defense. He makes plays, disrupts a lot of stuff. So that's tough."

Auditions open for new Zam

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:28 EST

When the South Carolina men's basketball team takes the court for its exhibition game tonight, there will be a new starter at shooting guard. Zam Fredrick is gone, replaced by ...

Well, who knows yet. The coaching staff will decide before the game, and coach Darrin Horn emphasized Wednesday that the selection might not be much of an indicator for the season.

But more remains to be decided than simply who will be the fifth person announced during pregame introductions.

Much has been made of the Gamecocks returning four starters from a team that went 21-10 and ended a two-year postseason drought. The problem is the one who left averaged 15.7 points a game last season and was the second-leading scorer the past two seasons.

Fredrick was the second player after Devan Downey who the team knew would take the big shot. Fredrick hit two game-winners last year, at Baylor and home against Florida.

USC, Clemson memories to shine at event

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:36 EST

A near-tragedy for long-time Clemson and USC football staffer Clyde Wrenn has led to a gathering of former Gamecocks and Tigers players, kicking off the week of the annual rivalry game.

Wrenn, who worked nearly 30 years as a recruiter and operations manager for four Clemson coaches and three USC coaches, will host "A Night with the Stars," Nov. 23 at Seawell's Restaurant.

Helping to host is former Gamecocks player and Denver Broncos coach Dan Reeves.

Appearing at the gathering, beginning at 6:30 p.m. with dinner and drinks, will be former Clemson coach Danny Ford and ex-Tigers Ed McDaniel, Steve Fuller, Chris Gardocki and Jeff Davis. George Rogers, USC's 1980 Heisman Trophy winner, will be joined by ex-Gamecocks Jeff Grantz, Harold Green, Ryan Brewer and Corey Miller.

Tickets are $100, with proceeds going to the trauma unit at Palmetto Health Richland Memorial. Wrenn said that's the least he could do after doctors and nurses there saved his son's life.

Wait 'til next season

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:38 EST

Sam Arthur's junior season will probably end earlier than he wanted.

With a 0-4-1 slide in the past five matches, the USC men's soccer team will not make the Conference USA four-team tournament, which means USC must win Saturday's match at Memphis to be a longshot to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.

Arthur cited key injuries, illnesses and tough luck as factors that have worked against USC (7-7-3).

"In any of the conference games, it's going to be a battle. Everybody in the conference can play. A lot has to do with the way the ball bounces," Arthur said. "It seems like we had a tough spell where we couldn't get the breaks we needed. That turned out to be the difference in our close games."

Arthur's frustration in part has to do with the lack of scoring in those past five matches, when the Gamecocks have netted one goal. His last goal came in a 3-2 double overtime victory against SMU.