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Erik Campos/ecampos@thestate.com/
USC's Captain Munnerlyn hangs his head after picking up a penalty in the first half of the Outback Bowl.
GoGamecocks.com
Penalties back USC up to a new low
Team records its most penalties, penalty yardage in bowl game with no explanation from coach
Eric Norwood throws teammate Clifton Geathers to the ground to keep him from fighting with Iowa players in the second half of the Outback Bowl.
Erik Campos/ecampos@thestate.com
TAMPA, Fla. — South Carolina is developing a bad habit when it comes to bowl games: penalties.
The Gamecocks were penalized 10 times for 100 yards Thursday in a 31-10 loss to Iowa in the Outback Bowl. It was USC’s most penalties and penalty yardage in a bowl game, surpassing the nine penalties for 95 yards the Gamecocks rang up against Houston in the 2006 Liberty Bowl.
USC coach Steve Spurrier was at a loss to explain the penalties, which included six personal fouls — although two were nullified by offsetting penalties on Iowa.
Gamecocks defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson was most upset with cornerback Captain Munnerlyn, who kicked an Iowa player after the Gamecocks had stopped the Hawkeyes for a first-down loss following a USC fumble.
“That’s unexcusable. It’s embarrassing. It’s absolutely ridiculous,” Johnson said. “You’re playing a team like Iowa. You’re getting them behind schedule. Now all of a sudden it’s first-and-10. Why would he do it? I don’t know.”
Mixed message? Munnerlyn, who was on the bench in the fourth quarter after getting hit in the head, criticized of the effort he saw from some of his teammates.
“It just seemed like we gave up towards the end of the game. I’m the type of player, I don’t like to give up until it’s all zeros on the clock. Some of our guys just gave up. That kind of bothered me a little,” he said. “I couldn’t finish the game. The doctors wouldn’t let me go back in.”
Munnerlyn later announced he was leaving USC early for the NFL draft.
Crowd control. The announced crowd of 55,117 was the smallest since 54,059 fans watched Georgia beat Purdue on Jan. 1, 2000. There were large blocks of empty seats and actual attendance appeared to be closer to 40,000.
USC, which failed to sell all of its 11,000 tickets, was outnumbered by Iowa fans by about 2-to-1.
“We have to acknowledge that there are economic issues out there that affect a lot of people,” Outback president Jim McVay said. “If that affects travel for bowl games, then it’s going to. Nowhere does it say we’re going to be immune to what’s going on with the economy.”
Extra points. New Auburn coach Gene Chizik is interested in talking to Johnson about the Tigers’ defensive coordinator’s position according to an ESPN affiliated Auburn Web site.. Johnson contract requires a payment of $1.05 million should he leave for another assistant coaches job. ... In his final game, receiver Kenny McKinley extended his school-record receptions streak to 43 games. McKinley, USC’s all-time leading receiver, leaves with 207 catches — third most in SEC history — and 2,781 receiving yards. ... USC fell to 4-10 in bowl games. ... USC’s 14 carries and 43 rushing yards were the fewest in Outback history. Chris Culliver tied a bowl record with five kickoff returns.
He said it. “I guess it’s tough to know that when you’re not playing full time. I’m going to try to work as hard as possible. Whether it’s like Tebow or not, that’s not up to me. I’m just going to do what I have to do, what I can do.” — Stephen Garcia on Spurrier’s recent comment that he wanted Garcia to work as hard at Florida QB Tim Tebow
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