South Carolina’s offensive woes predictable, even against Kentucky

No matter the results of this season, Will Muschamp and his coaching staff was going to get a free pass. Everybody understands there’s always confusion during a coaching change. Teaching new systems to a team that went 3-9 last year and had no dependable returning talent was going to be rough.

When it comes to freshman quarterback Brandon McIlwain, Muschamp had a choice. Play him and give him a full playbook despite no real running threat, a not-great line and a bunch of inexperienced receivers? Or protect him as much as possible, so when talent gets here he won’t be gun-shy and broken beyond repair?

“I think we’ve made a lot of progress,” Muschamp said. “But it’s hard in the passing game to get any continuity with guys missing time. Especially with a freshman quarterback.”

Fans saw USC lost to a team that lost to Southern Miss and nearly to New Mexico State while its defense gave out touchdowns like Halloween candy. They also saw that USC has, for the first time, lost three in a row to a team it used to own.

The Gamecocks couldn’t take advantage of that bad defense because McIlwain isn’t experienced enough to mount a consistent downfield attack. That’s because he hasn’t learned how to stand in the pocket and throw, and also because his offensive line hasn’t given him a lot of time to do it.

I’m sure Muschamp and Kurt Roper could have dialed up a game plan to sit McIlwain in the pocket and throw 50 times, trying to rip that soft UK secondary. It’s likely that had they done so, McIlwain would have been taking his meals through a straw before next week.

“We’re all frustrated,” left tackle Mason Zandi said, echoing his coach’s most frequent term. “As an offensive line, we need to give (McIlwain) more time.”

The line did well after four punts to start the game, an extra man added to give McIlwain time to throw screens and get the running game in motion. It regressed when everyone knew it would – as USC was trying to tie the game and Kentucky blitzed at will.

With David Williams playing well, but not a game-breaker; and A.J. Turner fast but not built enough to get through an initial tackle; and starting receivers Deebo Samuel and Randrecous Davis not available; and McIlwain a freshman – why would USC be great on offense? Because it was playing a defense that hadn’t performed against offenses without USC’s problems?

There aren’t many options to score points when there’s no dependable running threat. There are less options when trying to pass with no consistent pass-blocking. But folks still thought because of the Wildcats’ terrible numbers, the Gamecocks’ offense would suddenly be The Greatest Show on Turf.

It was still a freshman quarterback with a line that hasn’t lived up to preseason thoughts, no running game and the best receiver laid up with a bad hamstring. This is what it is.

Muschamp hopes it’s not what it will be.

This story was originally published September 25, 2016 at 12:29 AM with the headline "South Carolina’s offensive woes predictable, even against Kentucky."