Many teams open vs cupcakes. Why it helps the Gamecocks not to

The South Carolina football program hasn’t eased into things of late.

It’s been six seasons since the Gamecocks opened the season against a non-Power Five opponent. Every one of those teams went bowling.

Coach Will Muschamp thinks that can help with a part of offseason focus, as his squad will open against a potentially very good N.C. State team Saturday.

“I’d go back to the summer,” Muschamp said. “Our guys understanding we need to be game-ready game one when you have an opponent like NC State. To understand you better be in shape and understanding all those things. The strength levels, the endurance levels, all of them need to be ready to go when camp starts.”

USC is 4-1 in the past five openers.

College coaches often spend the offseason using the opener as a carrot of sorts, spurring players on with talk of the next foe they’ll face. That might be treated a little differently if it’s an FCS or even non-name brand foe.

But once a team starts practice in August, it doesn’t really matter.

“I think camp is camp” Muschamp said. “We are going push our guys to be focused, to be dialed into what they need to be.”

Looking ahead

Although the coaches have players chomping at the bit for the first opponent, the staff is already looking farther ahead.

It’s common for staffs to plan ahead in the depths of an offseason, breaking down the previous year’s film to review and preview things. But while it’s not discussed with players, the Gamecocks coaches already have a jump on most of the season’s first month.

“As a staff we game-planned the first three games fully,” Muschamp said. “Short-yardage, goal line, third down, everything you can imagine. We’re ready for those games. Certainly, we can tweak and some things. We have in this first game already.”

Way ahead

Muschamp is hands-on when it comes to the non-conference schedule.

The Gamecocks coach likes to be involved in a wide swath of parts of his program, and has his input on who makes the schedule.

”(Deputy Athletics Director) Charles Waddell and I were just talking about that,” Muschamp said. “I think we’re pretty good through (2019). We’re still working past that.”

He wasn’t in Columbia when this weekend’s tilt with the Wolfpack was set, but it does align with some of his philosophies.

It gives the Gamecocks a little extra presence in the important Charlotte recruiting area. Muschamp said he likes these kickoff games either in Charlotte or Atlanta so the team can come to some of the prospects through the region.

“Coach (Ray) Tanner knows how I feel about it,” Muschamp said. “To have to those opportunities to get that exposure in those areas are very important to us.”

This story was originally published August 31, 2017 at 3:02 PM with the headline "Many teams open vs cupcakes. Why it helps the Gamecocks not to."