McClendon brings ‘sense of confidence that we need’ to Gamecocks

South Carolina football fans hoping to see a different offense with Bryan McClendon at the helm replaceing Kurt Roper for the Outback Bowl might be left wanting, based on what USC’s players said after a few practices.

But the key word there is “might,” as the players were hardly in full agreement about changes from man to man or even when answering different questions.

The answers those outside the program might not take heart in:

“It’s been pretty much the same,” guard Zack Bailey said.

“Same system, it hasn’t really changed a whole lot,” tight end Hayden Hurst said.

But not everyone was 100 percent on that message.

“I think the guys have really embraced it, embraced coach McClendon’s offense,” quarterback Jake Bentley said. “I think he kind of came in and said, ‘This is what we’re going to do and how we’re going to do it.’ And I think the guys really picked it up well.”

The difference might not come in what’s being done, but more in how it’s being done. Players said the scheme seems pretty similar. They’re mostly left to speculate on the finer points of how McClendon will differ as a play-caller.

But something is different.

“B-Mac just brings a sense of confidence that we need,” Hurst said. “I think for some time now, we’ve been searching for a bit of an identity as an offense. And I think he has a pretty good philosophy on how he wants to run things, how he wants things done. I think that will be really good for this team.”

It will be the first time McClendon calls plays. After his time as a receiver at Georgia and cup of coffee in the NFL, he was part of Mark Richt’s Georgia program and then worked with Roper after that.

McClendon is most known for his energy, which is part of what makes him such a strong recruiter. Receiver Bryan Edwards said he liked that in the room, liked the focus on detail (McClendon apparently opens every meeting with a quote or aphorism).

Edwards even said McClendon might hop in every so often and run a route to show how it’s done.

Those outside the program will have to wait and see what USC’s offense looks like Jan. 1. Bentley said there will be some tweaks and flourishes, even with an offense that can’t change all that much in a limited window.

In some ways, it will be the same attack, but with a different hand on the reins. And with a new face running things, the rest of USC’s offense is getting the McClendon experience.

“Everybody else is getting a taste of what we go through every practice,” Edwards said.

This story was originally published December 21, 2017 at 4:44 PM with the headline "McClendon brings ‘sense of confidence that we need’ to Gamecocks."