Spring practice pace an adjustment for South Carolina defense, too
South Carolina’s switch to a tempo offense isn’t having an effect just on the Gamecocks offensive players this spring. The defense has had to make quite an adjustment, too.
“Guys have to know what to do,” outside linebackers coach Mike Peterson said. “Everything is happening really fast. You learn which guys know what to do and which guys are just trying to fall into place.”
South Carolina’s defenders have made strides this spring in learning how to properly defend tempo offenses because the Gamecocks are going so fast so often in practice, Peterson said.
“I think early on it was a little rough,” he said. “You definitely have to be well-conditioned, in shape. That’s the first thing that shows. I think they have adapted to it. They’re ready for it now.”
It’s also been an adjustment for the South Carolina coaches. Facing a tempo offense puts a lot of pressure on the defensive play-caller, coach Will Muschamp said. For the Gamecocks, that’s defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson.
“The offense is on the ball, so the defensive play-caller has to make the call, because they don’t know if you’re going to go fast,” Muschamp said. “There may be a lot of things you don’t like, but you have to make a call. The worst thing that can happen is everybody is looking at their wristband and the ball gets snapped.”
The Gamecocks also want to have the ability to adjust from that initial call based on what changes the offense makes after lining up, Muschamp said. Not all modern defenses do that. Shi Smith’s 53-yard touchdown catch against Michigan in the Outback Bowl last year came after South Carolina coaches noticed the Wolverines weren’t adjusting to their changes in tempo offense and made a late change to get Smith an advantageous matchup, Muschamp said on his “Carolina Calls” radio show.
“Some really good defenses that I have seen struggle with tempo,” he said.
South Carolina doesn’t want to be one of those defenses this fall. The Gamecocks were seventh in the SEC in total defense a year ago, allowing 367.1 yards per game.
“Now that we see it in practice, it won’t be as hard during a game,” safety Javon Charleston said. “It makes us get out of our comfort zone.”
Getting lined up quickly is the No. 1 key in defending a tempo offense, Peterson and his players agreed.
“If we understand that we have to line up and set the tempo, then we’ll be fine,” linebacker T.J. Brunson said.
The Gamecocks weren’t hurt too much by tempo offenses in 2017 “when we were ready for it,” Peterson said. Now, thanks to the offense’s change, they plan to be ready for it all the time.
“I love it,” Peterson said. “It gets us ready for during the season. You never know if you may face it during the season, so it prepares you in practice.”
This story was originally published March 29, 2018 at 11:43 AM with the headline "Spring practice pace an adjustment for South Carolina defense, too."