How going fast could make South Carolina more explosive on the ground
A total of 75 college football teams had more runs of 20 yards or longer than South Carolina in 2017. The Gamecocks’ total of five runs of 30 yards or longer tied for the 97th-most in the country.
This was the case despite some decent speed in USC’s backfield. At 184 pounds, A.J. Turner has shown his ability to turn on the jets, and Ty’Son Williams was known for his speed out of high school.
But the Gamecocks believe their shift toward a higher tempo offense could be the cure.
“With the tempo, I think it’ll allow for more explosive plays,” Williams said. “So I think that will be a tremendous help for us.”
USC spent last season running one of the slowest-paced offenses in the country.
Gamecocks coach Will Muschamp explained why that tempo can help a running game get opponents off balance, even if the front isn’t pushing opponents around. It’s, in part, because a defense is scrambling, and, in part, something else.
“Fatigue makes cowards of us all,” Muschamp said. “A 300-pounder doesn’t get in the right gap, and all of a sudden, he’s bounced out and you’ve got an inside zone spitting for 30 yards. It has nothing to do with physicality.
“Those are things, to me, that will help us more.”
USC also upgraded the level of heft inside, with Donell Stanley moving to center and Zack Bailey and Sadarius Hutcherson flanking him.
Williams said there’s a certain glee in getting lined up and watching a defense scramble to match. Muschamp said there was something harrowing about having to make calls in quick spots, knowing substitutions and, perhaps, an adjustment were either difficult or impossible.
“You love that,” Williams said. “You love when they’re all scrambling around. You know they’re not lined up, they’re probably not getting into their calls. So there will be some running lanes.”
He has some experience on that front, as he spent his freshman season as a backup in North Carolina’s up-tempo attack under Larry Fedora. That year, Elijah Hood averaged 6.7 yards per carry. Backup T.J. Logan and quarterback Marquise Williams each averaged 6. A year later, the team’s top two backs each averaged 5.4 yards per carry or better.
Now Williams is starting to feel something familiar about the offense in Columbia.
“It’s very similar,” Williams said. “Just getting lined up as quick as you can. That was a pretty high-powered offense, so I think this will translate and do the same thing.”
This story was originally published August 21, 2018 at 11:33 PM.