Why Rico Dowdle’s day left Gamecocks coach Will Muschamp pleased

That was the Rico Dowdle folks remembered.

He went a long time without playing much football, getting knocked out halfway through the 2017 season and returning for a modest role in the bowl game. But one has to go farther back to find that Rico Dowdle.

Although the North Carolina product started much of last season, he was never truly effective for one reason or another. He wasn’t the runner who tore down the stretch as a true freshman, posting 125-plus yards three times and 225 once.

Saturday against overmatched Coastal Carolina, he showed signs of being that back again, a product of something behind the scenes.

“A lot of work in the summer and then the offseason I’ve been putting in,” Dowdle said. “Felt good to be back out there, second game in a long time.”

The 6-foot, 215 pounder went for five or more yards on 11 of his 15 carries. He finished with 105 yards, adding a 22-yard touchdown reception.

This, a year after failing to reach 50 yards in six of seven regular-season games last year and 3.8 yards per carry in five of them.

Will Muschamp had challenged him in the offseason, and mentioned he was pleased with the response. That’s to say nothing of the performance Saturday.

“I thought he ran really well,” Muschamp said. “He got the ball vertical. He got it north and south. He got some tough yards. He got yards after contact. I thought he ran extremely well. That was the Rico we’re used to seeing.”

It was part of a balanced rushing effort that saw USC pound out 263 yards, coming from all across the depth chart. In the blowout, rotation backs averaged 7.5 yards per carry.

Dowdle shared that credit with the five in front of him, a unit that’s hoping to finally return to form after three struggling seasons.

“They put in a lot of work,” Muschamp said. “We all did. The whole team. You can see it. You can see a huge difference in the offensive line, the holes and the gaps”