Biggest surprise of USC’s special teams mistakes vs. Vols? How rare errors have been
Under Will Muschamp, special teams play has been one of the strengths of the South Carolina football team.
It was hard to tell that Saturday against Tennessee. The Vols’ Marquez Callaway returned a punt for a touchdown, and UT later scored on a blocked punt in the 41-21 win over the Gamecocks at Neyland Stadium.
“We have been really good on special teams in our four years, our coverage units,” Muschamp said. “There have not been issues. We need to go back and evaluate.”
South Carolina came into the game as one of the nation’s best special teams units. The Gamecocks were No. 12 in overall special teams in the SP+ rankings and No. 20 by another stat system.
USC punter Joseph Charlton has been one of the top punters in the Southeastern Conference and has helped the Gamecocks flip the field position on numerous occasions this season.
But Charlton’s punt early in the second quarter didn’t get much hang time and Callaway made him pay. The senior returned it 65 yards for a touchdown to give the Vols a 10-7 lead.
It was the first time USC allowed a punt return for a touchdown since Florida’s Lito Sheppard had a 57-yard TD return on Nov. 11, 2000. For the Vols, it was their second punt return for a touchdown this season with the other coming against Chattanooga.
“Obviously the punt was flat and we didn’t have great coverage,” Muschamp said. “Joe hadn’t done that for us. He has hung them up good for us.
“We had one gunner get wide on the line of scrimmage and the other got wide and they split our men. We’ve got to get more guys capable of being gunners to cover down the field.”
The Gamecocks’ other big special teams gaffe came early in the fourth quarter and pretty much killed any chance of USC making a late rally. Tennessee Daniel Bituli came flying through and blocked Charlton’s punt and recovered in the end zone to make it 41-24.
“We were in punt safe and he runs right through our shield and guard,” Muschamp said. “Disappointed for our guys. But we will rally and get ready for Vanderbilt.”
This story was originally published October 26, 2019 at 10:44 PM.
