5 things we learned about South Carolina football from Week 1 loss to Tar Heels
South Carolina fell 31-17 to No. 21 UNC on Saturday night, leaving Charlotte with an 0-1 record.
Several Gamecocks also left the game with injuries, including Mo Kaba, Nick Emmanwori, Antwane Wells, Cason Henry and Ahmarean Brown.
But all is not lost, as the game provided insight into this year’s USC squad. Here are five things we learned:
South Carolina needs more from the run game
The Gamecocks’ rushing offense is a problem.
Coach Shane Beamer after the game said that he thought USC would be able to run the ball more effectively based on what he’d seen during preseason camp. The play-calling was about an even split, at 31 rush attempts to 39 pass targets. The run versus receiving yardage, though, had a stark discrepancy.
Discounting for sacks, South Carolina had 74 positive yards on the ground. Super-senior (but first-year running back) Dakereon Joyner led the way with 23 yards on 12 carries.
Spencer Rattler, conversely, threw to eight receivers for 353 yards. Rattler ran for 43 yards but lost 65 because of sacks and faulty pass protection.
Xavier Legette is legit
Veteran receiver Xavier Legette had a career night in Charlotte. With limited action from Wells, Legette made a case for himself to be Rattler’s new No. 1 wide receiver.
“I had to use my fifth year to come back, but just for this moment right here,” Legette said afterward.
Legette had 178 yards on nine catches, including a 37-yarder on the Gamecocks’ first touchdown drive of the game. He was clutch and explosive, as evident by his 52 yards after the catch. With Wells’ short-term outlook uncertain, Legette provides a spark of hope for South Carolina’s receiving corps.
Offense protected football, didn’t protect QB
The good news: South Carolina’s offense under new coordinator Dowell Loggains did not turn the ball over (except for a few turnovers on downs).
The bad news: South Carolina’s offense let Rattler get sacked nine (!) times, seven of which came in the second half.
“Can’t allow our quarterback to get hit like that,” Beamer said. “We gotta protect him better, obviously.”
Beamer later added that South Carolina tried to recruit some of UNC’s defenders as high-schoolers, calling them athletic and disruptive despite their lackluster 2022 stat line (giving up an average of 30.79 points and 436.5 yards per game). Still, the defensive talent will only ratchet up against the likes of Georgia and Tennessee — both of which USC will play on the road very soon.
Spencer Rattler seems more comfortable
Sans sacks, Rattler had a great night Saturday: He completed 30 of 39 pass attempts (77%) for 353 yards. He had a quarterback rating of 159.2, according to ESPN.
“He’s a hell of a player,” Beamer said. “Gave us a chance to win the football game.”
His accuracy and composure in Charlotte should help the Gamecocks feel a little more at ease in the coming weeks.
Missed opportunity
South Carolina had the chance to set a positive tone for the always-tough schedule with a win over UNC.
Instead the Gamecocks will likely be 1-1 heading to Athens on Sept. 16 to face the defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs. A win over Furman will even USC’s record, but then comes UGA, Mississippi State and Tennessee in the ensuing three weeks. All three teams finished in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll in 2022.
This story was originally published September 3, 2023 at 6:30 AM.
