USC defense ready for more high tempo; things still unclear at safety

Texas A&M posed problems for the South Carolina football team’s defense with high doses of high-tempo offense. Things won’t get much easier when the Gamecocks face Tennessee on Saturday.

The Volunteers go even faster than the Aggies, usually sprinting up to the line and keeping their personnel grouping consistent. Two of the past three USC-Tennessee meetings have been shootouts, but perhaps getting the initial test at that pace a week ago could help.

“It gives us an advantage, because we’re getting used to it now,” South Carolina free safety Isaiah Johnson said. “I don’t really know anything about Tennessee, but I guess … they go high-tempo offense, so we’ll have seen it before this week.”

On a per-play basis, Tennessee is a middle-of-pack attack, but its numbers have been somewhat depressed by a tough schedule. At 4-4, the Vols’ losses include No. 7 Alabama, No. 11 Florida and No. 17 Oklahoma, teams that are a combined 21-3.

The Gamecocks found a way to slow Texas A&M late with an adjustment that involved simplifying what the defense did. That lessens the chance of alignment issues, but, on the downside, it also means the offense has a better chance to diagnose what it’s seeing.

Johnson said those tweaks helped, but more than that, he said individual defenders need to be more on-point. In film review, defensive co-coordinator Jon Hoke pointed out the little things.

“Not filling the right gaps, maybe not falling back or not doing what we were told and assigned,” Johnson said. “Coach gives us four keys we need to worry about. We didn’t really do it.”

Eyes ahead

During his weekly news conference, Gamecocks interim coach Shawn Elliott fielded a question about communication with athletics director Ray Tanner about the search for the next Gamecocks coach and meeting about the job. Elliott didn’t beat around the bush with the answer.

“No,” Elliott said. “Right now, we’re just working here to win a football game. That’ll play itself out. I’m not worried about it one bit.”

Safety Dance

Safety D.J. Smith said Jordan Diggs continues to rep with the first team, even though Smith is listed first on the depth chart. He said he and Diggs are like brothers and help each other out with missed assignments.

Diggs is third on the team with 38 tackles, while Smith has 16. Smith has seen his snaps rise through the season, but he had not directly been told about being listed No. 1.

“I saw the stuff online,” Smith said. “As of right now, Coach hasn’t said nothing to me, so that could change. Jordan was with the ones, and I was with the twos (Tuesday). We’ll see how the week progresses, see what's going on.”

Feeling special

The Vols boast one of the most dangerous specialists groups nationally, probably best in the SEC in Elliott’s eyes.

Both the offense and defense get top-20 field position to start drives, the team already has two punt return touchdowns and kick returner Evan Berry is a special player. He’s taken six of his 16 kick returns back for scores, and averages more than 40 yards per return (42.6), a number that astounded Elliott.

“Forty yards? Who’s kicking it to him and why?” Elliott said. “I told (kickoff specialist Landon) Ard, ‘It’d better be out of the end zone, because even when you kick it into the end zone, he brings it out.’”

Rocky roll

For three-plus hours Saturday night, the Gamecocks will hear Tennessee’s fight song “Rocky Top,” again, and again, and again. The UT band isn’t shy about playing it. A few players said they don’t mind the song, dodging a spot to possibly create bulletin board material for Tennessee.

Elliott did the same.

“Considering my wife is from Chattanooga and her entire family loves the Tennessee Vols, I think it’s neat,” Elliott said. “I think it’s something that’s just been around for years. It’s a traditional song, and every time you hear it, you understand what it is and where it’s coming from.”

David Cloninger contributed to this report.

This story was originally published November 3, 2015 at 12:50 PM with the headline "USC defense ready for more high tempo; things still unclear at safety."