Discouraging Trench Play Sets South Carolina Back
Football is a blue-collar game with a fanbase obsessed with pretty plays. Many focus on the big-play touchdowns and highlight catches, but what goes missed is the work it took to set those opportunities up.
The lines on both sides determine the pace and tone of the game. South Carolina lost up front against Florida, making things much more complicated as the game progressed.
The offensive line played their worst game in over a month, routinely letting rushers capture the edge and pressure quarterback Spencer Rattler. Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield abandoned the dropback passing game early because Rattler was under duress every time.
Defensively, the front seven got walked up and down by Florida. The Gators came up with a better game plan and executed it. There wasn't anything complex about what they did, but South Carolina failed to adjust.
Credit to Florida's coaching staff for identifying issues that South Carolina has dealt with from game one. Both lines are inconsistent with what they put forth, though the offensive line has been better recently.
They couldn't develop any momentum for a comeback because of the dismal job in the trenches. Florida routinely took five minutes off the clock with their ground game, and South Carolina got into long third downs and couldn't pass protect.
The Gamecocks are back to square one on both sides. They must take a long look in the mirror before taking the field against Tennessee, and that starts with the big men. If they can't consistently bring juice and effort, things may get ugly the rest of the way.
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