Poor Run Defense Confirms Recruiting Strategy
South Carolina had opposite issues on Saturday. The offense had poor game planning, never even giving their personnel a shot. Meanwhile, the defense failed to execute the plan consistently.
Defensive coordinator Clayton White hasn't been perfect this season, but he's certainly been good enough to win games. White's name was thrown around in head coaching talks midway through the season, showing you what people think of him.
He employs an aggressive strategy, one that can occasionally be exploited. However, it's their best chance to field an impressive unit this season, as they have some talent deficiencies.
The Gamecocks couldn't fit the run all afternoon. Defensive linemen were pushed off the ball and linebackers routinely struggled to maintain gap control. Florida ran all over them, going for 225 rushing yards in the first half.
The Gamecocks have struggled to stop the run all season. They have a few strong front-seven players, but the group hasn't played together all year. White must employ Cover-1 man looks to give them a shot at intimidating opposing offenses.
The coaching staff knew this coming into the season. Therefore, they addressed the issue in recruiting. They already have five front-seven commits in the 2023 cycle, and are pursuing another in edge rusher Nyckoles Harbor.
Edge rusher Desmond Umeozulu has an obvious pass-rushing ceiling that makes him a potential NFL Draft pick. However, every other recruit can step in and play the run in some capacity, underscoring their commitment to improving the issue.
The staff has implemented a plan that has gone as far as it will with this current group. They look solid weekly, but get exposed when they face a top rushing attack. That should change in future seasons, as this staff is determined to not let this stigma stick around.
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