Gamecocks Must Live In The Moment
The limelight, money, and high stakes are daunting to NFL players with children and car payments. Therefore, it's even more stressful for an eighteen-year-old fresh out of high school hoping to cement a role on the team.
Unfortunately, college football comes with a lot of baggage. It's a grown man's world dominated by teenagers, making for entertaining moments but low pitfalls. South Carolina has a big task ahead of them, as the Texas A&M game has massive stakes.
The Aggies are one of the most scrutinized teams in the sport. Fans have begun to call for head coach Jimbo Fisher's job, as the on-field results are not correlating with his recruiting success.
Furthermore, the young Aggies have had their growing pains. While they are tremendously talented, there are still moments of nativity, making the general public question A&M's recruiting philosophy.
Combining all that with a primetime game spells trouble for South Carolina. Texas A&M will come out firing, as they know what's at stake. The question is, do the Gamecocks?
How To Avoid The Trap
Head coach Shane Beamer prefers to keep things internal, hoping his squad ignores the noise and does their job. However, there are a lot of variabilities that come with young people, which isn't an indictment of them.
It's the coach's job to ensure they are prepared for the situation. Fisher should have his team ready; if we know anything about Beamer, the Gamecocks will also be prepared. They have shown up for every big game this season, and none are bigger than the one in front.
South Carolina is fighting for their own momentum. Another in-conference win changes the tone of the season, putting them even further ahead of schedule. The Gamecocks could rebound from a slow start and put themselves in content for a ranked appearance.
That all depends on if they get caught up in the moment. Some key players have played in these games before, but others are new to college football. Williams-Brice Stadium will be packed and rowdy, intimidating for anyone.
Beamer will likely work to instill confidence in his players throughout the week. The worst thing a coach can do is make the opponent seem unbeatable; they can acknowledge the talent and emphasize that they can come out victorious.
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