Storylines To Monitor vs. Georgia
Games seem small in the grand scheme, but you can take a lot from sixty minutes of action. You can learn even more by facing any opponent like Georgia, the measuring stick of college football.
South Carolina will become battle-tested on Saturday, a critical part of their development. They take on five ranked opponents the rest of the way, meaning even if they can't win on Saturday, they should attempt to learn about themselves.
Several key dynamics will be at play in this one. The Gamecocks feature one of the sport's most unique, exciting lineups, meaning there should be no shortage of things to monitor. For this exercise, we narrowed things down to three significant plotlines, something that may change the game's complexion or feel of the season.
Spencer Rattler Redemption Opportunity
Scouts laud quarterback Spencer Rattler for his immense arm talent and physical traits. They had done so since he was sixteen, which has been a detriment to his development.
Rattler lost focus during his time at Oklahoma, leading to him being benched in favor of freshman signal caller Caleb Williams. Spencer came to South Carolina for an opportunity to rewrite his story, and Saturday provides him with a perfect opportunity.
NFL scouts will pay close attention to this matchup. If Rattler's leadership qualities jump, this is a legitimate first-round prospect. While he hasn't shown the ability to do that consistently, you can see it in spurts; the awareness pre-snap to check into the right call, the mental processing after the ball is snapped, and a fellowship with teammates.
Will Defensive Inconsistencies Correct Themselves?
The Gamecocks have been inconsistent on defense. They routinely miss tackles and are aligned poorly, despite playing with effort. Furthermore, they lost inside linebacker Mohamed Kaba and edge rusher Jordan Strachan to ACL tears against Arkansas, making their job much harder.
Playing elite competition often forces players to raise themselves to a standard; playing Georgia may awaken a dormant ability and consistency within some of these young defenders.
Georgia is too well-coached not to maximize defensive miscues. The Bulldogs thrive on chaos and confusion, pulling the life and spirit from an opponent within the first half. South Carolina must play tight, sound defense with few mistakes to remain in this game.
Beamer Effect
Head coach Shane Beamer has undeniably affected this program since arriving in December 2020. He breathed life into a dormant program and sparked hope around Columbia, something that hasn't been present since the early days of the Will Muschamp era.
The players respond to him; the only evidence you need to support that argument is the Arkansas game. Down three scores against one of the most physical teams in the country, the Gamecocks could have rolled in the towel and coasted.
However, their coach demanded they work harder. They responded through adversity and made the game competitive. They must continue bringing that fire and energy, especially against Georgia. The fans have already responded to his challenge, selling out Williams-Brice stadium forty-eight hours before kick-off; can the players do the same?
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