South Carolina's Culture Wills Them To Victory
Fans criticized multiple aspects of South Carolina's game, and rightfully so. The offense was lackluster for three quarters, and there were several defensive lapses.
However, their win further cemented the new culture brewing in Columbia. Head coach Shane Beamer has this team playing at an all-time high, and not because of a high-scoring offense or elite defense.
This team believes in themselves. The play calling and results reflect as much; they play aggressively on both sides of the ball, no matter the circumstances. Players rally to the football and communicate if they are up twenty or down thirty, something that shouldn't be taken for granted.
Crowd Impact
Williams-Brice Stadium is a direct reflection on this culture. Texas A&M had six false start penalties, all caused by the overwhelming noise in the stadium. The Aggies were clearly rattled, which wasn't helped when quarterback Haynes King exited with injury.
Beamer continually preaches the importance of having good fan turn-out. He harps on it in almost every press conference, praising fans when they affect the game. Columbia is buzzing with energy, and the Gamecocks give them fuel every week.
Recruits have had a lot to say about the energy in the past. Other schools struggle to replicate what the Gamecocks' atmosphere, despite having more success recently. They certainly took notice tonight, and it could lead to some results down the road.
Bottom-Line
The past few weeks have been a flurry for this program. Two consecutive losses would have been detrimental, but wins underscore the direction of this program. Football is a bottom-line sport, and the Gamecocks handled business.
It wasn't always pretty or perfect, but such is life. We continue to get confirmation that Beamer has this program pointed in the right direction. Everything suggests that South Carolina is progressing, and the consistency will eventually come.
Right now, they are a good football team that plays together in all three phases. They rarely make mistakes, and play to their strengths. That's good enough for now, but this direction will eventually take them into a new domain.
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