He writes for Charleston Post & Courier,in today's column on the season's final game, he opines that Carolina may never catch up to Clemson in football because the university won't make the commitment.
Here's his column:
A rivalry realization: Takeaways from another Clemson embarrassment
COLUMBIA — Nothing was going to get fixed overnight. Everyone knows that if Shane Beamer does reconstruct South Carolina into any kind of winning team, it’s going to take years.
It’s why people bought so heavily into Beamer’s bubbly, upbeat personality after five years of the dour Will Muschamp. Hope and belief overcame the reality of the Gamecocks simply not being very talented, but even that seemed to produce a surprising six-win season this year and thus, a bowl.
But words again fell flat in the biggest game of the year, the only game that matters as long as USC isn’t in the position to play for something greater. I’m not comparing Beamer to Muschamp, because that isn’t accurate, nor fair.
What I am saying, because it’s truthful, is this isn’t nearly the first time in the past six years the Gamecocks said they were confident and ready, had an energized Williams-Brice Stadium behind them and they had a mudhole stomped in them and walked dry.
Takeaways from another letdown:
Game plan?
Surely the Gamecocks knew they couldn’t line up and run it into the teeth of Clemson’s defense. Surely USC had ways to spread out the D, to run tempo and tire it out. Surely there would be some incendiary plays the Gamecocks saved/cooked up just for their most hated opponent.
No, no, no.
Just more reasons to think — to know — that offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield was a bad fit from the start and that Beamer needs to make a tough decision, and soon.
Same between-the-tackle runs that haven’t worked all season. Same rotating running backs so nobody could get lathered up. Same small screens to the sidelines where the Tigers never had to worry about getting tired from running downfield.
That zero on the scoreboard, the first in a rivalry game in 32 years, sums up the offense for the game, and the season.
A tiny slice
Mitch Jeter didn’t reach the end zone on his lone kickoff. It was the 33rd time in 57 tries this year the Gamecocks couldn’t record a touchback.
The old guys
The Gamecocks are definitely losing starters Jabari Ellis, Jaylan Foster, Nick Muse, Carlins Platel, Aaron Sterling, Parker White and sometimes-starter Zeb Noland. JJ Enagbare could come back, but he’s seemed to make it pretty clear that he’s heading to the NFL.
USC has to do whatever it can to convince Eric Douglas, R.J. Roderick, Josh Vann and Zaquandre White to return. The development of the players behind them, with the exception of White (Kevin Harris should return), has been close to non-existent.
Get hype!
I’m not blaming the fans for creating a terrific environment. That’s what they’re supposed to do.
I’m blaming the players. The coaching staff changed, but the pre-game prep for a big home game seemed awfully familiar, emphasis on the “awful.”
What is the point of standing at midfield with arms crossed, watching a team that has whipped the hide off you six straight games, entering the field? I suppose it’s intimidating, if you win.
Didn’t do that. Not helped by the dropped passes, whiffed blocks, substitution issues (twice in three plays on the first drive, in the 12th game). Shoot, even Kai Kroeger, a definite candidate for team MVP, shanked a first-quarter punt.
Looked like quite a few spent more time thinking how glorious it would be to win instead of concentrating on what it took to win.
Tis the season, so I draw on Doris Roberts in “Christmas Vacation:” “I hope you kids see what a silly waste of resources this was.”
Inexcusable
Parker White still has a great chance to become USC’s career leading scorer. He only needs four points.
The same number he needed before the Clemson game.
Lot of folks are asking what difference it would have made to send White out for a shutout-spoiling field goal with five seconds to go. They complain that it’s the opposite of Muschamp kicking when down 20 or whatever.
The difference is this: One, it’s a minute saving grace to not be shut out.
Two, you give a senior, a kid who’s been at USC for six years, a chance to tie a school record in his last home game.
There were only a couple of other times to do it, and at those times there was still a chance USC could win.
But with five seconds left? Trailing 30-0? Easily in range?
A touchdown would have meant more points, but it would be meaningless.
A field goal and a school record would have been meaningful.
White deserves better.
The big picture
The Gamecocks are going to a bowl. That’s another month of practice as well.
Those aren’t things many counted on at the beginning of this season.
The bigger picture
South Carolina beat Clemson every year from 2009-13. Clemson drew a line and said, “Never again.”
The rivalry has always been one-sided, but now it feels as if the Gamecocks will never win again. Because they don’t have, and won’t pursue, the top-to-bottom commitment to make it happen.
There is a difference in attitude, because Clemson’s identity as a university is by-and-large its football success. USC has never done that, nor had that; which of those they should have done depends on your individual opinion.
The point is, the Gamecocks have always said they want to have an across-the-board top 25 athletic program. They have a lot of that, but hardly ever in the main sport, the one that drives the revenue.
As we all sit here today, USC administratively driving away its biggest donors and its football program years away from the kind of success it had less than a decade ago, answers are fleeting. Declining attendance can’t be improved with losing football. Less fans mean less dollars. Less dollars to invest in football, less return on that investment.
When the path is a continuous circle, there is no other path to take. The hope and belief under Beamer is that a new one will be blazed.
A shutout in a rivalry game at home where his team was dominated start to finish again snuffed whatever spark was thought to have been struck.
Anybody got a light?
Here's his column:
A rivalry realization: Takeaways from another Clemson embarrassment
COLUMBIA — Nothing was going to get fixed overnight. Everyone knows that if Shane Beamer does reconstruct South Carolina into any kind of winning team, it’s going to take years.
It’s why people bought so heavily into Beamer’s bubbly, upbeat personality after five years of the dour Will Muschamp. Hope and belief overcame the reality of the Gamecocks simply not being very talented, but even that seemed to produce a surprising six-win season this year and thus, a bowl.
But words again fell flat in the biggest game of the year, the only game that matters as long as USC isn’t in the position to play for something greater. I’m not comparing Beamer to Muschamp, because that isn’t accurate, nor fair.
What I am saying, because it’s truthful, is this isn’t nearly the first time in the past six years the Gamecocks said they were confident and ready, had an energized Williams-Brice Stadium behind them and they had a mudhole stomped in them and walked dry.
Takeaways from another letdown:
Game plan?
Surely the Gamecocks knew they couldn’t line up and run it into the teeth of Clemson’s defense. Surely USC had ways to spread out the D, to run tempo and tire it out. Surely there would be some incendiary plays the Gamecocks saved/cooked up just for their most hated opponent.
No, no, no.
Just more reasons to think — to know — that offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield was a bad fit from the start and that Beamer needs to make a tough decision, and soon.
Same between-the-tackle runs that haven’t worked all season. Same rotating running backs so nobody could get lathered up. Same small screens to the sidelines where the Tigers never had to worry about getting tired from running downfield.
That zero on the scoreboard, the first in a rivalry game in 32 years, sums up the offense for the game, and the season.
A tiny slice
Mitch Jeter didn’t reach the end zone on his lone kickoff. It was the 33rd time in 57 tries this year the Gamecocks couldn’t record a touchback.
The old guys
The Gamecocks are definitely losing starters Jabari Ellis, Jaylan Foster, Nick Muse, Carlins Platel, Aaron Sterling, Parker White and sometimes-starter Zeb Noland. JJ Enagbare could come back, but he’s seemed to make it pretty clear that he’s heading to the NFL.
USC has to do whatever it can to convince Eric Douglas, R.J. Roderick, Josh Vann and Zaquandre White to return. The development of the players behind them, with the exception of White (Kevin Harris should return), has been close to non-existent.
Get hype!
I’m not blaming the fans for creating a terrific environment. That’s what they’re supposed to do.
I’m blaming the players. The coaching staff changed, but the pre-game prep for a big home game seemed awfully familiar, emphasis on the “awful.”
What is the point of standing at midfield with arms crossed, watching a team that has whipped the hide off you six straight games, entering the field? I suppose it’s intimidating, if you win.
Didn’t do that. Not helped by the dropped passes, whiffed blocks, substitution issues (twice in three plays on the first drive, in the 12th game). Shoot, even Kai Kroeger, a definite candidate for team MVP, shanked a first-quarter punt.
Looked like quite a few spent more time thinking how glorious it would be to win instead of concentrating on what it took to win.
Tis the season, so I draw on Doris Roberts in “Christmas Vacation:” “I hope you kids see what a silly waste of resources this was.”
Inexcusable
Parker White still has a great chance to become USC’s career leading scorer. He only needs four points.
The same number he needed before the Clemson game.
Lot of folks are asking what difference it would have made to send White out for a shutout-spoiling field goal with five seconds to go. They complain that it’s the opposite of Muschamp kicking when down 20 or whatever.
The difference is this: One, it’s a minute saving grace to not be shut out.
Two, you give a senior, a kid who’s been at USC for six years, a chance to tie a school record in his last home game.
There were only a couple of other times to do it, and at those times there was still a chance USC could win.
But with five seconds left? Trailing 30-0? Easily in range?
A touchdown would have meant more points, but it would be meaningless.
A field goal and a school record would have been meaningful.
White deserves better.
The big picture
The Gamecocks are going to a bowl. That’s another month of practice as well.
Those aren’t things many counted on at the beginning of this season.
The bigger picture
South Carolina beat Clemson every year from 2009-13. Clemson drew a line and said, “Never again.”
The rivalry has always been one-sided, but now it feels as if the Gamecocks will never win again. Because they don’t have, and won’t pursue, the top-to-bottom commitment to make it happen.
There is a difference in attitude, because Clemson’s identity as a university is by-and-large its football success. USC has never done that, nor had that; which of those they should have done depends on your individual opinion.
The point is, the Gamecocks have always said they want to have an across-the-board top 25 athletic program. They have a lot of that, but hardly ever in the main sport, the one that drives the revenue.
As we all sit here today, USC administratively driving away its biggest donors and its football program years away from the kind of success it had less than a decade ago, answers are fleeting. Declining attendance can’t be improved with losing football. Less fans mean less dollars. Less dollars to invest in football, less return on that investment.
When the path is a continuous circle, there is no other path to take. The hope and belief under Beamer is that a new one will be blazed.
A shutout in a rivalry game at home where his team was dominated start to finish again snuffed whatever spark was thought to have been struck.
Anybody got a light?
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