For the second consecutive season, USC won an SEC football game but lost Marcus Lattimore.
Last October Lattimore went down while blocking at Mississippi State and tore ligaments in his left knee. Saturday in a 38-35 victory over Tennessee, Lattimore injured his right knee on a two yard carry.
Lattimore was down for several minutes while the USC medical crew attended to him. Eventually, the entire Gamecock team, and many of the Vols, gathered around him as he was helped onto the back of a cart and taken to the training room underneath the stadium. Lattimore covered his head and face with a towel and had his hands up to his face as he left the field to a standing ovation. Lattimore was later taken to a nearby hospital and will have a further evaluation later in the week.
The Gamecocks were able to maintain their focus and actually went on a scoring drive after the delay.
And Steve Spurrier can now add Tennessee to the growing list of “firsts” he’s accomplished with the USC football program. For the first time in their history, the Gamecocks have beaten Tennessee three straight seasons.
The Gamecocks opened October by pinning a third straight defeat on Georgia for the first time, and they closed out the month with their most impressive offensive performance since that night in Columbia as they extended their home winning streak to nine games. Most importantly to Spurrier, they broke a two game losing streak and his offense reappeared after a two game hiatus.
“I think it was good to win one like that. We figured they would come back. They’re a very good passing team. They must have thrown for about 400 yards. It was good to hang in there.”
“Jadeveon Clowney wins the game for us. Coach Ward and I had the same idea bout the middle of the fourth quarter, let him rush from the inside. Sure enough, we put him on the inside, where that back did not double on him. Jadeveon got two good pressures there at the end. I don’t think we could have slowed them down much. That was the key to the ball game.”
“Obviously, Marcus has a severe knee injury. We’ll let the doctors tell you exactly what all it is later on. He’s such a good young man. Good things are going to happen for Marcus. I don’t know exactly where or how, but good things are going to happen for Marcus Lattimore.”
AUDIO:
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Spurrier discusses win over UT and the loss of Lattimore [3:06]
The Gamecocks built a 21-7 lead after a Lattimore 28 yard touchdown run in the second quarter. The teams then exchanged touchdowns thru the end of the third quarter giving the Gamecocks a 35-21 lead going to the fourth.
The Vols scored on the first play of the fourth quarter, USC responded with a field goal, and then Tyler Bray threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game with 8:35 to play to make it 38-35 USC.
It was dicey for the Gamecocks from there. Connor Shaw threw an interception at the UT 19 with 4:46 to play. The Vols drove to the Gamecock 19 when Bray was sacked by Jadeveon Clowney and fumbled. Shaq Wilson recovered for the Gamecocks.
But the Gamecocks could not run out the clock and Tyler Hull boomed a 51 yard punt that forced the Vols to start from their 16. Two plays later Victor Hampton picked off Bray at the Gamecock 38, and the Gamecocks had secured at least a seven win season for the fifth straight year, another program first.
Shaw passed for a career high 356 yards completing 22-31 with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception. Justice Cunningham had career highs with 6 catches for 108 yards. Bruce Ellington also had career highs with 6 receptions for 101 yards. And Ace Sanders had a career high with 79 receiving yards while matching his career high with 5 catches.
Lattimore ended up as USC’s leading rusher with 65 yards on 11 carries. He will finish his season with 662 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The Gamecock defense game up a season high 472 yards with Bray throwing for 368 yards, the most by a quarterback against the Gamecocks this season. Defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward knew going in the Vols would attack thru the air.
“I think they had a play to throw the ball away from Vic (Hampton). They felt that Jimmy (Legree) or Ahmad (Christian) was going to play soft. And so, they threw the ball over there. We tried to do some stuff to adjust. We were going to start kicking the coverage to #11 (Justin Hunter), but when we started doing that they started running to #83 (Zach Rogers), away from him. They had a good gameplan.”
AUDIO:
Download
0:00
Ward says defense knew air raid was coming from UT [3:04]
The Gamecocks played without cornerback Akeem Auguste who reaggravated a groin injury Thursday in practice. Defensive tackle Byron Jerideau suffered a sprained ankle in the game.
USC is now 7-2 and 5-2 in the SEC. The Gamecocks are off next week and will host Arkansas the following Saturday. Tennessee is 3-5 and 0-5 in league play and will face Troy at home next weekend.
Final Stats
1st Quarter Recap
2nd Quarter Recap
3rd Quarter Recap
4th Quarter Recap
link: http://sportstalkgolive.com/index.php/2012/10/27/gamecocks-survive-against-vols-but-lose-lattimore-again-audio/
Last October Lattimore went down while blocking at Mississippi State and tore ligaments in his left knee. Saturday in a 38-35 victory over Tennessee, Lattimore injured his right knee on a two yard carry.
Lattimore was down for several minutes while the USC medical crew attended to him. Eventually, the entire Gamecock team, and many of the Vols, gathered around him as he was helped onto the back of a cart and taken to the training room underneath the stadium. Lattimore covered his head and face with a towel and had his hands up to his face as he left the field to a standing ovation. Lattimore was later taken to a nearby hospital and will have a further evaluation later in the week.
The Gamecocks were able to maintain their focus and actually went on a scoring drive after the delay.
And Steve Spurrier can now add Tennessee to the growing list of “firsts” he’s accomplished with the USC football program. For the first time in their history, the Gamecocks have beaten Tennessee three straight seasons.
The Gamecocks opened October by pinning a third straight defeat on Georgia for the first time, and they closed out the month with their most impressive offensive performance since that night in Columbia as they extended their home winning streak to nine games. Most importantly to Spurrier, they broke a two game losing streak and his offense reappeared after a two game hiatus.
“I think it was good to win one like that. We figured they would come back. They’re a very good passing team. They must have thrown for about 400 yards. It was good to hang in there.”
“Jadeveon Clowney wins the game for us. Coach Ward and I had the same idea bout the middle of the fourth quarter, let him rush from the inside. Sure enough, we put him on the inside, where that back did not double on him. Jadeveon got two good pressures there at the end. I don’t think we could have slowed them down much. That was the key to the ball game.”
“Obviously, Marcus has a severe knee injury. We’ll let the doctors tell you exactly what all it is later on. He’s such a good young man. Good things are going to happen for Marcus. I don’t know exactly where or how, but good things are going to happen for Marcus Lattimore.”
Download
0:00
Spurrier discusses win over UT and the loss of Lattimore [3:06]
The Gamecocks built a 21-7 lead after a Lattimore 28 yard touchdown run in the second quarter. The teams then exchanged touchdowns thru the end of the third quarter giving the Gamecocks a 35-21 lead going to the fourth.
The Vols scored on the first play of the fourth quarter, USC responded with a field goal, and then Tyler Bray threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game with 8:35 to play to make it 38-35 USC.
It was dicey for the Gamecocks from there. Connor Shaw threw an interception at the UT 19 with 4:46 to play. The Vols drove to the Gamecock 19 when Bray was sacked by Jadeveon Clowney and fumbled. Shaq Wilson recovered for the Gamecocks.
But the Gamecocks could not run out the clock and Tyler Hull boomed a 51 yard punt that forced the Vols to start from their 16. Two plays later Victor Hampton picked off Bray at the Gamecock 38, and the Gamecocks had secured at least a seven win season for the fifth straight year, another program first.
Shaw passed for a career high 356 yards completing 22-31 with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception. Justice Cunningham had career highs with 6 catches for 108 yards. Bruce Ellington also had career highs with 6 receptions for 101 yards. And Ace Sanders had a career high with 79 receiving yards while matching his career high with 5 catches.
Lattimore ended up as USC’s leading rusher with 65 yards on 11 carries. He will finish his season with 662 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The Gamecock defense game up a season high 472 yards with Bray throwing for 368 yards, the most by a quarterback against the Gamecocks this season. Defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward knew going in the Vols would attack thru the air.
“I think they had a play to throw the ball away from Vic (Hampton). They felt that Jimmy (Legree) or Ahmad (Christian) was going to play soft. And so, they threw the ball over there. We tried to do some stuff to adjust. We were going to start kicking the coverage to #11 (Justin Hunter), but when we started doing that they started running to #83 (Zach Rogers), away from him. They had a good gameplan.”
AUDIO:Download
0:00
Ward says defense knew air raid was coming from UT [3:04]
The Gamecocks played without cornerback Akeem Auguste who reaggravated a groin injury Thursday in practice. Defensive tackle Byron Jerideau suffered a sprained ankle in the game.
USC is now 7-2 and 5-2 in the SEC. The Gamecocks are off next week and will host Arkansas the following Saturday. Tennessee is 3-5 and 0-5 in league play and will face Troy at home next weekend.
Final Stats
1st Quarter Recap
2nd Quarter Recap
3rd Quarter Recap
4th Quarter Recap
link: http://sportstalkgolive.com/index.php/2012/10/27/gamecocks-survive-against-vols-but-lose-lattimore-again-audio/
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