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Countdown to Texas A&M
Who's starting for the Aggies tomorrow - Kyle Allen or Kyler Murray? We'll know later today. But Jon Hoke says the overall plan's the same whoever is starting at QB, while they'll need to prepare for what individual skill set each player brings to the table. (Practice recaps: TBS, GC (quick hitters, more from Hoke), The State). Interim head coach Shawn Elliott, meanwhile, took to the airwaves for the weekly Carolina Calls show. (Recap from GC - $$) (*Of course, it might not matter who starts given Carolina's frustrating tendency to allow otherwise average opposing quarterbacks to either look like Heisman contenders or rack up career high numbers. This list includes, but is not limited to, Kenny Hill, Greyson Lambert, etc.)
Karl Brenkert from the Charleston City Paper says that the team "must overcome their ghosts" to finish the season strong: "The Aggies aren't the only team left on the schedule which should scare South Carolina fans. This season is dark and full of terrors...The Headless Ball Coach is terrorizing the Gamecocks." Let's face it. It's going to be very, very hard to pick up three more wins in this final five-game stretch. The Citadel might be the closest thing to a sure bet on the remaining schedule, and a win over Tennessee wouldn't surprise me at this point. Clemson, meanwhile, has @ NC State (tomorrow), Florida State (11/7), @ Syracuse (11/14) and vs. Wake Forest (11/21) before the big one at WBS on 11/28. They're not losing to N.C. State, Syracuse, or Wake. Florida State might be the only thing standing between Clemson entering Columbia as a Top 4 team needing just two more wins (against South Carolina and in Charlotte at the ACC Championship Game) to lock up a playoff spot.
Wanna bet? Cleveland Browns QB Connor Shaw, of course a former Gamecock, has a friendly wager with current teammate and former Texas A&M foe Johnny Manziel. Mr. Football will don Carolina gear if the Gamecocks knock off the Aggies tomorrow.
Eric Hyman talks HBC. The former South Carolina AD, now serving in the same role in College Station, hired Steve Spurrier in 2005. He spoke with The State about the HBC's impact on not only the program, but the athletic department's overall improvement as a whole.
34-23. The Dallas Morning News not only predicts the final score (in favor of the Aggies), but also predicts that Kyler Murray will be the starter. We'll see if they're right on one of those a little later today.
More football links? More football links.
It was Marcus Lattimore's birthday yesterday! TBS did a quick #TBT to celebrate.
"A receiver quarterbacks can count on." The bad news: Gamecocks 2016 in-state four-star WR commit Bryan Edwards won't play another down in high school due to a knee injury. Good news: he's expected to be a nice get for the program. McIlwain-to-Edwards might be something you'll grow used to hearing about in a few years.
SEC Country has two things you, yes you, as a Gamecocks fan need to know.
Hoops!
Rapid-fire! Our friends over at TBS had some fun asking the MBB upperclassmen some quick questions about who they thought was the best player in the NBA, what their favorite pregame meal is, and who the best NBA 2K player on the team was. (Sindarius Thornwell says it's him. Is this true, TBS asked Duane Notice? "If you like liars.") This group of guys will be the difference between the Gamecocks being competitive in the SEC and struggling once more. (If you're wondering: Darrin Horn was 50-42 (21-27 SEC) in his first three years before going 10-21 (2-14) in year four. Frank Martin sits at 45-54 (15-39 SEC) after his first three years, but has gone from four to five to six wins in conference following Horn's disastrous 2011-12 season.)
Meet the freshmen. GamecocksOnline chatted with MBB's first-year forwards to get their thoughts on what they're expecting this season as they step into the college life.
Elsewhere...
No contest. The 17th-ranked women's soccer team looked the part as they hammered visiting Tennessee 4-0 on Senior Night. Emily Bollinger and Carly Ray, both playing their final regular season matches at Stone Stadium, each had a goal in the first 45 minutes as part of a three-goal blitz just a quarter-hour in. Next up: the SEC tournament. By the way, three soccer players - two on the women's side and one on the men's side - were honored for their work in the classroom.
Volleyball wraps up a three-game home swing this weekend. #12 Florida is on tap tonight for the annual Dig Pink match at 7 in the Carolina Volleyball Center (wear pink and get in for just $1!). Ole Miss comes into town on Sunday. The ladies have struggled to a 2-7 conference mark with just seven matches remaining, so they're looking to finish on a high note.
Are we talking college baseball already? Yep. The Garnet & Black World Series opens today and runs all weekend, so head out to Carolina Stadium Founders Park for your first look at the 2015-16 team. (It's free!)
Also... The defending national champion equestrian suffered a loss at Texas A&M to drop to 2-2 (the season is still young! Don't worry!), while XC runs in the SEC Championship - also in College Station.