Sept. 11, 2010

Recap | Final Stats | Notes | Photo Gallery

South Carolina Head Coach Steve Spurrier

Opening Statement
I think the biggest reason it was a good win for us is not so much in beating Georgia but (in) dominating the line of scrimmage. We haven’t been able to control the line of scrimmage the way we did today. The defense played well. They gave us a little here and there. They had some long drives and we had some long drives, but it worked out. We got touchdowns every time down there (in the redzone) except I guess Stephen (Garcia’s) fumble. We finally smarted up and said run Marcus Lattimore every play. Obviously Marcus is a very good running back. He can hit a crack, break tackles, run forward and holds onto the ball. The time of possession was around 35 (minutes) to 25 (minutes) which was crucial for us. We made 9-of-14 third downs too.

Special teams played well. They hustled. The return guys (did well) and Spencer Lanning had a great day punting. Anyway, it was a good win for us. We’ll try to put it behind us. I guess it was the first time I shook hands with an opposing coach and he said, `Steve, you have a heckuva team.’ I said we may have a heckuva team, (but) we don’t know yet.

On the linemen
It was a perfect game for us. It was a good game to beat Georgia, and our linemen on both sides were crucial guys to win the game (as well as) Lattimore.

On Marcus Lattimore
I don’t worry about Marcus. He’s had publicity all his life so I don’t think all the attention he’ll get will affect him much.

He was running very, very well. We look back and thought we should have given it to him 47 times with all those pass plays we attempted that didn’t go far. I guess we only attempted 17 (passes) and ran 69 (times). That’s good to win the game. We had tremendous confidence in Marcus. He came in early, June 1 or so, worked out with the team and knows the offense as well as any running back. He’s obviously a big time running back.

On changing to a running attack this game
We thought we had to make more throws than we did. When we tried to throw, Stephen (Garcia) was scrambling around. Obviously the way to win the game was like all you guys in the press box say – `Why didn’t he just run the ball?’ So finally with six and a half minutes left, we ran the same play. We had two tight ends and ran Marcus on the left guard and let him go where he wanted.

On Stephen Garcia
He started hesitating again. I said to him, `Why didn’t you throw it?’ Even the deep ball to Alshon (Jeffery), he waited and waited. I told him he’s going to get hit (so) throw it. We’ll work on that. He didn’t hesitate last week. The big sack play, we had a swing man (so he should) just chuck it over his head. That’s when I pretty much said if we’re going to lose, we’ll give it to Marcus (Lattimore) and lose that way. It was a good field position game the second half. It’s a good way to win it.

On using timeouts late in the game
The clock was running down. We waited too long to go out there. Sometimes they start the clock and don’t tell you. We had the (line) shift and by the time we did (snap), we would have lost five yards. We had one to burn. That was interesting, Georgia lost all three (timeouts) on their first drive in the second half. We knew they didn’t have any. That was part of running it.

On red zone defense
We played good in red zone defense. Our guys know how to give up a little inside and hang tough on the goal line. That’s the biggest statistic of defensive teams is how many points they give. Our guys did a super job today.

On what makes this year’s team different from past years
I think the players have a better commitment level overall. The leaders and older guys, Cliff Matthews and Patrick DiMarco, are a little more serious about football. That’s what I’d say. I like all these guys. They give you their best effort. That hasn’t always happened around here. We’re getting much better effort than we ever have right now.

On Marcus Lattimore carrying the ball 37 times
Today we needed him to carry 37. If we need him to against Auburn, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida or even Furman, he came here to run the ball. If you ask him, I think he’ll say 37 isn’t too much for me. When you have a back like Marcus and the linemen opened cracks, I’m sure that Georgia defensive coordinator (became frustrated). That little inside zone play (we ran), the NFL doesn’t run that play. That’s a new scheme I guess. I’m sure they knew we’d run it, but they certainly didn’t stop it much.

On the inside zone
Everybody is running (inside zone). Our guys just blocked it well. Marcus (Lattimore) has a knack of finding that crease. His shoulders pads are almost always square when he hits the whole. He’s never upright when guys hit him inside. He has a knack of running low and square to the ground. If you can fall forward you gain three more yards. Marcus rarely gets knocked back.

On Ace Sanders
We didn’t throw much today, so Ace didn’t get a chance. He’ll be there next week. Tori Gurley did a good job blocking.

South Carolina Players

Freshman Running Back Marcus Lattimore
On his 37-carry, 182-yard performance
I wasn’t expecting this, but it pays off from all the hard work we’ve been through during the summer. Our offensive line was in better shape than their defensive line.

On the team continuing to run the ball
We knew coming into the game that the ends were playing wide, and we could just gas them up the middle. TJ (Johnson) did a great job moving the nose guard. We just kept gassing them because they played wide and couldn’t figure it out.

On preparing for Georgia
We watched a lot of tape. I tried to watch a lot of tape on my own between classes or anytime I could, just trying to see what they would do when we run an inside zone.

On the inside zone play
That’s all we ran at (James F.) Byrnes (High School). I ran that for four years at Byrnes. That’s my favorite play. When they’re playing a three-man front, we try to push them to the right on inside zone right or push them in on inside zone left. We just tried to push that nose, and I would read off (TJ Johnson).

On gaining yards after contact
I worked on that a lot since I’ve been here. My pad leverage, Coach (Jay) Graham works on that everyday. You have to have correct pad leverage and you can break anyone’s tackle. It doesn’t matter how big they are.

On getting confidence from the coaching staff to have 37 carries
They know I’ve been working hard. I just want to play and produce and help the team anyway I can. They know that. I try to keep the ball off the ground. That (pace) is what I’m used to. I did it in high school.

I didn’t (expect to do this well), but it worked out pretty good. We started running my favorite play and that set it up.

On the fans during the fourth quarter
I heard them cheering my name. I was real tired, but that got me up. I was running off adrenaline on that drive because I was dead.

On keeping expectations tempered
We’re taking it one game at a time. Cliff Matthews and Spencer Lanning, really all our leaders, know that was just one game, just one win. That was nothing. We have plenty more games to come. We have a tough SEC schedule, we have to travel (later in the season) and we have Furman next week (to prepare for).

Junior Quarterback Stephen Garcia
On Marcus Lattimore His main attribute is he can break arm tackles and continue to go forward. Between him and the offensive line, that’s what wins game. We only threw 17 times, but Marcus had 37 carries. That’s huge for a freshman to come in his first SEC game and have that kind of production.

I think he turned it up (this game). I think he was excited about playing his first SEC game. Obviously it showed. Thirty-seven carries is impressive for a true freshman to come in against a Georgia defense. We always knew he was good. Obviously he was a five-star recruit and a top running back coming out of high school, but to play like he did today was huge for us.

On the number of running plays in the second half
The second half my hand was kind of messed up (from getting hit earlier in the game). That’s not an excuse, but I don’t think we needed to throw much. Marcus played extremely well, and the offensive line was doing well in the run block, so I don’t think we needed to (pass).

On the benefit of a balanced offense
When running the ball, the defense can’t just pin their ears back and blitz every time. We’re thankful to have (Marcus Lattimore) on our team and have this production from him as a true freshman. It’s extremely helpful for us … It takes pressure off everyone on the offense when he can break arm tackles and go five or 10 yards.

On scoring on the first drive of the game
It was a way to set the tone in the game. Unfortunately we couldn’t do it every drive, but it set the tone and came out big for us.

On his growth from last year
I know a lot more this year. I’m more confident with the offensive line and receivers. This was a big summer for us. We worked hard this summer, and that’s the main difference this year.

On the offensive line play
It was huge for us. They were able to block extremely well throughout the game. That last drive was huge for us. Marcus (Lattimore) broke arm tackles, the offensive line blocked well and we put the game away. We definitely improved as a team from last year. We’re just moving forward. That’s the only way we can go right now.

On attempting 17 passes
If we win it doesn’t matter at all (how many throws I attempt). If we win, I could throw three passes and it doesn’t matter. Like Georgia Tech’s offense, if we win it doesn’t matter.

On hesitating on certain plays
I believe I hesitated a few times today. The one I overthrew to (Jason Barnes) was a terrible throw. I’m still trying to get used to the speed. That was the first SEC game, and the speed is a lot different between playing Georgia and playing Southern Mississippi in defensive speed.

Sophomore Cornerback Stephon Gilmore
On the fumble recovery
Coach just told us to keep them out of the end zone. I think Devonte (Holloman) made a good play on the tackle.

On the red zone defense
We were pretty much prepared for this game. We knew what they were going to run. We just came out and executed.

On the balance between the offense and the defense
The offense did great. They kept us off the field. We were just on the field for one drive during the first quarter. They gave us a lot of rest, and the second half we had to come out and play hard as a group.

On the potential praise that may come from the win over Georgia
We’re excited, but we need to stay humble. It was just one SEC game. We have a lot more to go.

Sophomore Strong Safety DeVonte Holloman
On Georgia throwing so much in the second half
We knew they were going to have to throw it eventually, they tried to run it down our throats in the first half but coaches told us to watch the pass and watch them going deep and things like that. We did a pretty good job.

On getting a turnover this week, and last week
Yes, coach has been emphasizing turnovers all summer and we are starting to get them now. We’ve got to capitalize; offense did a good job of trying to get it out of the end zone and score.

On the defense only allowing two field goals
It means a lot. We pride ourselves on not giving up many points. We take a bend but don’t break attitude.

Sophomore Wide Receiver Alshon Jeffery
On the importance of the game for the offensive line
It was a big game for everybody. Like we told Coach Spurrier, if they can’t stop the plays, just keep on running them. If they couldn’t stop Marcus (Lattimore), we were just going to keep running it.

On if pressure was taken off of the receivers by the rushing of Marcus Lattimore
It’s good, but we both help each other out. If we are passing the ball well, then we will be able to run it. If we are running well, we’ll be able to throw it. Marcus (Lattimore) is a pretty good runner. He didn’t surprise me because he did it all during camp.

On his 106 yards receiving
When my number is called, I just want to make the play. As long as we get the win, that’s all that matters.

On getting the first SEC win of the season
It feels pretty good. We just need to continue. We need to keep listening to our coaches and not take any plays off.

Georgia Quotes

Georgia Coach Mark Richt
On Marcus Lattimore
Well, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what the story of the game was. Number 21 Marcus Lattimore was certainly the most dominating player in the game. Coach Spurrier did a nice job planning for that young man to carry the ball. They just kept feeding him. Twenty-one carries in the first half for over 100 yards, that kid was outstanding. We knew he was an outstanding back, and I can’t say I was shocked that he would have a performance like this, just because I know he is a heck of a back. When it came to tackling him, we just didn’t do a good job of knocking him back and wrapping him up. But again he is a heck of a back. I think history will prove that he is one of the best.

On other keys to the game
When you do get offensive teams in third-down situations, you have to get some stops. We actually had a few third and longs in the first half that we weren’t able to get them off the field with, and then offensively we didn’t get a whole lot done, especially in the first half. [In the] second half we had a scoring drive and then [their] defense got the turn over. We got it inside the 5 and had a chance to put six on the board, and we would have gone for two, at that point the game was going so fast, every play seemed to take five to eight minutes, but we fumbled the ball, we cough it up and they take advantage of it. We fought. You can’t say that we didn’t fight. We had our moments. We had our opportunities, but we just didn’t make enough plays to win it.

On Aaron Murray
I thought [Aaron] Murray played pretty good actually. I think that we just have to allow him to play ball and treat him more like a veteran. He’s been in a couple of games now, in a real hostile environment, in tough situations. I thought he had good respect for that ball and put the ball on the money when it was there. Most of the time I thought he handled things pretty good. He has handled things pretty well, and I think he is prepared to run the system as we have it. He is human, so I’m sure he will make a mistake here and there. So, I think we are ready to just let him play.

On Coach Spurrier’s team
I think he has a heck of team. Of course he’s got a great back, a veteran quarterback, his receivers are monsters – they are just giants. And, if you get everyone in a box and stop the back, then they sling it out there to a 6’6″, 220-lb receiver. Even if you tackle him it’s hard to keep him from getting three, four, five yards. And I thought that Coach Spurrier was very patient in doing that, not feeling like he had to go for the big play. I thought he took a couple of shots and had a couple of people open. But for the most part it is going to be a tough thing for people to defend. And Coach Ellis [Johnson], I’ve always had a lot of respect for him and his ability to coach defense. So, they have a good team, they have a very good team. And I think we do too. It wasn’t like we got splattered off the field. They handled us, and when we had a chance to get back in it with that score we turn it over and lose momentum, but they did a nice job.

Sophomore Free Safety Bacarri Rambo
On the Carolina offense
They had great play calling. The running back was running pretty good, making good plays and all. We couldn’t stop them. We were missing tackles. We just have to go to practice Monday and get better.

How hard was it to tackle Marcus Lattimore?
He wasn’t very tough, we were just missing tackles. We just have to get better at tackling and go to practice Monday and all next week prepare to tackle better, learn the game plan and prepare for Arkansas.

Senior Split End Kris Durham
How does using three time outs early hurt?
It definitely hurts because down the stretch we stopped them for fourth down and could have gotten them to kick a field goal earlier, and stopped the clock and add more time for plays towards the end of the game. It is what it is, and you just have to give credit to South Carolina.

On the fumble
Everyone makes mistakes, Shaun has carried the ball, I don’t know how many times in his career, but I mean it’s just something that happens. Everybody makes mistakes. You just have to have a short memory and build off the momentum that we had before that.

Sophomore Linebacker Christian Robinson
On Marcus Lattimore
He was downhill. He is running the ball until there is no more hole and then he’s going to lower his head. But if he saw a hole he was definitely going to take it and run full speed, so he definitely did a good job today.

On playing here where his dad played
I had goose bumps the whole game. I’ve been coming to games and seeing Cocky and things like that. It definitely brought back memories of playing with my dad. When I woke up this morning, I asked to maybe play like my dad for once, so hopefully I did that.