Nov. 28, 2008

The South Carolina Gamecocks (7-4, 4-4 SEC) wrap up their regular season slate when they bus to Clemson’s Memorial Stadium (81,500) and Frank Howard Field to take on the Clemson Tigers (6-5, 4-4 ACC) in the 106th meeeting between these two Palmetto State rivals on Saturday, Nov. 29. Game time is set for noon ET. A national television audience will be watching on ESPN2 with Eric Collins and David Norrie calling the action. Carolina has won six of its last eight games after opening the season 1-2. Three of the Gamecocks’ four losses have been seven-point setbacks (Vanderbilt, Georgia and LSU). Clemson has won three of its last four after sitting at 3-4 after seven games and needs a win over the Gamecocks to gain bowl eligibility.

GAMECOCKS AND TIGERS

This is the 106th meeting between the two Palmetto State rivals in a series that dates back to 1896. The teams have met every year since 1909. Clemson holds the all-time lead in the series, 64-37, while four games have ended in a tie. The Tigers hold a 49-29-3 advantage when the game has been played in Columbia and are 15-8-1 in games played in Clemson. CU has won five of the last six contests and nine of the last 11 meetings, but the Gamecocks posted a 31-28 win in Clemson the last time the two teams met at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium. The Tigers escaped with a 23-21 win last season in Columbia. This is the first time since the 2004 season that neither team is ranked heading into the contest. The last three games have been decided by a total of 9 points.

THE LAST TIME THEY MET

Mark Buchholz booted a 35-yard field goal at time expired, lifting No. 21 Clemson to a 23-21 win at South Carolina on Nov. 24, 2007. For the second year in a row, Clemson opened up a double-digit lead at the half, only to see Carolina rally to take the lead. Blake Mitchell’s third touchdown pass of the game gave Carolina a 21-20 lead with nine minutes remaining after USC trailed 17-7 at the intermission. Mitchell finished the game hitting 18-of-31 passes for 284 yards. Kenny McKinley had a big night, catching eight passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Clemson won the statistical battle, outgaining the Gamecocks 443-364 including 214 yards on the ground, as they controlled the clock for 38:37.

LAST TIME IN CLEMSON

South Carolina erased a 28-14 second-half deficit by scoring the final 17 points of the game to claim a 31-28 road win over 24th-ranked Clemson on Nov. 25, 2006. The Tigers had a chance to tie the score as time expired, but kicker Jad Dean’s 39-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left to clinch the Carolina win. Blake Mitchell had the Gamecock offense marching up and down the field, completing 23-of-36 passes for 268 yards. Cory Boyd added 16 carries for 106 yards and a touchdown, while Mike Davis contributed 12 carries for 69 yards and two scores. Sidney Rice caught eight passes for 103 yards as the Gamecocks snapped a four-game losing skid to the Tigers.

FACING THE TIGERS

Two Gamecock seniors, Mike Davis and Kenny McKinley, will be facing the Tigers for the final time. In three games, Davis has carried the ball 34 times for 182 yards and two touchdowns against the Tigers, while McKinley has made 16 catches for 219 yards with two touchdowns in three previous outings.

GAMECOCKS VS. THE ACC

The Gamecocks own a 191-239-22 record all-time against teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference. South Carolina was a member of the ACC from 1953-1970. They posted the only conference championship in school history as a member of the ACC in 1969 when they went 6-0 under Paul Dietzel, including a 27-13 win over Clemson in Columbia. The Gamecocks are 1-0 against ACC opponents this season, blanking NC State in the season opener, 34-0. They were 1-1 against ACC foes in 2007, defeating North Carolina by a 21-15 score in Chapel Hill, then losing to No. 15 Clemson in Columbia by a 23-21 margin. The Gamecocks are 3-2 against the ACC under head coach Steve Spurrier.

THE HBC VS. CLEMSON

Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier owns a 2-4 record when facing the Clemson Tigers. Coach Spurrier was 1-2 against the Tigers as the head coach at Duke University. Clemson was ranked seventh in 1987 when it defeated the Blue Devils, 17-10, in Clemson. The Tigers were ranked 11th in 1988 when they posted a 49-17 home win over the 22nd-ranked Blue Devils. Spurrier and a 1-3 Duke team knocked off the seventh-ranked Tigers by a 21-17 score in Durham in 1989. Clemson edged 19th-ranked South Carolina, 13-9 in 2005 in Columbia in Coach Spurrier’s first season with the Gamecocks, then the Gamecocks returned the favor in 2006 in Clemson, knocking off the 24th-ranked Tigers by a 31-28 margin. A year ago, it was No. 21 Clemson pulling out a 23-21 win on the game’s final play.

RAISING THE BAR

Head coach Steve Spurrier is 28-20 in his four seasons in Columbia. He tied the school record for wins (7) in his first season at the helm; tied for the most wins (15) in his first two seasons of any Carolina head coach; recorded the most wins (21) by a Carolina head coach in his first three seasons; and has surpassed Warren Giese (25 wins from 1956-59) for the most wins by a coach in his first four seasons on the Carolina sidelines. He has logged a .500 or better record in four straight seasons, the first coach to do that at Carolina since the final four years of the Jim Carlen Era (1978-81).

TYING GIESE

A win over Arkansas was No. 28 for Steve Spurrier as the Carolina head coach, tying him with Warren Giese for seventh place on the Gamecocks’ all-time list. Giese won 28 games from 1956-60, going 28-21-1 during that stretch (7-3, 5-5, 7-3, 6-4, 3-6-1). Lou Holtz is next on the list with 33 career wins from 1999-2004.

REACHING 100 & BEYOND

The win at Kentucky gave Steve Spurrier his 100th victory as an SEC coach against SEC competition (he also has three wins against SEC teams while coaching at Duke). He is just the fourth coach in history to record 100 career SEC wins. Only Bear Bryant (159), John Vaught (106) and Vince Dooley (105) have won more regular-season SEC conference games than Coach Spurrier’s 102. “Shug” Jordan fell just short with 98 wins, while Phillip Fulmer is sixth on the list with 97.

THE LAST TIME OUT

The Gamecocks committed three turnovers in a two-minute span in the first quarter, resulting in 21 Florida points and the third-ranked Gators never looked back in a 56-6 rout in the Swamp on Nov. 15. The Gators rolled up 519 yards of offense while holding Carolina to just 173 yards. The Gamecocks turned the ball over four times, logged a season-high nine penalties and were just 1-for-15 in third down conversions. Placekicker Ryan Succop was one of the few bright spots for South Carolina, as the senior converted on both of his field goal attempts, hitting from 41 and 44 yards out. Senior linebacker Marvin Sapp led the defense with seven tackles, while junior linebacker Eric Norwood recorded a pair of sacks and a fumble recovery.

OUT OF THEIR LEAGUE

The Gamecocks are looking to go 4-0 in non-conference action this season. They are 13-3 in non-conference games under Coach Spurrier, including wins in 11 of their last 12 non-conference games.

BOWL OUTLOOK

With the Gamecocks at seven wins, Carolina fans can begin to make their bowl plans. The SEC has agreements to send nine of its member institutions to postseason bowl games following the 2008 season. The winner of the SEC Championship Game will automatically participate in the Bowl Championship Series comprised of the Sugar, Rose, Orange and Fiesta Bowls. The Capital One will make its pick following the BCS selections. The Outback and Cotton Bowls are next, followed by the Chick-fil-A Bowl. The Liberty and Music City Bowls will pick sixth and seventh, not in any specific order. The Independence Bowl has the eighth selection, while the Papajohns.com Bowl will pick ninth.

RECORD HOLDER

Kenny McKinley broke Sterling Sharpe’s school record of 169 career receptions at Kentucky. McKinley now has 194 receptions. McKinley became the school’s all-time leader in career receiving yards against Arkansas. He has 2,639 yards, topping Sharpe’s mark of 2,497 yards.

McKINLEY IN THE SEC

Kenny McKinley is not only leaving his name all over the Carolina record books, but also is moving up the charts on the SEC career leaders list. McKinley leads the SEC active players with 194 career receptions, tying for seventh place on the SEC’s all-time list. With six catches, he would become just the fifth player in SEC history with 200 career receptions. He also leads all SEC active players in career receiving yards (2,639) and receiving touchdowns (19). He needs 175 yards to move into the top 10 in yardage.

NCAA LEADER

Senior placekicker Ryan Succop leads all NCAA Division I kickers in field goal attempts this season with 28. Succop is one of nine kickers to record 19 or more field goals this year. He is tied for sixth in the nation with 1.73 field goals per game.

THE REST OF THE STORY

While the Gamecocks are one of the nation’s worst in turnover margin, ranking 11th in the SEC and 99th in the country at -0.64 per game, the defense has minimized the damage. Carolina has surrendered just 45 points following its 29 turnovers, while they have scored 75 points following their 22 takeaways. 28 of the 45 points allowed came on four turnovers against Florida.

WINNING MORE OFTEN

The win over Arkansas guaranteed Carolina a winning record this season. It’s the fifth consecutive year in which Carolina has posted at least a .500 mark. The Gamecocks went 6-5 in 2004, 7-5 in 2005, 8-5 in 2006 and 6-6 in 2007. The last time they went five or more consecutive seasons with a .500 record or better was from 1928-34.

WORKING OVERTIME

The Gamecocks have played just two overtime games in their history, both at Tennessee. They dropped a 23-20 decision in Knoxville on Sept. 27, 2003, then fell by a 27-24 score on Oct. 27, 2007, also at Neyland Stadium. Every other SEC team has played at least four overtime games since the rule was established in 1996.

SMELLEY AS THE SIGNAL-CALLER

Redshirt sophomore Chris Smelley has started eight games at quarterback this season, throwing for over 200 yards in four of those contests. The 6-2, 211-pounder is 5-3 as a starter in 2008 and 9-5 in 14 career starts. He had one of his top games as a Gamecock at Ole Miss earlier this season, completing 22-of-32 passes for a career-high 327 yards and a career-high-tying three touchdowns, earning SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors. For the season he is 131-of-224 (58.5 percent) for 1531 yards and 11 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. He ranks eighth in the SEC in passing yards per game (153.1), fifth in passing efficiency (122.3) and eighth in total offense (153.2). In his Gamecock career, the Tuscaloosa, Ala. native has completed 57.9 percent of his passes for 2,819 yards and 20 touchdowns with 18 picks. His completion percentage (57.9) ranks fourth in South Carolina history behind Blake Mitchell (60.7), Steve Taneyhill (60.5) and Bobby Fuller (58.8). He ranks ninth on the school’s all-time list with 20 touchdown passes, six behind Jeff Grantz’s eighth-place total of 26. His career highs are 23 completions (3 times), 39 pass attempts (twice), 327 yards passing and three touchdown passes (3 times).

ROTATING QUARTERBACKS

Head coach Steve Spurrier has used a rotating quarterback system in each of the last two games, with Chris Smelley and Stephen Garcia alternating snaps throughout the Arkansas and Florida contests. The two signal-callers have combined to complete just 32-of-67 passes (47.8 percent) in the rotating system for 339 yards through the air including a pair of touchdown passes – one by each quarterback. It’s not the first time Coach Spurrier has rotated his quarterbacks. He did so several times while coaching at Florida, most famously during a 32-29 win over Florida State in 1997 with Noah Brindise and Doug Johnson rotating at quarterback.

NOBODY DOES IT BETTER

Despite missing three full games and most of a fourth this season due to a right hamstring injury, senior wide receiver Kenny McKinley will leave the University of South Carolina with just about every receiving record. The 6-0, 187-pounder is an All-America candidate after earning first-team All-SEC honors in 2007. He was on the Playboy preseason All-America squad and was named to the Maxwell Award Watch List. He set the school single season receptions record with 77 catches in 2007. McKinley ranks first in career receptions (194) and in career receiving yards (2,639) and is tied for second in receiving touchdowns (19) in Carolina history. He has caught a pass in 41 straight games, the fifth-longest current streak in the country and surpassing the previous school record of 34 held jointly by Sterling Sharpe and Jermale Kelly. He is the SEC active leader in both career receptions and receiving yards. He has tallied seven 100-yard receiving games in his career. Before sitting out the Georgia contest, the Mableton, Ga. native had played in 39 consecutive games, making 33 starts, the most on the squad. He had his best game of the season with a seven-catch, 130-yard effort last week against Arkansas. If he had enough games to qualify for the SEC statistics, he would be second the league in receptions per game (5.1) and would rank in a tie for fourth in receiving yards per game (62.5 yards per game). He caught eight passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns against Clemson last season.

GARCIA TAKING MORE SNAPS

Redshirt freshman quarterback Stephen Garcia has started two games, getting the starting nod in a loss to LSU and a win over Tennessee. The 6-2, 221-pounder from Lutz, Fla. made his collegiate debut against Georgia, getting into three plays. After not playing the following week against Wofford, he entered the UAB game on the second series and played through the third quarter. He responded by completing 13-of-20 passes for 131 yards and one touchdown with one interception. His first TD pass was a 13-yarder to Brian Maddox in the first quarter. He carried the ball 18 times for a game-high 86 yards and one touchdown, a five-yard burst. It was the most yards rushing for USC quarterback since Corey Jenkins rushed for 101 yards against Georgia on Sept. 14, 2002. Garcia’s total surpassed the highs of other recent QBs known for their running, Dondrial Pinkins (84) and Syvelle Newton (85). He did not play at Ole Miss, but came off the bench to lead Carolina to victory at Kentucky. Playing just one and a half quarters, he turned in his best outing, completing 10-of-14 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed six times for 22 yards, including a 25-yard burst. His performance earned him SEC Freshman of the Week honors and his first start against LSU. He completed 14-of-26 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown against the defending national champions with one interception. He also carried the pigskin 19 times, for a net of 15 yards, although he was sacked six times for 49 yards. He earned his first win as a starter against Tennessee after completing 9-of-19 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns. He was just 4-for-11 for 71 yards and a touchdown while splitting the duties with Chris Smelley against Arkansas, then was 6-of-13 from 28 yards in split duty at Florida. For the season, he has completed 56-of-104 passes (53.8 percent) for 753 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions. He is also the team’s third-leading rusher with 65 carries for 173 yards.

DAVIS PACES THE RUNNING GAME

Senior Mike Davis has done the bulk of the work in the running game. The 5-9, 214-pounder from Columbia has carried 143 times for 495 yards, an average of 3.5 yards per carry. He has more than twice as many carries as any other player on the squad, and has accounted for 45 percent of the rushing yards. He carried the pigskin a career-high 26 times in the win over Tennessee. It was the most carries for a Gamecock since Demetris Summers carried 27 times against Tennessee in 2003. He is averaging 49.5 yards per game. Davis was the team’s top rusher as a freshman in 2005 with 666 yards, then was second on the squad in rushing yards behind Cory Boyd in each of the past two seasons. Davis rushed 14 times for 101 yards and a touchdown in the 2008 season opener against NC State. It was his fourth career 100-yard rushing game. Included was a 50-yard burst, the longest of his career. He followed that up with an 80-yard effort on 18 carries at Vanderbilt. Davis has appeared in 46 games over the past four seasons, making 23 starts. He has rushed 503 times for 2,153 yards and 19 touchdowns. He ranks 12th on the all-time Carolina career rushing list and needs just 114 yards to climb into the top 10. His 19 career rushing touchdowns ranks eighth on the all-time Carolina list. He is the eighth player in school history to log 500+ rushing attempts in a career.

RED ZONE SUCCESS

The Gamecocks have converted 32-of-37 red zone opportunities (86.5 percent) into points, the league’s fourth-best mark. They have scored 21 touchdowns while settling for 11 field goals in the red zone this season. They have been stopped twice by turnovers (one fumble and one interception), once by downs and twice by a missed field goal. Last season, the Gamecocks scored on 86.4 percent of their red zone opportunities (38-for-44).

SORENSEN A FIRST ROUND PICK, EH?

Fifth-year senior offensive tackle Justin Sorensen had a chance to turn pro after his junior year but elected to return to USC for his final season. The 6-7, 316-pounder from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, was selected in the first round (the fifth player taken overall) in the 2008 Canadian Football Draft by his hometown team, the B.C. Lions. The Lions retain the rights to sign Sorensen, who has made 29 consecutive starts for the Gamecocks. Sorensen graduated last December with a degree in retailing and is working on a second major in psychology.

THIS `N THAT

* The Gamecocks have had 15 different players score a touchdown, with Mike Davis and Kenny McKinley leading the way with four touchdowns apiece. No one else has more than two.

* The Gamecocks have shuffled their skill positions, starting six different wide receivers – Kenny McKinley, Moe Brown, Freddie Brown, Dion Lecorn, Jason Barnes and Joe Hills; three tight ends – Jared Cook, Weslye Saunders and Larry Freeman; three tailbacks – Taylor Rank, Mike Davis and Brian Maddox; and three quarterbacks – Tommy Beecher, Chris Smelley and Stephen Garcia.

* Tight end Jared Cook had a career-game against Vanderbilt, recording highs in both receptions (8) and receiving yards (111). He owns the longest two receptions this season, a 63-yarder at Ole Miss and a 66-yarder against Arkansas. He is one of eight semifinalists for the Mackey Award.

* Wide receiver Moe Brown had the best game of his Carolina career against Georgia. He caught a career-high seven passes for a career-high 130 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown. His previous single-game highs were four catches and 47 yards. It was his first career touchdown and his first career 100-yard receiving game.

* The Gamecocks are 10-of-14 on fourth down conversions (71.4 percent), the league’s third-best mark.

NEW COORDINATOR IN TOWN

Ellis Johnson took over as defensive coordinator in 2008, bringing a 4-2-5 package to Columbia. Johnson returns to his home state, as he is a Winnsboro, S.C. native. The Gamecocks rank 11th in the country in total defense, allowing just 280.36 yards per game. Johnson’s troops have turned in five of the top seven defensive performances in the Steve Spurrier Era, allowing just 138 total yards to NC State, 207 yards to both Vanderbilt and Tennessee, 218 yards at Kentucky and 225 total yards to Vanderbilt. Last season, the Gamecocks surrendered 378.0 yards per game, ranking 56th in the nation. Carolina has shown its most improvement in the rush defense, allowing 123.6 rushing yards per game this season (seventh in the SEC and 35th in the country) compared to 209.2 a year ago. For his efforts, the Executive Committee of the University of South Carolina’s Board of Trustees approved a one-year extension to Ellis Johnson’s contract on October 24. Johnson, who inked a three-year contract in January, is now signed through 2011. Johnson is one of five finalist for the Defensive Coordinator of the Year award as selected by FootballScoop.com.

KEEPING THEM OFF THE BOARD

Despite giving up 56 points to Florida, the Gamecocks are allowing just 19.3 points per game, the fifth-best mark in the SEC and the 23rd-best mark in the nation. A year ago, the Gamecocks surrendered 23.5 points per game, the nation’s 39th-best mark.

DON’T PASS THIS WAY

This week’s game features two of the top 5 pass defenses in the country. The Gamecocks have allowed just 156.73 yards through the air, tops in the conference and second in the nation behind Southern California. They have allowed just seven TDs through the air, the fewest in the SEC. Only Southern Cal (3) and Penn State (6) have allowed fewer throughout the land. The Gamecocks returned all the key players from one of the nation’s top-ranked pass defenses from a year ago. They are experienced in the secondary with Captain Munnerlyn (25 starts), Emanuel Cook (25), Carlos Thomas (23) Stoney Woodson (22), and Darian Stewart (21) combining for 116 starts. They ranked first in the SEC and fourth in the country in passing defense in 2007, allowing 168.75 yards per game through the air.

NORWOOD CLIMBS THE CHARTS

Junior Eric Norwood, a 6-1, 253-pounder, has found a home at “Will” linebacker after playing defensive end in each of his first two seasons. He is second on the team with 58 tackles, including a team-high 12.5 TFL’s, tying for the third-highest mark in the SEC. He is also the SEC leader with 9.0 sacks after recording 7.0 sacks in the last three games, including a career-high 3.0 sacks vs. Arkansas, He also has logged a team-high nine quarterback hurries. He set a school single-season record with 19.5 tackles for loss in 2007. He is the SEC’s active leader and is the school’s all-time list in career tackles for loss with 41.0, passing Andrew Provence’s mark of 35.0. He is also third on the school’s career sacks list with 22.0, behind only Provence (26.0) and John Abraham (23.5). He is one of 20 candidates still on the Lott Quarterfinal List.

COOKIN’ WITH EMANUEL

Junior safety Emanuel Cook is an all-conference performer in the Gamecock secondary. Named one of 13 semifinalists for the Thorpe Award, the 5-10, 203-pounder from Riviera Beach, Fla. had a career-high 14 tackles in the win at Ole Miss, the most tackles for a Gamecock since Ricardo Hurley logged 14 against Clemson on November 20, 2004. Cook leads the team and is 10th in the SEC with 81 tackles this season (7.4 per game), pacing the squad with eight stops against NC State, 10 tackles at Vanderbilt, seven solo stops against Georgia, 10 versus Wofford, 14 at Ole Miss and 11 against LSU. He was on the preseason Thorpe and Nagurski Watch Lists after leading the team with 92 tackles a season ago. He was named to the 2007 All-MayDay team, as selected by ESPN’s Mark May, was a second-team All-SEC selection by both the coaches and the media in 2007.

CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN

Junior Captain Munnerlyn is one of the SEC’s top cornerbacks. The 5-9, 185-pounder from Mobile, Ala. has made 25 starts over the past three seasons, recording five interceptions. This season, he has recorded 32 tackles, is second on the team with five pass break ups, has recovered two fumbles and forced another. He also has been a factor on special teams, serving as the regular punt returner, returning a kickoff 84 yards at Kentucky to set up one score and returning a blocked field goal against the Wildcats for another score. In 2007, he was a first-team All-SEC selection by the league’s coaches and was a second team selection by the AP. He was a preseason first team pick by both the coaches and the media and was on the preseason Thorpe and Nagurski watch lists.

BRINKLEY’S BACK

“Mike” linebacker Jasper Brinkley, a 6-2, 269-pounder, is back for his final season at Carolina. A former junior college transfer, Brinkley started each of the first 17 games in a Gamecock uniform before being sidelined with a knee injury during the LSU game in 2007. He led the Gamecocks in tackles in nine of those 17 contests and led South Carolina in tackles during the 2006 season with 107, over twice as many as any other player on the squad. An amazing 79 percent of those tackles were solo stops. After being held in check with just three tackles in his first two games, he responded with seven tackles, including 2.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack, against Georgia and a season-high eight stops at Ole Miss and again at Kentucky. He has 45 tackles on the season, including 3.5 tackles for loss.

UNDERRATED STANDOUTS

The Gamecocks have two players, defensive end Cliff Matthews and Spur Darian Stewart, who don’t receive the acclaim of some of their teammates but are playing outstanding football on the defensive side of the ball. Matthews, a 6-4, 259-pound sophomore, has logged 30 tackles, has 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, four quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery. Stewart, a hard-hitting 5-11, 219-pound junior, has 49 stops including 7.0 TFLs, with a team-high seven pass breakups, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

PUTTING UNEXPECTED POINTS ON THE BOARD

The Gamecocks’ defense has scored two touchdowns this season while the special teams unit has one TD to its credit. Nathan Pepper picked up a fumble and returned it 29 yards to paydirt in the win over Ole Miss. It was his second career touchdown. Stoney Woodson picked off a pass against Tennessee and returned it 68 yards for his first career touchdown. Captain Munnerlyn scooped up a Jordin Lindsey blocked field goal at Kentucky and raced 81 yards for a special teams score.

SACK ATTACK

The Gamecocks have done a good job of getting pressure on the quarterback in the last three games, recording six sacks against both Tennessee and Arkansas and a pair of sacks at Florida. The Gamecocks recorded 12 sacks in the first eight games before picking up 14 in the last three games. Their 26 sacks ranks fourth in the SEC behind Vanderbilt (29), Florida (27) and Kentucky (27). A dozen different players have figured into the sack total this season. Last season, the Gamecocks recorded 21 sacks in 12 games. The school record is 32 sacks in 2005.

HANDS NOT STONE NOR WOOD

Senior Stoney Woodson has a team-leading four interceptions this year, one more than senior Carlos Thomas, who splits time at that same cornerback position on the field. Woodson has a pick in two of the last three games, including a 68-yard return for a touchdown against Tennessee. He is tied for fifth in the SEC with the four interceptions. The Gamecocks have logged a dozen interceptions this season, tying for fifth in the SEC, and have recorded an interception in six of their last seven games.

NEW COORDINATOR

The Gamecocks’ special teams have been improved this season under first year coordinator Ray Rychleski. The Gamecocks lead the SEC in kickoff coverage this season with a net of 48.0 yards per kickoff and are third in kickoff returns, averaging 23.8 yards per return.

SPECIAL SPECIALIST

Senior placekicker Ryan Succop is 19-for-28 in field goal attempts this season (both marks lead the SEC), is 48-for-67 in field goal attempts in his career (71.6 percent) and is 26-for-31 (83.9 percent) inside 40 yards. He has converted 38 of his last 48 attempts (79.2 percent) from inside 47. He is tied for sixth in the league (fourth among the kickers) in scoring at 7.6 points per game. He was the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts against UAB on Sept. 27. The 6-3, 221-pounder was an Associated Press honorable mention All-SEC selection and has earned SEC first-team preseason honors as a placekicker by the media and was a second-team selection by the coaches. His longest career field goal is a 55-yarder against Vanderbilt in 2006. He had a season-best 54-yarder versus Arkansas, tying for the third-longest in school history.

KICKING UP A STORM

Sophomore walk-on Spencer Lanning has averaged 42.2 yards (fifth in the SEC) on 43 punts with a long of 53, set versus Arkansas. He was the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week against Tennessee after punting eight times for a 45.0 yard average. Despite punting 10 times against Florida, the Gamecocks 43 punts are th third-fewest in the SEC. Only Florida (35) and Georgia (42) have punted fewer times.

GOOD RETURNS

Sophomore Chris Culliver is averaging 25.6 yards per kickoff return, second in the SEC, including a long of 67 yards against Tennessee. Captain Munnerlyn had an 84-yard kick return at Kentucky and a 35-yard punt return against UAB. He was the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts against Kentucky.