Five examples of South Carolina Gamecocks’ unrealistic expectations for 2021:
• Outback Bowl frivolity
• A “Luke Doty for Heisman” campaign launched at the end of the Georgia game
• Steve Spurrier and Lou Holtz agree to arm wrestle for charity
• Three really good receivers and a quick tight end transferring from Oklahoma
• Cocky concert series with Toby Keith, Lil Baby and Def Leppard
Five reasonable expectations for the new season for new coach Shane Beamer with the start of spring training:
Twice as many wins as 2020
Not many 2.021 college teams will double their total winning streak in 2020. But a 2-8 season caused Will Muschamp to be sacked in December and with Eastern Illinois, East Carolina, Troy and Vanderbilt on the schedule – in addition to the list Usual Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri – Beamer and Co. should be able to find a way to four or five wins.
Even though the debut against Eastern Illinois is the only certainty and the game on the road against East Carolina and former Citadel coach Mike Houston is more difficult than Gamecock optimists anticipate.
Players who get better
Player development – individually and within position groups – remains an underestimated and rarely mapped aspect of college football.
“We better be really good (in player development),” said Beamer, 43, this week. “And I think we are.”
Beamer cited two examples from his days as Gamecocks technical assistant in charge of Spurrier: defensive striker Devin Taylor and defender Patrick DiMarco came to South Carolina as relatively unknown candidates, but they became good players and ended up having good careers in the NFL .
A renovation of the QB room
Not long ago, the South Carolina quarterback’s office had a senior veteran (Jake Bentley), a California contender (Ryan Hilinski), a former SC high school phenomenon (Dakereon Joyner from Fort Dorchester) with Luke Doty on the way. .
On paper, the 2021 quarterback’s situation, including Gamecocks and appointments, is leaner than that found in most programs at Mid-American or Mountain West conferences. It’s Doty as a sophomore with a little college experience and Jason Brown, a senior transfer from St. Francis (Pa.) Who was really good for Red Flash at the Northeast Conference, but hasn’t played since 2019 against Delaware State .
NCAA Division I college starts for Gamecock quarterbacks entering each of the seven seasons since Spurrier’s last full year as head coach in 2014:
2015: Connor Mitch: 2
2016: Perry Orth: 8
2017: Jake Bentley: 7
2018: Jake Bentley: 20
2019 Jake Bentley: 32
2020 Collin Hill (it all starts in the state of Colorado): 11
2021 Luke Doty (projected initiator): 2
Orth, a former walk-on, had 1-7 as a starter in 2015. Bentley, now in South Alabama via Utah, was injured in the 2019 opener, a loss to North Carolina in Charlotte.
An expanded base
Beamer was hired to replace Muschamp after a wave of support from former players, many of whom were around when he was on Spurrier’s team. Beamer loves the fact that ex-Gamecocks are showing up at the football operations building.
“These guys paved the way,” said Beamer. “Being able to have a guy like Alshon Jeffery or Melvin Ingram or Patrick DiMarco, whatever it is. Guys who came back through the building – Steve Taneyhill is close by – just to be able to have people who have been here before, to be able to talk about this place and how it was built and what they did to put it on the level. “
Inside the building, former players teach current players how to hold each other accountable.
Outside the building, they go out and tell people good things about the program’s progress.
More enthusiasm
And if the enthusiasm is contagious enough, it is worth recruiting and donating.
Which leads to the achievement of reasonable expectations.
Follow Gene Sapakoff on Twitter @sapakoff
