COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier has successfully handled high expectations for most of his college career. He knows his ninth-ranked Gamecocks will have to quickly learn the same lesson.
Kickoff is just a few hours away for the #9 ranked South Carolina Gamecocks against the Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville, Tennessee. What can we expect to see from the Head Ball Coach and the rest of the coaching staff tonight?
Spurrier expects Vanderbilt Stadium to be loud, just like most stadiums the team enters.
Steve Spurrier is thanking James Franklin for helping him prepare the Gamecocks for the season opener. On his radio call-in show Spurrier was asked about Franklin’s reference to Thursday night’s season opener as Vanderbilt’s “Super Bowl.” “He’s trying to get them fired up, excited. I have always thought you can’t put all your eggs in one basket,” Spurrier said, adding, “I really believe the noise out of Nashville has helped us get ready to play.”
For the first time in school history, South Carolina football will kick off its season as a top ten team. The #9 Gamecocks officially start the 2012 season at 7:01 at Vanderbilt on ESPN.
The San Diego Padres took advantage of some shoddy Braves’ defense and broke open a 2-1 game in the 4th inning en route to an 8-2 win Wednesday. Atlanta ends its 10-game road trip with a 4-6 record.
Less than 24 hours away from kicking off his 8th season as the Head Ball Coach at South Carolina, Steve Spurrier is a changed man. The coach who revolutionized college football in the 1990s by dominating the SEC with his Fun N’ Gun Florida offense now tries to win games relying on a stifling defense and ball-control, run-first offense.
Panthers coach Ron Rivera says he expects five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Steve Smith will return to practice Sunday and play in the Sept. 9 season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Southeastern Conference features another array of talented pass rushers. This year’s hard-to-block pass rushers include the freakishly fast Barkevious Mingo at LSU and South Carolina’s twin towers Jadeveon Clowney and Devin Taylor and Georgia All-American Jarvis Jones.
Former Gamecock Steve Pearce scored the game-winning run in New York’s 2-1 Tuesday night win over Toronto. Pearce went 0-2 with a walk in his Yankees debut as the designated hitter in the clean-up spot. New York acquired Pearce for cash from Houston on Monday.
