South Carolina’s defense didn’t get many clean chances to hunt the quarterback in Week 1, but that could change quickly in Week 2.
Kent State spent most of last Saturday trying to get the ball out before the rush could arrive. Quarterback Dru DeShields averaged a 2.4-second release on 23 drop backs at Williams-Brice Stadium, according to the analytics Clayton White shared with Gamecock247. That kind of quick trigger limits what a pass rush can do, and White said the Gamecocks had to adjust around it.
“The closer it gets to three (seconds), that's what gets us excited. It means you have an opportunity to get home.
But if it's around 1.9 and 2.0, there's not much you can rush. For the most part, the closer it is to three,” White said, “Three seconds.”
South Carolina still came away with a shutout, but Anthony Addison was the only Gamecock to record a sack. White made it clear he thought the total should have been higher.
“We probably should've had about three or four more than what we had,” White said. “Pass-rush was fine.
Those guys, when I gave them an opportunity to go pass-rush, when it was a drop back situation, they did a good job. Got him off his spot and got one sack.
Wish we had more.”
The Gamecocks also had a plan for the way Kent State was throwing the football. White said they wanted to affect the quarterback by getting hands in passing lanes, especially because DeShields was getting rid of the ball so fast.
“We had some things - we wanted to try to knock the ball down, we knew he had a low release,” White said.
The numbers backed up how cautious Kent State was. The Golden Flashes finished with an average depth of target of just 2.5 yards last Saturday, and they only tried four passes that traveled more than nine yards downfield. None went beyond 20 yards.
Towson presents a different kind of challenge. Quarterback Andrew Indorf has already thrown 11 passes of 20 yards or more through two games this season, and seven of his attempts have come in the 10-19 yard range. On 40 total attempts, his average depth of target sits at 14 yards.
In Other News...
South Carolina May Have Found A Backfield Weapon Fans Werent Expecting
South Carolinas backfield got an unexpected spark in its Week 1 win over Kent State, and it came from a player who had yet to take an offensive snap in a Gamecocks uniform. Jabree Coleman, the Penn State transfer who redshirted last season, made his collegiate offensive debut look easy, piling up 77 yards on just four carries while finding the end zone twice in a game where the ground attack set the tone.
Coleman said the moment was everything he had hoped for, and he was quick to point to the offensive line for making the night possible. It also fit neatly into a dominant team performance on the ground, with South Carolinas running backs combining for 278 rushing yards and four touchdowns, a reminder that the Gamecocks may already have more depth in the backfield than many expected. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Faces An Early Depth Test In First Night Game
South Carolina gets its first night game of the season Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium, and the matchup with Towson arrives with the Gamecocks carrying real momentum from a 57-0 rout of Kent State. They are favored again against a Towson team that is 0-2, but the bigger early-season question for Shane Beamers group is less about the opponent and more about how the roster holds up under another game.
The injury picture adds some intrigue to what should be a comfortable home date. Dylan Stewart and Jacarrius Peak are both doubtful to play, which puts a little more pressure on the depth chart as South Carolina looks to keep its start on track under the lights. Fans who want to follow along will need the streaming option, since the game is set for SEC Network Plus. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Has One Last Chance To Fix A Worry Before SEC Play
South Carolina gets one more nonconference tuneup against Towson before the real grind of Southeastern Conference play begins, and Shane Beamer is treating it like a final checkpoint rather than a breather. The Gamecocks came off a strong win over Kent State, but Beamer still pointed to a few areas that need cleaning up, even as the staff prepares for a Towson team that should bring a spirited defensive approach into the spotlight.
Pete Shinnicks group also knows what kind of stage this is, with a night game in an SEC atmosphere offering a different kind of test for the Tigers. Towson is looking to use the matchup to keep growing, while South Carolina is trying to make sure it leaves Saturday with fewer questions than it brought in. [Read more 🡒]