Week 4: @South Carolina (9/23)

[HogDawg]

"impressive win last week over the western kentucky catamounts", what? hahaha

What is "RPO" that he mentioned, and said he doesn't even want to talk about?

[svb002]

I noticed Boazy's stadium wasn't full last night, probably about 75% at its peak. And quickly emptied in the 3rd qtr as UVA crushed the hapless Broncos. And then I switched to the Arizona-Utah game, @ Arizona, and you could have sprayed machine gun fire at the upper sections and not hit anyone. I think CFB as a product has hit its saturation point. The arms race of spending $millions on bigger stadiums, promotions, huge salaries for coaches/staffs, and the ever-increasing costs passed on to the customers (fans) has priced a lot of people out of the market. Schools need to take a step back and ask themselves what is really important. Squeeze as much out of your fans now with high prices, or build a lasting fan base by allowing families to afford to attend and bring their kids, the future fans.

I think we know which direction USC has chosen--I had to buy my 14 month old a ticket for this game.

[HogDawg]

According to this SC guy, here's the keys to the game for SC:

1) The Gamecocks should get angry today, and take it out on LA Tech
2) Get the ball to Tyson Williams - he hardly touched the ball last week in SC's loss
3) There is no place for conservative play calling today against LA Tech
4) What does Kurt Roper (OC) do today with play calling?
5) SC has GOT to get the Running game going!!
6) Expect SC's defense to be disciplined on the corners and in the secondary. Acknowledged that J'Mar Smith has shown a propensity to throw the ball into coverage when pressured.
7) SC's young tackles have got to keep Jaylon Ferguson out of the backfield
8) Brandon Durham leads LT with 21 tackles. The SC RB needs gto make BD miss.
9) SC has no choice. They MUST RUN THE FOOTBALL for 150 yds against LA Tech.
10) SC has not been beat over the top with the big play. Can LA Tech do it?
11) START FAST! Flush the Kentucky loss mentally.
12) Win the turnover margin. SC must force some turnovers by putting pressure on J'Mar Smith.
13) Run plays set up the pass for SC
14) To replace Deebo Samuel (out w/injury), Ortray Edwards (big WR) and Brian Smith (big WR) must have big games on the outside
15) Expect SC to take more snaps under center today. It's all about jamming the ball down LA Tech's throat.

I had SC predicted to beat UK 41-10 last week.

This week's prediction:

"I predict SC to get over the hangover, and beat LA Tech 34-21."

[BlindDog]

The Arm chair guy refered to LaTech Bulldogs as a lessor or inferior squad!
paraphrasing there...
This is the kind of game the Bulldogs need to WIN!
GO BULLDOGS!

[The Historian]

What is "RPO" that he mentioned, and said he doesn't even want to talk about?

In the loss to Kentucky their OC was criticized for his play calling. In several short yardage situations they came out in shot gun and ran "Run Pass Option" plays for the QB rather than just getting into a power set with the QB under center and running the football. Several of the RPO plays failed badly.

[Tech52]

He was off by 28 and 13 last week. I. that pattern follows it means we win 34-6.

[HogDawg]

In the loss to Kentucky their OC was criticized for his play calling. In several short yardage situations they came out in shot gun and ran "Run Pass Option" plays for the QB rather than just getting into a power set with the QB under center and running the football. Several of the RPO plays failed badly.

Thank you. I wasn't familiar with the term. And when he said he didn't even want to discuss it, I was like whaaaat??

[DawgyNWindow]

Prediction: BBB will have a major melt down with dire predictions for the game and rest of season (and the future of the whole athletic program) the first time the Gamecocks cross the goal line (maybe the first time we punt).

It's who we are!

[JuBru]

Even Spurrier couldn't make them the team he made Florida.

Remember when we played Clemson in the HBowl? USC and Clemson fans almost took over THE BBB. It was fun to watch the hate, but USC fans are almost as obnoxious as Michigan State fans.

The last time I was in Michigan, I merely drove by Michigan Stadium because out of all the times I've been to Michigan, never made it to Ann Arbor. Anyway, just for passing by it and the campus, friends of my dad's step-dad jumped all over me for about 15 minutes about how bad and evil Michigan is and how much better Michigan St. is at everything. Worse than anything I've received from LSU and USL people.

It was made worse because this happened at my grandmother's wake.

[dawg80]

Prediction: BBB will have a major melt down with dire predictions for the game and rest of season (and the future of the whole athletic program) the first time the Gamecocks cross the goal line (maybe the first time we punt).

It's who we are!

Why wait for kickoff?

We suck! Smith is not the answer! Our OL/DL have more holes in it than our US Southern border. What is Skip thinking? We are too predictable! We won't win another game...

[JuBru]

Oh... we score yet?

[Dawg06]

Posted this morning. Thanks for holding them accountable.

Our SID dropped the game preview a little over 6 hours til kickoff. Better late than never.

[Dawg06]

It's interesting to follow their discussion on attendance. SC averaged 80K during the 21-game losing streak, and now struggle to put 60K in seats some games. Like today, apparently. The two most offered reasons are:

1. a steady diet of mediocre 6 or 7 win seasons, and a minor bowl at best
2. price increases on tickets and other fees (not family friendly). (One fan joked, I guess he was joking, that he had to work OT just to afford to send his son to the game today).

I noticed Boazy's stadium wasn't full last night, probably about 75% at its peak. And quickly emptied in the 3rd qtr as UVA crushed the hapless Broncos. And then I switched to the Arizona-Utah game, @ Arizona, and you could have sprayed machine gun fire at the upper sections and not hit anyone. I think CFB as a product has hit its saturation point. The arms race of spending $millions on bigger stadiums, promotions, huge salaries for coaches/staffs, and the ever-increasing costs passed on to the customers (fans) has priced a lot of people out of the market. Schools need to take a step back and ask themselves what is really important. Squeeze as much out of your fans now with high prices, or build a lasting fan base by allowing families to afford to attend and bring their kids, the future fans.

You are talking about Friday night football games. Lower attendance for those games has much more to do with selling out to TV than costs being passed on to the fans. They were competing with high school football and fans from out-of-town not being able to make it on a weekday. Weekday games are tough for fans.

[JAMROB]

I would like to see Skip Holtz start rolling J'Mar Smith out today in order to buy him some additional time and to keep his options alive to either run or pass.

I agree. Not only to gain more time but show the running threat. That takes away half the field though. Some of that would work. I believe the answer is to mix it up, keep them off balance.

[OLDBLUE]

It's interesting to follow their discussion on attendance. SC averaged 80K during the 21-game losing streak, and now struggle to put 60K in seats some games. Like today, apparently. The two most offered reasons are:

1. a steady diet of mediocre 6 or 7 win seasons, and a minor bowl at best
2. price increases on tickets and other fees (not family friendly). (One fan joked, I guess he was joking, that he had to work OT just to afford to send his son to the game today).

I noticed Boazy's stadium wasn't full last night, probably about 75% at its peak. And quickly emptied in the 3rd qtr as UVA crushed the hapless Broncos. And then I switched to the Arizona-Utah game, @ Arizona, and you could have sprayed machine gun fire at the upper sections and not hit anyone. I think CFB as a product has hit its saturation point. The arms race of spending $millions on bigger stadiums, promotions, huge salaries for coaches/staffs, and the ever-increasing costs passed on to the customers (fans) has priced a lot of people out of the market. Schools need to take a step back and ask themselves what is really important. Squeeze as much out of your fans now with high prices, or build a lasting fan base by allowing families to afford to attend and bring their kids, the future fans.

Welcome to the world of "virtual reality." Or, how many more are now sitting on their couch taking in the game via __________(whatever tech term is appropriate).
Next step - "How can we squeeze revenues out of the alternative media(or, whatever tech term is appropriate). ?"

(sorry, Back to the meaningful discussion)