This blog post and the accompanying audio were originally posted prior to the 2013 season.
The Brad Scott era at USC continues its slow fade in 1997, dropping to a 5-6 record. At least with the 6-5 in 1996 we had victories over Georgia and Clemson, but not so in ’97. The season could’ve turned out better, but a devastating knee injury to quarterback Anthony Wright against Tennessee forced 165-lb. Vic Penn into action.
Penn fled the program to Central Florida after the Clemson game, largely because he couldn’t throw the out (1:36:37 here). In that Clemson game, despite a blazing start by Troy Hambrick (TD’s at 22:10 and 31:50 here), we lost primarily due to Brad Scott making one of the worst calls in coaching history (1:05:50 here).
(Note: also fun to see Wally Burnham of USC matching defensive wits with Reggie Herring of Clemson. Two of the most hated defensive coordinators in the state’s history.)
Still, 5-6 was a picnic compared to what was coming.
Click here, or click the link to listen, and enjoy!
This blog post and the accompanying audio were originally posted prior to the 2013 season.
Brad Scott hoped to answer some questions about the Gamecock program in 1996, but another up and down campaign had fans scratching their heads. Despite smoking hot starts by QB Anthony Wright and RB Duce Staley, and victories over our top rivals Georgia and Clemson, we finished with only six wins and no bowl bid.
This blog post and the accompanying audio were originally posted prior to the 2013 season.
Coming off the first bowl victory in school history, and returning on of the most prolific passers in school history, hopes were high for the 1995 edition of USC football. Unfortunately, the Gamecock defense was the story of the season, making stars out of three SEC running backs along the way.
Click here, or click the graphic, to hear how the season played out. And enjoy!
“Well dadgummit shucks why does everybody have to take the good things we do and make something bad out of it.”
Earlier this week video and photos surfaced of some shenanigans that took place at the recent ladies’ clinic held by the Clemson University football program. The video raised some eyebrows due to its “racy” nature, but we’ll let you watch the video (courtesy of @USC_Zack) and come to your own conclusions:
Despite the protestations of many Gamecock fans, there are a few things this video is not. It is not grounds for an NCAA investigation. It is not a reason to give them the death penalty. Christian Wilkins should not be suspended from the team. Nobody at Clemson should be fired.
At worst this was an inappropriate display put on by one player at an event sponsored by Clemson, and was a mildly embarrassing moment that overshadowed the raising of approximately $350,000 to go towards breast cancer research. I truly thought someone from Clemson, and probably Dabo Swinney, would say something along the lines of “it was unfortunate, we talked to Christian about it, and it won’t happen again blah blah blah” and then talk about what a great event it was and how they raised a lot of money for a good cause. Simple public relations.
Instead, we first got this from the Clemson Sports Information Director Ross Taylor:
“I think what’s been going around is certainly not indicative of what was actually going on,” Taylor said according to the State. “Clelin (Ferrell) was dancing with his mother out there. I think the winner was swag surfing. That video that’s going around is certainly not indicative of what was going on the whole day.”
First of all, WHAT THE HELL IS SWAG SURFING AND WHERE IS THE VIDEO OF THAT.
Sorry got a little sidetracked there. But that was a big ‘ol vanilla wafer of an answer that didn’t offer up any type of remorse. Surely Dabo would give us something at least mildly apologetic:
“My reaction is, I can’t believe I’m at the Coaches for Charity event and that’s the first question I get, but not surprised,” Swinney said. “It was an amazing event, unbelievable day. … We were able to give over $350,000 away, and it’s a shame that that’s not the story. … Somehow or another that’s not the story.”
Um…wait, is he actually…
“It was an amazing day, and it’s unfortunate that there was 15 seconds of the whole day that people focused on and really don’t know the context. It was a lot of fun,” Swinney said. “But that’s kind of the world we live in. Even when you do good and you try to do good you get accused of doing bad. That’s just the way it is, but you do good anyway.”
He is, he is actually playing the VICTIM here.
The big, bad world of social media has taken this beautiful, wholesome event and turned it into something filthy and seedy. Swinney sees absolutely nothing wrong with one of his players simulating sex on the floor, and then on somebody’s mom, in front of hundreds of people AS LONG AS IT’S FOR CHARITY.
Again, in the grand scheme of things this is really not a big deal. If Swinney would’ve just acknowledged it, maybe even made a joke about it, the story would’ve gone away so much faster, and he wouldn’t come off looking like some hypersensitive “the world is out to get us so we better circle the wagons” curmudgeon. But Dabo Swinney just can’t do that, he has climb up on his high horse and blame everyone else.
Heavens to Betsy y’all, this cult of Clemson thing is the real deal.
This blog post and the accompanying audio were originally posted prior to the 2013 season.
The year was 1994. Sparky Woods was out, Brad Scott was in. And believe it or not, there was great hope for the Gamecock football program.
Scott had coached for eleven years under Bobby Bowden at the premiere football program in the country, Florida State. He was coming off a National Championship there as the offensive coordinator, and at that time we believed he was the man who would make us competitive in the SEC.
This blog post and the accompanying audio were originally posted prior to the 2013 season.
Tbone steps up to the mic to review the 1993 Gamecock football season, the last for head coach Sparky Woods. The season starts with a high: the Brandon Bennett leap in Sanford Stadium, one of the most memorable moments in Gamecock history. But a series of lows, including a 55-3 loss to Tennessee in Knoxville and another season-ending loss to Clemson, were too much for Woods to overcome.
(Note: On the media guide cover, #86 is Matt Campbell. He had a very average career playing tight end for USC, but went on to have a solid career in the NFL from 1995-2001 as an offensive lineman.)
Click here, or click the graphic to listen, and enjoy!
This blog post and the accompanying audio were originally posted prior to the 2013 season.
The year 1992 was one of the most eventful in South Carolina football history. It was the 100th anniversary of the program, our first year in the Southeastern Conference, and the team made things interesting by starting 0-5 and then winning five of their last six, including a victory at Clemson. In between several players led a “revolt” to try to have Sparky Woods removed as head coach.
Marty Simpson was a redshirt sophomore kicker on that squad, and he joins Buck to give some behind-the-scene stories on how the season played out, including:
The Wright Mitchell, Blake Williamson, Steve Taneyhill quarterback carousel that eventually led to Taneyhill taking over the starting job
What really happened in the locker room during the “player revolt”, and Sparky Woods’ reaction
Some significant contributors aside from Taneyhill that season, including Brandon Bennett and Toby Cates
This blog post and the accompanying audio were originally posted prior to the 2013 season.
The 99th edition of Gamecock football was quite forgettable. Really, two things happened – Brandon Bennett set a single game rushing record with 278 yards versus East Tennessee State, and we beat defending National Champion (and bad football team) Georgia Tech.
So this edition of Buckshots is rather short, but we make up for it with the 1992 review. Big time.
Plus, Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch if nothing else interests you.
Click here or click the graphic to listen, and enjoy!
This blog post and the accompanying audio were originally posted prior to the 2013 season.
Buckshots takes a few minutes to discuss the 1990 Gamecock football season, and you’ll hear names like Bobby Fuller, Mike Dingle, Rob DeBoer, and…Everett Sands??? Yes, Coach Sands was part of the Citadel team that beat USC 38-35 and sent Buck into a deep, deep funk.
Buck talks about the AP (Colorado) and UPI (Georgia Tech) National Champions from 1990 because the South Carolina season was so devoid of action. He also talks about a rare Thanksgiving night game for the Gamecocks.
Click here or click the BUCKSHOTS graphic to stream, and enjoy!
This blog post and the accompanying audio were originally posted prior to the 2013 season.
Following a steroid scandal at USC, the disappointment of the way the 1988 football season ended, and then the tragic passing of Coach Joe Morrison in early 1989, new head coach Sparky Woods had his work cut out for him. But he guided the Gamecocks to a 5-1-1 start before Todd Ellis was lost for the season with a knee injury. A late season swoon (something we would all become familiar with over the years) and a humiliating 45-0 loss to Clemson followed.
Also covered in this edition of Buckshots – from Bugginout to Gustavo Fring, a young Steve Spurrier, and how hurricane Hugo nearly wiped out the Georgia Tech game.
The Rubber Chickens Blog 