Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] This episode of Cox talking gamecocks is brought to you by the Mason Jar, New York City. The Mason Jar is the official gamecock bar for the New York City area. Fans and alumni of USC can come by the Jar for some great barbecue, cold drinks, and of course, to watch the gamecocks in any sport, all while surrounded by South Carolina memorabilia. If you want to get a slice of game day in Columbia, all while in the Big Apple, head to The Mason Jar on east 30th street. All right, here we go.
[00:01:11] Okay.
[00:01:13] Welcome to episode 189 of Cox Talking Gamecocks, brought to you by the Mason Jar, New York City. I am your host, Tim Cox, where I will keep every episode from 18 one to 2001. And I don't like this. I do not like this, y'all, I mean, my goodness, I know that I said that I'm focusing these next couple of games on just this, not trying to look at the bigger picture as to the rest of the season and things like that. And yes, I'm still trying my darndest to do that, but even so, just don't like this. I don't like losing, I don't like not being competitive, I don't like seeing all these other programs succeeding and things like that. And it's just a weird feeling. We are just in a weird place where we have find or found ourselves in just really the exact opposite, I think, of what many people thought we were be at at the beginning of the year. And it sort of is what it is, right? Like there's nothing that you can do with sports. Sometimes you have highs, sometimes you have lows, sometimes things don't go your way.
[00:02:42] It's just a matter of sort of finding a happy medium as a fan where you can still watch your team, roof your team and things like that. But now sort of using the games and all that as a medium and as a vessel to just connect with friends, have a good time, watch the game, maybe down the stretch something happens. But yeah, in a weird spot. In a weird spot. It's been a tough stretch. Just recapping these games with you all not happy.
[00:03:19] I know you all are with me out there, just, it's not fun on Sunday and on Monday just being like, what the hell happened? But nonetheless, I am here to recap and shepherd us through all of our feels as gamecock fans. But before I do, got some action to recap from the weekend starting on Friday. Swimming and diving. That's right, we're talking everybody here swimming and diving. Went up against Queens University. The women won 156 to 106. Nice job. And the men lost 141 and a half to 119 and a half. Then on Sunday, a lot of the ladies were in action here. You had women's soccer beat Georgia for nothing. Nice win there. Women's volleyball. They unfortunately lost to Auburn three to two and then women's basketball. That's right. They had an exhibition game against Rutgers and they destroyed the Scarlet Knights 100 to 55. Camilla Cardozo, player of the game here, 15 points, five rebounds, four assists. Was fun to see them back in action and the next time they play will be in Paris to kick off the game, kick off their season, rather remember they're opening their season in La, France. Pretty cool. So it seems like they had a nice little exhibition and are ready to get this season started. Going to be a fun season for the women's basketball team. It's going to be a little different. Obviously you're missing the freshies that whole group and everything, but there's a few stalwarths who are still on the team, camilla being one of them, but then there's going to be a couple of new faces being broken in and more playing time, all that jazz. So going to be fun to watch. I'm really excited for really both basketball teams. I think the women of course they are exciting and they are a point of pride for us at USC and then talked about the men last episode, but I think you're going to see some noticeable improvement on Lamont Paris's squad and really just should be a fun basketball season overall for South Carolina.
[00:05:46] I was really trying to milk that if you couldn't tell was really trying to talk about some good stuff and potential good stuff and hope because now it is time for me to jump into the recap for Missouri.
[00:06:02] I don't know how long I can talk about this. Y'all, it might be a quick recap, might be a quick episode here but unfortunately South Carolina lost to Missou 34 to twelve in another iteration of the Mayor's Cup and yet again Mizzou has gotten the better of, you know, I talked about before the game, you can't let Florida beat you twice, right? South Carolina had a pretty demoralizing loss two weekends ago now and I said that while, yes, Missouri is very good in their own right this year and they're at home, it's going to be a challenge.
[00:06:43] You really couldn't let Florida beat you twice. You had to come out, you had to show fight and bring it to Missouri. Like even if it didn't go your way, if you came out and you had the spark and the fight and the tenacity, then okay, you're on the right path at least I don't know if that like I think we might have seen a scenario where Florida beat you mean on both sides of the ball. You come out and the first drive for both sides of the ball looked good.
[00:07:17] You stopped Missouri early and you're like, okay, defense, like that was nice offense. They were moving. I mean, yes, they were aided by a penalty here and there but nonetheless they moved the chains, they went right down the field, they got into field goal position, and unfortunately, jeter missed the kick.
[00:07:36] And when that happened, it just sort of felt like everything went sideways because then all of a sudden you have Missouri do exactly what you were afraid that they were going to do. And it was a deep shot to Luther burden, absolute bomb, like 42 yard bomb touchdown.
[00:07:57] And then the offense just couldn't get anything going. And then Missouri scored quick again, and before you know it, you're down 21 or so in the blink of an eye. And that was something you saw a couple of times last year with this defense, and you've been hoping that he really didn't see it again this year. And the bleeding and the gaping wounds that were on this defense were just happening again immediately against this Missouri team. And that was the exact opposite of what you needed to, you know, south Carolina is able to scratch out three points to end the half. And I mean, it was really the Mitch jeter show, at least on offense, right? I mean, offense was not able to score a touchdown. It was field goals, field goals, field goals. You end up with twelve and you open the half with the ball, you're able to get the points there. But it felt like that was a huge missed opportunity where you really could have punched it in, and if all of a sudden it's ten points, you might have been in the fight a little bit. So again, just really the opposite of what you wanted to know. I, of course, like, I normally do see a path to victory in most games, but it needed to be a shootout and you didn't have that. And on top of it, Xavier leguette gets banged up and so you're down, you're wide receiver one, and the running game wasn't really able to get going a whole heck of a lot, and the offense was just stalling and there just weren't guys there. Spencer once again running for his life. We had a couple of weeks where the offensive line was holding up all right. It was not the case, this game. So I will get into everything there, but just overall, just was not the it just it's a thing where it's just these little things that have really gone our way, really, since Shane Beamer's arrival just this year. They're just not going our like, the turnovers aren't there. The special teams play is just certainly not as crisp as it was last year. I mean, last year you had multiple games that points were created off of special teams. Whether it be a block, a fake, running it back, none of that has happened this year. And the special teams play, it was an x factor for south Carolina in these toss up games, or if it was a close one, there was a special teams play that ultimately made the difference. That's not happening. This know, you could have greatly benefited from something like that against Missouri.
[00:11:06] And just in general, there are a few games where if that happens, maybe it's a different outcome. So the team is certainly in a weird spot, the team is certainly in a weird spot. But again, not trying to look too far down the road, but this game, they did not look crisp.
[00:11:26] Looked like some of the guys out there might have been going through the motions a little bit. I just think the team's in a funk. Think they're mentally in a funk. You saw some sloppy penalties, just saw some sloppy play places around. So I don't know so quickly get into what I liked and what I did not like. So from the defense, what I liked, I don't know, not a whole lot. I mean, really, you gave up no points in the third, right?
[00:11:58] That's something to be said. You gave up no points in the third quarter. But again, how many times have I said that where you gave up 24 points in the first half. Like, you gave up almost a game's worth of points in the first half, only to then make a couple of adjustments and give up no points in the third, but then you end up giving up ten in the fourth. So what's it matter?
[00:12:24] Why does it have to take getting your head beat in a little bit to make the adjustments?
[00:12:30] Why can't we game plan and scheme to come out? If you open the game holding Missouri to no points, maybe that it sparks something on the offensive side of the ball.
[00:12:44] I don't know. I mean, funny enough, Missouri only went 198 yards through the air. It's kind of because they didn't have to a whole lot. They were able to get some chunk plays through the you know, he had a big catch, Luther Burden, obviously. So you were under your average as far as passing yards allowed. So if you want to find a silver lining, it's there. But what I didn't like was schrader the running back just absolutely torching us and really just having his way with us, scoring two touchdowns, going for 159 yards.
[00:13:28] So you gave up a ton of yards on the ground this game.
[00:13:35] So it's just this pick your poison, really, with this South Carolina defense. You sell out for the run and then get torched through the air for 300, 400 yards. Or do you maybe clamp down a little bit on the back end and this is a little bit being a little bit, only to give up a ton of yards to a running back.
[00:14:01] And that's just been this theme this entire year. So it's know this was really not what you needed from the defense. There really is not a whole heck of a lot to like. From this showing from Clayton White's group, I understand that they're thin. I understand you haven't played youth at points, but know seven games into this.
[00:14:25] Yes. Like, that just is what it is at this point. So scheme around it.
[00:14:30] Do something different, because right now, what the defense is doing is not working, period. No sacks, two tackles for loss. Two I mean, my goodness, missouri just fully having their way with us.
[00:14:51] Tough, bad showing from the defense when you really needed a bounce back game from them. And to give up 24 points in the blink of an eye, really, in that first half was just not it was just not it on the offensive side of the ball here.
[00:15:12] Yeah, I mean, also a tough day for the offense here. I mean, what did I like? Nick Harbor, I liked seeing, you know, I mean, he only had the two catches, but it was an Acrobatic catch. He is showing more and more that he deserves to be on the field. He's growing into the role. I mean, he said as much that when he got to campus, and in that first game, he realized that these are big, strong, fast athletes everywhere. He had to grow into the role, learn how to play the position. He seems to be coming along now.
[00:15:46] He needs to play a lot more, like, down the stretch. Even if Xavier is able to go at this point, what do you got to lose?
[00:15:56] Tyshawn Russell had a horrible drop that could have been a touchdown in the game. But let him play at this point. Let the young guys play. If there are guys that maybe who weren't in this rotation earlier in the year, what do you got to lose?
[00:16:14] Not a whole lot.
[00:16:17] Trey Knox had a pretty nice you know, aside from, know, it was a tough day on the offense all the way mean, what do you not like? You don't like not being able to score a know, you were held to field goals all day. That will never get it done.
[00:16:42] That will never get it done.
[00:16:45] Spencer had a tough day completion percentage wise had a pick.
[00:16:51] It's tough. I mean, he was working under duress most of the game. It really felt like Missouri had six sacks. Six.
[00:17:05] Spencer was not able to get that. You know, I understand there was guys banged up on the offensive, know, going to the to. You had to move things around, especially at the right tackle position.
[00:17:18] Then Tree and know, these guys, know, a little banged up right now, but it's just this constant one step forward, two steps back with the offensive line. You finally saw a couple of games where you're like, okay, maybe they're all right. Open up some holes and things like that, only to have this game happen.
[00:17:40] Run game really wasn't able to get going. Mario Anderson, he got his 68 yards.
[00:17:46] It just was not a good offensive showing, really. After the first series, which was scripted, the team could not find a rhythm. They couldn't find much going. And it showed credit to Mitch Jeter. I mean, he missed that first kick, which, again, I think when that happened, a little bit of the uh oh set into the team. I mean, it set in to me because then what happened? Right away, Luther Burton gets that bomb touchdown. I'm not saying if he makes that kick, they don't throw it deep to Burden anyway, but at least you could say, we have a, like, let's go out there, let's stop this, let's preserve this lead. But he bounced back and he did his job. He put up points consistently through there after that, but got to be able to score touchdowns.
[00:18:40] It's a tough game here. It's like with the offense, with the defense, rather. Excuse me.
[00:18:49] I knew we were struggling, but it's like, was it ever this?
[00:18:54] Like, it's just a tough, tough situation. And it's on Shane Beamer now to continue to try and rally the guys.
[00:19:06] He talked on his little teleconference. It's like a laundry list of guys who were questionable going into this next game at A M.
[00:19:14] Xavier Tree, Henry BA, the list goes on. I mean, we'll have a better idea in a couple of days, but it's going to be a challenge going out to A m. And you gotta find a way to rally the troops. Right? I'm not looking at November. Not looking at November right now. We got one game left in October. It's a tough road game. Can you salvage it? A M, unfortunately, is coming off of their bye week. They're going to be a little fresh. It's a tough place to play.
[00:19:44] Gotta find a way to rally the troops. This was not it. And you're sitting at a very, very bad spot at two and five.
[00:19:54] This season has gone way sideways. And I understand we can say it's a couple of plays here and there, and with a couple of games that's true. It is.
[00:20:07] Doesn't change the record, doesn't change where you're at.
[00:20:11] How do you keep the guys mentally sharp, mentally ready to go? It's a challenge that Shane Beamer is having to face right now. Right? And that's what separates good head coaches from great and from good to bad. Right?
[00:20:26] He's got to find a way to get these guys to come out weekend and week out sharp. He's got to find a way to talk with his coaches. How do we scheme around some of these injuries? How do we scheme around playing some different guys and things like that? But we'll see. So let's get through this one. Let's flush it. I getting tired of saying this, but it is what it is. We are where we are. Got to turn the page onto the next one here, but with that, y'all, that wraps up this episode. Please follow me on social media. Twitter is coxgamecox. Instagram is just the name of the show, cox Talking Gamecocks. And please, like, subscribe and review the podcast. I appreciate all y'all. Go, Cox.
