Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] On this episode of Cox talking Gamecocks, football's spring game analysis, basketball picks up a big transfer, and the baseball team goes toe to toe with a top team. Okay, here we go.
[00:00:54] Okay. Welcome to. Welcome to episode 236 of Cox talking Gamecocks. I am your host, Tim Cox, where I will keep every episode from 1801 to 2001 and hope y'all had a fantastic weekend. Gamecock Nation was a busy weekend. Lot of stuff going on in the universe of the South Carolina Gamecocks. A lot of news, a lot of updates, a lot of scores, full action. And then, you know, Sunday was sort of a day arrest because you had the baseball doubleheader and things like that. So it was this funny. Just action packed, like 48 hours to start the weekend. And then Sunday kind of hit, and you're just standing there like, well, what do I do now? But if you are just a sports junkie in general, this is a busy, busy time. NBA playoffs, NHL playoffs. Baseball, of course, is in full swing. So really, no matter where you looked, there was action going on this weekend. And hope y'all are ready to crush this week. I will remind you all next episode. But just as a little bit of a heads up, I'm going to be traveling the end of next week, so I won't have a following Monday episode. So you're probably listening to this Monday or Tuesday. So next Monday or Tuesday, there will not be an episode as I'll be traveling. Won't be able to have my equipment and things like that. But I will remind you all of that next episode. Of course, got a packed, packed show for you all here today. Lot to go over. So let's jump right into things here with a quick weekend recap from around USC Athletics, starting with Friday.
[00:02:36] Softball lost to Florida, unfortunately, eleven to six. Beach volleyball had a nice day Friday. They beat LSU four to one and then also beat Jacksonville five nothing. Women's tennis, unfortunately, lost to Florida four to three. Saturday, softball beat Florida six to two to even the series. Volleyball, beach volleyball, kind of the opposite side of things here. They lost to Georgia State three to two and then lost to Coastal Carolina four to one. And then Sunday, softball, unfortunately came up just short against Florida. Lost seven to six to lose that series. But then on Sunday, men's tennis went to the SEC championship game. They had a hell of a run in the tournament all the way to the championship game Sunday afternoon. But unfortunately, the guys came up just short and lost to Kentucky four to two. So the next step for them is waiting on the NCAA tournament. But hell of a run by the men's tennis team. They've had a pretty solid year, and it was a great way to show it. They had a very, very nice run there. So shout out to all of our student athletes. It's kind of crazy you're in that time where the spring sports are starting to wrap up as tart and, you know, in terms of, you know, volleyball and tennis, golf, things like that. So hopefully everyone is, you know, satisfied and things like that. But we will support y'all until your season ends, of course, here. But let's turn our attention quickly to some news from the men's basketball team. Got a pair of news for y'all here, starting with let's get the bad news out of the way. Unfortunately, Josh Gray has entered the transfer portal. This one was a little sad to see Josh Gray, the horse, as he became known this year, was fun to really see his personality shine through social media and things like that. This year, I think fans became a little bit more attached to him than they were in the past. But, you know, Josh Gray, he's a good basketball player. He played limited minutes at South Carolina. It was just tough. I feel like he was developing slowly, right? Like a little bit better? A little bit better, but was just not quite there to earn a ton of minutes, at least playing in the SEC. So I'm assuming he's trying to go somewhere where he will play a lot, if not be a starter. I mean, he has the build, he has the size. Just with him, sometimes you get some nice production. Other times you couldn't. So I'm going to miss him. I think he was a great piece to come off the bench, bring a little bit more of that physical, big body presence, but wish him well. It was a good couple of years here, several years at this point with Josh Gray in Carolina, but the Gamecocks were able to add a player from the transfer portal as Missouri transfer forward Jordan Butler committed to the Gamecocks this weekend. Butler is actually from South Carolina, so this is a little bit of a homecoming for him. In his one season at Missouri, he averaged 2.3 points, two rebounds in just eleven minutes per game. So, look, obviously that's not a ton of production, but he has a ton of room to develop. He brings the size at seven foot, so he gives Lamont Paris a lot to work with, and he's young. I believe he was a four star recruit coming out of high school. So if he can get his minutes up, you know, maybe work on his craft a little bit. I see this as a really high ceiling pickup for Lamont and company. And I mean, look, you're going to get some youth with that, you know, some learning curve, perhaps. But when you look at Josh Gray leaving and what Jordan Butler can bring to the table, maybe it kind of balances out seven foot tall, two and two in, you know, ten minutes. So I think Butler had a nice game or two this season. Missouri had a tough year, so I wouldn't put a ton of stock in it. I like this pickup. It's a high ceiling. And again, just bringing that size that I think South Carolina desperately needs. So, busy weekend for Lamont and company, but it was a very busy weekend for the football team. Shane Beamer and company really doing work had a lot going on here. It was very busy weekend for the football team. Starting on the recruiting trail as the Gamecocks picked up a pair of commitments during the spring game weekend. I think that was a big emphasis for this staff to get a couple of big time prospects on campus, whether that's in an unofficial or even a official capacity. Come see that the fan support in the spring is incredibly strong, let alone the fall. Come see the facilities and all that jazz. So you got a pair of big, of big commitments here. First, it was four star defensive back Shamari Earls. Earls is out of Virginia. He is listed at six, 2180. Very exciting prospect here. I think anytime you can bring in a defensive back who's already long like that, can grow into that, you know, put on a little weight, get up to the SEC standard and things like that. But this team, this defense, Torian Gray especially, just love to load up on the defensive backs, especially guys who can play multiple positions. I think Earls brings that versatility. Very exciting pickup there. And then next, the Gamecocks picked up a commitment from four star defensive tackle Caleb Williams, also from Virginia.
[00:08:26] It was funny. I like laughed to myself. I did a double take when I saw his announcement here because you see Caleb Williams, and every time you hear Caleb Williams, it's, you know, number one pick in the NFL draft. So I was like, oh, gamecocks. Gamecocks got Caleb Williams. How about that? But all kidding aside, Williams is listed at six foot, 6258 pounds. Just monster. Still in high school. Just monster. This is a big get as really that defensive tackle group is going to that. That needs to be a point of emphasis in this recruiting cycle. So you need to build up that pipeline because after this season that we're about to play, the Gamecocks will lose several starters who have been in the program. For a little bit. Of course you can load up from the transfer portal, but that's never a sure thing. So let's get some high school recruits with high ceiling. They have the build, bring them in, start to build up that d line and then all of a sudden you look around and this upcoming recruiting class is shaping up nicely. It was a little bit of a slow go at it, but all of a sudden that class has taken shape nicely and of course we'll only continue to see more. But aside from that, it was a big, exciting, fun weekend for the team as the boys were under the lights at Williams Bryce for the annual spring game, the Garnet and black game. And all told, I think it was a fine night. I think it was a fun night. A lot of the footage that's coming out from it is really cool to see, I think, especially the video we all saw, I'm sure of Sean Elliott standing in the tunnel hearing 2001, getting ready to run out and you can even just see for a scrimmage how excited he was to be back in the garnet and black in front of the home fans running out of that home tunnel. Because you'll remember Georgia State visited Willie B a couple of years back, but really happy for him, really happy for all the players on this one. You saw they did the award ceremony at halftime for most improved, most school spirit, most physical, all that jazz and you saw the support that was there. But again, think it was a good game. I think you can be feeling good about this, right? I mean, on the offensive side you certainly got that vanilla ice cream kind of night, as they like to say. We didn't see the deep shots. We didn't see any trick oration that you might see later on in the year. It was pretty vanilla, but from Lenora Sellers, I liked what I saw. I thought he ran it well. He had that score and you can see he's going to be able to escape the pressure better than South Carolina quarterbacks have been able to in a while. Like go back and find a quarterback that can escape and move quite like Lenoris. I mean, what that's, that's Shaw, right? I mean, that's putting a lot on this kid. But you saw he's able to move like that. Of course, it's a little tricky because the quarterbacks were not live. So maybe he escaped once or twice where he might have gotten dragged down, but nonetheless, I think he moved well. I thought he had some pretty good throws, but there's definitely a few he would want back. There was one where he threw to the end zone that Nick Eman worry actually broke up. That feels like one. If he got it out a little bit quicker, maybe was a little bit more sure in his decision, he could have gotten a touchdown out of that. So it's that funny catch 22 in the spring game that you have where I loved the defense by Nicki Minwari and keeping the guy from catching a touchdown, but at the same time you kind of know what you're going to get. With Nikki, he's more of a proven commodity, whereas with Lenoris. How does he operate this offense in the red zone? Is he able to punch it in? That was an opportunity where I would have liked to see him connect with his receiver in that instance. So something to make a couple of notes of. There were a couple of throws where I thought he could have been sharper, but all told, I was happy with Lenores from the receivers. There really wasn't anyone for me, at least that was head and shoulders above the rest. Tyshawn Russell looks solid, as did Maisie O'Bennett. You know, you heard a lot about him and, you know, seem to live up to it. I liked what I saw from the running backs in that it kind of felt like everyone who was in had at least one good run and guys were making plays out of the backfield. Defensively, there was also a lot to like the defensive lines on both teams. The garner and black sides, they looked solid. You know, each unit having guys who made plays. Kyle Kennard and Dylan Stewart. I mean, on the edge group, they look like they are set to be a fantastic duo. Kennard looks the part. Stewart was making some plays that really jumped off the page, made you go, wow, boogie Huntley, he was making plays. Of course, you got Tonka and TJ Sanders as well, but we also saw some plays for Gilbert Edmond, Brian Thomas, junior DeAndre Jules. It just feels like a more solid, deeper defensive front, for sure. Just in general, I mean, I'm pretty excited about this defense. I think they're deeper than they were last year. I think Clayton White is going to be more flexible. I think he's going to have that, you know, ability to be multiple with the different formations. And I think this could be a very solid group. I mean, we heard a lot about a guy like Vicari Swain and he ended up getting a pick, a very athletic one too, at that. So all in all, it was a solid showing from this group in the spring game. There's certainly areas where the team can improve. I'm not going to like sit here and be a downer on some, you know, procedural penalties and things like that. Like yeah, there was a couple things you didn't like to see. There's areas where I think they can improve, but it is the spring, you know, you don't have maybe that full group on the offensive line. I would like to see the team maybe add a wide receiver from the portal if possible, but when you take a step back this game went smooth and wasn't any major issues or anything to come from this. And now we just got to sit back, hang our hat on that, talk it over for the next few months because Gamecock football is on hiatus until the summer. I mean, I'm sure we'll have some recruiting action and things like that with the portal, but as terms of guys lacing them up, playing between the lines, that's it. Until until the fall camp. So was a fun way to cap off the spring practice there and it's always fun to see the guys on the field in Willie B. But as if there was not enough action in Columbia this last weekend, the yard Cox hosted the SEC west, leading Arkansas Razorbacks to Founders park this past weekend. Game one was a pitchers duel to the highest degree. Unfortunately, South Carolina would be on the losing end of it by the score of two to one. The Gamecocks did threaten in the 9th but were not able to play the runs. Roman Kimball started for Carolina and struck out four in two and a third innings of work, but he left the game due to an injury. Ty good came into the game in relief and was on the hook for the loss. In that game, Parker Nolan drove in the only run for the Gamecocks. Player highlights Col Messina two for four and Austin Brindling, one for two. Again, big time pitchers duel. Not a ton of offense came up just short there and then game two. Carolina even the series, winning six to three. This was actually the first game of a double header Saturday. Carolina jumped out to the lead in the second inning and then put up a four spot in the 6th inning and the rest was history. Eli Jones got the start and a no decision going four innings with three strikeouts. Matthew Becker got the win in relief. Conor McCreary got the save. Player highlights from this game. Parker Nolan two for three with two ribies. Talmage Lecroy, my boy went one for three with two RBI and then game three. So this was late Saturday, the rubber match. Unfortunately, South Carolina lost nine to six. Carolina fought all through this game. Got to give the guys credit. Even after a big five run inning for Arkansas. The Gamecocks answered with three of their own late in the game, but the boys just couldn't get ahead in this one. Dylan Askew got the start and loss going five and two thirds with three strikeouts. Player highlights from this game Col Messina, one for three with two RBI, and Dalton Reeves, one for three with one rbI. So, you know, there's a couple of takeaways from this series. I mean, I think just when you look at it, you could say that the Gamecocks went toe to toe with the number two team in the country, SEC west leading team, and came up just short of winning that series. And you're one or two hits away from winning that series. You know, you look at the first game and then even the third one, the guys rallied but just came up short. They handled their business in game two. So you can say, hey, look, this team has faced an incredibly tough schedule through this point in the year, facing top, highly ranked teams, and they've held their own more times than not. On the other side, you can look at it and say, well, all that matters is the win column and the stats at the end of the day. And you lost two out of three at home against Arkansas. I believe you're nine and nine now in the SEC, and it's a tough one. And then Roman Kimball gets banged up, you're already down Eddie Copper. So it's a very interesting spot for this team where they have done good things against these highly ranked teams, but in certain instances are not able to get over the hump. And hopefully, as the year goes on, maybe you play some teams that you can really get the better of. But there are some surprise teams in the SEC this year. It is a very deep conference yet again.
[00:18:48] You know, this one was a really mixed bag, man. If you get two out of three there, oh, you're feeling really, really good. So, yeah, maybe there's some positives you can take from this one, but, but it is a little bit at the end of the day, there was some tough defense. You couldn't get that timely hit that has, you know, kind of plagued this team before. And unfortunately, you do lose two out of three at home, which you never, never really want to do. But up next for the Gamecocks, there's actually no midweek game. So it's a weekend series against Kentucky. That's one of those surprising teams in the conference this year. But I will preview that series next episode. So with that, y'all, that wraps up this episode. Please follow me on social media, Twitter or X is Cox Gamecocks. Instagram is just the name of the show. Cox talking Gamecocks. And please, like, subscribe, subscribe and review the podcast. I appreciate all y'all. Go, Cox.
