USC running game is a priority

USC running game is a priority
Miles, Anderson want USC's ground game to get more attention

By CHRIS DEARING
Special to The State

Much has been made about South Carolina having to stop the Connecticut rushing attack in the Papajohns.com Bowl on Saturday.

Little has been made about the Huskies having to stop a USC rushing attack that grounded out 223 yards in the victory over Clemson.

The Gamecocks are 6-1 when they rush for more than 100 yards in a game this season. Connecticut allows 137 yards rushing per game.

"We need to continue to try and run the ball," South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said Tuesday after the team's final practice in Columbia. "They are pretty good against the run. They've given up some pass yards throughout the year but we still got to run the ball."

Redshirt freshman Kenny Miles (team-high 602 yards) has taken it as a personal challenge when comparing the USC running backs to UConn's duo of Jordan Todman and Andre Dixon.

Todman finished with 1,152 yards while Dixon chipped in with 967 yards.

"You always can't wait for the game to see how the other running back does and see how he does so you can compete," Miles said. "Running backs always compete against each other in games wither they say it or not. You always want to do better than the other team's running backs."

Senior offensive lineman Garrett Anderson would like to see the Gamecocks continue how they played against Clemson.

"After the Clemson game a bunch of people said the line played better and that's something we definitely we want them to say after the bowl game," Anderson said. "We want them to say the line even improved more since the last game."

Fun in Birmingham. Spurrier wants his team to enjoy the activities surrounding the bowl, but he also wants them to remember the reason for being in Birmingham.

There are several team activities planned. The two teams will have a Welcome Dinner tonight at the StarDome Comedy Club. On Thursday morning there is an FCA breakfast at the Sheraton Birmingham hotel. That evening there is a team Bowling and BBQ Challenge.

But Spurrier has the Gamecocks on a short lease. Last night and tonight there will be a midnight curfew in place followed by 11 p.m. the two nights before the game.

"We're going to have controlled fun and don't get out of hand," Spurrier said. "We've got midnight curfew a couple of nights. That's plenty for our guys."

Help on the way. Spurrier said USC's special teams awareness may be handled differently next year. USC allowed three kickoff returns for touchdowns so far this season.

"We're going to give (special teams coordinator) Coach (Shane) Beamer a little more help hopefully next year by getting our very best players on special teams," Spurrier said. "I think we've sort of given our players a rest where as all the starters need to be on special teams."

More on bowl opponent, Ellis Johnson

A couple of items on a sunny Thursday in the capital city:

Some of you have not been too excited about going to Birmingham. Would a matchup against a top-25 team make the trip more tempting?

The Birmingham News’ Jon Solomon, former State sports writer and unofficial Papajohns.com Bowl historian, reports on his blog today that No. 15 Pittsburgh remains in the running for the Big East’s bid in Birmingham.

If Pitt loses to Cincy this weekend in what amounts to the Big East championship game, the Panthers look like they could be USC’s opponent Jan. 2 at Legion Field. If Pitt upsets the Bearcats and gets the conference’s automatic BCS berth, the South Florida-UConn winner likely would be the choice for the Papajohns.com.

–There have been a couple of online reports today saying Ellis Johnson is a candidate for the defensive coordinator openings at Florida State and Georgia.

It’s not surprising schools would be interested in Johnson, who has added to his already impressive resume during his two years in Columbia.

And while Johnson certainly will listen if other schools call, I’d be surprised if he were to leave. Johnson, a Winnsboro native whose wife is from Columbia, cited a desire to be closer to home and log more time in the South Carolina state retirement system when he left Arkansas after just a few weeks to join Steve Spurrier’s staff in January 2008.

Now, depending on what Georgia and Florida State are paying – Monte Kiffin money? – the salary increase might outweigh the retirement benefits.

Johnson has two years left on his deal that pays him $350,000 a year, the most among Gamecock assistants.

Even before Johnson’s name was mentioned in connection with the FSU and Georgia openings, Spurrier said earlier this week he wanted to get more money for his assistant coaches.

My guess is Johnson stays in Columbia, and gets an extension and a raise.

Gamecocks bound for Birmingham

Barring last-minute changes, team appears headed to Papajohns.com Bowl

By JOSEPH PERSON
jperson@thestate.com

South Carolina fans hoping to follow the Gamecocks to the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta will have to keep trucking west on I-20 to reach USC's bowl destination.

Barring any last-minute maneuvering - which occurred Tuesday when the Outback went with Auburn instead of Tennessee - the Gamecocks will face a Big East team in Birmingham in the Papajohns.com Bowl on Jan. 2.

An official announcement is not expected until Sunday, but the SEC's bowl lineup took shape Tuesday with reports that Auburn was headed to Tampa and the Chick-fil-A Bowl planned to take Tennessee.

"We don't know for sure how it's going to work out," USC coach Steve Spurrier said. "But if it is Birmingham, that's certainly fine with all of us."

An official with the Independence Bowl, which picks ahead of the Papajohns.com, said the bowl is considering Georgia and USC. But most bowl insiders believe the Independence will go with Georgia, which has not played in the Shreveport, La., bowl since 1991.

The Gamecocks lost to Missouri 38-31 in the Independence in 2005 in Spurrier's first season.

Spurrier coached his final game with Duke at Legion Field, site of the Papajohns.com Bowl, in the 1989 All-American Bowl. Spurrier took his Florida team to Legion Field to face Alabama in the first two SEC championship games.

ESPN owns the Papajohns.com Bowl, which is in its fourth year. This will be the first time an SEC team has played in the game. The conference was affiliated with the Papajohns.com last year, but did not have enough teams qualify for a bowl.

The winner of Saturday's Connecticut-South Florida game could get the Big East's spot in Birmingham.