The Daily Journal caught up with South Carolina beat writer Jordan Kaye of The State to see what he considers the keys to the Ole Miss-South Carolina matchup.
South Carolina nearly lost its opener to Old Dominion but has played extremely well since. What’s been the biggest difference between that game and everything we’ve seen since?
Simply put: The offense finally started to move the ball. South Carolina only beat Old Dominion because its defense — led by EDGEs Kyle Kennard and true freshman Dylan Stewart — recorded five sacks and forced four fumbles. Problem was, redshirt freshman quarterback LaNorris Sellers looked like he was still figuring out college football. In the three games since, the defense has continued to play really well but it finally got a bit of help from its offense. The Gamecocks capitalized in the red zone against Kentucky and against LSU (before Sellers was hurt) and that was completely missing against ODU.
LaNorris Sellers was injured against LSU but was playing really good football before that. What’s his status for this week, and what does he bring to the table that Robby Ashford doesn’t?
I would be absolutely shocked if LaNorris Sellers doesn’t play this week. He has been practicing this week and has already had two weeks to recover — missing the Akron game then resting during the USC bye week. Sellers and Ashford are very similar players, but the Gamecocks definitely trust Sellers’ passing ability more and, well, Sellers is 6-foot-4, 240 pounds. He’s a pain to tackle and runs the option offense really well.
Given Ole Miss’ result against Kentucky, what the Gamecocks were able to do against the Wildcats is even more impressive. How was South Carolina able to win that game so handily?
I thought Kentucky was dead after that loss against South Carolina. Truly, the Wildcats looked hopeless. South Carolina didn’t even have a great offensive day — only 252 total yards — but its pass rush made life hell for UK quarterback Brock Vandagriff to the point that I remember writing his best chance for yards was to huck a ball 30 yards downfield and hope for pass interference. The Gamecocks recorded 5 sacks and 11 TFLs in that game, just swallowing up everything the WIldcats were trying to run.
Kyle Kennard and Dylan Stewart are a great 1-2 punch off the edge. How would you describe each of their games?
Stewart is raw and, yet, it feels like he’s got three tool belts on. I’ve never seen a true freshman already so skilled switching up and executing his pass-rush moves. He’s really spectacular at keeping offensive linemen guessing and using his speed to get to the ball. Then there’s Kennard, who has been a revelation this season. Just watch his get off — it’s unbelievable how fast he comes off the ball. He has O-linemen beat in a quarter second so often that almost every team throws double teams at him. His instincts are also magnificent — there’s been multiple times an offense runs an RPO, he goes after the QB, sees it’s a run play then adjusts and tackles the running back.
Lane Kiffin said that South Carolina’s defense is very different than Kentucky’s, being based more off speed rather than pure strength. Do you agree with that assessment?
Definitely. Kentucky’s defense is great because of its tackles. South Carolina’s defense is built around its EDGEs. And, in turn, Kentucky is much better against the run than South Carolina, which seems to be why Ole Miss had so much trouble. The Gamecocks’ bread-and-butter has been getting after the passer, but it’ll be tested in doing so against Jaxson Dart, who can get the ball out really quickly.
What makes Williams-Brice such a tough environment for opposing teams? Do you feel it can be a deciding factor in a game?
It’s hard to say. You get inside Williams-Brice on a Saturday when Sandstorm is rocking and the towels are waving and it feels impossible that South Carolina could lose. But then you realize the Gamecocks have lost two games at Willy-B in each of Shane Beamer’s first three seasons and have already dropped a home game to LSU. In saying that, the Tigers did have a fumble because it seemed the center couldn’t hear the quarterback — a bit of proof that there are challenges of playing in Columbia.
Ole Miss is favored by nine at the moment. If South Carolina is going to win this game, ____ has to happen.
South Carolina has to stop the run and win the turnover battle. The Gamecocks have been really good at stopping opponents’ rushing attacks, but that seemed to be the blueprint Kentucky left for how to beat Ole Miss: Make the Rebels one-dimensional. Easier said than done. And then there’s the turnovers. After three games, no one had fumbled more times than Sellers (5) and South Carolina has already lost a half-dozen turnovers this season. It’ll be nearly impossible to beat Ole Miss if the Gamecocks lose the turnover battle.
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