“We’re not getting in the run game as much as we need to.”

Remember how we speculated in the preseason about whether Boom would remain committed to his new hurry up offense if the going got a little tough?  Well, guess what.

In the first half against Texas A&M last week, South Carolina’s running backs averaged 6.8 yards per carry. In the second half, those backs got a combined six carries.

That was not the plan, which is becoming something of a problem for the Gamecocks offense. South Carolina offensive coordinator Bryan McClendon called eight run plays that turned into pass plays because of the team’s new run-pass-option scheme in the second half of that 26-23 loss to the Aggies, head coach Will Muschamp said on his weekly “Carolina Calls” radio show.

“We’re calling runs and we feel like we’re running the football and we end up throwing the football,” Muschamp said…

That reality has convinced Muschamp to tinker with South Carolina’s offense during the open date. The Gamecocks will remove some of the passing options from their RPO scheme for the second half of the season, he said.

“We are looking at having more run-to-run and taking some tags off the RPOs,” he said. “We’re going to still do the RPOs, that’s been very good for us, but sometimes we’re getting too far away from the run game and not sticking with it.”

Either one of two things is happening here — either Bentley is doing a terrible job reading what opposing defenses are giving him on the RPOs, or Boom wants to play more Boom-style offense, regardless of what opposing defenses are giving South Carolina on the RPOs.  I’ll leave it to you to choose which.

Advertisements

The best laid plans of mice and ‘Cocks

Today, in things that make you chuckle…

HC @CoachWMuschamp on why he doesn’t want to re-schedule the cancelled Marshall game for December 1st, weekend of the SEC Championship:

“We plan on being there [in Atlanta].”#SpursUp #Gamecocks

— Armchair South Carolina (@ArmchairSCAR) September 13, 2018

Better get those hotel rooms booked soon, ‘Cock fans.  Avoid the rush and all.

You can’t teach an old Boom new tricks.

If you had “Will Muschamp won’t stick with his new offensive scheme once adversity hits” in the 2018 SEC season’s predictions pool, collect your winnings.

Some of the issue came with the new emphasis on RPOs this season, which gives Jake Bentley the opportunity to run the ball or throw it if the defense gives him a better passing look.

Those could lead to more lopsided run and pass ratios (South Carolina threw it almost 50 times against Georgia) so Muschamp said the Gamecocks will be more cognizant moving forward about calling run plays.

“You’re calling a run, and based on a look, you’re throwing the football. We had some affective gains the other night throwing the football,” Muschamp said. “But you need to be able to call it and haul it at times and just run the football and know you want to hand the ball off regardless of what the look gives you.”

Yeah, never mind taking what a defense gives you, or that your best players on offense are your top three receivers and quarterback, just run the damned ball because… well, just because you can.  You’re welcome, defensive coordinators left on SC’s schedule.

Today’s question:  which is more futile, being Boom’s offensive coordinator or the genius’ defensive coordinator?  It’s a tough call, methinks.

Boom makes a funny.

It’s only Tuesday and this is already turning out to be one entertaining game week.

Will Muschamp mentioned early in his press conference that Georgia didn't send a depth chart to South Carolina. And later: "Maybe Claude Felton's slipping, I don't know. I'm sure it didn't have anything to do with Kirby."

— Marc Weiszer (@marcweiszer) September 4, 2018

He’s complaining about something he didn’t get that nobody else has gotten, either.

Kirby ought to send him a roster that contains 85 names, all linked by “OR”.

Boom goes the president.

Of all the hills to die on if you’re a university president…

NEW: @UofSC President @HarrisPastides agrees with @CoachWMuschamp that anonymous sources are not credible after the coach criticized @espn report on "toxic" atmosphere in Maryland @CoachDurkin's program. 1/

— Andy Shain (@AndyShain) August 13, 2018

Muschamp's attack of an anonymous source as a coward would carry more weight if he has never himself been someone's anonymous source. But he has. Many times. https://t.co/5kjFgID2Gb

— Josh Moon (@Josh_Moon) August 14, 2018

… backing Will Muschamp’s ignorant, hypocritical play is a weird one to pick.

And, yes, South Carolina has a journalism school.  Why do you ask?

Welcome to the Will Muschamp School of Journalism.

Shot.

The day after a report about the culture of the Maryland football program under DJ Durkin, South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp defended the character of his former assistant and decried the use of anonymous sources in reporting the article.

Friday’s ESPN article cited two unnamed former Maryland staff members in addition to two unnamed current players. The article said there was a culture of intimidation and humiliation among the coaching staff before offensive lineman Jordan McNair’s death.

Maryland announced Saturday that Durkin had been placed on administrative leave as McNair’s death is investigated. McNair died two weeks after collapsing at a workout. That came after Friday’s announcement that some athletic staffers had been placed on leave as well.

Muschamp defended Durkin and disagreed with the coach’s portrayal in the article.

“He’s an outstanding football coach,” Muschamp said during a news conference. “He’s also an outstanding husband and father, and he treats people with respect.”

He went on to assail how the article was reported.

“There’s no credibility in anonymous sources,” Muschamp said. “If that former staffer had any guts, why didn’t he put his name on that?”

He added: “I think it’s a lack of journalistic integrity to print things with anonymous sources.”

Chaser.

Funny. Will Muschamp has been an anonymous source in stories for years. https://t.co/VnXatRBFN7

— Brandon Marcello (@bmarcello) August 11, 2018

Boom, MFers.

The Zen of Will Muschamp

So true.  So deep.

With sports gambling on the horizon, Will Muschamp asked about fans being angry about coaches passing up points late in a blowout. "They're usually pissed anyway."

— David Ubben (@davidubben) May 29, 2018

I hate it when Boom gets on my good side.