“It’s coming out but not enough.”

I’m seeing a certain amount of anxiety over the threat South Carolina poses in the SEC East this season.  Lots of focus on their players and the schedule, but there’s one thing I’m not seeing addressed in the comments here.

“It’s something we chart every day,” Muschamp said. “(Defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson) and our defensive staff do a fantastic job of coaching turnovers and emphasizing turnovers, we have not gotten the ball out well this spring at all.”

The Gamecocks led the SEC and were tied for ninth in the nation last year with 28 takeaways (14 interceptions, 14 fumbles). Their plus-11 turnover margin was second in the SEC and tied for 13th in the nation.

Before you pooh-pah this, you might want to consider the role turnover margin played for Boom during his Florida tenure.  Here’s how that broke down over his last three seasons:

• 2012:  +15, 9th nationally
• 2013:  minus-2, 74th nationally
• 2014:  +6, 31st nationally

Florida’s record those three seasons?  11-2, 4-8 and 6-5, respectively.  Pretty solid correlation there.

I would say that Agent Muschamp is working with a thinner margin for error in Columbia than he was in Gainesville — lower level of talent and a much more formidable Georgia team.  Maybe somebody can explain why regression to the mean won’t hurt the ‘Cocks this season as much as it did the Gators in 2013.

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“Nobody even comes close to what South Carolina is right now in the SEC East.”

According to Barrett Sallee,

Could they push Georgia, a team the Gamecocks stuck close to last year?

“People at Georgia will tell you, and they’ve told me, that was a game where they felt threatened,” Sallee said. “I was wildly impressed by South Carolina. I think Will Muschamp and that crew are building something pretty darn solid.”

I give Muschamp credit for managing a relatively close result, but the idea that South Carolina threatened in a game that featured the following statistical edges for Georgia…

• Time of possession:  38:22 vs. 21:38
• First downs:  26 vs. 14
• Total yards:  438 vs. 270
• Rushing yards:  242 vs. 43

… seems a stretch.

Also, Boom bragged after the game that, “We made Jake Fromm play quarterback.”  Well, maybe so, but he played it to the tune of a 177.57 passer rating, so I’m not sure how well that strategy worked.  (And again, the Dawgs rushed for 242 yards, so…)  By comparison, Bentley managed a passer rating of 109.36.

That isn’t to say you can’t make a decent case for the ‘Cocks being the second-best team in the East in 2018.  Getting Deebo Samuel back is a big deal for an offense that didn’t do much after he went down with an injury last season and from what I saw last Saturday, Bentley looks comfortable in the new offensive scheme.  But being “wildly impressed” after SC’s spring game?  I dunno.

Underwhelming

I’m not saying this was a metaphor for South Carolina’s spring game…

Spurrier for the…oh. C’mon, HBC. pic.twitter.com/9u7YKspF7N

— Connor O'Gara (@cjogara) March 31, 2018

… but it wasn’t that far off, either.

There were some entertaining moments, but I saw a lot of defensive miscues, too.  I do think the hurry up offense the ‘Cocks are installing benefits Jake Bentley, which no doubt is a large part of why they’re doing it, but I can also see Boom’s blood pressure rising the first game South Carolina plays against a decent defensive team that can force a few three-and-outs.

I dunno, maybe they’ll have the kinks worked out by September.

If you’re looking for something to do today…

South Carolina’s spring game will be televised at noon.

Your new home for preseason happy talk

Boomtown.

“I’ve NEVER seen a Will Muschamp offense like this…no lie….you would have thought they were old school Oregon with their tempo” – @TomLuginbill on @GamecockFB in spring. #SECThisMorning @SIRIUSXM App/Channel 374.

— Peter Burns (@PeterBurnsESPN) March 27, 2018

Everything is relative, I guess.

Monday morning buffet

To the chafing dishes!

• If for some reason you’re dying for a list of the top ten must-see spring games, the Sporting News is here for you. (Georgia’s is #9.)
• North Carolina’s AD gets more than a $60k bonus for the Heels making the NCAA Basketball Tourney.  You know how much the players get for that accomplishment.
• South Carolina is also raising prices for football season tickets.  Boom times!
• Based on these three stories, I’d say Mississippi State’s offense is going to look different under Joe Moorhead than it did under Dan Mullen.  Wonder how that works for Nick Fitzgerald.
• Apparently Tennessee beat out Georgia for a graduate transfer running back from Michigan State.
• “Nowadays, a scholarship and $120 a month just isn’t enough.”

Another good day for Jimmy Sexton

South Carolina’s BOT has approved a three-year contract extension for Will Muschamp. He will be paid $4.2 million in year one. By year six, which is the total life of the contract, it will be $5.2 million.

— Hale McGranahan (@Hale_SECcountry) January 12, 2018

If Boom is worth north of $4 million a year, escalating beyond $5 million, what’s Kirby Smart worth now?

Look out reserve fund… or Hartman Fund contributions.