South-Carolina
What are the next steps for South Carolina's developing offense heading into Week 3?
Through two games, South Carolina still has a lot of work to do to reach its full potential. But this past Saturday was undoubtedly a big step in the right direction.
After narrowly escaping with a victory against Old Dominion, the Gamecocks went into Lexington and earned a 25-point win over Kentucky. The defense has continued to play very well, as did the special teams units. However, the offense is still very much a work in progress.
The results from the first to second game were an improvement. South Carolina was able to play more balanced with a better passing attack. That’s not to say it was anything special, though.
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Making his first SEC start, LaNorris Sellers looked more comfortable in the pocket, as he completed 11-of-15 passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw a pass that sailed over his receiver for an interception late in the second quarter and fumbled twice while being sacked.
As the offense continues to develop, it starts with Sellers continuing to show more of what he can do as a passer and limiting his mistakes.
“It was good to see us make some strides and we did it with different schemes or different concepts, if that makes sense,” head coach Shane Beamer said during his Sunday teleconference. “I mean, we opened up the second half, we were in empty with two tight ends. And I don’t think we had a running back on the field on that first play of the second half in empty. And then we hit a little quick route underneath to Mike Smith. We’ve got to be able to continue to do that.”
Beamer was happy with some of the more explosive plays South Carolina was able to make. He specifically pointed out a third down conversion pass play from Sellers to Jared Brown for a 13-yard gain in the third quarter. And more so in general, he liked the way Sellers was “improvising and being able to keep his eyes downfield.”
[Win two tickets to the South Carolina-LSU football game]
Ultimately, though, the offense still isn’t where it needs to be. As a team, the Gamecocks only mustered 252 total yards, 86 of which came in the run game. This was a departure from rushing for nearly 175 yards in Week 1, though South Carolina had 22 less carries on Saturday. It only averaged 2.5 yards per carry.
“We’ve got to be able to one, protect, and like I said, the offensive line did a really good job of that yesterday,” Beamer said. “(Deone Walker) got some pressure on us early in the game in the first couple series. But after that, most of the pressures we gave up were essentially quarterback or tight end. So we’ve got to be a little bit better about that for sure. Got to be more efficient running the ball.”
But if South Carolina really wants to do well in conference play, it may come down to how the passing game looks. Of those 252 total yards, 166 of them were through the air, with two receivers and tight ends combining for 12 catches.
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It wasn’t just what Sellers did that made the passing offense look more effective. It was also what his pass-catchers were able to do, especially with creating good separation to make plays. Yet, the Gamecocks still don’t have a true top target.
To put it into perspective, South Carolina’s leading receiver right now is Mazeo Bennett Jr. with five catches for 81 yards and a touchdown. As a whole, the receivers and tight ends have only had 22 catches for 280 yards this season. It seemingly proves just how much of a by committee product this will be until somebody steps up.
“As we’ve told those guys, we’re still trying to figure it out. We’re waiting for two or three or four guys to really take this thing and go,” Beamer said. “I feel pretty confident right now saying Jared Brown and Mazeo Bennett are probably our top two receivers right now. Well, are they going to continue to evolve or not? And then who else? We need more than two. So we’re waiting on these other guys to come on and take this thing.”
A South Carolina man is battling for his life in a hospital after he was bitten by an inland taipan — the most venomous snake in the world — in his home on Friday.
According to Reptile Magazine, the man, who was known for posting videos with the exotic venomous snakes in his collection, was free handling the snake when it bit him. The site said he posted a video handling the snake earlier in the day and claiming he could control its movement.
“I can control his turn,” he said in the video. “There’s no need to be so scared of him.”
WBTW identified the man as Jeffrey Leibowitz, and said that a search of his property later turned up 14 snakes and a pet cat. Among the venomous snakes taken from his home, the site said, was a green mamba, two gaboon vipers, a fer-de-lace, a death adder, an eastern diamondback rattlesnake, two other adult rattlesnakes of unknown species, to black forest cobras, two neotropical rattlesnakes, a small rattlesnake (species unknown) and the taipan.
Jeff Camper, a biologist and snake specialist at Francis Marion University, told the site the snake has a “very, very dangerous, potent venom,” and that one bite could “kill up to 100 people.”
WBTW said antivenom was flown in from Florida to help treat Leibowitz.
“His body is probably going to want to shut down relatively soon,” Camper told the site. “My understanding is that he’s on a respirator, and that’s what’s needed for the patient to be able to continue breathing, as his diaphragm is likely paralyzed.
“He may have long-lasting or permanent damage to various organs.”
“Taipan envenomations are incredibly dangerous and just about the worst thing to be bitten by,” University of Queensland Australia Associate Professor Bryan Fry wrote on Facebook. “That is because taipans are specialists upon very dangerous prey animals such as long-haired rats. Mammals quite capable of severely injuring or even killing a snake predator. So they have evolved strategies to absolutely nuke their very dangerous prey. Giving it no chance of retaliating.”
WBTW said that none of the zoos or reptile areas nearby would take the animals “due to unknown health and environmental concerns such as their living conditions and potential illnesses.” It said a family member signed a voluntary surrender form, giving the snakes over to Florence police for euthanasia.
South-Carolina
Kentucky to be featured in Netflix series about SEC Football — starting with the loss to South Carolina
Kentucky Football is about to get the Netflix treatment — and unfortunately, Saturday’s embarrassing loss to South Carolina is part of it.
Sources tell KSR’s Matt Jones that the SEC signed a deal with Netflix for a docuseries about SEC football and Kentucky is one of several teams featured. In May, word first broke about the series, which will be similar to Drive to Survive about Formula 1 and Full Swing about the PGA Tour. According to Jones, it will be released in 2025.
The first game the crews were in town for? The 31-6 loss to the Gamecocks. Netflix crews embedded with the Cats all week leading up to Saturday’s game and were in the locker room before and after to capture the scene. I can’t wait to relive that one.
The crew will be with Kentucky for at least one more game. Hopefully, it goes better than Saturday. To quote Aaron Harrison, maybe it will end up being a great story.
A battle of SEC rivals square off in the third weekend of the 2024 college football season as No. 16 LSU looks to get a leg-up in the conference standings against an undefeated South Carolina.
Carolina is already up a win in the SEC after dominating Kentucky in a game that saw LaNorris Sellers throw for 2 touchdowns and Raheim Sanders rush for a third.
LSU recovered from its opening loss to USC with a victory over Nicholls, although the FCS challenger did keep the game close until the third quarter.
Let’s take a look at the early betting odds and predictions for LSU vs. South Carolina this week.
Lines are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
LSU: -7.5 (-102)
South Carolina: +7.5 (-120)
LSU to win: -265
South Carolina to win: +215
Over 52.5 points: -110
Under 52.5 points: -110
FPI picks: LSU 51% to win
+ LSU is 5-2 against the spread in its last 7 games against South Carolina
+ Total went under in South Carolina’s last 5 games
+ Total went over in 5 of LSU’s last road games
+ Gamecocks are 4-1 against the spread in last 5 games in September
+ Total went over in LSU’s last 5 games against SEC teams
+ Total went under in 4 of South Carolina’s last 5 home games
+ LSU is 1-4 against the spread in last 5 September game
+ Total went under in 5 of Gamecocks’ last 6 games against SEC teams
South Carolina: 56 percent of bettors suggest the Gamecocks will win in a upset or keep the game within the line
LSU: 44 percent of wagers predict the Tigers will win the game and cover the spread
Our pick: LSU -7.5, Over 52.5
When: Sat., Sept. 14
Time: 12 p.m. Eastern
TV: ABC network
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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