SOUTH CAROLINA: CAN GARCIA STAY ON TARGET THIS FALL

Congratulations to the South Carolina baseball team as they bring home a second straight College World Series trophy in historic fashion!

South Carolina is fresh off back to back championships, and they are the only team that will ever be able to say they won the last championship at Rosenblatt and the first championship in TD Ameritrade Park.



As fall rapidly approaches, the talk and the expectations will soon center solely on the football team. The hopes for a return trip and a better outing in Atlanta and a possible run at the National Championship rest on one man's shoulders, a 23 year old named Stephen Garcia.



Like a lot of college kids, Stephen Garcia, has had his share of trouble. Earlier this year he ran into another incident involving alcohol, and Coach Spurrier and the Athletic Director laid down the law. Basically one more incident and Garcia is gone.



Conner Shaw is not ready for Atlanta. If Carolina is going to make a run and find themselves playing big boy football on the first Saturday in December, then it is going to be with Garcia at the helm. Garcia could do a big service to his team and school by sitting down with the baseball team and picking up some of the eye of the tiger tips to focus in on the season ahead.

(Photo courtesy http://gamecocksonline.cstv.com/)

With big potential out there for this year's Gamecock football team, it is no wonder some are a bit worried and concerned. Carolina is the unquestionable frontrunner in the SEC East. If Garcia plays his cards right they might be ordering rings later this year, and possibly erecting a statue. Let's not get ahead of ourselves, but you get the picture. If he finds himself in another bonehead situation, the wheels could come off very quickly in Columbia.

A lot is riding on this year for USC, and with a stacked offensive team including Alshon Jeffrey (SEC's #1 receiver and the nation's #4 receiver), Marcus Lattimore (SEC's #3 rusher and the nation's 28th ranked rusher), a solid offensive line and strong defense boosted by the addition of Jadaveon Clowney.



Garcia does not hold the top QB stats you would like to see. As far as QB Ratings go, Garcia is #5 in the SEC and #22 Nationally. He finished last season with 3059 passing yards, 20 TDs and 14 interceptions. The interceptions have to come down this year if USC wants to make a run at it. Lattimore will have to hold up for the long haul and have a repeat stellar performance. That is not small order as the number of returning freshman usually do not have incredible numbers on the ground in their sophomore season.



Garcia will need to put down the bottle and determine what is most important: drinking or grabbing the chance of a lifetime. He is currently in the SEC staring down his last year with a loaded team and an SEC East division that is still trying to find itself with Florida still cleaning house and switching gears post-Urban Meyer, UGA trying to determine if Mark Richt is the answer, and Kentucky and Vanderbilt still being years away but showing signs of improvement.



So which Stephen Garcia will we see this fall?



Will Carolina fans get, the Garcai who played the game of his life at home against Alabama back on October 9th where he went 17 for 20 with 201 yards, 3 TDs and 1 pick (which was not really his fault in my opinion)?



Or will we get the Stephen Garcia that lost 20-41 on the road against Arkansas back on November 6th where he went 14 for 29 with 161 yards, 1 TD and 2 picks?



We have about two months to see. Carolina opens up at home against East Carolina (September 3rd). Garcia then leads the Gamecocks back into hostile territory as they travel to Athens to play Georgia (September 10th).
 

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SEC SPRING MEETING NOTES

 The SEC wrapped another eventful session of spring meetings in Sandestin, Florida with some major news.

First off, the SEC just got a little more exclusive as the controversial issue over grey shirting (over signing) can be put to rest, as the SEC ruled in favor of capping incoming football signees at 25. It was the right call.

In terms of payouts the SEC reached a new high. $18.3 million will be distributed to each of its 12 member institutions from the 2010 season.

Also, a vote also came down today to do away with divisions and divisional play for men's basketball. Teams will finish the regular season and be subsequently seeded 1-12 into the SEC postseason tournament. The top 4 seeds will get a bye in the 1st round.

One more right call was made, and that has to do with banning graduate students from transferring with immediate eligibility, as this had been abused in the past.


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FLORIDA HEISMAN TROPHY WINNER STATUES UNVEILED

This past Saturday before the start of Florida's Orange and Blue spring game, the statues of the Heisman Trophy winners were unveiled. Those being immortalized and honored outside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium: Tim Tebow, Steve Spurrier, and Danny Wuerffel.

(Photo courtesy of AP)

- Steve Spurrier -
As a three year starter at Florida, he threw for more than 4,800 yards, 37 TDs and won the Heisman Trophy in 1966. Upon his return to Florida in 1990, this time as Head Coach, he pulled in 6 SEC Championships and 1 National Championship, where Danny Wuerffel was the QB in 1996.


- Danny Wuerffel -
As noted above he won the National Championship in 1996, where he threw for more than 3,600 yards and 39 TDs. The 1996 team laid waste to all but 1 team that year, where they fell short to FSU during the regular season. They beat Alabama in the SEC Championship 45-30. The National Championship ended up being a rematch with FSU in the Sugar Bowl. Florida got the better of them this time, winning 52-20. The team had a great offensive line and a prolific offensive attack. The WRs consisted of Reidel Anthony, Ike Hilliard, Jacquez Green. The RBs were led by the Fred Taylor.


- Tim Tebow -
In 2007, Tim accounted for 55 TDs with 32 TDs in the air and 23 on the ground. The 2007 squad ended up in the 9-4 and lost in the Outback Bowl to Michigan (Lloyd Carr's last game). Tebow's stats were too much too ignore. Tebow ended up pulling in the Heisman, Davey O'Brien, Maxwell, Sullivan, and the Associated Press Player of the Year awards.


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LSU SPRING GAME: THOUGHTS FOR THE ROAD

I had the pleasure of watching the LSU spring game. Here are some quick thoughts:

• LSU looked really, really strong in their spring game.
• 107th Pass Offense will improve dramatically with Steven Kragthorpe behind the wheel masterminding an attacking offense game plan.
• QB Zach Mettenberger is just what the doctor ordered. He came out with a 60 Yard bomb to WR Kadron Boone to open the 2nd Half for a TD. He will serve as great backup QB this year, which will come in very handy in the brutal SEC West. Mettenberger gets a second chance after being dismissed from Georgia. Look for him to take advantage of his second opportunity.
• RB Spencer Ware has the stuff needed to propell this team to Atlanta. Hard nosed, shifty, great hands, and he's prepared to lower the boom. He had just under 100 yards on 13 carries and 2 TDs.
• RB Alfred Blue looks like he has a nice burst as well. He finished up with just under 50 yards on 9 carries.
• 5th year Senior, QB Jordan Jefferson, passed for 102 yards and rushed for 31. He's picking up right where he left off (last year he was 11-2, and brought home a Cotton Bowl victory). His mechanics were good, and there was a crisp confident feel to his drives.
• The Defense which was best in the SEC last year on 3rd down defense, looks just fine. CB Tyrann Mathieu will be locking it down on the outside this fall. Don't think he was not learning all the tricks of the trade under Patrick Peterson last year.
• Look for a big time year from Russell Shepard. He will do whatever is needed for his team to get it done.
• Don't put anything past Coach Les Miles. He's one of the best in the business. He went 10 for 12 last year on 4th down conversions. That's 83% on 4th down, and the best posting in college football last year. His kids love him and he ends up finding a way to pull the win out of his hat.

Look for LSU to come out of the gate hot. The Tigers open the season at Dallas Cowboy Stadium against Oregon on September 3rd. Later on that month, they travel to West Virginia on September 24th to face The Mountaineers.


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