Marcus Lattimore Out for Season
by cocknfire on Oct 16, 2011 4:34 PM EDT
in SEC Football
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PrintSouth Carolina fans got devastating news Sunday when it was announced that backup fullback Matt Coffee would miss the rest of the season with a knee injury. Oh, and some guy named Marcus Lattimore will also be out for the rest of the year. Steve Spurrier was focused on that latter injury during his teleconference today, for some reason.
Our worst fears were realized. Marcus has a torn ligament and a little bit of cartilage damage in there.
As we noted yesterday, there's plenty of reason to believe that this isn't necessarily a death knell for the Gamecocks' chances in the SEC East. But, as any sentient human being who watches football can tell you, Spurrier was not stretching things with the "worst fears" bit.
The starter now will likely be Brandon Wilds, a freshman whose 5.8 yard-per-carry average is the same as Lattimore's, though that's largely been rung up in garbage time or other limited action. Now, Wilds will be playing against the first-string guys on the other defense.
How and whether he handles that difference could decide just how big a factor Lattimore's absence will be, though it's hard to see anyone coming close to replacing the team's star tailback. Kenny Miles could also get back on the field if he can get his own injury taken care of; Miles rushed 40 times for 152 yards last year, but has put together a few 100-yard games before Lattimore arrived on campus.
South Carolina will also rely more heavily on Bruce Ellington -- who's rushed 11 times for 91 yards -- running out of the Wildcat. But Spurrier seems hesitant about moving Ellington to the tailback position full-time, news that likely makes head basketball coach a very happy man. And look for more sweep plays involving Damiere Byrd; the Gamecocks have used the wideout on some runs to great effect since he came back for a four-game suspension at the beginning of the year.
But you don't replace the 13th-ranked rusher in the NCAA on a per-game basis, particularly not when you're struggling as much as South Carolina has on offense. The Gamecocks will need to get some production from Connor Shaw, Alshon Jeffery and some of the other actors on the pass game. Just because the news Sunday hasn't yet killed South Carolina's hopes for the season doesn't mean it can't.
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Play calling
Once again the South Carolina Gamecocks were subject to awful play calling. There have been numerous suggestions as to why the South Carolina Football Team has under performed but none have been more consistent than the pitiful play calling.
As I watched the first quarter of the South Carolina vs Mississippi State Football Game I wondered if I was at a 10 year old’s flee flicker game. Does Spurrier have any idea what it is to play the game of football?
Let me make a suggestion. Lattimore dive right, Lattimore dive left, Lattimore sweep, Lattimore off tackle right, Lattimore off tackle left. Damiere Byrd sweep, Wilds right, Wilds left. Put in Ellington or whoever else but just run the ball from a running formation.
Let Shaw be the QB. He gets to run when he is trouble. He gets to throw the ball BUT STOP THE DOWN THE FIELD PASSES until he can make them(or our receivers can catch them) like in the third and forth quarter. THROW short, middle range passes.
STOP with the hurky Jurky Play Calling S***. Play frigin football. The team can never get into a rhythym. The BS plays allow the opponent to stay in the game.
THINK FIRST AND TEN, THINK FIRST AND TEN THINK FIRST AND TEN etc etc etc First and ten builds momentum, it demoralizes the opponents defense, it is football. Sure Joe Namath looked great in superbowl 3 with an 80 yd pass but he won one superbowl. The Packers play football, the Steelers play football ,Alabama plays football, LSU plays football l, Auburn plays football. Georgia plays football. Why can’t South Carolina play football? Sh*tty play calling that’s why.
This is a low blow but let the cards fall where they may. Lattimore is hurt b/c of sh*tty play calling. He should never have been the blocker HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RUNNING THE BALL.
Interesting.
Does Spurrier have any idea what it is to play the game of football?
Not really anything notable. He’s just been an extremely head coach for over 20 years, and… oh yeah, won the Heisman trophy as a player. He’s got nothing on you and your thousands of hours on the Xbox.
(formerly Gregatron)
Respect the bucket, son.
by Eggplant Wizard on Oct 16, 2011 10:02 PM EDT up reply actions
*extremely successful.
(formerly Gregatron)
Respect the bucket, son.
by Eggplant Wizard on Oct 16, 2011 10:03 PM EDT up reply actions
That's tough news.
…..Lattimore certainly had my respect after my Tigers faced him 3 times in the past 13 months.
…..It’s also a cautionary note to my own Auburn Tigers that maybe it’s not a great idea to put the entire offensive strategy on pounding it with one guy. I realize Lattimore was blocking on that play, but still. If you’ve got X percent chance of getting hurt on every play into traffic, it only follows that the chance of getting hurt goes up the more plays you run in there.
…..I’ve always felt that an inside run-based strategy needs at least two guys to alternate carries, AND a third to come off the bench when injuries occur. Maybe a good strategy, but guys like Lattimore don’t sit on the bench.
......Drowning in cool elixir.
If I was a really good running back
I would look at how Spurrier abused Lattimore by overusing him and avoid South Carolina like the plague.
Father. Husband. Lawyer. Nerd.
by Richard Pittman on Oct 16, 2011 8:26 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
From a recruit's viewpoint...
…..USC has a vacancy, now. That’s football!
......Drowning in cool elixir.
it was a freak play
Its not a mileage issue. That’s football, people get hurt. The easiest way to stay healthy is not to play. I really don’t know why this is being blamed on playcalling. It sucks for Lattimore. But it would suck whether you carry the ball 70 times a game or if you’re some 2nd string back that they bring in to block. Either way it sucks. For some things, there’s no person to blame.
by Mark Mandingo on Oct 16, 2011 10:23 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Yeah, it was a freak play that occurred while he was blocking.
I don’t get why so many people are blaming this on Spurrier running him too hard. Spurrier hasn’t been giving him as many carries over the past few games as he did early in the season. Lattimore only had 17 carries yesterday. If people actually payed attention to what’s happening in the games instead of viewing everything through pre-established narratives, they might notice a thing or two.
Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog by and for Gamecocks Fans.
by Gamecock Man on Oct 17, 2011 12:08 AM EDT up reply actions
You don't get a torn ligament from overuse anyway.
Most injuries come because you get tackled in an awkward way and an arm or a leg gets bent in the wrong direction. It can happen to anyone at anytime.
Precisely.
Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog by and for Gamecocks Fans.
by Gamecock Man on Oct 17, 2011 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions
If I was a really good running back
I’d go to Aubie ’cuz they know how to dish the $$$ and cover their tracks. Can I get an “amen”?
Richard Pittman’s post is beneath contempt even for an Auburn fan. Which says a lot.
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
Well I'll go ahead and apologize now to Auburn fans who I smeared
because I was made at Pittman’s post, and foolishly shout off my mouth in an ill-advised rant at his team which of course isn’t his team at all. I’ll be flogging myself for days over this but if you want to crush me for saying something stupid while inflamed, then I certainly deserve it.
As for Pittman’s comment – I think my ire was justified. A really good kid is hurt, and all he can do is trash Spurrier and talk about the recruiting angle.
Nevertheless – apologies again for drive-by smear and flagrant stupidity on my part. I am going to take an internet break for a few days.
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
What a shame.
I’m really sorry for the kid. Bad day for USC fans.
(formerly Gregatron)
Respect the bucket, son.
by Eggplant Wizard on Oct 16, 2011 10:05 PM EDT reply actions
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