American college football season
The 2008 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season . The team's head coach was Steve Spurrier , who served his fourth season at USC. The Gamecocks played their home games at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina .
Preseason [ edit ] Carolina had their first spring practice on March 21, 2008. It was the first of 15 spring practice sessions for the Gamecocks, who return 54 lettermen in Steve Spurrier's fourth season. The annual Garnet & Black Spring Game was scheduled for 1:00 p.m., Saturday, April 19.
Schedule [ edit ] Date Time Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance August 28 8:00 pm NC State * ESPN W 34–080,616 September 4 8:30 pm at Vanderbilt No. 24 ESPN L 17–2436,850 September 13 3:30 pm No. 2 Georgia Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC (rivalry ) CBS L 7–1483,704 September 20 7:00 pm Wofford * Williams-Brice Stadium Columbia, SC PPV W 23–1376,599 September 27 7:00 pm UAB * Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC PPV W 26–1378,286 October 4 2:00 pm at Ole Miss PPV W 31–2454,628 October 11 12:30 pm at Kentucky Raycom W 24–1770,822 October 18 8:00 pm No. 13 LSU Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC ESPN L 17–2482,477 November 1 7:00 pm Tennessee Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC (rivalry ) ESPN2 W 27–681,731 November 8 1:00 pm Arkansas Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC PPV W 34–2180,290 November 15 3:30 pm at No. 3 Florida No. 24 CBS L 6–5690,646 November 29 12:00 pm at Clemson * ESPN2 L 14–3181,500 January 1 11:00 am vs. Iowa * ESPN L 10–3155,117 *Non-conference game HomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time
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Radio coverage for all games was provided by the Gamecock Sports Radio Network.[2]
Game summaries [ edit ] North Carolina State [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Wolfpack 0 0 0 0 0 Gamecocks 0 3 10 21 34
Vanderbilt [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Gamecocks 7 3 0 7 17 Commodores 0 3 14 7 24
Georgia [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Bulldogs 0 6 8 0 14 Gamecocks 0 7 0 0 7
Wofford [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Terriers 0 7 3 3 13 Gamecocks 0 10 3 10 23
1 2 3 4 Total Blazers 3 3 0 7 13 Gamecocks 10 10 3 3 26
Mississippi [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Gamecocks 3 14 7 7 31 Rebels 14 7 0 3 24
Kentucky [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Gamecocks 7 7 0 10 24 Wildcats 7 10 0 0 17
1 2 3 4 Total Tigers 3 7 7 7 24 Gamecocks 0 17 0 0 17
Tennessee [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Volunteers 0 0 6 0 6 Gamecocks 7 14 3 3 27
Arkansas [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Razorbacks 0 7 7 7 21 Gamecocks 10 7 3 14 34
Florida [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Gamecocks 0 3 3 0 6 Gators 21 7 14 14 56
Clemson [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Gamecocks 0 7 7 0 14 Tigers 10 14 7 0 31
Players [ edit ] Depth chart [ edit ] These are the projected starters and primary backups for the Outback Bowl on January 1, 2009.
Defense
FS Chris Culliver Akeem Auguste
WLB MLB SLB ⋅ Jasper Brinkley ⋅ Dustin Lindsey Rodney Paulk ⋅
SS Darian Stewart Dion LeCorn
CB Captain Munnerlyn Addison Williams
DE DT DT DE Jordin Lindsey Nathan Pepper Ladi Ajiboye Cliff Matthews Clifton Geathers Travian Robertson Jonathan Williams Byron McKnight
CB Stoney Woodson Carlos Thomas
Offense
WR Jason Barnes Moe Brown
LT LG C RG RT Jarriel King Jamon Meredith Garrett Anderson Terrence Campbell Justin Sorensen Hutch Eckerson Kevin Young Seaver Brown Quintin Richardson Hutch Eckerson
TE Jared Cook Weslye Saunders
WR Kenny McKinley Joe Hills
QB Stephen Garcia Chris Smelley
FB Patrick DiMarco Bryan Kingrey
Key Committed Freshmen
Antonio Allen – DB Akeem Auguste – DB Eric Baker – RB Reggie Bowens – LB Jarrett Burns – ATH Ronald Byrd – DL Kenny Davis – DL Aramis Hillary – QB T.J. Johnson – OL Jarriel King – DL Reid McCollum – QB Kenneth Miles – RB D.L. Moore – WR Darrell Simmons - DB Jay Spearman – DB Chaz Sutton – DL Devin Taylor – DL Mike Triglia – TE Charles Whitlock – DB/WR Elliot Williams - OL LaCharles Lindsey - WR
Wide Receiver 4 Jason Barnes -Freshman 8 Larry Freeman - Sophomore 11 Kenny McKinley - Senior [3] 13 Mark Barnes - Freshman 14 La’Charles Lindsey Freshman 17 Chris Culliver - Sophomore [4] 18 Dion Lecorn - Sophomore 81 Paul Haile - Junior 82 Freddie Brown, III - Junior 83 Scott Spurrier - Junior 85 Joe Hills - Freshman 89 Leon Gamble - Senior 14 LaCharles Lindsey - “Sophomore” Offensive Lineman 54 Hardee Sanders - Junior 57 Lemuel Jeanpierre - Junior [5] 62 Pierre Andrews - Sophomore 63 Seaver Brown - Sophomore 64 Kevin Young - Sophomore 65 Ryan Broadhead - Freshman 66 Hutch Eckerson - Junior 68 Kyle Nunn - Freshmen 70 Garrett Anderson - Junior 72 Quintin Richardson - Freshman 74 Heath Batchelor - Sophomore 75 Gurminder Thind - Senior 76 Jeremy Burgess - Senior 77 Jamon Meredith - Senior [6] 78 Justin Sorensen - Senior Tight End 19 Nick Prochak - Sophomore 84 Jared Cook - Junior 87 Alex McGrath - Senior 88 Weslye Saunders - Sophomore 90 Foxy Foxworth - Sophomore Quarterback 5 Stephen Garcia - Freshman 6 Tommy Beecher - Junior 7 Chris Smelley - Sophomore 16 Michael McQueeney - Junior 17 Zac Brindise - Sophomore Running Back 10 Brian Maddox - Sophomore 22 Bobby Wallace - Junior 20 Taylor Rank - Junior 25 Mike Davis - Senior Fullback 35 Jim Hutton - Junior 44 Clark Gaston - Sophomore 46 Bryan Kingrey - Senior 47 Patrick DiMarco - Sophomore Defensive tackle 61 Donte'e Nicholls - Freshman 79 Marque Hall - Senior 81 Terrence Campbell - Sophomore 91 Ladi Ajiboye - Sophomore 95 Nathan Pepper - Junior 97 Kenrick Ellis - Sophomore Defensive End 40 Eric Norwood - Junior 42 Travian Robertson - Sophomore 83 Cliff Matthews - Sophomore 92 Byron McKnight - Freshman 96 Clifton Geathers - Sophomore [7] 99 Jonathan Williams - Senior Cornerback 1 Captain Munnerlyn - Junior' 5 Carlos Thomas - Senior 7 Addison Williams - Sophomore 28 Chris Hail - Junior 36 Stoney Woodson - Senior 4 Cedric Snead - Freshman Defensive Back 23 Jamire Williams - Freshman Linebacker 4 Alonzo Winfield - Freshman 6 Melvin Ingram - Sophomore 30 Yvan Banag - Senior 31 Gerrod Sinclair - Junior 44 Dustin Lindsey - Senior 45 Rodney Paulk - Junior 48 Vandaral Shackleford - Junior 49 Damien Wright - Junior 53 Marvin Sapp - Senior 58 John Guerry - Junior 52 Jasper Brinkley - Senior Free Safety 32 Darian Stewart - Junior 42 Mike Newton - Senior Strong Safety Long Snapper 59 Charles Turner - Sophomore Punter / Place Kicker 14 Ryan Succop - Senior [8] 87 Spencer Lanning - Sophomore 97 Nate Spurrier - Junior
Rankings [ edit ] Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked Week Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Final AP — 24 — — — — — — — — — 24 — — — Coaches — 24 — — — — — — — — — 23 — — — Harris Not released — — — — — — — 24 — — — Not released BCS Not released — — — 25 — — — Not released
Statistics [ edit ] USC Opp Scoring 270 274 Points per Game 20.8 21.1 First Downs 241 214 Rushing 91 98 Passing 129 95 Penalty 21 21 Total Offense 4115 3795 Avg per Play 4.7 4.7 Avg per Game 316.5 291.5 Fumbles-Lost 23-11 21-13 Penalties-Yards 75-640 69-586 Avg per Game 49.2 45.1
USC Opp Punts-Yards 49-2019 70-2986 Avg per Punt 41.2 42.4 Time of Possession/Game 29:42 30:18 3rd Down Conversions 70/180 66/177 4th Down Conversions 12/18 5/11 Touchdowns Scored 30 34 Field Goals-Attempts 20-30 12-19 PAT-Attempts 30-30 32-32 Attendance 563,703 334,446 Games/Avg per Game 7/80,529 5/66,889
Scores by quarter [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total South Carolina 44 102 39 85 270 Opponents 72 78 76 48 274
Offense [ edit ] Rushing [ edit ] Name GP-GS Att Gain Loss Net Avg TD Long Avg/G Mike Davis 12-11 163 615 42 573 3.5 3 50 47.8 Brian Maddox 7-0 32 128 7 121 3.8 1 13 17.3 Eric Baker 9-0 46 191 9 182 4.0 0 20 20.2 Bobby Wallace 8-0 25 110 11 99 4.0 0 21 14.1 Stephen Garcia 8-3 70 289 91 198 2.8 2 25 24.8 Total 403 1489 309 1180 2.9 7 50 98.3 Opponents 429 1872 328 1544 3.6 20 80 128.7
Passing [ edit ] Name GP-GS Effic Cmp-Att-Int Pct Yds TD Lng Avg/G Chris Smelley 12-9 114.78 169-302-15 56.0 1922 14 66 160.2 Stephen Garcia 8-3 113.60 65-122-8 53.3 832 6 41 107.6 Tommy Beecher 2-1 63.8 26-14-4 53.8 126 0 18 63.0 Total 113.9 249-452-27 55.1 2892 20 66 222.5 Opponents 110.0 189-328-14 57.0 1923 9 70 159.2
Receiving [ edit ] Name GP-GS No. Yds Avg TD Long Avg/G Kenny McKinley 54 642 11.9 4 41 64.2 Jared Cook 37 573 15.5 3 66 44.1 Moe Brown 30 391 13.0 1 34 30.1 Jason Barnes 27 346 12.8 2 38 28.8 Mike Davis 24 213 8.9 1 18 17.8 Weslye Saunders 16 214 13.4 3 27 16.5 Dion LeCorn 14 106 7.6 2 20 17.7 Joe Hills 11 87 7.9 1 24 7.9 Freddie Brown 7 66 9.4 1 16 9.4 Total 249 2842 11.6 20 66 222.5 Opponents 189 2070 11.0 9 70 159.2
Defense [ edit ] Name GP Tackles Sacks Pass Defense Interceptions Fumbles Blkd Kick Solo Ast Total TFL-Yds No-Yds BrUp QBH No.-Yds Avg TD Long Rcv-Yds FF Total 332 156 488 36-140 12-81 19 24 8-126 15.8 46 6-81 7 1
Special teams [ edit ] Name Punting Kickoffs No. Yds Avg Long TB FC I20 Blkd No. Yds Avg TB OB Spencer Lanning 22 932 42.4 52 5 2 5 0 Ryan Succop 40 2743 68.6 15 0 Total 22 932 42.4 52 5 2 5 0 40 2743 68.6 15 0
Name Punt Returns Kick Returns No. Yds Avg TD Long No. Yds Avg TD Long Captain Munnerlyn 15 105 7.0 0 35 3 106 35.3 0 84 Chris Culliver 19 438 23.1 0 50 Larry Freeman 1 24 24.0 0 24 Total
Coaching staff [ edit ] References [ edit ] ^ "University of South Carolina Official Athletic Site - Football" . Archived from the original on December 30, 2007. Retrieved December 30, 2007 . ^ "Gamecock Sports Radio Network" . Archived from the original on December 17, 2007. Retrieved March 27, 2008 . ^ "Player Bio: Kenny McKinley - SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS" . Archived from the original on October 1, 2011. Retrieved November 30, 2008 . ^ "Player Bio: Chris Culliver - SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS" . Archived from the original on September 19, 2010. Retrieved November 30, 2008 . ^ "Player Bio: Lemuel Jeanpierre - SOUTH CAROLINA OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE" . Archived from the original on July 11, 2009. Retrieved November 30, 2008 . ^ "University of South Carolina Official Athletic Site - Football" . Archived from the original on December 23, 2008. Retrieved November 30, 2008 . ^ "Player Bio: Clifton Geathers - SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS" . Archived from the original on April 19, 2010. Retrieved November 30, 2008 . ^ "SOUTH CAROLINA OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE - Football" . Archived from the original on April 29, 2009. Retrieved November 30, 2008 .
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