Taylor to lead defensive line with improved strength, knowledge of playbook
The biggest advantage of South Carolina’s defensive line is speed — and the Gamecocks have both the players and the schemes to exploit that strength.
Despite the departure of linemen Melvin Ingram and Travian Robertson, USC returns two elite defensive linemen in senior Devin Taylor and sophomore Jadeveon Clowney.
Taylor begins the season with increased strength and speed, and Clowney has the benefit of a year of college football experience. With these improvements, the two Gamecocks are prepared to lead the defensive line in accomplishing their greatest task: affecting the quarterback.
“I don’t gage [success] by sacks,” said defensive line coach Brad Lawing. “Affecting the quarterback is the most important thing. I hope our pass rush will be good. We’ll see. Every year is a new year.”
Taylor, who started every game in 2011, came into camp able to bench 30 pounds more than last season.
“I wanted to focus on my strength [in the offseason], as well as my speed and agility, and keep those maintained because that’s one thing you can’t lose. You have to do it to get better,” Taylor said. “I’ve progressed tremendously [as far as strength], a lot more than even I thought I was going to do.”
Last year, Clowney was among the top 10 in the nation in both sacks and forced fumbles, including one sack that led to the game-winning touchdown against Georgia. He played mostly as a defensive end, but this year he will have a different role for USC.
“We have a spinner package,” Lawing said. “We plug [Clowney] into the pass rush ... We use that guy as a picker, move him around. Sometimes he may be up the middle, he may be over at tackle or guard. He may be the guy coming in from outside. We move him around. We call that our spinner package.”
Lawing said the spinner package was originally created for Eric Norwood and Melvin Ingram. Clowney, Lawing said, has the talent to succeed in different positions. One major improvement he has made over last year is the ability to quickly make reads.
“The difference with [Clowney] between last year and this year as far as seeing is that the game is much more slowed down to him,” Taylor said. “He’s able to read plays more and actually act off it rather than just play off talent coming straight out of high school.”
Senior Aldrick Fordham joins Taylor and Clowney as a major force on the defensive line, playing both tackle and end.
“[Fordham is] a good football player, very intelligent, knows our scheme inside and out,” Lawing said. “I have a lot of confidence in him. He’s always where he’s supposed to be. He’s an experienced football player. I wish he was a redshirt junior instead of a senior.”
Gerald Dixon, Gerald Dixon Jr. and Deon Green, all redshirt freshmen, will be ready to take the field for the Gamecocks if needed. Freshman Darius English, who is listed as a defensive end, will also have an opportunity to earn playing time, although he will not challenge Fordham for his spot.
“[English] is a guy that’s very talented, and I just have to decide what to do with him,” Lawing said. “If he can help us win, we’re about winning now. He showed signs of being a very talented player ... He’s not a first- or second-down end right now. He’s a pass rusher.”
USC’s defensive line has shown improvement in understanding assignments, and led by Taylor and Clowney, it will take advantage of speed to affect opposing quarterbacks.
“We’ve made a lot of progress as far as guys knowing what to do,” Lawing said. “When you know your assignments, when you have a lot of confidence in that, you can play fast, and we’re getting better at that.”