Renner looks to build on 28-touchdown year
The hot topic on the defensive side of the ball for the Gamecocks has been whether they will be able to slow down North Carolina coach Larry Fedora’s fast-paced offense.
South Carolina’s defenders have acknowledged that their work will be cut out for them.
“I mean, they are fast,” redshirt sophomore defensive end Mason Harris said. “On film, they were getting plays off in ten seconds or less.”
Senior quarterback Bryn Renner leads the up-tempo Tar Heel offense. Many draft experts, including the NFL Network’s Mike Mayock, think Renner has an NFL-ready arm and may be the first quarterback to go in the 2014 draft.
Renner does not seem at all fazed by the fact that he has to go up against a South Carolina defense led by star defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.
“I’ve waited all of my career to play an SEC team,” Renner said. “I’m going to enjoy it.”
Renner had an impressive season last year, with just over a 65-percent completion rate and 3,356 yards. He finished his junior year with 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
The good news for the Gamecocks is that North Carolina lost perhaps their two best offensive players from last season in running back Giovani Bernard and guard Jonathan Cooper. Cooper was a first-round pick in the NFL draft, going to the Arizona Cardinals at No. 7 overall. Bernard was the first running back taken, going in the second round to the Cincinnati Bengals.
However, there are still players that the Gamecock defense is going to have its hands full trying to stop.
Preseason Second Team All-America and First Team All-ACC senior left tackle James Hurst will likely play on Sundays next year. The matchup between him and Clowney will be one to watch.
After Hurst, the Tar Heel offensive line is fairly young, with a pair of redshirt freshmen among the starting five. Jon Heck, at right tackle, and Caleb Peterson, at left guard, will have their first true test against South Carolina’s defense.
Bernard’s replacement at running back is sophomore Romar Morris, but senior A.J. Blue should also see some time at the position Thursday.
North Carolina has several very talented players catching balls for Renner. Junior tight end Eric Ebron will be a target early. Fedora has set a goal for Ebron to catch at least 12 touchdowns this season. The Gamecocks’ secondary and linebackers will have a tough battle with him.
“He’s a heck of a football player,” Gamecock spur and linebacker coach Kirk Botkin said. “He does a lot of things well. They do a really good job of running their up-tempo offense, and he’s part of that. Getting our young guys lined up is something of a little concern on every down. We understand; we’ve been going through some tempo stuff. I don’t know if you could ever quite prepare for it.”
The other receiver to watch is 6-foot-4-inch sophomore Quinshad Davis. Gamecock secondary coach Grady Brown said Davis does a good job of using his body to ward off defenders, to go vertical and catch the ball.
Slowing down Davis will fall on redshirt junior cornerback Victor Hampton and redshirt senior cornerback Jimmy Legree. Junior safeties Brison Williams and Kadetrix “JJ” Marcus will also be called on to knock away deep balls intended for Davis.
With the speed of the Tar Heel offense, it will be interesting to see if the Gamecock defensive line is a factor.
Senior defensive end Chaz Sutton said he wants Renner to feel his and Clowney’s pressure early.
Junior defensive tackles J.T. Surratt and Kelcy Quarles will have to do their part in stopping the run. Surratt said that it will be a challenge to keep up with the high tempo and that the Gamecocks need to be prepared.
“We got to go out there and be ready to find the ball, get lined up, get the play and be ready every down,” Surratt said. “For the most part we have to be conditioned and ready to go.”
South Carolina defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward said there’s no way to really simulate the way North Carolina snaps the ball seven to eight seconds after the last play, but thinks his players will be ready.
“There has been much talk about the quick-paced passing attack of the North Carolina offense,” Ward said. “That’s the illusion of their offense; they do go hurry up. But they run the football — it’s probably 50-50 if you break down their offense. They run it just as much as they throw it. They’re going to throw the ball on the perimeter with their screens and things of that nature. They’re going to try to make us get winded early, and we understand that.”