It’s that time of the year. Well, it’s almost that time of the year. Football season gave us a tease of its scandalous ankles Saturday when South Carolina had its annual Garnet and Black spring game.
The Black team dominated the whole game, probably because most of the predicted first team was on the Black team. They won against the Garnet team 35-14.
Fan base eager to see what Muschamp and staff can do
With head coach Will Muschamp’s hire came two different camps. One side loved the hire of the fiery coach who prides himself on bringing in big name recruits. The other side denounced him and his ways, claiming he ruined Florida’s program in his four seasons there.
But in the spring game, it seemed as though fans were excited about the new coach and his staff. With an official attendance of 32,916 fans cheered when there was a pass down the middle for 35 yards and groaned when a defender missed a tackle. While the attendance doesn’t stack up to the Alabama or Tennessee spring games, which garner over 60,000 in their spring scrimmages, it is an improvement from the 22,580 from last year.
McIlwain has something special
On the first possession of the game, freshman Brandon McIlwain started at quarterback. And he played like a starter. He commanded the offense down the field on his second possession, didn’t try to force passes and made mature decisions that aren't expected from a true freshman.
On one play in particular, McIlwain used his legs on a third-and-long in the first quarter. The defense put pressure on him, forcing him to step up and take off down field. About three defenders had a chance to tag him (quarterbacks only need to be touched to be down in spring games), but he juked them all out and picked up the first down. He needs to be a pass-first quarterback, yet his speed and elusiveness add a dimension for opponents to think about when trying to defend him.
If he has impressed people already, think about what he can do when he isn't splitting time with baseball and has a full playbook available.
Defensive line and secondary looked weak
Yes, seniors Skai Moore, Jordan Diggs, Darius English — all of whom are considered definite starters and impact players — missed the game due to injuries. But there were missed tackles which led to extra yardage, wide open receivers and only a handful of quarterback pressures. From top to bottom, the defense lacked a buzz or cohesiveness. Thankfully, defense is coach Muschamp’s specialty.
With that being said, two players stood out. Redshirt senior Rico McWilliams held his own at cornerback, battling redshirt sophomore Deebo Samuel all afternoon. He covered him well and had two breakups. Sophomore Boosie Whitlow also had a good day at his “buck” position — essentially a defensive lineman that lines up in the linebacker position. He had two sacks, something South Carolina severely missed in 2015.
Based on the spring game, there are still plenty of questions that won't be answered until the season actually starts, but the team showcased some of their newfound talent and schemes.