After second-half struggles cost the South Carolina football team a loss to Texas A&M, head coach Will Muschamp and the Gamecocks know their upcoming match-up with Arkansas is of critical importance.
“There are no re-dos in life," Muschamp said. "That’s part of the issue in our society. Most people want to hit a reset button and everything’s okay. That’s not the case. There are no ‘could’ve, would’ve, should’ve.’ Learn from your mistakes and move forward. We had opportunities to finish that game in the fourth quarter, and we didn’t get it done. You can’t let one loss become another one."
The game will be definitive for the Gamecocks' season and will not only test their physicality, but also their mental toughness.
“Stopping the run and being physical, those are really the two main things that we've been focusing on this week,” linebacker T.J. Brunson said.
During the loss to Texas A&M, the Gamecocks finished with 23 total rushing yards and were 2-for-13 on third down. This week, they are striving to fully execute on third down and hope to communicate more effectively.
“We are going to keep practicing hard and try to get better each and every week,” defensive lineman Ulric Jones said.
Injuries have continuously hit the Gamecocks this season. As a result of the loss of Bryson Allen-Williams, South Carolina’s defense will have to fill the role as a unit this week. Muschamp said Zack Bailey, Terry Googer, Cory Helms and Malik Young are all day-to-day, with Bailey having the best opportunity to play on Saturday. Standout wide receiver Deebo Samuel recently got his cast off and is currently in a walking boot, but there is still no estimate for his return date, Muschamp said.
Tight end Jacob August said he's confident each player on the team is capable of stepping up and filling the roles of the first-string players, and that there's no difference in first strings and backups now.
Finishing strong in the fourth quarter is going to be a deciding factor for South Carolina to pull out a win Saturday. The loss to Texas A&M in Week 5 allowed for the Gamecocks to learn from their mistakes, especially on special teams, players said.
Muschamp emphasized how the team cannot dwell on the loss from last week. Despite the injured locker room, the Gamecocks are going to be positive and move forward with effort, toughness and discipline.
“We are gonna re-set and refocus because I mean, this game could be different," running back Ty'Son Williams said. "You know, we don’t know how it is going to play out. Regardless of the circumstance, we gotta be ready for each and every circumstance. And you know, whether we are up by a lot or down by a lot, we have to be able to manage it and be able to win the game."
In the players' minds, there is no doubt they'll be ready to face Arkansas, but the match will come down to the running game, overcoming injuries and closing out the fourth quarter.
“We have our work cut out for us, but we are looking forward to getting back on the field,” Muschamp said.