# 2008 South Carolina Gamecocks football team

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. The team compiled a record of 7–6.
South Carolina had the top defense in the country by October, but also three different starting quarterbacks and one of the worst offensive lines in the country throughout the year. After Tommy Beecher sustained a poor performance and injury in the season-opener against NC State, the team's offense alternated mainly between quarterbacks Chris Smelley and Stephen Garcia. The Gamecocks nearly upset No. 2 Georgia and defending national champion No. 13 LSU, but fell short in both games.

## Preseason

Carolina had their first spring practice on March 21, 2008. It was the first of 15 spring practice sessions for the Gamecocks, who returned 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

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| August 28 | 8:00 pm | NC State* | | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC | ESPN | W 34–0 | 80,616 |
| September 4 | 8:30 pm | at Vanderbilt | No. 24 | Vanderbilt StadiumNashville, TN | ESPN | L 17–24 | 36,850 |
| September 13 | 3:30 pm | No. 2 Georgia | | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC (rivalry) | CBS | L 7–14 | 83,704 |
| September 20 | 7:00 pm | Wofford* | | Williams-Brice StadiumColumbia, SC | PPV | W 23–13 | 76,599 |
| September 27 | 7:00 pm | UAB* | | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC | PPV | W 26–13 | 78,286 |
| October 4 | 2:00 pm | at Ole Miss | | Vaught–Hemingway StadiumOxford, MS | PPV | W 31–24 | 54,628 |
| October 11 | 12:30 pm | at Kentucky | | Commonwealth StadiumLexington, KY | Raycom | W 24–17 | 70,822 |
| October 18 | 8:00 pm | No. 13 LSU | | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC | ESPN | L 17–24 | 82,477 |
| November 1 | 7:00 pm | Tennessee | | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC (rivalry) | ESPN2 | W 27–6 | 81,731 |
| November 8 | 1:00 pm | Arkansas | | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC | PPV | W 34–21 | 80,290 |
| November 15 | 3:30 pm | at No. 3 Florida | No. 24 | Ben Hill Griffin StadiumGainesville, FL | CBS | L 6–56 | 90,646 |
| November 29 | 12:00 pm | at Clemson* | | Memorial StadiumClemson, SC (rivalry) | ESPN2 | L 14–31 | 81,500 |
| January 1 | 11:00 am | vs. Iowa* | | Raymond James StadiumTampa, FL (Outback Bowl) | ESPN | L 10–31 | 55,117 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time ||||||||
Radio coverage for all games was provided by the Gamecock Sports Radio Network.

## Game summaries
### North Carolina State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Wolfpack | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gamecocks | 0 | 3 | 10 | 21 | 34 |

### Vanderbilt

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Gamecocks | 7 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| Commodores | 0 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 24 |

### Georgia

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 0 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 14 |
| Gamecocks | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |

### Wofford

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Terriers | 0 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
| Gamecocks | 0 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 23 |

### UAB

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Blazers | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 13 |
| Gamecocks | 10 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 26 |

### Mississippi

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Gamecocks | 3 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
| Rebels | 14 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 24 |

### Kentucky

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Gamecocks | 7 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 24 |
| Wildcats | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 17 |

### LSU

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Tigers | 3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
| Gamecocks | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 17 |

### Tennessee

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Volunteers | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Gamecocks | 7 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 27 |

### Arkansas

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Razorbacks | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| Gamecocks | 10 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 34 |

### Florida

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Gamecocks | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| Gators | 21 | 7 | 14 | 14 | 56 |

### Clemson

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Gamecocks | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| Tigers | 10 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 31 |

## Players
### Depth chart

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
* RB
* Mike Davis
* Eric Baker
* 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

### Awards
## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | 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 | Not released | Not released | Not released | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 24 | — | — | — | Not released |
| BCS | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | — | — | — | 25 | — | — | — | Not released |

## Statistics
### Team

| | 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

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| South Carolina | 44 | 102 | 39 | 85 | 270 |
| Opponents | 72 | 78 | 76 | 48 | 274 |

### Offense
#### Rushing

| 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

| 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

| Name | 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

| Name | GP | Tackles | Tackles | Tackles | Tackles | Sacks | Pass Defense | Pass Defense | Interceptions | Interceptions | Interceptions | Interceptions | Fumbles | Fumbles | Blkd Kick |
| Name | GP | Solo | Ast | Total | TFL-Yds | No-Yds | BrUp | QBH | No.-Yds | Avg | TD | Long | Rcv-Yds | FF | Blkd Kick |
| Total | | 332 | 156 | 488 | 36-140 | 12-81 | 19 | 24 | 8-126 | 15.8 | | 46 | 6-81 | 7 | 1 |

### Special teams

| Name | Punting | Punting | Punting | Punting | Punting | Punting | Punting | Punting | Kickoffs | Kickoffs | Kickoffs | Kickoffs | Kickoffs |
| Name | 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 | Punt Returns | Punt Returns | Punt Returns | Punt Returns | Kick Returns | Kick Returns | Kick Returns | Kick Returns | Kick Returns |
| Name | 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

* Steve Spurrier - Head Coach
* Ellis Johnson - Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers & Assistant Head Coach
* Shane Beamer - Cornerbacks
* Ron Cooper- Safeties
* Robert Gillespie- Running Backs
* John Hunt- Offensive Line
* Brad Lawing - Defensive Line
* David Reaves - Quarterbacks & Recruiting Coordinator
* Ray Rychleski - Special Teams
* Steve Spurrier, Jr. - Wide Receivers