Tonight's Episode: The ACC Coastal

Folks, last week I promised a breakdown of the ACC Coastal division. That took a back seat to the deluge of stupidity coming out of Steve Spurrier's cryhole. But a promise is a promise, and without further ado, I give you Mind of a Gamecock's breakdown and predictions for the ACC Coastal division.

Predicted Order of Finish:
1. Virginia Tech
2. Georgia Tech
3. North Carolina
4. Miami
5. Virginia
6. Duke

Picking VT to win this division, despite the massive losses at various skill positions, is a no-brainer. They have one thing that coaches drool over, a talented, experienced offensive line. As I mentioned, they did lose a bevy of wide receivers, and Brandon Ore was kicked off the team for being a jerk, but their quarterback tandem of Tyrod Taylor and Sean Glennon is a bit underrated. Glennon isn't great, but he is solid. And Tyrod Taylor is simply a star in the making. I wouldn't be surprised if he is firmly entrenched as the starter by the middle of the season. They lose a bit more on defense, especially along the line. But honestly, does it really matter. Frank Beamer has made a habit of re-loading every year on defense with fast, tough, athletic players. Macho Harris and Kam Chancellor anchor yet another excellent defensive backfield. And then there's special teams. It gets overlooked every year, but expect VT's special teams to win them a game or two this season. Season Outlook: 10-2

Holding down my #2 spot is Georgia Tech. They only return 8 starters from last year's team(but some of those starters weren't very good). This is a risky pick, but I am banking on the Yellow Jackets to run Paul Johnson's offense the way it is intended to be run. GT is a wildcard, b/c if they don't pick up the system, it could be a very long year. It takes a lot of discipline and effort to pull off the triple option. His players at Navy had what it takes. Whether the higher profile athletes at GT have it remains to be seen. Georgia Tech returns one of the top defensive lines in the ACC, led by Michael Johnson and his 6 foot neck. Behind that line is a bunch of young, inexperienced, but aqeduately talented linebackers and DBs. Of course, the defense will be running an entirely new defensive system as well. Gone are the days of blitz happy Tenuta-ball. In short, it is a total overhaul for the Ramblin Wreck. Maybe it's a stretch putting them at #2, but I'm willing to stick my neck out there on this one, despite the nerdiest fight song in the history of college football. Season Outlook: 8-4

Butch Davis' Tarheels come in at number 3. Talk about potential. The Heels are plenty talented, but largely young and inexperienced. They also return 18 starters. It's been a long time since anyone at UNC knew what it felt like to win football games, but Davis is making short work of that culture. The offense returns a league most 10 starters. Most of the talent is at WR and RB, where Hakeem Nicks and Greg Little should put up big numbers. Quarterback is an unknown. Frankly, I don't know much about TJ Yates, so I'm just going to assume he sucks until he proves otherwise. The defensive line isn't great, but it does boast one of the nation's budding superstars in Marvin Austin. I really don't care much for the Heels, so I'm not going to write anything else. Season Outlook: 7-5

Miami has experienced, perhaps, more of a roller coaster ride in the last 2 decades than any team in America. They have gone from great to terrible, to greatest team ever, back to pretty terrible again. For now, it appears things are on the upswing again. Randy Shannon has shown he can recruit with the big boys, now he has to show he can coach with 'em. The Canes return 11 starters from a team that really blew. Losing 48-0 at home to Virginia ought to be grounds for NCAA probation. But I'm not ready to write the Canes off just yet. I don't know what to expect from the offense. Nobody has won the quarterback job yet, but don't be surprised if RS freshman, Robert Marve, earns the job. Miami has lots of talent on the defensive side of the ball. Lots. It's just young and unproven. In short, Miami is still probably 2 years away from contending for the division crown. Season Outlook: 6-6

Virginia. Who gives a flying f@#k?

It would be prudent to keep an eye on Duke this year. I don't expect them to be bowl eligible or anything like that, but I do expect them to pick up a few wins in the ACC for the first time in a long time. David Cutcliffe is a really good coach. Why Ole Miss let him go, I will never know. He is burning it up on the recruiting trail right now. But let's temper the expectations for a few years. Duke is still Duke. I don't think they will beat anyone in the top half of the league, but like I said, don't be surprised if they pull off a few upsets. For you degenerates out there, I think the Blue Devils will be a very smart pick to cover a bunch this year. They may have the best quarterback that you've never heard of in Thaddeus Lewis. I'll be pulling for the Devils to win a few league games, mainly so Clemson won't have to be referred to as the last ACC team Duke beat. If they get a few bounces, they might actually be looking down on UVA at the end of the year. Season Outlook: 4-8


So there you have it, folks. Let me know what you think. Don't hold back. Hopefully I'll get to the SEC West tomorrow(SEC honks, don't be surprised when I don't pick all 6 teams to go 12-0).

Now MOAG.

On Georgia(this is long, but oh so worth it):

- OK, everyone is worrying about number one ranked UGA early in the season. Don't. Why you ask, well a little research is very encouraging. Let's look at USC and UGA in the past two years, and 3 years (Spurrs 1st season) versus identical competition, i.e., the SEC EAST.
Last 3 years:
UGA 8 wins-7 losses
USC 8 wins-7 lossesTie
Last 2 years:
UGA 4 wins-6 losses
USC 4 wins-6 lossesTie

Now let's look at the difference in SEC west Opponents:
Last 3 years: UGA West opponents: 53-55
Last 2 years: UGA West opponents: 37-38
Last 3 years: USC West opponents: 75-39
Last 2 years: USC West opponents: 52-37

See the difference here Gamecocks? EZ stuff. Not to mention that in the past two seasons, UGA has experienced an 0-6 streak versus the SEC East, which would have been 0-7 had not Vandy gift wrapped last years win for them. What I am saying is that Spurrier is going into hids 4th year, Richt his 8th, and yet we are equal to them in wins and losses versus identical (SEC EAST) competion over that time frame, plus we have played SEC West teams with over almost a 70% WP over that time frame while they have played SEC West teams with a below 50% winning percentage. Folks, do not fear georgia, I know you don't, but my god, they are so overrated it is not funny, in the middle of last year they were riding a 6 game losing streak versus the SEC East, and had not Vandy given them the gift, they would have been on a 7 game losing skid versus the East. They have made a lot of hay from their Fla. and Auburn victories, but all said, they have not done better than us the past three/two years versus identical competition even though their staff has been in place for 8 years. Remember, we beat them at Georgia last year, we will beat them at home. GO COCKS!!!!!

- we will not loose at home this year. to georgia or anyone! maybe 1 that is it.not unless the injury bug gets us.stay healthy we can win the east!

- Georgia, as all opponents, is to be respected, not feared
but we're a lot more dangerous to them than they are to us.

- They may be #1 in the nation, but they are still Georgia. They don't deserve any praise from us.

- Don't forget the Goats have also failed to score an offensive TD in 3 of the last 7 games against us and young Mattie Stafford has a 44% completion rate, no TDs and 4 INTs in two games against us. I predict a Quincy Carter moment for Mattie this September...He hasn't played a secondary as good as ours since, well, the last time he played us and we all know how that turned out.

- UGA has never been feared. The Cocks give them hell most years even in the games we've lost. I can remember several games with them over the years that they were flat out lucky to get a win over usually outmanned USC teams.

- Fear?Raise your mugs Gamecocks! This is the day we get to take down the top ranked team in the country in our house on national TV.This will be the day they will look back and say Spurrier finally got the Gamecocks over the hump.

- uga is the one team of the big 3 that we have consistently had a shot at. I think we are 7-11 in the last 18 with quite a few close games going both ways.

*editor's note: there is nothing really stupid or crazy about the last one, i just found it funny.

On ESPN:

- It seems like whenever ESPN talks about the SEC they always leave the gamecocks out of the equation. I know we havent really done anything lately to be talked about but it seems like they have something against USC. For instance today on sportscenter they were talking about UGA's key games this year and they left USC out. Also they talked about LSU's key games and they put App State on their and left USC out. What do we have to do to get some respect from these guys?!!

- ESPN has been against us long before this Corso v Spurrier thing.

- I always love it when the so-called experts consider USC to be a "sure win" for Georgia and UT every year when recent history suggests that to be far from the truth.

*editor's note: In the last 5 years, South Carolina has beaten Georgia and Tennessee exactly 1 time apiece

- If USC was 13-0 the previous year the fish wrap[The State] and ESPN would find something wrong!

- ESPN is stacked to the rim with Big 10 homers. They hate like heck to give any more credit to the SEC than they have to, because admitting the SEC is the #1 conference in America takes glory away from their precious Michigans/Ohio Sts/Penn Sts.So... admitting SC (which finished 6-6 last year) is a "big" game for the Dawgs (which it is EVERY year) would be admitting that even a 6-6 Gamecock team is extrememly dangerous (which it is) to the top SEC guys.It shows the true strength and depth of the SEC. They don't like doing that. They'd much rather point to another favorite conference (Pac-10) ASU.

On Ole Miss, a team South Carolina hasn't beaten since joining the SEC:

- Who really believes Ole Miss will beat USC?

- We WILL NOT lose to Ole Miss.You can quote me on that.

- I suppose ANYTHING is possible. But I don't think we will loose to Ole Miss

- Sure we might lose to them... heck there will be many upsets in CFB... ones we would not even think of right now. But there is no way I am thinking at this point in time that we will lose to Ole Miss!

On the band:

- Has anyone heard anything about the band?
Has the band got some new songs to get the fans fired up and going the entire game? HOPE SO.GO COCKS.

- I'm also interested in knowing the number of band members - musicians; not flag wavers. Also, the increase (hopefully) in brass instrument players (tubas, trombones, horns, etc.) - give me a LOUD band anyday of the week.Also, is the new (under construction) Band Practice Facility going up on South Sumter Street having any impact on band recruiting?

- I want to know how many low brass we have and preferably how many tuba's we have? You get that solid sound from the low brass. I hope we've made it 20 in the tuba section.

- hopefully the flag crew wont be terrible and embarrasing this year

- I agree, placement is critical. Absent moving the student section to back where it used to be, I think the band should be moved to the bottom of section 23 (from around the concourse into the seating area all the way back to however much room they need). This would do several things:
1. It would place the band in a more centrally located area, similar to where the LSU band is in their stadium (only lower).
2. They would get the benefit of the East Upper stands helping to hold more sound in.
3. They'd be VERY close to the opposing team, and that amount of noise certainly wouldn't help them (there may be some SEC regulation on the band's placement in relation to the visiting band, I don't know though).
4. The East Upper likely wouldn't be affected much, if at all, since the band doesn't face the East Upper as it is now. The only difference is the east upper stands may get a better echo as sounds bounces off the west stands.
5. Finally, no one would be displaced because those are student section tickets anyways.

*editor's note: I'm serious, folks. Someone actually thought that through.