With week one officially in the books, the South Carolina Gamecocks claimed their first victory after a hard fought win against the Old Dominion Monarchs. To say that it was an ugly win is putting it nicely as many would agree that the Gamecocks were lucky to come out on top. There were a few bright spots, though, mostly on the defensive side, but these were overshadowed by an offense that struggled for most of the night. Let’s take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly for the game and where the Gamecocks go from here.

‍The Good

‍The Gamecocks defensive line was able to  get consistent pressure on ODU quarterback, Grant Wilson, especially Kyle Kennard and Dylan Stewart. The two combined for four sacks and two forced fumbles and were as good as advertised. Their high motors and relentless pressure kept Wilson from looking comfortable in the pocket. This has to have Carolina fans excited as a strong pass rush has been absent for years and from the looks of it, may be around to stay. Of course, it is just one game, but to end the night with five total sacks is a promising sign.

In addition to its pass rush, the defense also forced four turnovers. Jalon Kilgore and O’Donnell Fortune both grabbed interceptions while Kennard and Stewart each logged strip sacks. The defense was disruptive the entire night and looked strong at all three levels. Outside of a few blown pass coverages and allowing some chunk runs here and there, the defense was solid and definitely lived up to the hype in the preseason. 

Again, it is just one game, but if the Gamecocks can continue to get pressure on the QB, defend against the run well, and force turnovers, they’ll be one of the better SEC defenses.

‍The Bad

‍Bad may be a harsh word, but I was underwhelmed with the rushing offense. Despite rushing for over 170 yards, the Gamecocks had fifty six attempts and averaged barely over three yards a rush. There is little secret that South Carolina wants their identity to center around the running attack, and for obvious reasons as they possess several quality rushers.

However, with that being the case, the total rushing yards should have been higher with as many attempts as they had. Rushing for over 170 yards on the ground is impressive, but the efficiency of their rushing attack is anything but impressive considering who they were playing. The competition quickly becomes more challenging next week as the Gamecocks travel to Lexington, Kentucky to take on the Wildcats. Three yards a carry next week just won’t do it. 

I know between sacks and Sellers trotting back several yards on the kneel downs to run out the clock don’t help the running numbers, and if they are taken into account the rushing average goes over four yards a carry. However, the lack of a strong push from the o-line was a glaring issue. If it weren’t for the broken tackles from both Sanders and Sellers, who knows what the efficiency from the rushing attack would have been.

Everyone was hopeful that with all of the additions and time in the offseason the offensive line would take significant strides, and while that is still possible, their struggles extended beyond the lack of push as Sellers was sacked four times. A strong running attack starts up front, so ultimately, the blame falls on the o-line. 

‍The Ugly

‍There is no surprise here. The passing offense was abysmal and was painful to watch all night. Sellers and the receivers were not in sync evidenced by balls thrown behind receivers, balls thrown too high, and receivers stopping on routes. This was an area of concern with the youth and inexperience at both QB and WR, but given the talent and depth, I don’t think this performance was expected.

Guys such as Nyck Harbor and Jared Brown were talked about all offseason and figured to be key players in the passing offense but were virtually absent all night. Fortunately for the Gamecocks, the defense came to play and the rushing attack did just enough, but there is no denying that another showing like this from the passing attack will likely spell disaster for Carolina.

In the end, a win is a win, and for a team desperate to qualify for a bowl game, who you beat and how you beat them does not matter. That said, things get real next week against Kentucky. A performance like the one on Saturday will easily lead to defeat. The Wildcats are known for having a strong defense, especially against the run, with 6’6” 344 lbs DT Deone Walker in the middle of that line.

The Gamecocks will have to find a way to rush the ball with better efficiency given that their passing struggles are likely to continue. Can they find answers to the many questions surrounding the o-line and passing offense in such little time? These two areas will likely determine the Gamecocks’ fate next week.