Gamecocks search for answers after Kentucky loss
LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of South Carolina quarterback Dylan Thompson appeared stunned as he faced the media following, Saturday's 45-38 loss to the University of Kentucky.
"I mean you can't turn the ball over three times on the road and expect to win and I was the reason for that," said Thompson.
For the second consecutive week the Gamecocks watched a 14-point fourth quarter lead melt away and turn into a loss against a team the were favored to beat.
Thompson, the team leader threw three interceptions, equally the number he had in the first five games. One was an interception by Kentucky defensive back Alvin Dupree that gave the Wildcats the lead with 2:46 remaining, while the other ended any chance the Gamecocks had of a comeback a minute later.
Now, with a 3-3 overall record and a 2-3 Southeastern Conference mark, the team was left struggling for answers as to what to focus on and play for now.
"I'm not going to yell and scream," said Spurrier. "Everybody saw what happened. They scored more points that we did. They got a deflection and a touchdown and they beat us.
"Overall, as a team, we got beat. Simple as that, got beat."
This is new territory for Spurrier and his coaching staff, which has gotten used to winning games in the past few years.
But, with several playing making performers on offense and defense no longer on the team, Spurrier and company appear to be coming to the realization that the team isn't as good as they thought.
"I'll let you guys make that decision," Spurrier said when asked if there was a talent dip from the past three seasons. Just write what you see. Wish we could have made some better calls…We got issues on a little bit of everything. You lose close games and everything comes back to haunt you a little bit."
For a team that entered the season with visions of an SEC Championship and potentially making the final four playoffs for a national championship, the Gamecocks are in the middle of swallowing a bitter pill.
When asked what was left to for USC to play for this season, senior spur Sharrod Golightly gave a one-word answer.
"Pride," Golightly said.
For a team that posted three straight 11-win seasons and entered the 2014 campaign with an 18-game home winning streak, that's tough to swallow.
While USC has played a lot of close games in the last three years, it almost always found a way to come out on top.
That hasn't been the case this season as, in the last two games the Gamecocks seemed to have victory well in hand, only to lose after playing shoddy defense in addition to an offense that forgot how it earned two touchdown leads in the first place.
The Gamecocks rolled up 500 yards of total offense, by far its best performance of the season. They were particularly impressive on the ground where they picked up 282 yards with junior tailback Mike Davis leading the way with 183 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries.
There were points in the game when Davis was not only on the sidelines, however, but the team switched to a passing attack was inconsistent at best.
"I'm not the type of guy to go up to coach and tell him I want the ball, or whatever," said Davis. "At times I want the ball, but I'm not about to go up to my coach and tell him: 'hey, give me the ball.'
"My coaches are here for a reason. They make the play calls. They're the ones getting paid."
While the offense turned schizophrenic at times, the defense continued to struggle against a hurry-up, quick play offense.
Kentucky did much of its damage using running back Jojo Kemp in the behind the center in the 'Wildcat' formation.
He rushed 17 times for 131 yards and three touchdowns, while quarterback Patrick Towles completed 20 of 29 passes for 208 yards and a score.
"I thought we had a good plan against (the Wildcats)," said USC defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward. "I thought (Kemp) was very patient so we changed at halftime to try to bring some edge pressure to get him and missed some tackles."
The Gamecocks enter a bye week with some obvious soul-searching to do. How they come out of it will determine what happens the rest of the way.