http://spursupblog.wordpress.com

Thanks!

The new URL for the blog will transition overnight (our tech team will be burning the midnight oil) so you can update your browsers accordingly in the AM.  You can also follow the blog and The Editor on Twitter @SpursUpBlog.

Everyone on the field and in the stands looks to a quarterback for leadership and the ability to get the job done under pressure.  One of the most common topics of debate concerning quarterbacks is whether or not they can engineer a game-winning drive.  That’s why one of my significant moments from last season was Garcia entering the game in the second half to push the Gamecocks to their ninth straight win over Kentucky.  Garcia led four consecutive drives into Wildcat territory and converted them into 10 points.

Check out the game recap here and read Ron Morris’ account of the game-winning drive here.

Click here to see No. 10, No. 9, No. 8, No. 7 and No. 6 of the countdown.

What player do you model your game after…
Warren Sapp.

Advice from a parent or coach that has stuck with you…
My mom always told me to stay in school and keep academics first and my high school coach always told me to remember what you want to be known for.

What’s a word or phrase you overuse…
I say “you know what I mean” a lot.

What’s your greatest achievement so far…
Making it this far and being here today.

Which living person (or people) do you most admire…
My mom.

What’s your greatest fear…
God.

If you weren’t playing football, what sport would you play…
Baseball.

Place you have to visit before you die…
New York City.

What is your most treasured possession…
My dog (a blue pitbull).

What’s your motto…
Go hard or go home.

Early in the third quarter against the visiting Razorbacks, South Carolina opened up a 20-7 lead.  But after a 15-play, 8-minute drive that ended with a 4-yard Casey Dick touchdown pass, Arkansas cut the score to 20-14 and put the momentum on the side of the visitors.

South Carolina was forced to punt on the ensuing possession and two plays later, Arkansas was at the Gamecocks’ 40-yard line.  But on the next play, in one of the most athletic plays I saw all season, Lindsey stepped back from the line and snagged Casey Dick’s pass for an interception.  Not satisfied with just the INT, Lindsey returned the ball 40 yards downfield to the Arkansas 15-yard line.

Two plays later, Stephen Garcia lofted a 15-yard pass to Kenny McKinley for a touchdown to put the game away.   South Carolina would go on to win the game 34-21.

I scoured the web to find any video of the play, but I didn’t have any luck.  If you come across any, send it my way and it’ll get posted.  I was able to find a photo though:

Review No. 10, No. 9, No. 8 and No. 7 of the countdown.

“It would be an understatement to say that I’m happy that these two guys flank me,” said head baseball coach Ray Tanner as he addressed the media on Tuesday with junior Sam Dyson and senior Nick Ebert. “To be honest, I’m a little bit giddy.”

Dyson, Ebert and junior Parker Bangs put their professional baseball careers on hold by choosing not to sign with a Major League Baseball team by the midnight deadline on August 17.  Their decision to stay provides good reason for optimism for the upcoming season.

Dyson, a nine-game winner last season and the regular Friday night starter, leads a pitching staff that will return 30 of its 40 victories. All three weekend starters will return.  Ebert, a first baseman who burst into the spotlight after hitting 23 home runs last year, is the 2^nd highest home run hitter in the country to return.  Returning players for the Gamecocks account for 69 of the 109 home runs hit by the team last year.

Sam Dyson

“There were a lot of questions going into last year,” said Tanner.  “I’m excited to see new players, but you can’t put a price on veteran experience. I love the veteran guys coming back because they are mature.”

For Dyson and Ebert, the decision to come back for another season was not hard.

“The reason we came to school was to make it to the College World Series and eventually try to win it,” said Dyson. “We both want to get there; we’re excited to play with our teammates and reach our goal.”

“Getting the opportunity to play at South Carolina for another year and the chance to just get to the College World Series is enough of a reason for me,” Ebert said.  “Honestly it wasn’t difficult at all. The players we got coming back, the whole rotation returning; it’s a win-win situation and I’ll get my degree.”

Nick Ebert

MLB draftees must weigh a number of factors, both long- and short-term, when deciding whether to return to school or sign with the professional team.  Almost 1,500 players are drafted each year and only a small percentage of players ever reach the major leagues.  For example, the entire first round in the 2007 draft (67 players total) only totaled one inning of major league playing time by the end of the 2008 season.  Statistics have shown that less than 20 percent of players drafted reach the highest level of professional baseball.

Tanner believes that players leaving school early need to make their decision with long-term financial stability in mind.

“Unless a player is in the $1.4 million or $1.5 million range [in terms of signing bonus], I just don’t think it’s a good situation. You have to assume if you leave school, you’re not going to finish school,” he said. “If you don’t net a million dollars, it’s not easy to make it. A million is kind of the minimum that will protect you. You’re going to make more with a college education than with your signing bonus if you don’t get more than a million.”

Tanner was confident that Dyson and Ebert would make their decision with the right frame of mind.

“Going into the draft, I felt like I knew both of these guys.  I didn’t think it was a “draft me and I’m gone” type of situation,” Tanner said. “It was going to have to be very good for them – they value their education and they value their experience here.”

Junior Sam Dyson, head coach Ray Tanner and senior Nick Ebert adress the media on August 18, 2009.

Dyson said his decision was centered on thinking about his long-term options and not about the emotional appeal of playing professional baseball.

“I wanted to set myself up in a situation where if I did leave, I was set for a good amount of time. Without a college degree, you’re not setting yourself up very well,” he said. “I’ve already been here for three years and I’ve made some promises to people on the team. In my decision, I based it off what’s best for me and coming back here was a better situation.”

Ebert said he was straightforward with the Yankees about what it would take for him to become a professional.

“I was pretty set on coming back to school,” he said.

While confident about the futures of his players, Tanners said their attitudes about making informed life decisions bodes well for the entire team.

“The chance of playing in the big leagues no matter how good you are and how many home runs you hit is hard. They’ll take their shot and hopefully they’ll get an opportunity but they’re realistic,” he said. “All those characteristics and that maturity make our team better.”

• Eric Norwood was named to another award watch list.  The Rotary Lombardi Award goes to the nation’s top lineman – offensive or defensive.
• I talked earlier about sales being brisk for football mini-packs.  “Brisk” might’ve been an understatement; nearly 1,500 were sold just today.
• The volleyball team was picked to finish 4th in the SEC this season in a poll of the league’s coaches.

Today’s Did you know? The athletics department will host team reunions for the 1969 ACC Championship football team and the famous 1984 “Black Magic” team.  Both squads will celebrate their reunions during Homecoming Weekend.  The blog will have coverage of these events as well as interviews with former players.

It’ll be odd not seeing No. 11 with “McKinley” on the back catching passes for the Gamecocks this season.  The 2008 season saw Kenny McKinley break the school record for receptions and receiving yards at South Carolina.  He broke the receptions record against Kentucky and grabbed the yardage record in the Gamecocks win over Arkansas.

Here’s a video of Todd Ellis interviewing McKinley with some nice quotes from Sterling Sharpe:

Want some highlights? Check out this piece:

Click to revisit No. 10, No. 9 and No. 8 in the countdown.

After a weekend full of dance classes and practice, the team earned a full paid bid to NDA’s Collegiate Championships in April. This was the first time the dance team at the University of South Carolina has received this award.

In addition, several of the Carolina Girls garnered individual awards:

Top Gun Turns: Kristyn Spitz
Top Gun Hip-Hop: Madison Henry
All Americans: Casey Emens, Lindsey Brinkley, Kristyn Spitz, Morgan Chapman, Lauren Krohn, & Brittany Robinson.

You can follow the Carolina Girls on Facebook here.

The South Carolina Cheerleaders traveled to the National Cheerleaders Association camp in Myrtle Beach last weekend and came away with strong performances.

The Coed Team was awarded a Gold Bid to NCA Nationals and finished in 1^st place in the Rally Routine Competition. Chris Ellis and Ellison Coles won the Top Gun Stunt Award.

The All Girl Team was awarded a Silver Bid to NCA Nationals and took 3^rd place in the Rally Routine.  The team was also chosen for Game Day Performance Run Off.

Tatiana Spotts, Katey Kelly, Stephanie Zeady all received All-American Awards as well.

Congrats to both teams for representing the Gamecocks so well!