For the first time in four seasons, Georgia prepares to face South Carolina without having to worry about Jadeveon Clowney, the terrorizing pass rusher who was the No. 1 pick of this year’s NFL draft.
“You sleep a little bit better at night, I guess,” Georgia quarterback Hutson Mason said.
The early departures of Clowney and two other All-SEC defensive players — tackle Kelcy Quarles and cornerback Victor Hampton — have taken a toll on the Gamecocks. After ranking 19th nationally in total defense last season, they rank 120th of 124 FBS teams through two games this season, allowing 566.5 yards per game.
You got the feeling that South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier was missing Clowney and company when, during a teleconference with reporters Sunday, he broke into a bit of play-by-play on an NFL game he was watching at the time.
“I’ve got the Houston Texans on,” said Spurrier, naming Clowney’s team. “(The Washington Redskins) ran a reverse toward Clowney. He checked out the running back, and then he went and chased down the reverse guy. So he’s making plays all over the field, just to let you guys know.”
(Later in that game, Clowney suffered a knee injury that will sideline him four to six weeks.)
Clowney’s move to the NFL is appreciated by Georgia offensive players as they study film of South Carolina’s first two games — a 52-28 loss to Texas A&M followed by a 33-23 win over East Carolina. The Gamecocks’ defense allowed 680 yards (511 passing) against A&M and 453 yards (321 passing) against East Carolina and, notably, recorded one sack in the two games.
“That’s really … the only thing I see that’s different, losing Clowney,” Georgia wide receiver Chris Conley said. “He’s an extremely explosive guy. He can make tons of plays. He can run from sideline to sideline.
“Other than that, they have put different personnel in … who have ability, who can play. Some of them are younger, so they’re still learning. But when they get that down, they’re going to be a dangerous defense as well. … I noticed in the second game, by the time they got to halftime, they played with much more confidence and played a lot faster.”
Spurrier agreed the Gamecocks’ defense improved against East Carolina — but not enough.
“We’ve got players not playing their assignment very well,” Spurrier said. “I think that’s the biggest thing.
“We’ve got the same defensive coaches that were considered pretty good coaches last year, and now all of a sudden we can’t get the other team off the field very well.”
Schematically, Georgia’s run-fueled offense is different from the two pass-happy attacks the Gamecocks have faced.
“You can’t say they’re going to play us like they played Texas A&M,” Georgia center David Andrews said. “We don’t do a lot of the same stuff Texas A&M does.”
“They’ve played spread teams, and they don’t really match up too well against spread teams,” tailback Todd Gurley said. “What we do is what fits them best.”
Of course, Georgia could vary what it does and use its spread package more, although injuries at wide receiver complicate that idea.
Gurley had 132 yards rushing in a 41-30 win over South Carolina in Athens last season, but only 39 yards in a 35-7 loss in Columbia two years ago. Gurley called the 2012 game “a nightmare come true” and recalled the role of a certain 6-foot-5, 266-pound defensive end: “That Clowney, man, I just couldn’t get away from him.”
Clowney had three sacks and forced two fumbles in his first two games against Georgia, but slowed by a foot injury, had a quiet game last season (one sack, only one other solo tackle). Georgia players, especially the quarterback, are glad he has moved on.
“Yeah, I’m fine with it,” Mason said with a smile.
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