Zach Pickens: "We though we arrived at 5-2"

[18IsTheMan]

It's been a treasure trove of sound bites from today's presser. This one is a gem from Pickens.

"What we showed last week wasn't us. I feel like we relaxed a lot because we thought we arrived at 5-2. We didn't attack it how we should've. Got embarrassed."

You thought your team had "arrived" with a 5-2 record?

 

[Prestonyte]

Should know better. And I know Beamer drilled it during the week not to let the last win go to your head. Should have taken that to heart and been fired up to keep it going. Should be embarrassed to admit this.

 

[freddy1914]

Please keep in mind the team had won 6 games in 2years prior to last season. It's plausible to feel they have arrived at 5-2. I understand.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Please keep in mind the team had won 6 games in 2years prior to last season. It's plausible to feel they have arrived at 5-2. I understand.

I don't really understand it, but it's a tough lesson to have to learn. That mindset is what separates championship teams from the rest. You never feel like you arrive.

 

[Cock-n-Lateral]

I don't know if any of you caught this, but in Rattler's post-game presser after A&M he said, "when are we going to be ranked?" I thought, really? Especially with the way our offense had been playing. That drive near the end of that game was one of the few decent drives our offense has had all year. Of all the things they should be focused on, ranking should not even be on the list.

 

[KingWard]

It's been a treasure trove of sound bites from today's presser. This one is a gem from Pickens.

"What we showed last week wasn't us. I feel like we relaxed a lot because we thought we arrived at 5-2. We didn't attack it how we should've. Got embarrassed."

You thought your team had "arrived" with a 5-2 record?

How pathetic.

 

[Uscg1984]

I don't really understand it, but it's a tough lesson to have to learn. That mindset is what separates championship teams from the rest. You never feel like you arrive.

I agree 100%, but I also think that is a lesson that often has to be learned. I think certain individuals are born with that "never satisfied" spirit, but I think groups have to learn it. I think Pickens is acknowledging that lesson is being learned.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I agree 100%, but I also think that is a lesson that often has to be learned. I think certain individuals are born with that "never satisfied" spirit, but I think groups have to learn it. I think Pickens is acknowledging that lesson is being learned.

Yep. To me, that’s a big part of what makes things like what Nick Saban has done at Alabama so stinking impressive. Most years he’s been there, he takes a group of guys who go into the season knowing they’re gonna be favored in every single game they play. Yet, for the most part, he’s managed to keep them focused and motivated gameafter game year after year. It also makes me kind of sad because you stop to think that they have that mindset while we were ready to take the foot off the gas at five and two. But, like you said, lesson learned. I hope it sticks.

 

[jkc4USC]

It's been a treasure trove of sound bites from today's presser. This one is a gem from Pickens.

"What we showed last week wasn't us. I feel like we relaxed a lot because we thought we arrived at 5-2. We didn't attack it how we should've. Got embarrassed."

You thought your team had "arrived" with a 5-2 record?

Yep, and this is the exact vibe I mentioned I got when I showed up at the stadium Saturday. I said in an earlier post the whole vibe just felt off and the crowd and team felt flat. What little excitement there was felt
contrived and forced. It felt like everyone showed up just to get the win so they could go home.

 

[Cocky99]

The team was not prepared mentally or schematically to be out there. The fan vibe from what I saw on TV was not right either. Weird thing to watch.

 

[Forkcock]

That's why people needed to be benched for a few series. I said it during the game, we were flat. Put people in that want to play.

 

[Prestonyte]

That's why people needed to be benched for a few series. I said it during the game, we were flat. Put people in that want to play.

Yes, why not put Doty in to see if he can give offense a spark or even just a change of pace? Nothing to lose but could gain a lot.

 

[18IsTheMan]

The team was not prepared mentally or schematically to be out there. The fan vibe from what I saw on TV was not right either. Weird thing to watch.

It was a perfect storm. Boring opponent, following an exciting win, bad start time, recently ranked. We just weren't mentally tough enough to handle all that at once.

 

[Spinal Tap]

Yes, why not put Doty in to see if he can give offense a spark or even just a change of pace? Nothing to lose but could gain a lot.

"And Doty connects with Bell again!". Sounds good to me. Let's get rolling with a new group of "personnel packages".

 

[athenscock3]

Nobody has arrived in the SEC and certainly not a program like ours struggling to get out of the bottom feeders. Well maybe Georgia has arrived but they dang sure don’t play like they feel like they have arrived.

 

[ConwayGamecock]

It was a perfect storm. Boring opponent, following an exciting win, bad start time, recently ranked. We just weren't mentally tough enough to handle all that at once.

And that was what was wrong: what is "boring" about ANY opponent for a team that's been 40-42 over the past 7 seasons, including this one? South Carolina was ONLY 5-2 because of beating teams like Georgia State, Charlotte, and South Carolina State. THOSE teams weren't "boring" enough to keep the team from getting up for them. The Gamecocks came into their game with Missouri 2-2 in conference play, and NO ONE "arrives" anywhere 2-2.

Not saying that the perfect storm you speak of couldn't have very well have happened, but if it did that's a HUGE failure on the coaching staff's part in preparing the team to take each game as important as the most important game on the schedule, because at this stage of climbing out of the hole of mediocrity, each game IS that game.

I have all this memory of losses to Navy, East Carolina etc. where players afterwards admitted they didn't take their opponent seriously enough. That is one of the most South Carolina Gamecocks things about the history of our collegiate sports, especially football. It's where I got a personal issue with it today: PLEASE do NOT tell the public/media about this - just keep it to yourselves in the lockerroom, and privately learn the error in your misjudgements so that you don't have those ever again. It's the coaching staff's responsibility to see to it that the team doesn't. But every time this happens, and a player has to go tell the media "we didn't take them seriously" with the history of OUR program, is so, so sad. Steve Spurrier-level "sad"......

 

[gcockwin]

When you're constantly patted on the back and being clapped to death on basic plays, simply going out there and doing your job, you tend to get a false sense of entitlement. Teams take on the personality and attitude of it's HC.

 

[18IsTheMan]

And that was what was wrong: what is "boring" about ANY opponent for a team that's been 40-42 over the past 7 seasons, including this one? South Carolina was ONLY 5-2 because of beating teams like Georgia State, Charlotte, and South Carolina State. THOSE teams weren't "boring" enough to keep the team from getting up for them. The Gamecocks came into their game with Missouri 2-2 in conference play, and NO ONE "arrives" anywhere 2-2.

Not saying that the perfect storm you speak of couldn't have very well have happened, but if it did that's a HUGE failure on the coaching staff's part in preparing the team to take each game as important as the most important game on the schedule, because at this stage of climbing out of the hole of mediocrity, each game IS that game.

I have all this memory of losses to Navy, East Carolina etc. where players afterwards admitted they didn't take their opponent seriously enough. That is one of the most South Carolina Gamecocks things about the history of our collegiate sports, especially football. It's where I got a personal issue with it today: PLEASE do NOT tell the public/media about this - just keep it to yourselves in the lockerroom, and privately learn the error in your misjudgements so that you don't have those ever again. It's the coaching staff's responsibility to see to it that the team doesn't. But every time this happens, and a player has to go tell the media "we didn't take them seriously" with the history of OUR program, is so, so sad. Steve Spurrier-level "sad"......

Oh, I fully agree. I just mean it was a perfect storm b/c I sensed all week that the environment would end up being just what it was for all the factors involved. We'd just come off playing A&M, who most thought we had a realistic shot of beating for the first time ever. We played them at night when the place was hopping with the State Fair going on across the street. Everyone, fans and players, were amped up for that game. There was just no way we were going to be as emotionally invested in playing Missouri at 4 pm the next week. It turned out to be the case. The stadium wasn't nearly as raucous. The players were flat as a pancake. Some games just have that "feel" to them. Nobody's into it and you can feel it coming through the tv. All of that combined with the danger of being overconfident from our win streak and recent ranking, just added up to defeat.

Reality is, if not for the crowd, we lose to A&M. They're directly responsible for 7 points we scored and for creating so many false start penalties for A&M that caused their drives to stall out. Our offense didn't win that game for us since they didn't even make an appearance until midway through the 3rd quarter.

And, you're right that 2-2 is a more accurate assessment of where we were than 5-2.

 

[18IsTheMan]

When you're constantly patted on the back and being clapped to death on basic plays, simply going out there and doing your job, you tend to get a false sense of entitlement. Teams take on the personality and attitude of it's HC.

Beamer is definitely a positive guy. He's just not gonna say critical things publicly. That much is obvious. Can you imagine what SOS would be saying if the offense only managed 203 yards? I'd pay money to hear that. I'm not saying Beamer needs to be Spurrier. He's got to be who he is. And, maybe behind closed doors it's a different story, but sometimes guys need a kick in the pants. Maybe he doesn't feel like he's got enough weight to do that, having coached only 21 games. SOS obviously had enough clout to say whatever he wanted to whoever he wanted.

 

[The Reel Ess]

Along with being a Gamecock comes a limitless capacity for embarrassment.

 

[Harvard Gamecock]

It was a perfect storm. Boring opponent, following an exciting win, bad start time, recently ranked. We just weren't mentally tough enough to handle all that at once.

I can partially accept (and just partially) two of your statements, "recently ranked", "following an exciting win", but the boring team and bad start time are completely inexcusable.

 

[Lurker123]

I can partially accept (and just partially) two of your statements, "recently ranked", "following an exciting win", but the boring team and bad start time are completely inexcusable.

Especially considering the recent record with Missouri.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I can partially accept (and just partially) two of your statements, "recently ranked", "following an exciting win", but the boring team and bad start time are completely inexcusable.

No doubt. Not saying it was justified, but I think there was that sentiment. They'd just struggled to beat Vandy at home and everyone thought their offense was supposed to suck.

Missouri is the new Kentucky.

 

[GoCocksFight2021]

Beamer is definitely a positive guy. He's just not gonna say critical things publicly. That much is obvious. Can you imagine what SOS would be saying if the offense only managed 203 yards? I'd pay money to hear that. I'm not saying Beamer needs to be Spurrier. He's got to be who he is. And, maybe behind closed doors it's a different story, but sometimes guys need a kick in the pants. Maybe he doesn't feel like he's got enough weight to do that, having coached only 21 games. SOS obviously had enough clout to say whatever he wanted to whoever he wanted.

You don't have to imagine. After Spurrier had 173 yards of total offense against Florida in his 4th year, he said.

"We got clobbered this year. I don't know what we could have done differently except to try to keep things close."

 

[18IsTheMan]

You don't have to imagine. After Spurrier had 173 yards of total offense against Florida in his 4th year, he said.

"We got clobbered this year. I don't know what we could have done differently except to try to keep things close."

Good job to ignore any relevant context. That game was in Gainesville against a UF squad that was ranked #4 coming into the game, was top 10 in both scoring offense and scoring defense, featured the reigning Heisman winner and would go on to win the title that year.

Now tell me, how exactly does that game compares to the Missouri game at home?

It's actually more of an indictment that we could go put up 173 yards in Gainesville against the #4 team in the country but could only muster 200 yards at home against Mizzou.

As to SOS's comment, he knew when he was licked and we had no shot of winning a game. There was zero chance of winning in 2008. He wasn't as upset that game because he knew the outcome was inevitable. Again, no comparison to the Missouri game.

 

[GoCocksFight2021]

Good job to ignore any relevant context. That game was in Gainesville against a UF squad that was ranked #4 coming into the game, was top 10 in both scoring offense and scoring defense, featured the reigning Heisman winner and would go on to win the title that year.

Now tell me, how exactly does that game compares to the Missouri game at home?

You wanted to know what Spurrier would say. Well, I just told you, about an even worse performance.

And Tebow didn't play defense. Missouri is VERY GOOD on defense. If you don't believe that, you haven't been paying attention.

 

[18IsTheMan]

You wanted to know what Spurrier would say. Well, I just told you, about an even worse performance.

And Tebow didn't play defense. Missouri is VERY GOOD on defense. If you don't believe that, you haven't been paying attention.

Again, way to ignore all other context. The 2008 game was actually probably a better performance considering the overall caliber of the opponent and the location of the game. 173 yards AT Florida against the #4 team is a better showing than 203 yards at home against a Mizzou team that allowed 308 yards to Abilene Christian.

As to Spurrier's comment, again, you have to conveniently ignore all context relating to the opponent.

 

[GoCocksFight2021]

Again, way to ignore all other context. The 2008 game was actually probably a better performance considering the overall caliber of the opponent and the location of the game. 173 yards AT Florida against the #4 team is a better showing than 203 yards at home against a Mizzou team that allowed 308 yards to Abilene Christian.

As to Spurrier's comment, again, you have to conveniently ignore all context relating to the opponent.

Not really. That same Florida team gave up 317 yards to the Citadel the very next game.

Either way, the point doesn't hinge on context. It was a very bad offensive performance against a very good defense. And that was in Spurrier's FOURTH year. Spurrier understood that, and that's why he didn't lose his s**t like you suggested he would with a bad offensive performance.

 

[GoCocksFight2021]

And there are other examples. What about 205 yards are total offense against UConn in 2009? Year FIVE.

Y'all forget how bad our offense was under Spurrier at time and how long it took him to get it going. I wouldn't fault Beamer if he wanted to make a change, which I really doubt he does, but people need to stop acting like this is a some crazy scenario that has never happened here before. Struggling offenses are pretty much the rule, not the exception.

 

[Taco73]

It's been a treasure trove of sound bites from today's presser. This one is a gem from Pickens.

"What we showed last week wasn't us. I feel like we relaxed a lot because we thought we arrived at 5-2. We didn't attack it how we should've. Got embarrassed."

You thought your team had "arrived" with a 5-2 record?

That's what can catch you. Hopefully they will learn to keep the foot on the gas. It did look like the Defense wasn't itself but it still played well enough to win.

 

[Lurker123]

Good job to ignore any relevant context. That game was in Gainesville against a UF squad that was ranked #4 coming into the game, was top 10 in both scoring offense and scoring defense, featured the reigning Heisman winner and would go on to win the title that year.

Now tell me, how exactly does that game compares to the Missouri game at home?

It's actually more of an indictment that we could go put up 173 yards in Gainesville against the #4 team in the country but could only muster 200 yards at home against Mizzou.

As to SOS's comment, he knew when he was licked and we had no shot of winning a game. There was zero chance of winning in 2008. He wasn't as upset that game because he knew the outcome was inevitable. Again, no comparison to the Missouri game.

You're letting facts get in the way of emotion.

 

[Lurker123]

I wouldn't fault Beamer if he wanted to make a change, which I really doubt he does,

Good to see you're coming around. You've gone from adamant it wouldn't happen to you "wouldn't fault Beamer" for firing him.

Pretty soon, you'll be calling it the right choice and even blaming Satterfield for all the next guy's problems.

 

[Senior Rooster]

The team was not prepared mentally or schematically to be out there. The fan vibe from what I saw on TV was not right either. Weird thing to watch.

Coaching

 

[MrCockStrong]

It's been a treasure trove of sound bites from today's presser. This one is a gem from Pickens.

"What we showed last week wasn't us. I feel like we relaxed a lot because we thought we arrived at 5-2. We didn't attack it how we should've. Got embarrassed."

You thought your team had "arrived" with a 5-2 record?

What
the
entire
HELL?

 

[GarnetCheese]

When you're constantly patted on the back and being clapped to death on basic plays, simply going out there and doing your job, you tend to get a false sense of entitlement. Teams take on the personality and attitude of it's HC.

Clapped to death...LOL...I think many times he's not celebrating he's encouraging. We Gamecocks are a fickle bunch. We berated a tear em down coach in basketball, we berate a build em up coach in football, and we berate a stoic coach in baseball.

 

[Forkcock]

We not only didn’t arrive, the train didn’t even pull out of the station.

 

[GatorlandGamecock]

We not only didn’t arrive, the train didn’t even pull out of the station.

Nope, like always we missed the train that would have taken us to a good place. Now we're on a train heading towards disaster. Could happen with Candy, probably happen with Florida, and definitely happen with Tennessee and Clemsux. We have been on this train many times in the past and this time we want to throw the conductor off the train. We should at least wait till we get to the station and let him off.

 

[GoCocksFight2021]

Good to see you're coming around. You've gone from adamant it wouldn't happen to you "wouldn't fault Beamer" for firing him.

Pretty soon, you'll be calling it the right choice and even blaming Satterfield for all the next guy's problems.

I still don't think it happens. But I support coach in his decisions, just like I did last year. Nothing has changed.

 

[GoCocksFight2021]

You're letting facts get in the way of emotion.

173 yards. That's the facts. His quotes are the facts. You are the one that seems to be hung up talking about emotions all the time.

 

[Lurker123]

I still don't think it happens. But I support coach in his decisions, just like I did last year. Nothing has changed.

Well, it's a slow turn for you. Adamant it wouldn't happen at all, now you "don't think", and you "wouldn't fault beamer" for doing it.

Eventually you'll come fully around.