Juju McDowell confident in his play, what offense can do moving forward
It was coming at some point. Juju McDowell was not going to be kept quiet the entire year.
Through five games, McDowell had been virtually non-existent in South Carolina’s offense. He only had 14 carries for 18 yards and a touchdown, a far cry from his role last year.
But on Saturday, McDowell seemingly came out of nowhere and returned to his old self.
“I was more conscious coming off the bye week with my role, trying to be more precise and helping the team. But it was the same thing we do every other week: just go out there and play ball,” he said.
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Late in the first quarter, McDowell came into the game and made an immediate impact. He took a handoff from Spencer Rattler and ran up the gut and into the end zone for a 17-yard touchdown to give the Gamecocks the lead.
As the game wore on, Florida and South Carolina kept trading shots, neither team able to fully take control. Then, at the start of the fourth quarter, McDowell caught a three-yard pass from Rattler for a second touchdown. This time, it was the start of the Gamecocks taking what would go onto be a 10-point lead.
But in the end, they couldn’t hold on. Florida came roaring back in the final minutes and won decisively, 41-39.
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While the loss stung, it was a step in the right direction for McDowell. His chances weren’t plentiful but when he got the ball he made the most of it.
“I have the same amount of confidence, if not even more now,” McDowell said. “I’ve seen trials and testimony we’ve been through over the past few years…I feel great about the rest of the season, honestly.”
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Couple his play with Mario Anderson continuing to run the ball well, and South Carolina has what could be a strong running backs room moving forward.
“It’s everything we need as an offense,” McDowell said. “But it also compliments the defense. The more plays, the more explosive plays we create on offense, the better the defense has time to game plan and better adjustments they can make.”
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It was another strong game for Anderson, who ran 121 total yards and a touchdown. He’s now ran for at least 88 yards or more in his past three games.
“He’s just playing his game. So as long as he does what he does, then we’re going to be alright,” McDowell said. “And when we protect (Spencer Rattler), everything’s going to be fine.”
