Marcus Satterfield, Shane Beamer address offensive inconsistencies

Describing South Carolina’s offensive play this season as a rollercoaster doesn’t seem to do it justice.

The Gamecocks have had high highs, and low lows on the offensive side of the ball this year, and it’s been even more evident in recent weeks.

After a big win over Texas A&M where the team averaged 4.8 yards per play, South Carolina turned around and averaged 3.4 in a loss to Missouri.

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The following week the Gamecocks ticked back up the track again, beating Vanderbilt and boasting an impressive 7.8 yards per play. But true to the nature of the second half of the season, South Carolina came speeding back down and averaged just 4.7 on the road last week.

Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield described the performance in the Gainvesille as “unacceptable,” especially the time where South Carolina committed three turnovers in five plays.

“It was not a good night for us on offense, we started off slow,” Satterfield said. “Collectively as a group the way we executed, the way that we performed, was not the standard which we try to play to.”

Injuries to the running back room have hurt a team that had appeared to finally find its identity, and it was evident in the Florida game.

With no Marshawn Lloyd or Christan Beal-Smith, Jaheim Bell and Juju McDowell had to take on the brunt of the work. South Carolina only ran for 44 yards and averaged 1.91 yards per carry.

The problem at Florida ultimately came when the passing game couldn’t step up when the running game faltered. Spencer Rattler only threw for 145 yards in the game but was going into the final drive with less than 100 yards to his name.

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Satterfield said the team is now being forced to “reshape” its identity around the players available.

“Our identity now becomes a team that can throw the ball and runs the ball with Spencer (Rattler) out there, that can have the availability to put (Dakereon Joyner) out there, that has the availability to have a playmaker like Jaheim (Bell) at receiver, a guy like Jaheim at running back, a guy like Adkins that does a little bit of everything, a guy like Stogner that can work in the middle of the field,” Satterfield said.

Satterfield added that the offense’s identity transcends the playing field.

“I think our identity is more of our mindset, more so than what you see on the field,” Satterfield said. “I think it’s just a tough mindset willing to do whatever it takes, no matter how hard or how long it takes to try and get things done.”

Mistakes also played a big role in the loss to Florida – and Missouri too. South Carolina shot itself in the foot several times in the game with big turnovers and a lack of offensive consistency.

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As for how the Gamecocks go about fixing those, Shane Beamer said it’s still a week-to-week process.

“Each week is different. You always, after every game, step back and say ‘ok what were the issues yesterday and why were they the issues.’,” Beamer said. “Was it we couldn’t hold onto the ball and turned the ball over too much? Well, we need to spend a little more time on ball security – which we do a ton of already in practice, to begin with.”

There may not appear to be a tried and true formula to fix the inconsistencies in South Carolina’s offense right now, but Beamer stressed the importance of taking of keeping things simple.

“Just not trying to constantly reinvent the wheel either,” Beamer said. “Let’s continue to try and raise the floor of where we are and continue to try and be better. And it might mean tweak this and tweak that but it’s not all of the sudden wholesale changes each week schematically.”

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