Eric Douglas: Gator Bowl is 'not the height of this program'
Eric Douglas started his South Carolina career with a nine-win season and an Outback Bowl win. He probably thought it was going to be like that for the rest of his career.
But things change, and Douglas was part of two lean years where the Gamecocks only won six games in two seasons. But, as Douglas prepares for his final game at South Carolina, he can’t help but see the program trending in the right direction.
“This is the reason we came back. This is not the height of this program,” he said. “Far after we’re gone it’s going to keep rising and keep going up. That’s what we wanted to do.”
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Since Shane Beamer took over after the 2020 season, the Gamecocks are 15-10. They have a chance for another win in the Gator Bowl Friday afternoon (3:30 p.m., ESPN).
A win gives the Gamecocks just their second nine-win season over the last decade. It would give Beamer 16 wins in his first two seasons.
That would be the most of any South Carolina coach over his first two years. Will Muschamp, Steve Spurrier and Joe Morrison each won 15.
But, regardless of a positive result, Douglas is incredibly optimistic about the direction of the program under Beamer in large part because of the talent coming into the program.
The Gamecocks are coming off two wins over top-10 teams and just signed a recruiting class that currently ranks No. 16 nationally.
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“This is not the height of the program because you see what coach Beamer is bringing in. We got guys out there who were in high school two weeks ago out there looking like grown men,” he said. “Everything this man right here is building, a lot of people believe in it. If anybody out there doubts and says they’re a fan of this team, they’re not.”
Douglas was also complimentary of the culture around hte program and the team being able to fight back after a 1-2 start to finish 7-2 down the stretch with top-10 wins over Tennessee and Clemson.
“Just looking at what coach Beamer has built, everyone in the locker room believes in it. It shows. You see the enthusiasm and the fight and will we go out there with. Like Spencer (Rattler) said, they remember November and we went out there,” Douglas said. “A lot of the world didn’t believe in us. We knew what we had in that locker room…We threw out a lot of the trash that was going on.”
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South Carolina kicks off against Notre Dame in a little over 24 hours with a chance for another bowl win and to continue momentum heading into a pivotal offseason. If they do pull off a win and continue to trend upward, Beamer mentions it’ll be off the backs of guys like Douglas.
Douglas, Jovaughn Gwyn, Dakereon Joyner, Brad Johnson and others all came back to try and help improve the program. Beamer thinks they have.
“Anything we do from here on out is because of the foundation these guys laid and their leadership as well,” Beamer said. “This group will always be remembered here at South Carolina and rightfully so.”
