The Verdict: South Carolina must figure out the fix on defense

South Carolina football superfan Chris Paschal writes a weekly column during the season for GamecockCentral called “The Verdict.” Chris is a lawyer at Goings Law Firm in Columbia.

If Florida’s offense can cause a man to kick a cooler with enough force to break his foot, I fear to know what Missouri’s offense will do to our South Carolina coaching staff and players.

Last Saturday was nothing short of abysmal. For yet another week, our defense was shredded to pieces.  Save the first three drives of the second half, Carolina’s defense was once again outmatched, and this time within the confines of Williams-Brice Stadium. Why Carolina refused to put a cornerback on Ricky Pearsall, I will never understand. Why Carolina defenders continue to run past the quarterback when rushing the passer, I will never understand. 

I wrote last week that Carolina needed to find an alpha-type, DJ Swearinger-like leader on the defense. Following last week’s performance, we still have not found that player. Last week, I wrote the defense needed to be fixed. This week I am wondering whose fault it is that it hasn’t been. 

The issue is that Carolina’s defense went from pedestrian in 2022 to atrocious in 2023. Few defenses in the country have played as poorly as Carolina has this season. That’s the reality we live in six games into the season. We have an offense that for the most part has performed at a high level and kept us in almost every game. We have a defense that can take a win and turn it into a loss. But again, I ask, why is this the case? 

Why has the pass defense, the pride of the Carolina defense (if not roster), collapsed? Why are opposing running backs still averaging roughly five yards per carry? Why can no defenders get home on crucial pass-rushing situations? 

Clayton White’s final two defenses at Western Kentucky (according to my quick research) finished 24^th and 27^th ranked nationally. He has called good defenses in the past. Carolina has found ways to win football games with its defense under Clayton White. In 2021, Carolina doesn’t win the ECU or Auburn game without its defense. The ten-win Kentucky Wildcats were held to 16 points that season, a feat only topped by Georgia. In 2022, Carolina’s pass defense helped win the Tennessee and Clemson games, and in many ways won the Kentucky and A&M games. Clayton White has shown that he can coach a competent defense. What has changed this season? 

Surely losing Pickens, Burch, Smith, Rush, Edmond, and Kaba have hurt. Some drop off when you have so many talented starters leave your roster is expected. But we can’t stop Florida on three separate fourth downs? That’s what fans are supposed to expect from Boogie and Tonka and Debo and Stone and Nick and DQ and Dial? I just find that hard to believe. 

In 2022, a late-season offensive renaissance occurred when South Carolina completely shifted its playcalling style. I have no idea if that is possible or even helpful for this 2023 defense. But Carolina must find the weak spot and address it. 

Is it talent? Then you must recruit better. Right now, Carolina has ZERO defensive tackles committed and only one (albeit, the best in the country) defensive end/edge prospect committed. The offensive line has struggled (although improving almost weekly). So, what was done by this staff? The 2023 and 2024 classes are loaded with blue chip offensive line recruits. Carolina needs help at cornerback. This staff just flipped Jalewis Solomon and isn’t done yet. Fred Johnson and Wendell Gregory are two long, rangy linebackers that will bolster that position group. The same needs to be done about the defensive line. 

Is it coaching? If so, a change needs to be made this offseason (if not sooner). One of the reasons I was so supportive of the hiring of Shane Beamer is because he had so many connections in the coaching industry. Beamer secured a rising star in Justin Stepp. He secured a coaching legend in Torrian Gray. He secured unproven guys like Sterling Lucas and Travian Robertson who overcome their lack of experience with a tenacity to both teach and learn. He secured a recruiting juggernaut in Jody Wright. And what can you say about coordinators Dowell Loggains and Pete Lembo. 

But he missed on Satterfield. A miss that somehow hindered a Carolina program that still overachieved. If he missed on Clayton White, then he needs to hire a coach that can utilize the talent on the current roster while finding a way to recruit even more blue-chippers.

If he did not miss on Clayton White, then some type of soul-searching needs to be done and done soon. Satterfield’s old, worn-out line of “we’re close” only turned out to be true when he didn’t have a stranglehold on the offense.

The defense can’t just keep saying “we have to play better.” Everyone knows that. Figure out who or what the issue is and fix it before Carolina fans lose faith that it will ever be fixed. 

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