TJ Sanders: Gamecocks moving past 'week one shenanigans'
One of the critical goals for the South Carolina Gamecocks defense for the 2023 season is to improve at stopping the run.
In the first two games of the 2022 campaign – contests against Georgia State and Arkansas, USC gave up 200 yards (an average of 5 yards per run) and 295 yards (an average of 4.5 yards per rush), respectively.
Although a bit of a mixed bag so far in 2023, there have been some encouraging signs. The Gamecocks gave up 168 (4.3 yards per carry) to UNC in game one, then held Furman to 80 (2.6 yards per carry) on Saturday.
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USC defensive tackle TJ Sanders, stepping into a bigger role this season up front, believes he can already see the strides that Clayton White’s unit has made.
“Definitely,” Sanders said during a Monday appearance on The Garnet Trust Hour on 107.5 The Game. “The whole defense, for one, has bought into it, but the corners are now coming down. They know they can tackle. I feel like they’re trying to make more plays in that aspect. Our linebackers (have) been playing out of their mind, Stone and Debo.”
Looking back at the UNC game to open the year, there was some good and some bad for the Gamecocks defense. Tar Heels back Omarion Hampton gained just 37 yards on 2.3 per carry, but British Brooks went over 100 yards.
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Gamecocks defensive coordinator Clayton White said days later that defensive line coach Travian Robertson believed the interior linemen could have played with better technique, upon film review.
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“The technique was definitely something we could have played better with,” Sanders agreed. “I also just think it was something we all call week one shenanigans, you know, some things just sometimes they just don’t go your way. One team has to start 0 and 1, there’s no middle. We were just unfortunately the team that had to go 0 and 1.”
While the defense had some sloppy moments in the first half against Furman – a quality FCS opponent – it was a better overall showing.
Said Sanders: “I feel like we were more excited to put that on display, all the work we put
in from going back to winter leading up to now.”
The redshirt sophomore is now read for game three, his first trip to Athens, to take on Georgia.
“Excited for it,” he said. “I just feel like we all needed to get in the win column and just know and see who we can actually be this year as a team. We just need to win up front and the rest will take care of itself.”
