It's not hype. South Carolina will win the SEC East for the first time ever this season thanks to an Ol' Ball Coach embracing new offensive philosophies and a true freshman running back. Steve Spurrier has found a work horse in Marcus Lattimore and with the SEC East is the weakest it's been this millennium, that opens the door for the Gamecocks to make history.
I watched Lattimore live up to billing as being a big time back coming out of high school as he lit up Georgia. He punished the Bulldogs, no defensive slouch, with powerful inside the tackle runs. 182 yards and 2 touchdowns in your SEC debut? I don't care if you're playing traditional doormat Vanderbilt, that's impressive. Spurrier rode the kid out with more than 20 carries in the first half and 37 for the game. His longest run of the game (24 yards) came in the fourth quarter when he and the 'Cocks offensive line had worn out the Georgia defense. Evidently the kid gets stronger as the game goes on because he had a burst on his long run of the day. He won't last if he's carrying the ball that often every week, but as introductions go, Lattimore let everyone know that SEC's best freshman resides in Columbia, S.C.
You know Spurrier would much rather beat teams with the passing game that made him famous at Florida. Instead he's adapting to his talent. Running a spread offense that's built around Lattimore will keep the Gamecocks in a lot of games. It's not the fun and gun from his Gators days, but it's good enough to keep up with a Tebow-less Gators squad and rebuilding Tennessee team. South Carolina SEC East champs. It's feels strange writing it, it look strange on the screen, but it's exactly what's in the works. The chickens are tough.
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