There was a moment during Saturday’s game where Marcus Satterfield got the sense the Gamecocks’ run game was slowly but surely coming along.

After a run past the line to gain, while the chains were being set up, center Eric Douglas popped up and signaled first down. A few weeks ago, something like that would have been far from expected, but it wasn’t Saturday and now it’s up to the Gamecocks to build on it moving forward.

“We’ve been stressing to our line to just develop a personality and let it go. Relax and let it go, and I finally saw them playing with energy,” Satterfield said. “We still had our share of MAs and missed assignments and didn’t execute the block exactly how it was but they played with such great energy and confidence.”

The Gamecocks had their best day by far on the ground in a 40-17 win, going off for 284 yards and 6.8 yards per carry with three backs averaging at least 6.5 yards per attempt: MarShawn Lloyd (6.6), Kevin Harris (8.0) and ZaQuandre White (8.5).

A run game marred by stuffed runs or rushes losing yardage didn’t have a run for no gain or less and rattled off six of at least 12 yards in the win, and now it’s about doing the same against one of the worst rush defenses in the FBS.

Missouri is 125th out of 130 FBS teams in yards per carry allowed with teams averaging six yards per pop, something South Carolina is hoping to exploit.

“All along we knew we were a team that could run the ball against any team. Being able to get out there and play a good team like Florida and be able to do what we did is amazing,” Lloyd said. “It helped our offense out a lot. If we’re able to run the ball, we’re able to do anything. That’s what happened.”

While Satterfield said they didn’t run anything new or install a completely new run scheme, the Gamecocks ran 18 gap scheme runs to 22 zone blocked and incorporated a fullback into more runs.

“It’s fun. I feel like I’m free and can go hit somebody in the head, you know what I’m saying,” fullback Trai Jones said. “I think they have like maybe two runs for me. They haven’t done them yet, but hopefully they can do it for me one day.”

But it’s not just about establishing the run for South Carolina but stopping it on the other end.

The Gamecocks will need to contain Missouri’s Tyler Badie, one of the better backs in the SEC. This season Badie has a PFF grade of 82.4 and averaging 6.2 yards per carry with 40 missed tackles force and 27 runs of at least 10 yards.

South Carolina was fantastic stopping the run against Florida, in part because of great defensive line play but also because they brought the secondary in closer to the line to help in the run game.

Missouri likes to run more outside zone and stretch plays, and the secondary helping again will likely be similar this week.

“It’s a lot. Looking at the stuff, they like to run a lot of outside zone and stretch the D-line,” Cam Smith said. “Them actually running that zone and wanting to find a hole and cut. Being the flow players, set the edge and making sure we’re filling the gaps as needed.”

But, there is a vertical passing threat South Carolina needs to worry about under head Eli Drinkwitz, formally App State’s head coach and NC State offensive coordinator.

The Tiger offense is sixth in the SEC in pass plays of at least 10 yards and it’s something the Gamecocks will need to prepare for.

“It’s an offense that’s been productive over the years. Wherever coach Drink’s been it’s been a productive offense. They do a great job with formation shifts, getting guys the ball who they need to get the ball to,” said defensive coordinator Clayton White, who coached at NC State for a season with Drinkwitz.

“Just keep doing our thing. They do a lot of gadgets and a lot of other plays so we have to cover the whole field. It’s not like it’s just the run game; all three of those quarterbacks can throw. You have to respect that as well.”

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