Entering the season, there were questions about how much more improved South Carolina's defense would be after being one of the worst in the league last season.

So far that unit's answered almost every question possible and is considered a top 50 defense by PFF this season with still room to grow under defensive coordinator Clayton White.

Overall, the defense is No. 29 in the country for yards given up per game, giving up an average of 300 each week. PFF ranks the South Carolina defense a grade of 79.3.

"We want to obviously improve our run defense and make sure we aren't giving up big plays," White said.

When it comes to the passing game, South Carolina has been able to lock down opponents for the most part. The Gamecocks have the 10th best pass rush defense in the country according to PFF, and the numbers back that up.

So far this season the Gamecocks are only giving up an average of 159.75 yards a game, last year they gave up 256.1 passing yards a game.

While the South Carolina pass defense has graded well, the run defense has done the opposite. The Gamecock run defense grade has progressively decreased through the first four weeks of the season, from 75.6 against Eastern Illinois to 55.2 against Kentucky.

After giving up the most rushing yards of the season to Kentucky, Defensive Coordinator Clayton White acknowledged the defense needed to make some changes.

Nickel's Carlins Platel and David Spaulding have been a bright spot though in the South Carolina run defense.

White said that while the two may still be new to the position their job is important.

"The run game aspect of the nickel is just as important as the pass game," White said. "So that's why I think we can improve and continue to harp on that with the nickel run game."

Platel has stood out in the run defense. PFF ranked him as the top run defender in the Kentucky game with a 83.8. Through this season Platel has an overall run defense grade of 91.7, putting him at the top of the entire Gamecock defense.

He is ninth on the team in totally tackles with 9 so far this season and has the second best PFF tackle rating on the team with a grade of 82.

Spaulding has an average PFF defensive grade of 62.8 but showed out during the Kentucky game. Spaulding's run defense grade was an 84.2, second only to Platel.

Spaulding also led the team in against Kentucky with the best tackle grade a 78.4.

RJ Roderick said Spaulding and Platel's improved, "saviness," has shown in their game since fall camp.

"Playing more intelligently, just playing more instinctively, being able to communicate better, familiarizing themselves with the playbook even more," Roderick said. "When they have the ability to make checks and make calls...it allows things to go smoother."

The South Carolina defense will need to make sure things run smoothly against the run game against Troy in order to ensure a victory Saturday night.

Roderick knows that while the defense is trending upwards, there is still room for improvement.

"We like what we're doing a lot," Roderick said. "We know we can do way better."

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