Defense comes up big with its back against the wall

The already-thin Gamecock secondary took a big blow late into the first quarter. Josh Dobbs busted a big run, it was later called back due to holding, and on the play Chris Lammons was ejected for throwing two punches at a Tennessee wide receiver.

South Carolina’s would be without one of its starting cornerbacks and the team leader in interceptions.

“I said a quick prayer to myself,” head coach Will Muscahmp said. “I said ‘I hope we don’t lose another corner ‘cause we ain’t got none.”

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Muschamp’s prayer was answered, sort of. The Gamecocks didn’t lose another corner but safety D.J. Smith was ejected after a targeting penalty in the fourth quarter, leaving the Gamecocks without two of their starters in the secondary.

But with the help of Jamarcus King and the two players to come in for Lammons and Smith, the defense was able to stifle Tennessee offensively to hold on to a 24-21 win.

“Chris made a mistake; he lost his temper. You got to keep your cool in those situations,” Muschamp said. But Rashad Fenton came in and did a nice job against some bigger receivers.”

Jamarcus King, who’s been solid all year for South Carolina (4-4, 2-4 SEC) came up with two big interceptions Saturday, picking off Dobbs in the second quarter in a tie game and again when the Volunteers were trying to tie the game late in the fourth quarter.

Playing without Lammons, who’s started opposite King for the last five games, he finished second on the team with five tackles.

Fenton and Steven Montac, who came in for the two ejected players, registered a combined five tackles, half a sack and a pass break up. Montac was clutch late in the game, breaking up a pass early in the fourth quarter to force a Tennessee punt.

“I pretty much told the corners we had to step up and the next man up has to make plays. I mean, the ball came my way and I made a play,” King said. “Basically we was playing for Chris.”

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Playing with its back against the wall for the majority of the game, the Gamecocks had to nurse a thin lead against a resilient Tennessee offense all night.

They responded well to the challenge, giving up just 297 total yards to a Vol offense averaging almost 400 yards a game. It was the lowest yardage allowed since Vanderbilt Sept. 1 when they gave up 242 yards.

The 136 rushing yards allowed was the lowest since East Carolina’s 119 total rushing yards on Sept. 17.

Muschamp credited that not to an abundance of talent but to “mental intensity.”

“We’re not going to roll our hat out there and win if we don’t’ have mental intensity,” he said. “We’re just not. That’s not where we are right now. If our guys go out and play with mental intensity then we can play with anybody.”

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The Gamecocks are now two wins away from the elusive sixth win and bowl eligibility, needing two wins the last four weeks of the season to clinch a postseason berth for the first time in two years.

They’ll have to do it against Missouri, Florida, Western Carolina or Clemson. Even though the Gamecocks responded with their backs against the wall Saturday, it’s still a long way to go before defensive dominance according to Muschamp.

“We’ve improved, but we’re not where we need to be,” he said. “That’s the bottom line. I just call it like it is.”