Gamecocks preaching turnovers again

Schematically, there could be some things that change this year for the Gamecock defense. New players will get chances to get snaps, a few guys will become household names this year in year three under Will Muschamp.

But one thing will stay the same, and that’s the Gamecocks’ desire to rip the ball out any chance they get.

“You read the Bible every day? Our bible in football is turnovers and we do it every day,” defensive line coach Lance Thompson said. “Without a doubt, we coach as a staff turnovers and creating takeaways better than any place I’ve been. And I’ve been on some damn good staffs with damn good coaches.”

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The Gamecocks have made a living off getting the ball off teams under Muschamp, forcing 28 turnovers—best in the SEC—and had a plus-11 turnover margin, second in the SEC behind only Alabama.

The lofty turnover numbers aren’t by accident. The team has footballs sticking off the wall in the hallways outside meeting rooms and players will get a chance when they’re walking by to practice different turnover-forcing techniques like ripping and punching.

And that isn’t going to change whenever the Gamecocks take the field this season.

“That’s a part of the culture of the program. It’s not just turnovers for the defense; it’s the turnover ratio. If our offense gives it away five times and we take it away four, we still lost. That ain’t good enough,” defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson said. “Our number one goal around here is the ball.”

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Turnovers aren’t just preached on the practice field or in hallways between team rooms, the practice is put into place during meetings and, maybe most important, in film study.

Defensive team meetings always start with the players saying, “ball out,” which means two things: play well and make sure the offense leaves the field without the ball.

“I don’t think there’s been a day that’s gone by where I haven’t heard that in a meeting,” linebacker T.J. Brunson said.

In film study, Robinson and the other defensive coaches point out “violators” on the other team that are turnover prone.

Violators are characterized as someone who carries the ball loose and isn’t expecting defenders to punch the ball out.

In the film room, players have to dissect different parts of film and say which method would be the best at getting the ball out at a certain point.

“We don’t just say, ‘hey man let’s get a turnover.’ That ain’t what we do. We name them,” Robinson said. “It’s amazing to watch tape with our guys and we’ll see a guy and point out violators after every game saying that guy’s a violator, he doesn’t take care of the ball the right way. Then when we’re watching tape we’ll say we missed a punch opportunity.”

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This year, the Gamecocks are fully planning on adopting the same turnover-based, opportunistic defensive style again because if it isn’t broke, why fix it?

There’s no turnover bucket like there was last year, but it doesn’t matter for guys who have been in the program.

“We practice it so much that it becomes natural,” Steven Montac said. “It’s natural to me.”