SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS FOOTBALL

Five games into the 2019 season, the South Carolina Gamecocks defensive philosophy may be shifting and the emergence of junior linebacker Sherrod Greene is a big reason why.

In the three-plus years that Will Muschamp has been at South Carolina, the Gamecocks have used a 4-3 look as their base defense, but have employed a nickel formation when opponents use three- and four-wide receiver sets.

That's a common defensive strategy and with most college football offenses using some variation of the spread offense, it's meant that the Gamecocks - and most defenses, for that matter - are in their nickel set more than their base

Against Kentucky, that thought process seemed to shift as the Gamecocks stayed in their three-linebacker formations, other than in obvious passing situations.

"I think we're moving towards playing more regular (4-3) defense with Sherrod Greene on the field and taking a DB off the field, even when they get into multiple-receiver formations, 11 personnel," defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson said Wednesday night. "I think that's a better lineup for us."

Generally speaking, South Carolina's defense employs four defensive linemen - a defensive end, two defensive tackles, and a hybrid BUCK position, which lines up either as a traditional defensive end or as a standup pass-rusher.

When in a 4-3, Carolina uses three linebackers, the WILL, MIKE and SAM with four defensive backs. When they shift to the nickel, the SAM linebacker is replaced by the nickelback, putting five defensive backs on the field.

"It all goes back to getting your best 11 on the field," head coach Will Muschamp said Saturday after the game. "I've always been a match-personnel guy. When they go three wideouts, you go nickel, when they go four, you go dime. We've always done that. We've always done that here.

"But it comes back to getting your best people on the field and right now, (the SAM linebackers) are playing better than (the extra defensive backs) are. So, right now, we're going to leave those guys out there and let them play."

That means more of Greene and more of backup SAM backer freshman Jahmar Brown.

Greene started all 13 games at the WILL linebacker spot as a sophomore last season to mixed results. But the move of senior T.J. Brunson to the WILL and sophomore Ernest Jones into the starting MIKE position this preseason, left Greene as the odd man out in the Gamecocks' nickel - or 4-2-5 alignment.

But Greene's play through the first five games of the season has forced the staff to consider ways to get him back on the field more.

"He's in a really good space," Robinson said. "He's a really good football player and we've been trying to get him on the field in different spots."

Greene says that he's found a comfort level within the defense that's allowing him to perform better.

"Knowing the players more, being out there, being able to play fast, knowing what to do," Greene said last week. "My footwork is better, keeping my vision, so I can know what the offense is doing as far as reading the pullers, so I can fit the gaps and do my responsibility. That's about it."

With this new-found comfort level, Greene has 13 tackles including 1.5 tackles-for-loss this season, but more importantly he's grading out better than a season ago. After posting a 57.0 grade from Pro Football Focus last season, Greene's grade so far this year is 75.5 grade, fourth-highest among defensive players in the regular rotation.

For that reason, fans can expect to see more of Greene and more of the Gamecocks' three linebackers on the field at the same time moving forward.

"For a long time, every time a team gets in 11 personnel (three receivers), 10 personnel (four receivers), we throw a nickel on the field, and teams are just not throwing it down the field as much anymore," Robinson said. "It's a lot of perimeter run game, it's a lot of perimeter screens, and (Greene's) such a problem for receivers to block on the perimeter or even when they flex the tight end, he can give off blocks and set the edge very well and he's playing really good football for us. He's in a really good spot and I'm extremely proud of him."