SOUTH CAROLINA FOOTBALL
Gamecock Central breaks down the key moments from the loss to Appalachian State and hands out game balls.
Key Plays
1. Pick six
With neither offense able to move the ball consistently, you had the feeling the game would turn on a defensive play. The Mountaineers got it with just under two minutes left in the first half. Hilinski zipped a pass to an open Xavier Legette, but Legette let it go right through his hands. Nicholas Ross snagged the deflection and picked his way 20 yards to the end zone. The Mountaineers would eventually manage an offensive touchdown, but the pick six held up ad the biggest play of the game.
2. Ernest Jones’ interception
Trailing 13-6 at the half and with no offense to speak of, South Carolina needed a spark from its defense. It got it from Ernest Jones on the first possession of the third quarter. Jones batted Zac Thomas pass into the air at the line of scrimmage, and the ball fell right back to Jones for the interception. The play gave South Carolina hope, but also took it away. The Gamecocks were only able to get a field goal off the turnover. The difference in the points off turnovers ended up being the difference in the game (South Carolina failed to convert a two-point conversion, but had it gotten a touchdown off the interception it would have kicked the PAT to tie instead of going for two).
3. Two-point conversion (failed)
South Carolina scored to make it 20-15, and everyone knows you go for two. Unfortunately, everyone also knows that your best play there is to try to hit Bryan Edwards on a crossing route. Appalachian State had it read from the start, and the play never had a chance. Hilinski ended up lofting a jump ball into the end zone to at least give his receivers a chance, but it was picked off.
4. Kick return confusion
It was one of the stranger plays you’ll see. Following the touchdown and failed two-point conversion, Will Tommie’s kickoff was short. One of the two deep Mountaineer returners signaled a fair catch, but he let the kick bounce in front of him. The other returner, Darrynton Evans, pick up the ball and took a knee. That downed the ball at the four-yard line. Appalachian State had to be conservative with it play-calling as a result, which led to a three-and-out and South Carolina taking over at its 45 with a chance to win the game.
5. The final play
The play started at the Appalachian State 19 with six seconds left. There were two parts of the play, and both went against the Gamecocks. Sadarius Hutcherson was flagged for holding. And Hilinski overthrew a wide-open Edwards (who looked like he got away with a push off) in the end zone. Obviously, if Hilinski had connected with Edwards, the touchdown wouldn’t have counted, but the end result is the same.
Game Balls
Offense
Bryan Edwards
Edwards missed all of the second quarter with a sprained knee, but returned in the second half. In his absence, South Carolina managed just 41 yards of offense and was 5-12 passing. With no deep threat to fear, Appalachian State stacked the box against the run and dared South Carolina’s receivers to make plays (they couldn’t). When Edwards returned, South Carolina finally found a spark, however small. Edwards finished with nine catches (on 17 targets) for 90 yards and a touchdown. He passed Alshon Jeffrey for the school record for receiving yards on his 23-yard touchdown.
Ryan Hilinski
Hilinski’s numbers show a mixed day: 32-57 for 325 yards with a touchdown and interception. But the numbers are misleading. In the postgame statbook, the Gamecocks are credited with one dropped pass. That isn’t remotely close to the truth. There were double-digit drops, including one on the interception, which was a beautifully thrown ball that went through Xavier Legette’s hands. With no running game to provide balance, the Appalachian State was able to tee off. And with injuries to receivers (at one point South Carolina lined up with a receiver corps of a freshman, a fourth-string quarterback, a backup tight end, a walk-on, and a running back), there was no threat to stretch the field, or even get open. Despite all that was stacked against him, Hilinski nearly quarterbacked a comeback.
Defense
Ernest Jones
Jones was all over the field. He rushed, he dropped into coverage, and he played the run. Jones finished with a team-high ten tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, and interception. He was the leader on a defense that allowed just 204 yards despite getting little help from its offense.
Sherrod Greene
Green was right behind Jones. He had seven tackles including three tackles for loss and a half-sack. He wasn’t fooled by misdirection on Appalachian State’s last possession and made a tackle on quarterback Zac Thomas for a loss of five yards. That play, which probably fooled Greene a year ago, essentially forced the punt that gave South Carolina one more chance.
Special Teams
Parker White
With the offense ineffective, White provided all the scoring. He was a perfect 3-3 on field goals, including a career-long 50-yarder in the third quarter.
