Mason Zandi opens up about Gamecocks run game, staying positive
ALSO SEE: Snap count - How many snaps did each Carolina player take against UGA? |The Insider Report - More on the decommitment of T.J. Moore | Three and out - What did we learn from loss to UGA?
Along with the rest of the South Carolina offensive line and the young running back corps, left tackle Mason Zandi is well aware the Gamecocks are a distant last in the SEC in rushing offense, averaging less than 100 yards per game.
Zandi’s reaction? Exactly what you would expect from a team leader.
“One thing I’ve stressed and personally say to the guys and what we say amongst ourselves is we’re honestly pissed off about it,” Zandi told reporters Tuesday following USC’s bye week practice at Gamecock Park. “We’re working every day to get better. We just ask everybody stay patient.
“It could be a lot of different things. I’m not going to say it’s one specific thing or blame anyone in particular. I try to control what I can control. I can definitely block better and finish through my blocks better. I can do things to put the guy next to me in a better position.”
When you factor in lost yardage due to sacks (unlike the NFL, college football subtracts sacks from rushing yardage), the Gamecocks ground game averaged a paltry 1.2 yards per rushing attempt against Georgia in last Saturday’s 28-14 loss at Williams-Brice Stadium.
Running backs A.J. Turner (30 yards on 11 carries) and Rico Dowdle (30 yards on 7 carries) combined to average 3.33 yards per carry.
That’s why the bye week is “all about South Carolina,” Zandi proclaimed.
“Obviously, we displayed some struggles on offense and we’re just focused on getting ourselves better,” Zandi said. “We have to continue to get better in everything we’re doing and it starts up front with the offensive line. Obviously, as a unit, we need to get better and open up more holes and pass protect longer.”
Donell Stanley, out since the first quarter of the season opener at Vanderbilt because of a high ankle sprain, is expected to return against UMass on Oct. 22 after missing the last five games.
Blake Camper suffered the same fate in the Week 2 road game at Mississippi State, and has returned to the active roster even though he did not play on offense against Georgia.
“Both those guys (Stanley and Camper) are a tremendous help to us,” Zandi said. “The more depth you have at offensive line, the better.”
Four offensive linemen played every snap in the loss to Georgia – Zandi, Cory Helms, Malik Young and Zack Bailey. Center Alan Knott played 58 of the 65 snaps. The only other Gamecock offensive lineman to see action was D.J. Park.
“Based on the numbers, you would think the offensive line didn’t play very well, but when you look at the film, we didn’t play great by any means, but we played better than perhaps the stats showed,” Zandi said. “We have to continue getting better in everything we do.”
Considering the extent to which the USC running game struggled and the offensive line allowed five sacks and eight tackles for loss to the Bulldogs, Zandi didn’t rule out personnel changes for UMass.
“With Coach Muschamp, I expect anything,” Zandi said. “It could be dramatic, it could be fine tuning, you just never know. That’s how we’re going to go about our business and whatever Coach wants us to do, that’s what we’re going to do.”
Even with the Gamecocks languishing near the bottom of the SEC rankings in most offensive categories – USC is last in scoring offense (14.0 ppg) and rushing offense (92.3 ypg) and 13th in total offense (304.5) – Zandi says USC offensive coordinator Kurt Roper has remained upbeat.
“Coach Roper is a very positive guy,” Zandi said. “It’s easy when we’re struggling on offense to fly off the handle. He does get after us, I’m saying he doesn’t, but it’s easy to be negative and get down. He’s not like that at all. He’s progressive and wants to get better. (The rest of the coaching staff is) the same exact way.
“We don’t tolerate negative attitudes or anything of that nature here. Realistically, this team is capable and talented enough to win any game we play. If there is a guy on the team that doesn’t think the same thing, he can leave.”
This week marks the one-year anniversary of Steve Spurrier resignation as head coach of the Gamecocks. Zandi says, if anything, the transition has boosted USC’s competitiveness and fighting spirit.
“One thing I love about my teammates is these men fight, Zandi said. “There is so much fight in all of our guys and coaches and support staff. Everybody wants to continue fighting and getting better and raising the bar and pushing our limits. It’s a blue collar mentality. That something I’ll carry with me the rest of my life. I love it.”
NOTES:
-- Zandi said true freshman quarterback Jake Bentley has had “limited” reps with the first team offense in practice. “He’s definitely a guy with a lot of potential and a big upside,” Zandi said. “He has a strong arm. Of course, he’s a coach’s son, so he has great football smarts and he has a bright future.”
-- Deebo Samuel hinted the root of his hamstring issues is a hip pointer he suffered in high school. Samuel says he is 100 percent healthy as USC works through the bye week.
-- With the Gamecocks at 2-4, Zandi said he has “shut down” his social media accounts and is “locked in on football.”
-- Zandi said the Gamecocks will practice Wednesday and Thursday before taking Friday and Saturday off as the players enjoy the bye week. The Gamecocks return to campus on Sunday afternoon for practice as UMass preparations begin in earnest. Zandi said he will get away from football “totally” over the two days without stopping to think about what “I have to do here.” Zandi said he has started watching UMass video.
-- Former Gamecock strength and conditioning coach Joe Connolly returns to Williams-Brice Stadium on Oct. 22 with the UMass team. Connolly was hired as the Minutemen’s S&C coach in January. “I have nothing but respect for Coach Joe,” Zandi said. “He did a heckuva job here. He helped develop me. It’s going to be nice to see him. But he will on the other end of a loss, I hope.”
-- UMass is just 1-5 in their first year as an independent heading into Saturday’s home game against Louisiana Tech, but the Minutemen battled previous SEC opponents Florida (24-7) and Mississippi State (47-35) for four quarters before falling. “They are well coached and play good assignment football,” Zandi said. “If anyone on our team wants to take them lightly, that would be a bad mistake. We’re not in position to say we’re better than anybody else. UMass is the next game and that’s the most important thing.”
ALSO SEE: Snap count - How many snaps did each Carolina player take against UGA? |The Insider Report - More on the decommitment of T.J. Moore | Three and out - What did we learn from loss to UGA?