Former Gamecock football wide receiver Nick Jones' next breakdown of the Gamecocks offense - and a big play on special teams - is now live.

The former Byrnes standout, who spent five seasons under Steve Spurrier at South Carolina, played in 48 games - including 19 starts - from 2011 until 2014.

For his career, Jones accumulated 93 catches for 1,125 yards and 11 touchdowns. His career long reception of 70 yards came in the Outback Bowl against Michigan after the 2012 season. His best game as a Gamecock was in 2013, when he caught six passes and a pair of touchdowns against Georgia. Jones was also a key part of one of the most memorable games in program history, the comeback road victory against Missouri in 2013, as he caught the game-tying touchdown pass with 42 seconds remaining.

Check out Jones' thoughts on several key plays on offense and special teams that took place during South Carolina's 20-17 win over ECU.

RPO PASS TO JOSH VANN

JONES: Just looking at the pre-snap, it's one high safety. The corners are looking at the quarterback, so that's an indication they may be in cover one, which means the safety has the middle of the field and the corners are playing man coverage. It could also be a combo coverage, because of how they're looking at the quarterback, so you'd just have to adjust at the snap of the ball.

It's a run/pass option, and as you can see, when Zeb fakes to the running back, you hope the linebackers come up. If they come up, that leaves an opening for the post route at the top, which Josh Vann runs. Dakereon runs an out route and takes his guy out of the picture.

It looks like on the wide side of the field that they're playing a Cover 2. The corner has the flat, meaning he takes Dakereon on the flat route, when the bottom receiver runs a fade. The safety, he has over the top of the corner, so his responsibility is to take the fade which is why Josh Vann was open in the middle of the field. It was a perfect read by Zeb. The fake moved the backers up just enough to allow the opening for Josh Vann in the middle of the field.

From the start of the game, ECU had a lot of respect for the run game and were daring our receivers to beat them one-on-one. Josh Vann had a day. As soon as the safety right behind the referee took one step up, that means Zeb is going to throw the ball. That gives his opening. If the safety took a step back, backpedaled, Josh would not have been open.

JUJU MCDOWELL KICK RETURN

JONES: The return was set left. The guys to the top of the screen, to the right, are always taught to never let their man go inside. If their man gets inside, they can easily get off the block and make the play. Even if they don't make a great block, they always want their man to go outside of them. Therefore, you can still have that lane that you see that he can follow the safe return man (Jalen Brooks) through.

The guy that doesn't catch the ball on the return is considered the lead guy. He kind of guides the return man through the hole. He sees everything before the return man. He sees that big opening to the left, so his job is to lead the returner in that gap. Whoever's man peels off, he takes that man. He does a great job of just leading the returner right through the hole. As you see, he's just looking for somebody to block. That's always a good thing, when he's just running and looking for a block. That just means everybody's on somebody, has a hat on a hat. As the play keeps going, our lead guy that the return man is following still hasn't touched anybody. We still have the perfect lane to run. The return man has the ball, and a lot of ECU players are already in the trail position trying to catch him. That's perfect.

The key block on this play that really sprung everything; you see Nick Muse is right around the 20 yard line. If his guy comes free, his guy makes the play. He disrupts everything. Muse sits down in the perfect position, hat on a hat, has his butt to the returner, perfect block. Therefore, the lead man can just follow the lane. Our lead man didn't touch anybody until the 40 yard line; it was a perfect setup.

JUJU MCDOWELL FIRST DOWN - OUTSIDE ZONE STRETCH PLAY

JONES: In the second half, we decided we were going to start mauling people with the outside zone run. You saw this play a lot in the second half. It's two tight ends, and one's offset. You see ECU is still stacking the box. They have 9 in the box, still daring you to pass the ball. Obviously, we can't run anything up the middle because it's clogged up.

That's why we started trying to overpower him with the stretch run play. Muse and Bell did a great job in the second half of outside zone blocking and creating a lane for the running back. Big number 79 (Dylan Wonnum), that's one of the keys to the outside zone, is having a big athletic tackle that can get downfield. A tackle coming downfield like that, they want no part of that. ECU was anticipating the run up the middle, and we started hitting them with that outside zone.

At the snap of the ball, our tight ends were immediately able to get to the second level of the defense, where the linebackers are. Meaning, we already have them outnumbered. Muse chipped the first linebacker, and Bell cleaned him up. McDowell, with his speed, he gives us a change of pace with speed and is a lot quicker and faster as a back, so he hits the outside zone a lot faster.

----

• Watch our live show and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

• Sign up for Gamecock Central's FREE news alerts and daily newsletter.

• Subscribe to our podcast on whatever podcast platform you prefer!

• Follow us on Twitter: @GamecockCentral, @GCChrisClark, @WesMitchellGC, @CollynTaylor.

• Follow Gamecock Central on Instagram @GamecockCentral.