Nix, Schwartz present unique problems for Gamecock defense

After the Vanderbilt game in which the Gamecocks defensive line racked up three sacks and pressured the quarterback seemingly all day, Will Muschamp praised the team’s effort in getting in the backfield with four.

This week, there’s no time for the pass rush to rest on its laurels.

The Gamecocks are going to have their hands full with Auburn’s Bo Nix, who has spent the last year and a half as one of the better mobile quarterbacks in the SEC.

“(He) can make throws on the run. He’s real athletic,” Jaycee Horn said. “We have to contain him, try to keep him in the pocket and force him to make all the throws instead of letting him run while cause that’s what he wants to do.”

Nix, the reigning SEC freshman of the year, isn’t having a great statistical year, completing 56.8 percent of his passes and averaging 6.3 yards per attempt.

Taking away sack yardage, though, he’s been pretty effective running the ball with 19 carries for 108 yards for 5.7 yards per carry.

That puts a lot of stress on not only the Gamecocks’ pass rush to contain him but the secondary to try and limit big plays down the field that come with broken or extended plays.

“It does change as far as locking onto your man down the field,” Horn said. “He might run a dig and you might have him covered then he scrambles and he takes off. And if your eyes are in the backfield it’s a big play.”

And he has the receivers to make a few of those big plays.

Auburn already has two receivers near the 200 yard mark in Seth Williams, who’s averaging 18 yards per reception and Anthony Schwartz, who’s averaging 9.4.

Schwartz might be the bigger home run threat of the two with Muschamp calling him the fastest player in college football with a 10.1 second 100-meeter dash time.

The Gamecocks are building a game plan that’s designed to try and slow him down and that starts with knowing where he is at all times.

“You’re classifying him as really, really fast. I’ll add another really on it. He’s 10.1 fast, how about that? You have to stay on top. He’s a guy Bo’s going target. I’m sure they have some calls where there’s a read and they’re going to take their shot and see if they can’t hit a home run with him. You have to stay on top in coverage whether it’s middle field or split safety,” Muschamp said. “As much as anything it’s awareness of where he is.”

The Gamecocks (1-2) kick off at noon against Auburn Saturday from Williams-Brice. The game will be televised on ESPN.