In South Carolina, the verdict is published by the Clerk of Court. In other words, when a jury has reached a verdict, the Clerk of Court, not a member of the jury, announces the verdict to the courtroom.

But in every jury trial – whether criminal or civil – there is no mistaking that the jury, and only the jury, is the finder of all facts.

Starting in August and running throughout the season, I will be writing a weekly column called The Verdict - presented by the Goings Law Firm. And much like a jury, I will try to base my findings and opinions on facts. But unlike a jury, I want to hear from the gallery, both what I got right and what I got wrong.

The Verdict is in: We’re still hanging around.

Think about how frustrated you are. Think about all the things you yelled in the stadium or yelled at your TV watching this team try and put together a second half offensive drive. Think about all of the penalties, and turnovers, and play calls that made you want to gouge out your eyeballs and scream to the heavens “what in the world are we doing?!?”

Now think about this: Carolina is still hanging around.

Go look at the SEC Standings. Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, and Ole Miss are atop the league with 7 wins, 6 wins, 6 wins, and 5 wins, respectively. Everyone else? A hodgepodge of two loss and three loss teams. Through seven games, Carolina has the same record as Florida, Arkansas, and LSU.

Now I hear some of you screaming through your computer screen, “our four wins are against an FCS team, ECU, Troy, and Vanderbilt -- there are no impressive wins.” That is absolutely true. (I will note for the record that East Carolina has gone 3-1 since playing the Gamecocks, for whatever that is worth.)

But think about the past few seasons. In 2018, 2019, or 2020, did we ever feel like we were hanging around? Sure, there were moments, but was there ever a time in late-October where you looked at the standings and said, “hey, there are a lot of teams in the SEC that kind of look like us.”

Take solace in the fact that we will head into November at no worse than .500 despite all of the terrible football we have played. And as we enter November, Carolina very much still has a shot at beating a team or two in what seemed like a gauntlet from hell just a few months ago.

But if Carolina has any shot at success to end the season, it won’t be due to an improved offense. Instead, it will be due to the continued resurgence of this defense. Of the SEC teams remaining on the schedule, Florida has the second-best offense in the SEC, Auburn has the sixth, and Missouri has the seventh. (Texas A&M has the 12th but has recently been rejuvenated through the passing efforts of quarterback Zach Calzada.)

As Carolina fans have seen for weeks now, line of scrimmage play is crucial. It’s crucial not only in moving the football, but it’s also crucial in not moving backwards.

How many times have you seen Carolina get called for an offensive holding? I’m not the offensive line coach or the offensive coordinator, but I have my theory on why this offensive line gets popped with holding penalties time after time.

It’s because of their inability to create any sort of hole or lane for the running back on interior rushing plays. In the offensive lineman’s brain, he knows the running back should be rushing the ball through the interior. But there is no room for the running back to rush the ball through the interior, so the running back consistently has to bounce the ball to the outside. The offensive lineman, not knowing the ball carrier is now going to the outside, is surprised when his defender jerks to the exterior and is caught with a handful of jersey.

It’s frustrating as hell for us when watching this Gamecock offense. But it can also be frustrating for other teams that are playing this Gamecock defense and defensive line. Right now, the Gamecocks are tied for 4th in the SEC in sacks, tied for first in the SEC in interceptions, tied for first in the SEC in fumble recoveries, and first in the SEC in interceptions returned for touchdowns.

JJ Enagbare is graded by PFF (data service that projects college players by NFL Draft analytics) as the best pass rusher in the Power 5. Zacch Pickens is coming off the greatest game he has had as a Gamecock.

As we enter the final five games of the season, it’s going to be a dominant defensive line and an aggressive defensive backfield (Roderick and Foster have formed quite the duo at safety) that will keep Carolina in these games. I remain hopeful, but less optimistic that this offense will figure things out by season’s end.

I am, however, optimistic that this defense will keep us in, and maybe even win us a game that we shouldn’t. I said in the preseason when I was a guest on Keith Allsep’s podcast that I was more confident in the Gamecocks beating Florida and Auburn than I was the Gamecocks beating Kentucky and Tennessee on the road.

For that to come to fruition, don’t expect an offensive renaissance where the Gamecocks put 45 points on the board.

Instead, expect a defensive effort that stymies some of the better offenses in the SEC.

It’s a tall task, but as the days grow shorter and colder, Carolina Football’s best chance at victory is riding this defense to the finish line.

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