Bye weeks are good for a lot of reasons, and one of those is for coaches and players to get a chance to hit the reset button and take stock of things before the final stretch of games.
South Carolina gets that chance this week, and gives media and fans a chance to look at where the Gamecocks rank with their SEC counterparts.
The Gamecocks are 4-4 at the moment, 1-4 in the SEC, and rank near the bottom of most offensive categories with defensive stats varying from near the top to near the bottom in the league.
As a team the Gamecocks are seventh in the league in total penalties with 60 and are ninth in the SEC in penalty yards with 494.
Offense
It’s been a tough year for the Gamecocks offensively and the stats reflect it, ranking 13th in the SEC in points per game (20.9) and yards per play (5.1) ahead of only Vanderbilt.
The 20 total touchdowns scored are 13th in the league, which is the same place in the league in offensive touchdowns (17) as well. They’ve only rushed for four scores this season, tied with Vandy and Mississippi State.
They’ve averaged just 64 plays per game, 12th in the league ahead of Georgia and Kentucky, and are 13th in yards per game (328.6).
Both the run game and pass game have struggled to get off the ground with the Gamecocks averaging just 3.4 yards per rush attempt; 12th in the league ahead of just Mississippi State, an air raid offense, and Vanderbilt.
South Carolina is tied for 10th in offensive stuff rate (20 percent) and offensive line yards per carry (2.9), pointing to their struggles a year after a relatively efficient run game.
In what has been a revolving door at quarterback, the Gamecocks are 11th in pass efficiency at 132.7 and averaging 7.2 yards per pass attempt, 10th-best in the SEC.
The offense’s 100 plays of 10 yards or more is 12th-best in the league and their 29 plays of at least 20 yards is tied for 11th with Kentucky and Mississippi State.
The Gamecocks are 13th in the league, ahead of Vanderbilt, in third down conversions (37.3 percent) and in red zone efficiency, scoring on 19 of their 25 attempts with 13 touchdowns and six field goals.
The 19 sacks allowed are 11th in the SEC.
Defense
After a porous defense last season, there have been strides made by the Gamecocks this season.
South Carolina is middle of the pack, eighth, in points per game allowed (24.5) and ninth in yards per play allowed at 5.3, just three tenths of a yard behind Alabama, currently fourth in the SEC.
They’ve struggled stopping the run at times, 11th in the league in yards per rush attempt against at 4.4, but are sixth in the SEC in yards per pass attempt against at 6.7 and are fifth in pass defense efficiency.
They’ve done well at forcing turnovers, leading the SEC with 17 takeaways and have been really good in the red zone, allowing opponents to score touchdowns on just 50 percent of trips, fourth in the SEC.
The defense has allowed just 102 plays of 10 yards or more and 28 of 20-plus yards, both good enough for eighth in the SEC.
Where they’ve struggled is on third down, allowing a conversion on 44 percent of third downs, 11th in the SEC. They’re also ninth in the league with 18 sacks.
Special teams
South Carolina leads the SEC in kicks or punts blocked with four and are seventh in the league in average yards per punt (44.55).
Parker White continues to dominate and the Gamecocks are second in the league behind Missouri in field goal percentage with White 9-for-10 this season. He hasn’t missed an extra point yet.
Individual
Luke Doty, before his injury, was averaging 195 yards per game through the air, ninth-best in the league, and Kai Kroeger is sixth in the SEC in yards per punt at 44.55 yards per attempt. He’s also second in the league in punt attempts.
Parker White’s seventh in the SEC in field goals made (9), third in field goal percentage (90) and seventh in field goals attempted (10).
Juju McDowell is fifth in the league in kickoff return average at 32.43 yards per attempt and Josh Vann is ninth with 9.2 punt yards per attempt as well.
Jaylan Foster leads the league in interceptions with five and David Spaulding is fifth in the league in interception return yards with a 74-yard pick six. Damani Staley is seventh at 62 yards and Jordan Burch is eighth at 61.
Foster is also third in the SEC with 65 tackles, Brad Johnson is 34th in the league at 47 and Staley is 46th at 42. Cam Smith tied for the lead in the SEC in passes defended with eight.
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