WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:02.799 David, Welcome back to the show, my friend. How are you guys 2 00:00:02.839 --> 00:00:06.320 doing? Man, we're doing good. It isn't life good when football season 3 00:00:06.400 --> 00:00:09.519 rolls around. I know it's worked for us and you in particular doing the 4 00:00:09.560 --> 00:00:13.320 work there at the PNC, but it's it's just it's it's the best time 5 00:00:13.359 --> 00:00:16.879 a year to me. Oh well, I'll tell you, fellas. Every 6 00:00:16.920 --> 00:00:19.640 time, you know, I started getting bogged down under the stress. I 7 00:00:19.640 --> 00:00:24.359 remember when I spent a summer when I was eighteen at College Station, Texas 8 00:00:24.760 --> 00:00:29.079 and the way I earned my room and board was to roof Barnes in the 9 00:00:29.120 --> 00:00:35.600 summer. That was a bad job. Every time I think about that, 10 00:00:35.719 --> 00:00:41.079 I'm like, you know what everything college Station? Yeah? Everything. You're 11 00:00:41.079 --> 00:00:44.600 in an air conditioned newsroom and you're not out there. And Jimbo Fish who 12 00:00:44.600 --> 00:00:48.000 would remind you, hey, what does the world come to its economy out 13 00:00:48.039 --> 00:00:51.640 there? David Kloniger is our guests. So, hey, these are interesting 14 00:00:51.640 --> 00:00:56.000 times right now. With the Gamecocks scrimmage just happened. We've been in the 15 00:00:56.000 --> 00:01:00.240 fall camp season. What's the latest on Juice Wells. I'd been a little 16 00:01:00.240 --> 00:01:02.560 bit at of loop here the past couple of days covering the Panthers there for 17 00:01:02.600 --> 00:01:04.959 iHeart, what's the leg injury? Had they disclosed it? And do you 18 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:10.120 feel like he's going to be ready to go against North Carolina. It's not 19 00:01:10.200 --> 00:01:12.840 a leg, it's a foot, and he's being held out of practice at 20 00:01:12.879 --> 00:01:15.599 least the formative part of practice. You know he's not going to go full 21 00:01:15.640 --> 00:01:19.599 contact. I think he's still get out there and run around a little bit. 22 00:01:19.879 --> 00:01:22.920 It was a pre existing injury. They're just making sure he's ready to 23 00:01:22.959 --> 00:01:26.400 go. He says he's gonna be playing Game one, so you tend to 24 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:30.040 take him at his word. I guess we'll get an updated thing from Shane 25 00:01:30.040 --> 00:01:34.120 Biemer tomorrow. But he didn't play in the last scrimmage, but still he 26 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:38.599 was walking around with no boot on or anything, so I would lean toward 27 00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:41.760 him being ready to play. That's good news for Game Cox fans. David 28 00:01:41.799 --> 00:01:44.680 Konager is our guest here from the Posting Courier on the game Coox beat, 29 00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:49.079 and speaking of South Carolina, tell us about the help they're getting in terms 30 00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:53.599 of a grad transfer on the edge right now? What's going on now? 31 00:01:53.519 --> 00:01:57.079 Man? Well, what's been long known finally became official over the weekend. 32 00:01:57.319 --> 00:02:01.560 Drew to Azama, who's a grand transfer from UAB. He's also spent some 33 00:02:01.640 --> 00:02:07.319 time at Syracuse in East Mississippi Community College. He's a six five edge rusher 34 00:02:07.439 --> 00:02:09.919 and he has finally been approved to suit up for South Carolina. He got 35 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:15.120 into school this weekend and he's got to go through the acclamation process. You 36 00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:19.159 know, he can't fully practice with the other guys until he goes through two 37 00:02:19.240 --> 00:02:22.360 days in shorts, two days in shells, that kind of thing. But 38 00:02:22.560 --> 00:02:24.240 he's the guy that can't help right away. He's obviously played a lot of 39 00:02:24.280 --> 00:02:29.080 football. He's got to get up to speed with South Carolina's defensive system. 40 00:02:29.319 --> 00:02:34.080 But he's a guy that's going to contribute usc needed defensive end help in the 41 00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:37.080 portal. This one kind of came up a lot later than they were hoping, 42 00:02:37.479 --> 00:02:40.240 but it comes so. I don't know how much of an impact he'll 43 00:02:40.240 --> 00:02:44.479 make, like to say, against North Carolina or maybe against Furman in week 44 00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:46.719 two. He's just got to get up to speed, but he is going 45 00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:51.039 to play this year and they hope he'll be an impact player. David, 46 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:54.680 You've got year one now with dal Loggins, who comes from the NFL ranks 47 00:02:54.680 --> 00:02:59.639 and he's known as a guy like many out there, that has a specialty 48 00:02:59.680 --> 00:03:04.240 for quarterbacks where they need to go in their careers and especially for that program. 49 00:03:04.560 --> 00:03:07.599 Spencer rather finished the season strong, made some big plays. Even when 50 00:03:07.639 --> 00:03:09.199 the stats weren't pretty. Against Clemson, he made big plays. We talked 51 00:03:09.199 --> 00:03:14.120 about that last time with you. What's their relationship appear to be like from 52 00:03:14.159 --> 00:03:16.719 your perspective, it might be too early to tell, but I heard Spencer 53 00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:21.520 make some comments I think in a recent article that things are feeling good. 54 00:03:21.520 --> 00:03:23.960 This is the best I felt. Of course, this could be hyperbole. 55 00:03:23.000 --> 00:03:27.080 We know that there's a lot of that going around this season, but is 56 00:03:27.080 --> 00:03:30.680 there truly a change? And if you've noticed a change, what's different this 57 00:03:30.759 --> 00:03:37.560 year under Dal Loggins than was last year under centerfield? Well you can tell 58 00:03:37.639 --> 00:03:39.080 that. You know, Spencer is a lot more comfortable and what are you 59 00:03:39.159 --> 00:03:43.520 doing out there? And obviously he's kind of in the same boat that he 60 00:03:43.719 --> 00:03:46.879 was last year and learning a new offense, a new system. But the 61 00:03:46.879 --> 00:03:51.879 fact is that this year he has a kind of a I guess a game 62 00:03:51.919 --> 00:03:54.000 plan from last year about hey, this is what I was comfortable with, 63 00:03:54.080 --> 00:03:58.680 this is what worked. These are the receivers and running backs that I got 64 00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:01.759 to know and get the ball too, so Dwell kind of had that in 65 00:04:01.919 --> 00:04:05.719 grains coming with them. But in response to the question, everything's looking great 66 00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:10.520 now, Specier feels more comfortable. He says, he really likes you know, 67 00:04:10.520 --> 00:04:14.120 how this offense is designed to suit him and you know he's not having 68 00:04:14.159 --> 00:04:16.199 to be on that learning turve anymore. Of course, there's going to be 69 00:04:16.240 --> 00:04:20.720 some tweaks, some bells and whistles and Marcus Satterfield didn't have. But everything's 70 00:04:20.759 --> 00:04:24.480 looking good right now. But of course they haven't play the game yet, 71 00:04:24.680 --> 00:04:27.800 so I'll have to go out there and see the speed of the game and 72 00:04:27.839 --> 00:04:30.600 see how he adjusts to it. But in that vein, I don't think 73 00:04:30.600 --> 00:04:34.519 you could ask for a better opening opponent in North Carolina because nothing against the 74 00:04:34.600 --> 00:04:39.040 tar Heels because they're ranked and all that, But every all the hype about 75 00:04:39.079 --> 00:04:42.160 them is their offense. Yeah, Aaron, word about their defense. No, 76 00:04:42.600 --> 00:04:45.519 they've been a bit of a sieve up there in Chapel Hill, and 77 00:04:45.839 --> 00:04:48.600 that's actually I think to South Carolina's benefit. As you said, it could 78 00:04:48.600 --> 00:04:53.240 be one of the premier quarterback shootouts. We'll talk about that game in a 79 00:04:53.279 --> 00:04:55.759 minute. September two, you can hear it here by the way, on 80 00:04:55.800 --> 00:05:00.639 Fox Sports Upstate. Look this program in terms of ex expectations, we understand 81 00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:03.240 coaches talk about one week at a time. That's the standard line, and 82 00:05:03.319 --> 00:05:06.879 it's not a bad way to think. Last year just came on. Like 83 00:05:06.879 --> 00:05:10.319 I said, it was a flourish. It was a bonanza out of the 84 00:05:10.360 --> 00:05:13.199 blue. Where this program, as you followed for many years, like they've 85 00:05:13.240 --> 00:05:15.680 had some high moments, but I don't know if it was quite that fast 86 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:21.360 that furious. Do you sense the calibration of the expectations were is where it 87 00:05:21.399 --> 00:05:26.040 needs to be from the fan base. I know it's hard to speak for 88 00:05:26.079 --> 00:05:29.800 all of them, but what's what's the general expectation of Columbia for this team? 89 00:05:30.600 --> 00:05:33.120 Well, expectation is a dangerous word to say, isn't it. I 90 00:05:33.160 --> 00:05:36.199 mean, yes, people what they expect and they're going to answer with the 91 00:05:36.240 --> 00:05:40.279 whole pie in the sky stars in there ius, Hey no reason we can't 92 00:05:40.279 --> 00:05:44.839 go twelve and oh this year, well there is probably a few reasons, 93 00:05:44.839 --> 00:05:49.079 but on September two, you know, the word reasonable and expectations don't ever 94 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:54.519 go together. It's just something that you know happens in fandom, you know, 95 00:05:54.560 --> 00:05:58.879 with sports but I think that the bare minal and expectations is win more 96 00:05:58.920 --> 00:06:01.360 than you lose, which hasn't been a problem, and give Clinton a game, 97 00:06:01.519 --> 00:06:05.160 which obviously was not a problem last year. So they hope to repeat 98 00:06:05.199 --> 00:06:09.639 that and do a little bit better. Shane obviously won seven in his first 99 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:12.879 game his first year. He won eight last year. So you think it 100 00:06:12.959 --> 00:06:15.600 is the next logical step nine? Well, sure, I mean that would 101 00:06:15.600 --> 00:06:18.519 be the next step up, and I think it's going to be tremendously difficult 102 00:06:18.839 --> 00:06:23.040 to get there this year. But I think a winning season. I think 103 00:06:23.079 --> 00:06:25.959 everybody's just saying, like, okay, you know that that should be it. 104 00:06:26.040 --> 00:06:28.959 But then again, if you get a season one of the breaks all 105 00:06:29.000 --> 00:06:31.480 go your way, sure there could be a nine win season, maybe even 106 00:06:31.519 --> 00:06:35.079 more. But it's a very difficult schedule. They've got a lot of major 107 00:06:35.160 --> 00:06:40.439 question marks, and it's really kind of an unforgiving schedule. You know, 108 00:06:40.439 --> 00:06:44.000 they've got the whole month of November at home, which is great, but 109 00:06:44.079 --> 00:06:46.560 you got to play two months before that, and there's a lot of tricky 110 00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:48.639 road games. I'm gonna tell you that September is staring you right in the 111 00:06:48.639 --> 00:06:51.959 face, and don't sleep on October and we asked our listeners last week. 112 00:06:53.600 --> 00:06:56.439 We've got a good buddy of ours named Billy out and Greer, who is 113 00:06:56.480 --> 00:07:00.759 a look debuted like Billy. Billy knows football as well as anybody, and 114 00:07:00.800 --> 00:07:02.759 Billy is one of these regular callers that is like, I don't want to 115 00:07:02.759 --> 00:07:05.480 get my hopes up. I say, two wins in September two and three. 116 00:07:06.399 --> 00:07:11.560 Acock fans are like four wins, three wins. I think that's gonna 117 00:07:11.600 --> 00:07:15.240 be tough sledding for them in September. But how important is this first game 118 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:19.360 to set the temple? Obviously it's vital to win every game, but you 119 00:07:19.399 --> 00:07:24.439 springboard yourself out of that North Carolina game in that neutral environment. Could that 120 00:07:24.519 --> 00:07:28.319 give them enough confidence if they're out healthy, to maybe pull a four and 121 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:30.319 one record in September? Or is it is it just too tough? Man? 122 00:07:31.319 --> 00:07:34.279 Well, it's gonna be extremely tough. But obviously, if you look 123 00:07:34.279 --> 00:07:39.480 at that first game among the first five games, you say, you know, 124 00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:43.480 if there's gonna be any toss ups, that's probably gonna be the easiest 125 00:07:43.519 --> 00:07:46.480 one to win. Why Because it's in Charlotte, where South Carolina has usually 126 00:07:46.480 --> 00:07:50.279 played very well. They'll be able to have a huge fan contingent. You 127 00:07:50.319 --> 00:07:54.879 know, Mississippi State in week three or out, sorry, week four at 128 00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:57.360 home, that looks like a good one too, but it's also kind of 129 00:07:57.360 --> 00:08:01.319 a major question mark because you don't know Whatssissippi State's going to bring in. 130 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:03.040 I mean, you know what they were, you don't know what they are 131 00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:07.319 now, So that one's a little more of a question mark. And say 132 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:09.120 North Carolina is, which is, hey, god, Drake May and it's 133 00:08:09.120 --> 00:08:13.000 gonna be tough to shut him down, but you should be able to score 134 00:08:13.120 --> 00:08:16.079 at will against that defensive. So you look at the North Carolina game and 135 00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:18.600 saying, not only is it you're opener and you want to win that, 136 00:08:20.120 --> 00:08:24.600 but that's probably among the question mark games among those five, that's gonna be 137 00:08:24.639 --> 00:08:28.240 the one that's most reasonable to get. So you get that one. I 138 00:08:28.279 --> 00:08:31.480 could definitely see you coming in October first for the three and two record, 139 00:08:31.560 --> 00:08:33.240 maybe even better. But of course I can look at it and say, 140 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:37.879 in a worst case you could be coming in October one and four. I 141 00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:41.159 don't think that will happen, but somewhere in that two and three, three 142 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:46.200 and two's that's definitely reasonable and then maybe even probable just looking at out of 143 00:08:46.200 --> 00:08:48.480 the game Cocks that played years past. Yeah, David, I think that's 144 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:50.159 the important part. I cover this with the NFL, with the Panthers two, 145 00:08:50.200 --> 00:08:52.639 and there's this expectation all of a sudden, Okay, new coach, 146 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:56.399 new staff, they're very well equipped with Bryce Young, Sky's a limit right 147 00:08:56.440 --> 00:09:00.879 off the bat. And sometimes you might take a step back that seven wins 148 00:09:00.960 --> 00:09:03.600 that the Panther said last year to make progress of the year following, and 149 00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:07.799 I think the Gamecocks feel like they're in that mold right now. Wins may 150 00:09:07.879 --> 00:09:11.679 not define who they are this year versus losses. But look, you got 151 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:16.840 Tennessee on the thirtieth. How about a game here? You mentioned college station. 152 00:09:16.879 --> 00:09:18.679 Now you know the twentieth of October, you're gonna have to be there 153 00:09:18.759 --> 00:09:22.639 right on a roof somewhere on a barn. I expect that because it won't 154 00:09:22.679 --> 00:09:26.600 be that hot by then. Dave, Absolutely. And you know Missouri the 155 00:09:26.639 --> 00:09:30.240 week before that, So the two longest trips and back to back week, 156 00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:33.000 Oh man, it's not real forgiving. And of course, you know Tennessee 157 00:09:33.080 --> 00:09:35.799 is always going to be difficult to play, especially now that they've kind of 158 00:09:35.840 --> 00:09:41.240 gotten back on their horse. South Carolina has never played very well in Neeland. 159 00:09:41.240 --> 00:09:43.600 They've won three times up there, ever, so you know, I 160 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:46.679 have to see how that goes. And obviously, coming into this year, 161 00:09:46.960 --> 00:09:54.279 Tennessee is still very very very upset well South Carolina visiting last year. And 162 00:09:54.879 --> 00:09:58.240 I never look at the term of revenge. I think it's a hokey term 163 00:09:58.240 --> 00:10:01.840 because it's not like anything can a race happened. But you can bet Tennessee's 164 00:10:01.879 --> 00:10:05.159 gonna want to put their best foot forward on a September thirtieth against South Carolina. 165 00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:09.720 So it'll be very difficult to handle. But they go in they're confident, 166 00:10:09.000 --> 00:10:11.919 they go in there with their own offense and might be able to score 167 00:10:11.960 --> 00:10:16.039 a few and say, hey, listen, you know the game last year. 168 00:10:16.360 --> 00:10:18.240 I mean they saw a lot of one on one matchups they liked, 169 00:10:18.759 --> 00:10:22.440 and it might be the same thing as North Carolina, Like, okay, 170 00:10:22.440 --> 00:10:24.440 we'll hear a lot about the offense. What about the date, because it 171 00:10:24.519 --> 00:10:28.240 sure wasn't very good last year. No, it wasn't. It was it 172 00:10:28.279 --> 00:10:31.360 was all about the Hype Bowl offense and there was a real void in that 173 00:10:31.399 --> 00:10:35.240 secondary in the past rushing, and I think that's where this team has a 174 00:10:35.279 --> 00:10:39.879 silver lining in those games. It's interesting. I talked to coach Beaver last 175 00:10:39.879 --> 00:10:41.480 week on this show and we thought him on a few times, and I 176 00:10:41.519 --> 00:10:46.799 think he's got the right mentality for the long haul for this program, and 177 00:10:46.840 --> 00:10:50.399 he comes from that stock with his father Frank. From observing college football as 178 00:10:50.440 --> 00:10:56.000 you have over the years, how much of a and I mean this in 179 00:10:56.039 --> 00:10:58.000 a positive way, not a negative way, how much of an advantage and 180 00:10:58.039 --> 00:11:01.919 asset has that in for Shane over the years. Not that he hasn't carved 181 00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:05.879 his own path. We've talked about this with him, but from your view, 182 00:11:05.639 --> 00:11:09.519 how positive has it been considering beam ball is alive and well still to 183 00:11:09.519 --> 00:11:13.919 this day. Well, it certainly helps, and obviously it's going to be 184 00:11:13.960 --> 00:11:16.320 part of the game. How much you want to treat it as a part 185 00:11:16.360 --> 00:11:18.759 of the game is up to you. But of course, Shane, coming 186 00:11:18.799 --> 00:11:22.759 in with that background, said, listen, special teams can really swing a 187 00:11:22.799 --> 00:11:24.879 game, and it's not just having a great kicker. That's a part of 188 00:11:24.919 --> 00:11:28.639 it. But you know, it's not always going to come down to a 189 00:11:28.679 --> 00:11:31.679 game winning field goals. Sometimes you got to go make something happen. And 190 00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:35.080 obviously these last two years has been just getting better and better every game. 191 00:11:35.320 --> 00:11:39.200 He hired the best special teams coordinator in the country, and he's been able 192 00:11:39.240 --> 00:11:43.799 to improve himself. Pete Limbo keeps coming up with new ways to really pull 193 00:11:43.879 --> 00:11:48.200 every opponent's pants down around their ankles and just say I got you again. 194 00:11:48.559 --> 00:11:52.679 You knew it was coming, and I still got you. And of course 195 00:11:52.759 --> 00:11:56.519 this year he's got all of his starting personnel back in punter Kai Kroger, 196 00:11:56.600 --> 00:12:01.000 kicker Mits Jeter, longsnapper Hunter Rodgers, and you got some guys behind them, 197 00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:03.840 but those are your three main guys, and they've all been in the 198 00:12:03.879 --> 00:12:07.159 system for a while, so it's always going to be creative to do it. 199 00:12:07.240 --> 00:12:11.919 But the best thing is that they know that they can succeed. They 200 00:12:11.919 --> 00:12:15.320 believe they could succeed. And now, as you saw against Notre Dame, 201 00:12:15.639 --> 00:12:18.919 they went out there for that field goal. Everybody in that stadium knew that 202 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:26.159 a fake was coming. Everybody, And I mean it's like Lombard touchdown that 203 00:12:26.240 --> 00:12:30.679 was thrown from Kykroger to Hunter Rodgers. That was a third read third, 204 00:12:30.879 --> 00:12:33.120 and that's had enough presence of mind to check down twice and to get it 205 00:12:33.120 --> 00:12:37.679 to thee. I've talked to coach about it and I've looked at the tape 206 00:12:37.759 --> 00:12:41.159 on that and it's remarkable the detail involved. And I talked to Johnny Hecker 207 00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:45.120 about this and the Panthers, who's one of the best passing punters of all 208 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:48.399 time. Any marvels of the work they do. On that note, before 209 00:12:48.399 --> 00:12:52.480 we let you go, look, the NFL contingent has been strong for South 210 00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:56.559 Carolina. We know that al Shan Jeffrey is being honored here uh this season. 211 00:12:56.960 --> 00:13:00.519 Talk about what they're doing for al Sean and and just you're years of 212 00:13:00.559 --> 00:13:03.360 covering him down there with the Gamecocks. Oh, I mean just terristic and 213 00:13:03.399 --> 00:13:07.120 al Showan was just such a freakish athlete. I mean he could show up 214 00:13:07.399 --> 00:13:11.519 and shake a leg and be ready to go and he'd be the best player 215 00:13:11.600 --> 00:13:13.720 on the field. And that's why maybe it took a little longer for him 216 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:16.240 to get on the field, because when he first got there, the coach 217 00:13:16.320 --> 00:13:20.399 was like, man, this guy needs to practice harder. I just don't 218 00:13:20.440 --> 00:13:22.759 know. And it took him five games and they finally put him on the 219 00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:26.480 field in that fifth game and he caught three touchdowns against Kentucky and it was 220 00:13:26.519 --> 00:13:30.279 like okay, yeah, all right, okay, maybe we messed up. 221 00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:35.519 It's not always practiced like you play. But al showan's getting his jersey honor. 222 00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:39.000 It's not officially retired because it's going to be added up there with all 223 00:13:39.039 --> 00:13:41.879 the other ones, and he's definitely deserving of it. South Carolina had a 224 00:13:41.879 --> 00:13:46.240 lot of stars here from twenty ten from to thirteen. He's one of the 225 00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:50.240 biggest ones and he had a followed his NFL career, got a Super Bowl 226 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:52.679 ring, so it'll be good to see him back, and I'm just looking 227 00:13:52.679 --> 00:13:56.320 forward to the next guy that gets his number honored. Well, David, 228 00:13:56.360 --> 00:13:58.360 sounds like he got some things to tend to there that are more important this 229 00:13:58.399 --> 00:14:01.519 show. Dave vid Conager from the posting curve, You've been too kind to 230 00:14:01.559 --> 00:14:05.000 take time, and you have now informed us that if the pants are around 231 00:14:05.039 --> 00:14:07.879 your ankles, you've been limboed. Thank you, David. We'll talk to 232 00:14:07.919 --> 00:14:11.600 you next time. But it's always a pleasure.