Zell Column: Believe in good football, not fate

South Carolina coaches and players gave a lot of credit to ‘fate’ for their improbable 35-21 beatdown of top ranked Alabama on Saturday.

I personally learned ‘fate’ tastes a lot like crow.

I’m not ashamed to quote myself from last week’s column.

“Alabama is in a class of its own. The Crimson Tide came out of Fayetteville alive, battered Florida and won’t play another game this season decided by seven points or less.”

Ok, it was a two-touchdown game—so,  I was kind of right.

Back on that funny thing called ‘fate’.  I’m not here to start a debate about outside deities, unknown forces, or ‘God’ playing a role in college football.  The fact of the matter is Steve Spurrier pulled off one of his best coaching performances ever.

“It could be the best. I gave myself a game-ball,” Spurrier said in all-smiles after the big win.  “Players didn’t even know about it. One of (the players) said let’s give fate a game ball.  I said, I’m accepting for fate.”

Steve Spurrier’s seven SEC titles answer the question of the ability to prepare a game-plan to beat the number-one team in the country.  But it’s the ‘Head Ball Coach’s’ psychological preparation for the game that made Saturday special.

Spurrier coaxed his team to believe 2010 is the year of the Gamecock.

Spurrier told his team about a sub-500 win-percentage South Carolina basketball team who found the magic to knock off number one Kentucky.  The baseball team that  staved off elimination multiple times and knocked off a number one ranked team in the process.

“Coach Spurrier said give fate a chance,” quarterback Stephen Garcia said. “We did and hung in there and responded to every point they scored.”

But ‘fate’ had nothing to do with Spurrier’s brilliant offensive game-plan.  Tailored to Stephen Garcia, the Gamecocks called plays that allowed Garcia to get rid of the ball.  Short slants and hitches opened up Alshon Jeffery and the home-run ball.  Garcia finished 17-20 for 201-yards and three touchdowns, scooping up SEC offensive player of the week honors.

Garcia, like many college quarterbacks, is effective in small doses.  It was also the run game that alleviated pressure off of Garcia.

Seven of the first 13-plays had Marcus Lattimore either touch the ball or be targeted.  What Lattimore does with the ball after that continues to amaze me.  His role in the offense is obvious by his nine touchdowns on the season. Keep pinching yourself Gamecock fans—he’s just a freshman.

Steve Spurrier had his team programmed to move forward just moments after the game. I caught up with a pair of offensive linemen from the Eastern Carolinas –TJ Johnson of Aynor and Hutch Eckerson of Lumberton, N.C.

“It’s the best feeling in my entire life,” Eckerson said. “This (win) is for Gamecock nation. We just have to enjoy it tonight and keep on working and look forward to next week.”

“It hasn’t sunk in yet (that we beat them) but it will,” Johnson said Saturday after the game. “We got to go watch film now and get better and get back to work. 

Coastal Carolina’s road woes

Coastal Carolina has lost nine road games in a row. The Chanticleers last road win was a 31-13 decision against Presbyterian back in 2008.  CCU football coach David Bennett said his team’s struggles away from Brooks Stadium is because of a tough road schedule.

“Some of the toughest places to play on the road for us isn’t neccesairly the big schools,” Bennett said. “James Madison, Liberty, Richmond do a great job of harassing their opponent.  The three that come here are the three that beat us when we were on the road. I think it sets up pretty good.”

The Chanticleers really can wipe the 1-4 non-conference slate clean. The Big South will receive an automatic berth to the FCS playoffs for the first time in conference history.

Jeff Zell is the Sports Director for News 13. You can watch him weekdays during the 6 and 11 pm news on WBTW. Email him at jzell@wbtw.com