Dusting off a 'new plan'

COLUMBIA -- Meet the new plan.

Essentially the same plan Steve Spurrier rolled out just before his exceptionally young -- and unfortunately tradition-riddled -- South Carolina football team set out on its 2009 season voyage.

The Head Ball Coach was feisty last week at his weekly news conference. But after a 33-16 loss at Arkansas and with No. 1 Florida and sizzling No. 24 Clemson due in town to face the 6-4 Gamecocks over the next two games, Spurrier on Tuesday angled more toward reflection and re-emphasis.

Yes, he still wants to coach at South Carolina "three to four more years, something like that."

The new plan is a good one, Spurrier said, because of new players and new coaches. A new strength coach, too.

"We're trying to build a big, powerful team," Spurrier said.

Like Alabama.

Like Florida. The Gators on Saturday will become the first No. 1-ranked team ever to play at Williams-Brice Stadium.

The new plan is quite necessary. The old plans didn't work as well as expected, Spurrier admitted.

What does it mean?

It means the Gamecocks are aggressively selling futures again.

You buying?

Digging in

"Some of our recruiting classes we thought were going to turn out better than they have, they really haven't, for whatever reason," Spurrier said. "We feel like we've got a really good group of young guys here now and guys we have committed, we believe are going to really be good players here.

"You can say 'Well, you said that four years ago, too.' You're right. I did say that four years ago. I was wrong. We were all wrong. We have good coaches now. Most of these coaches here have been responsible for recruiting the guys here now."

Football youth is a wonderful thing. And a tragic flaw.

There are many talented skill- position players and defensive backs in the lineup.

But that means a lot of projected seniors and juniors didn't work out, leaving this week's callow and shallow Gamecocks to tangle with the senior-laden Gators.

What a sweet individual story, walk-on junior Garrett Chisolm hustling his way into the starting left guard spot. But there is no way a walk-on should be able to start ahead of healthy, recruited Southeastern Conference players.

Alas, a rebuilding year. And not bad: South Carolina, even at 6-6 with an all-expenses paid trip to the Papajohns.com Bowl in lovely Birmingham will finish the regular season just about where most normal humans projected. And Clemson, a loser at Maryland, certainly is beatable.

The not-so-subtle bottom line: Gamecock Nation is being asked to dig in, again.

The Gator gap

Spurrier acknowledged the consistent strength of Florida's recruiting under Urban Meyer, hired for his current job as Spurrier was just after the 2004 season. The Gators won national championships in 2006 and 2008, and the game-day gap with South Carolina has expanded each November following the Gamecocks' 30-22 win at Williams-Brice in 2005.

"One of the most exciting wins I've ever been a part of," South Carolina senior defensive tackle Nathan Pepper said Tuesday.

Florida got away with one, 17-16, in 2006.

It was 51-31 in 2007.

And 56-6 last season.

All-World quarterback Tim Tebow and game-breaker Percy Harvin, now with the NFL's Minnesota Vikings, had a lot to do with Florida's dominance. But Spurrier, the ol' quarterback focused on opposing defenses, gives much of the Gators credit to defensive coordinator Charlie Strong, formerly of South Carolina.

"We're hoping Charlie gets one of those head coaching jobs that are open right now," Spurrier said.

Gamecocks fans are hoping this week for fewer false starts and better clock management, among other things.

Reach Gene Sapakoff at gsapakoff@postandcourier.com