Gamecocks seniors are soaking up the moment

COLUMBIA -- These South Carolina Gamecocks swear they're different. They say there's a different attitude permeating their locker room.

Coach Steve Spurrier has repeatedly said this week -- just as he did in August -- that these players and coaches like each other.

Today's on-field performance against Clemson (8-3) will be the measuring stick of internal progress, sure. But these Gamecocks (6-5), in the midst of a three-game losing streak, seem to be sticking together.

Credit the team's veteran leadership. Receiver Moe Brown has worked to hold the offense together. Linebacker Eric Norwood has done the same with the defense.

There have been others, undoubtedly. But Brown and Norwood, members of Spurrier's first full recruiting class, have led the leading.

Both will be honored this afternoon at Williams-Brice Stadium as part of the senior day festivities.

Just the idea of his final home game made Brown's eyes well up.

"What are you trying to do to me, man?" Brown said, tearing up. "I'm not trying to get emotional yet."

Brown sniffled.

"I'm really not an emotional guy," he said. "All right, I just lied."

Brown started to emerge as an off-the-field leader last season. But he talked this summer about becoming one on it, as well.

He hasn't exactly blossomed as an All-SEC performer, but he has been reliable. Brown has 31 catches for 454 yards and three touchdowns.

"It means the world to me," Brown said of his playing experience. "I've grown as a person. I've grown as a football player. I've grown as a man.

"I've definitely learned a lot since I've been here. I wouldn't trade my experience here for the world, all the ups and all the downs. It's made me who I am today. I love it."

The defining moment in Brown's season, oddly enough, was being knocked out after making a catch at Alabama. The offense rallied around him as he was carted off.

"Moe is a wonderful young man that has been an outstanding ambassador for our school and our football team," Spurrier said. "He's had a nice career here, and certainly Moe will always be welcomed back, and so forth. This year, he's had his best year, certainly. He's a good one. He's a fine young man."

Norwood already had his name on the stadium walls entering the year, for holding the school's tackles for loss record. A paint job will be required in the offseason to add his sacks record to Williams-Brice's southwest ramp.

He passed Andrew Provence for the record earlier in the season. With 29 career sacks, he's three behind Tennessee great Reggie White for sixth on the SEC's all-time list.

Stop to think where this defense would be this season if Norwood had stuck with his original plan to enter the NFL draft a year early.

"He's obviously been a great player and been productive," defensive head coach Ellis Johnson said, adding that, to him, three things make for an exceptional college career.

One is on-field production. (Norwood has 240 career tackles, including 53 1/2 for a loss.)

Two is staying out of trouble, being a good representative of the school. Three is getting a degree -- something that's more rare than you would think for talented players.

"He's going to do all three of those things," Johnson said. "I don't see how you could say anything negative about him."

Reach Travis Haney at thaney@postandcourier.com and check out the South Carolina blog at www.postandcourier.com/blogs/gamecocks.