By BJ Bennett
SouthernPigskin.com

Follow us at Twitter.com/SouthernPigskin.  Become a fan at the SouthernPigskin.com Facebook Page

Simply put, South Carolina has one of the best secondaries in all of college football.

Despite extremely modest outside expectations back in the pre-season, South Carolina stands at 4-4 as the month of November opens play. The Gamecocks are fresh off a 24-21 upset of nationally-ranked Tennessee and have a great chance at bowl eligibility with four games remaining. As South Carolina has worked towards an identity this fall, the Gamecocks have found stability and strength in the defensive backfield. Simply put, South Carolina has one of the best secondaries in all of college football.

In Will Muschamp’s first year in Columbia, the former Georgia safety and defensive backs coach at West Georgia, Eastern Kentucky, Valdosta State and LSU has seen his one-time position group emerge as quite the tone-setter. In Saturday’s toppling of the Volunteers, cornerback Jamarcus King made a critical play on a Joshua Dobbs attempt late in the fourth quarter, intercepting a pass near midfield as UT was in position for a game-tying score. King picked off Dobbs earlier in the game as well, a turnover which led to a key touchdown three plays later.

“Coach T. Rob and Coach Muschamp put us in a good position with the call. It was a cover two call so they already knew what was coming and they put me in the position to make the play on the first one interception. On the second one I just split the zone and he threw the ball and he just stared him down,” King explained.

The Gamecocks currently rank second in the league, allowing just 180.8 yards passing per game. Most impressively, South Carolina, in six conference contests, is giving up merely 133.2 yards per outing. As a defense, the Gamecocks have recorded ten interceptions, with opponents averaging merely 5.6 yards per pass attempt, good for sixth nationally. South Carolina has allowed only 14 passing plays of 20 yards or more, three of 30 yards or more, the fewest in the country, and just one of over 40 yards, all the lowest totals in the league.

To date, the Gamecocks have allowed just one touchdown through the air against teams with a winning record this fall. More so, signal callers Dobbs, Jacob Eason and Trevor Knight combined to go 40-of-83 passing for 396 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions. Recently, the South Carolina pass defense has been at its best. The Gamecocks’ last three opponents, Georgia, UMass and Tennessee, have completed a total of 37-of-86 throws for 437 yards, with five touchdowns and five interceptions. South Carolina is 2-1 in that stretch.

Defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson, who also coaches the defensive backs, has done a remarkable job with the South Carolina secondary, a group with credentials that compare favorably to almost any defensive backfield in the country.

“Coach Travaris Robinson does a really good job with those guys,” Muschamp stated. “He does a great job teaching fundamentals, technique and all the things you need to teach.”

Ahead of a tough finish to the year, the Gamecocks will look for continued success in pass defense. South Carolina is improving as the season progresses, with the secondary standing as a big reason why.