USC is sitting on five wins with two games left, both at home, against Auburn and Clemson. The Gamecocks need one more win to clinch a bowl berth. They had one swing at that last weekend at Missouri and missed. Coach Shane Beamer is optimistic they’ll keep the eye on the ball and get the job done this weekend against Auburn. A sixth win, and bowl eligibility prior to the Clemson game, would far exceed the pre-season expectations for this team.
Key comments from Beamer’s Tuesday press conference:
- Big challenge with a really good Auburn team, physicality jumps out everywhere, they have a group of backs who can run, big OL, multiple tight ends, receivers really talented with great speed.
- Auburn defense is physical and same on special teams, coached well on special teams, big challenge facing this team.
- Finley has had reps this season and last year at LSU including against the USC; feels like practices Sunday and this morning went well, needs the fans’ energy Saturday night, hopes fans appreciate how passionate his guys are for playing with one another.
- Had too many mistakes on the OL at Missouri, there were some missed assignments, mistakes made against a new look, been working to correct those mistakes.
- On Virginia Tech, always love Virginia Tech because of his history there, but USC job is his dream job, this is where he and his family want to be, calls USC his home, loves working for Ray Tanner, loves the state and the city and this is where he wants to be.
- Jason Brown will be the starting quarterback this week, it wasn’t pretty all the time at Missouri but he did some good things, made some nice throws. Noland is healthy, he was healthy last week
- Focus right now is on Auburn but would love to finish with two wins and a bowl bid, regardless of how things play out, they’ve done a lot of good things with the program in year one, they haven’t talked about a bowl, focus is on Auburn.
- Jason Brown has another year of eligibility and he believes he plans on returning for the 2022 season.
