There are 41 days till college football season, and today we talk about one of the most important things a team can do on offense: Protect the quarterback.
The South Carolina Gamecocks were not only one of the worst in the SEC at protecting the quarterback, they were one of the worst in the country.
And that leads us to no. 41 on the Southbound and Down College Football Countdown.
South Carolina Gamecocks allowed 41 sacks last season
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The 41 sacks that the Gamecocks allowed was the most in the SEC and ranked 119th out of 128 FBS teams. South Carolina allowed four or more sacks in seven different games last season.
The Gamecocks do return four of their five starters on the offensive line. As far as pass protection goes, they may have lost the most important guy in left tackle, Mason Zandi. Zandi started 23 games in his final two seasons in Columbia, including every game last year.
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Fifth-year senior Cory Helms and junior Zack Bailey started every game for the Gamecocks at right and left guard last season, while redshirt senior Alan Knott started 12 games, including half of the season at center. Malik Young also started nine games at right tackle.
The Gamecocks will have a value commodity to protect this season too. Sophomore Jake Bentley is expected to have a breakout season. Bentley started the final seven games of the 2016 season, and was sacked 25 times, including six times against Tennessee and five times against Florida and South Florida.
Experience returning on the offensive line can mean two things for the South Carolina Gamecocks. Either we’re going to see another year of lousy pass protection, which will probably mean Bentley missing a game or two because of injury, or this offensive line will gel together and improve. Only time will tell.