South Carolina at Vanderbilt: 3 Things to Watch For

SEC football is officially back! South Carolina and Vanderbilt kick their seasons off tonight at seven in the first conference game of the year. Below we share our “three things to watch for”. These are things that will be a factor not just in today’s game, but will also show signs of things to come over the course of the season. Let’s begin.

1. South Carolina’s Ongoing Quarterback Battle

"Sep /

Perry Orth and Brandon McIlwain are fighting tooth and nail to be the Gamecocks’ starting quarterback. Orth started last season, so he has experience. Unfortunately, he played poorly. He completed just 55 percent of his passes and threw nine interceptions to 12 touchdowns.

Orth’s inefficient play opened the door for Brandon McIlwain to come in as a freshman and potentially steal Orth’s job right out from under him. McIlwain is a dual-threat guy, which can only help his chances. The question is how well does he know the playbook. We will find out tonight as both quarterbacks are slated to play. It should be fun.

2. Who Steps up in the Vanderbilt Receiving Corps

Oct 17, 2015; Columbia, SC, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks safety T.J. Gurley (20) chases down Vanderbilt Commodores wide receiver Trent Sherfield (10) during the first quarter between Vanderbilt and South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports /

Speaking of sup-par quarterback play, Vanderbilt’s Kyle Shurmur had a very tough year last season. He completed only 43 percent of his passes. That’s just horrifically terrible. However, some of that can be attributed to the play of his receivers. The Vanderbilt corps struggled mightily with drops a season ago.

The good news is that the leading receivers from last year’s squad return this year. Trent Sherfield led the team last season with 659 receiving yards on 51 catches and scored three touchdowns. Caleb Scott was second with 339 yards on 24 catches with two touchdowns. Those aren’t exactly inspiring numbers.

Vanderbilt likes to run the ball and play defense. But Ralph Webb, as talented as he is, cannot win games on his own. If Vanderbilt wants to make a bowl they need a leader to step up on the outside. Will one emerge tonight? We shall see.

3. Who Wins the Line of Scrimmage

Jul 14, 2016; Hoover, AL, USA; South Carolina player Marquavius Lewis speaks to media during SEC media day at Hyatt Regency Birmingham-The Wynfrey Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports /

The skill players get all the glory, but at the end of the day, games are won by the big men on the line of scrimmage. Last season, Derrick Henry won the Heisman. I would argue, however, that Alabama’s defensive line won them the national championship. So whose lines will win them this game?

USC O-Line vs. Vandy D-Line

On the offensive line South Carolina starts, from left to right: Mason Zandi, Zack Bailey, Cory Helms, Donnell Stanley, and D.J. Park. Zandi made the switch from right tackle to left this off-season, he should be solid. Bailey should be tough as well. He made the SEC all-freshman team last season. Helms, meanwhile, is an experienced transfer from Wake Forest. Stanley and Park are new starters this season. South Carolina looks strong here, especially on the left side.

That strength will be tested by Vanderbilt’s stingy defense. On the line the Commodores start Jonathan Wynn, Adam Butler, and Nifae Lealao. Wynn is a converted outside linebacker who played well in his four starts. Adam Butler is a rock in the middle who has started the past two seasons for the Commodores. Lealao earned four starts last season and seemed to find his footing late in the year.

Vandy O-Line vs. USC D-Line

On the other side of the ball, the Commodores are also experienced. Left tackle Will Holden started every game last season. Left guard Delando Crooks was slated to start on the right last season. However, his season was derailed by a leg injury. Senior Barrett Gouger is the man at center. Last season he played right guard in Crooks’ absence. Bruno Reagan will man the right guard spot this season after starting the last two games of the season there last year. Finally, Justin Skule returns to man his right tackle spot after suffering a season-ending injury a year ago.

South Carolina will counter that with ends Marquavius Lewis and Dante Sawyer, along with tackles Kelsey Griffin and Taylor Stallworth. Lewis is a former junior college transfer who started every game last season. That experience should pay dividends this season. Dante Sawyer was a junior college transfer also. He made four starts last year. Griffin is a senior who has played in 26 games, while Stallworth is a junior has played in 17, starting five.

It looks as though the Commodores and Gamecocks are well matched along both lines. The battles of the big men will be fun to watch all game long.

Conclusion

Dec 5, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide tight end Michael Nysewander (46) celebrates with teammates after defeating the Florida Gators in the 2015 SEC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome. Alabama won 29-15. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports /

Thank you for reading. Is there a key factor you think we missed? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to “like” us on Facebook and “follow” us on Twitter.