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OPINION: Two Things Gamecocks Could Do To Try & Kickstart Ground Game

The rushing attack for South Carolina's Football team struggled to get going in week one, so what could be done to alleviate those issues.
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31 rushing attempts for -2 rushing yards. It's a stat line that no football team, head coach, or offensive coordinator ever wants to see, but that's what shows up in the box score from the Dukes Mayo Kickoff Classic for South Carolina's football team. There's no sole reason as to why the Gamecocks couldn't even record a positive output in terms of rush yards. Still, there's one universal truth everyone can agree on if South Carolina can't find a way to increase production out of their rushing attack, they'll have an exponentially harder time winning football games.

So what could Dowell Loggains do regarding his scheme or play-calling tendencies to try and create more success in South Carolina's ground attack? There are two things that I think could potentially help open things up for the Gamecocks:

Ditch Zone Runs For More Power Runs

Every offensive scheme has a combination of both zone-run plays and power-run plays. The difference between the two is that zone-run plays assign linemen to a particular zone where they must make split-second decisions on which defender to block. Linemen also have to move quickly so that a defender doesn't cut off their lane and, thus, take out a running lane option for the running back.

Power-run plays are also assignment-based, but these plays assign each offensive lineman to a specific defender on the field, thus allowing them to play faster and not have to think as much once the ball is snapped. I think it would benefit the Gamecocks o-line unit, the way it's presently constructed, to have more power-run plays called for them from this point forward in 2023.

Utilize More RPO's Over Middle Of Field

Run-pass options have become a staple in most modern offensive attacks due to how simple yet effective they can be against defenses. Over the past year or two, South Carolina's offense has predominantly run RPOs to the perimeter, typically using bubble screens or swing passes along with the threat of the run.

The other popular RPO many teams run involves a simple slant route paired up with an inside run concept. I think the Gamecocks should run these RPOs with more frequency because it will force second-level defenders to respect the possibility that Spencer Rattler could dump a pass right behind them and, thus, give running backs a bit more time to run downhill and, therefore, maximize their yardage output.

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