Playcalling Issues Fall On Everyone

Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield has been catching strays for the dismal play calling; while the logic makes sense, the entire Gamecock staff must correct these issues.

Fall men are a mainstay in sports. Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield is the latest for South Carolina, as he has received criticism for questionable play-calling the past few weeks.

The drama heightened when wide receiver Josh Vann appeared on the "Completely Cocky" podcast and criticized some calls from their loss to Arkansas.

"There was one time, not to bash a coach or anything, it was third down, and we called a play we haven’t went over in like three weeks. As a player, you’re supposed to know the whole playbook, so whenever something gets thrown onto you, you can know what it is so you can execute and line up fast. At the same time, we haven’t went over it. You can’t expect in the heat of the moment for somebody to recognize on the fly, to know what to do."

Regardless of who is at fault, this cannot happen. Vann is not incorrect in his criticism, but making public comments assures fans that the locker room reflects the public feeling. Something must change with these calls, but what?

Inside Game Preparation 

Play-calling is a collaborative effort that culminates in a week of preparation. Various coaches have input on decisions, from the head coach to offensive analysts. While Satterfield may be making the final calls, twenty people were involved with that decision.

For example, fans went into a frenzy over the opening series' third and sixth call. South Carolina took quarterback Spencer Rattler out of the game and inserted wide receiver Dakereon Joyner at wildcat quarterback.

Georgia, to their credit, snuffed out the apparent run and forced a punt. The public was left scratching their heads, wondering how someone could make such a call in the heat of the moment.

That decision was likely made days before Satterfield radioed down to the sideline with the call. Coaches spent hours in meetings deciding what the first third-down call would be, and they came up with that.

That decision isn't just a reflection on Satterfield; it's a reflection on the entire staff. Their process needs to be re-examined this week because defenses quickly adjust to their tendencies, whether their opponent is Georgia or Georgia State.

One of the critical issues is that the Gamecocks are predictable. Teams know when they line up under center with a tight end attached to the line of scrimmage, South Carolina is running the football.

While that is a run down for most teams, defenses know for a certainty the Gamecocks will run the ball out of that look. When they empty things out and motion a back into the backfield, they likely utilize some middle-of-the-field concept with a check-down available.

Their personnel allows them to do various things and be unpredictable from any formation, yet the Gamecocks choose not to. Things must start changing this week, or it could be trouble in Columbia.

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