Gamecock Digest

What Kentucky's Mark Stoops Had to Say About Matchup vs South Carolina

Alex Joyce

Sep 25, 2021; Columbia, South Carolina, USA: South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer shakes hands with Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops following a Kentucky victory at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 25, 2021; Columbia, South Carolina, USA: South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer shakes hands with Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops following a Kentucky victory at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports / Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

The South Carolina Gamecocks have enjoyed success against the Kentucky Wildcats during Shane Beamers tenure. Coach Beamer and the Gamecocks are 2-1 against Mark Stoops' Wildcats with one of those wins being on the road in Lexington. Coach Stoops met with the media on Monday to discuss his team's SEC opener vs South Carolina this Saturday.

Apart from South Carolina's recent success under Beamer, the Wildcats of Kentucky have been the better of the two programs when the teams matchup going 3-7 in the last 10 games, though they have been competitive for the most part. Mark Stoops talks about his experience in this game.

"South Carolina's a team that we always seem to have good games with," Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops said about Saturday's game against the Gamecocks. "Through my many years here, always a very good game, always evenly matched. We're looking forward to that challenge."

Both Kentucky and South Carolina are entering similar transitional years on offense. Both Georgia transfer Brock Vandagriff and LaNorris Sellers may their first career start and both offenses have a lot to improve on heading into week two.

"He's a dual threat guy. He's big. He's strong. He can throw the heck out of the ball down the field. You see the arm talent. A very good football player that's going to get better with every snap he takes. Every game, every rep, he'll improve," Coach Stoops on South Carolina's young QB.

South Carolina edge rushers were responsible for six tackles for loss (TFLs), four forced fumbles (FF), and four sacks. All four sacks came from veteran Kyle Kennard and star freshman Dylan Stewart. Stoops talked about the effect those two edge rushers have on the game.

"They have a really good combination with 5 (Dylan Stewart) and 6 (Kyle Kennard). You can see them both out there, can't miss them. One's a very mature older player that's an impact player in Kennard. With Dylan Stewart, five star freshman, big time player, very disruptive. Those guys are just very good players," Coach Stoops on the impact of the Gamecocks pass rush duo.

The Gamecocks and Wildcats are the first SEC game of the year and if recent matchups are a sign of things to come, this will be another good one to watch Saturday afternoon.

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Alex Joyce
ALEX JOYCE