South Carolina assistant Lorenzo Ward has been waiting for two decades to run his own defense. And now that he finally has his own unit, he isn't going to have the Gamecocks sit back on their heels.
Ward promises a more aggressive defense than the one that led the Southeastern Conference in turnovers forced last season and trailed only the formidable defenses of Alabama and LSU in yards and points allowed. He thinks his unit struggles when it has to sit back and read the offense.
"We want to be in attack mode," Ward said. "The players that we have here play better when you tell them where they need to go."
Along with losing its architect, Ellis Johnson, who became head coach at Southern Mississippi, South Carolina's defense also had four of its players taken in the NFL Draft. But Ward said he has plenty of good players left and is ready to be the counterpart to Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier's offensive genius.
"Coach Johnson did a great job," Ward said. "But coach Johnson is coach Johnson and coach Ward is going to make his own name."
Ward has plenty of talent left. Up front, senior Devin Taylor was picked for to the second-team all-SEC preseason, while sophomore Jadeveon Clowney was a first team pick.
Clowney occasionally made amazing plays his freshman year, but Ward expects a lot more from him this season. He said Clowney has accepted to be a great player he can't just rely on his natural talent.
"His spring was really, really crucial for him. He did well accepting coaching," Ward said.
link: http://www.gatorspor.../APS/1207261060
Ward promises a more aggressive defense than the one that led the Southeastern Conference in turnovers forced last season and trailed only the formidable defenses of Alabama and LSU in yards and points allowed. He thinks his unit struggles when it has to sit back and read the offense.
"We want to be in attack mode," Ward said. "The players that we have here play better when you tell them where they need to go."
Along with losing its architect, Ellis Johnson, who became head coach at Southern Mississippi, South Carolina's defense also had four of its players taken in the NFL Draft. But Ward said he has plenty of good players left and is ready to be the counterpart to Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier's offensive genius.
"Coach Johnson did a great job," Ward said. "But coach Johnson is coach Johnson and coach Ward is going to make his own name."
Ward has plenty of talent left. Up front, senior Devin Taylor was picked for to the second-team all-SEC preseason, while sophomore Jadeveon Clowney was a first team pick.
Clowney occasionally made amazing plays his freshman year, but Ward expects a lot more from him this season. He said Clowney has accepted to be a great player he can't just rely on his natural talent.
"His spring was really, really crucial for him. He did well accepting coaching," Ward said.
link: http://www.gatorspor.../APS/1207261060
Last edited by a moderator: