Holtz wants volunteers

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Posted 6:33PM on Monday, November 3, 2003

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - No one's tried more gimmicks to motivate college football players than Lou Holtz. But last week, South Carolina's coach came up with something new he called for volunteers. Trailing Ole Miss 30-14 at halftime, and sick to death of Rebels star Eli Manning burn the Gamecocks with short, crisp, underneath routes, Holtz stepped into the locker room and asked, ``Is there anyone in here who wants to play defense?'' ``I was like, 'Huh?''' cornerback Dunta Robinson said Monday. That's the way things have gone for the Gamecocks defense lately. It ranked eighth in the country only a few weeks ago, but surrendered 1,496 yards and eight TD passes the past three games. South Carolina (5-4) fell from the top 10 to 41st in the country with few signs things will turn around. ``We haven't looked like a good defensive football (team) since Tennessee'' six weeks ago, Holtz said. Maybe it's because the Gamecocks haven't been a healthy defensive football team since then. Defensive end George Gause is again questionable with a knee injury and did not practice Sunday with a Thursday night game at Arkansas ahead. Nose tackle Preston Thorne was lost for the year with a knee injury in September. Starting linebackers Marcus Lawrence and Lance Laury have played through season-long injuries. Key backup Ricardo Hurley missed three early games. In the secondary, Jamacia Jackson, Rod Wilson and Robinson all have been banged up. An informal count of South Carolina's defensive depth chart for this week showed at least 14 of the 27 players missed practices or games this year because of injuries. ``No doubt the injuries have played a role,'' Holtz said. South Carolina's opponents might also send a thank you card to Kentucky. The Gamecocks led 27-7 in the fourth quarter on Oct. 9 when the Wildcats brought in backup quarterback Shane Boyd for an injured Jared Lorenzen. Boyd mostly worked the soft middle between the defensive line and the secondary to lead Kentucky to two fourth-quarter touchdowns. Ever since, Robinson says opponents have picked apart the no man's land on successful crossing patterns that steadily move the chains. ``Teams are exploiting us,'' Robinson said. ``A lot of stuff across the middle and backs in the flat. They exposed it. Offensive coordinators are smart. ... We've just got to be smart and understand that those are our weaknesses and we've got to get them corrected.'' Holtz says he probably looked too much at late-game defensive mistakes in victories over Kentucky and Vanderbilt instead of banking on his team's usually steady play. There was nothing in the bank at halftime last week. But Holtz's plea may have awakened his team. After allowing two more touchdowns in the third quarter as Mississippi took a 43-14 lead, the Gamecocks stiffened as their offense cut the Rebels lead to 43-40 before time ran out. ``I took it as motivation,'' said Robinson, a senior captain. ``And I'm assuming the rest of the guys did too because in the second half we came out and played a lot better.'' South Carolina figured to struggle on defense throughout the season. Coordinator Charlie Strong left for a similar job at Florida. New leader Chris Cosh put in a four-man front, in part to add pressure to opponents passers. Instead, injuries along the line and at linebacker have slowed what looked to be a banner year. Holtz hopes the way they played at the end against Mississippi means the defensive fog is lifting. ``The encouraging thing,'' Holtz said, ``it wasn't a lack of effort, it wasn't that they weren't physical and we didn't get blown off the ball.'' If things bog down again, Robinson knows Holtz will try something else. ``He got a thousand tricks,'' Robinson said. And the Gamecocks defense might need every one of them before season ends.