Like it is: Gamecocks have new attitude, take care of Hogs

WALLY HALL
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- It doesn't take long to spot the real Razorbacks.
They are the ones who know there is much more to it than being assigned a uniform and going to practice.
After Saturday's 27-7 loss to South Carolina, J.J. Jones looked like he was ready to bite a locker in half.
Carlos Hall, Quinton Caver and Raymond House were ready to help.
Kenny Sandlin was as deep in his locker as he could get, face-first, with his head down fighting tears of frustration and disappointment.
Josh Melton had a glare in his eyes that should have meant stay away.
All of them -- the real Razorbacks, and there were more than just those few mentioned -- knew the truth.
They had been outsmarted and outplayed.
Beaten by a team that everyone had penciled in as a victory in preseason but has developed the mental toughness to overachieve.
"We didn't get it done today," Melton grumbled. "To compete, to win, you have to have it in your head and your heart. South Carolina had the same players they had last year, but they have a different attitude now."
The Gamecocks, and give Lou Holtz much of the credit, took care of business.
They protected the ball and their quarterback. They didn't give up big plays or make dumb mistakes.
Just as important, they were smart enough to take everything the Hogs gave them, which was more than enough.
Any hopes the Hogs had were wiped away by yellow flags and fumbles. The Razorbacks simply self-destructed.
"I don't have to look at film to know that's a fact," said defensive line coach Bill Johnson.
In the third quarter, the Razorbacks trailed only 13-0 and there was a new spark in the offense with Zak Clark at quarterback.
After a tackle by Hall for no gain and one for a 7-yard loss by Randy Garner, South Carolina was forced to punt and Tyeler Dean shanked it.
All Richard Smith had to do was fair catch the 31-yard punt but he misplayed it into a fumble and Rachiem Monroe recovered for the Gamecocks at the Arkansas 37.
Three runs later and the score was 20-0.
Clark came right back, driving the Hogs to the Gamecocks' 5 -- he completed 4 of 4 passes for 43 yards -- only for Fred Talley to get ripped and stripped.
Talley refused to lay the blame for the fumble on the hand that came out of a cast this week.
Still, an inspired Razorbacks defense came back on the field and held South Carolina to 2 yards and forced an incompletion, but what should have been third-and-8 from the Gamecocks' 17 became first-and-10 at their 32 because of a personal foul.
On the next play, Derek Watson went 68 yards for South Carolina's final score.
So giving up big plays was another problem for the Razorbacks. Plus there were back-to-back sacks in the second quarter that left Robby Hampton out of the game until he was forced back into action after Clark and Jared McBride were injured.
And one Arkansas defensive back had to come out of the game so they could check for burn marks he was beaten so badly.
To compound matters, South Carolina had 11 tackles for 44 yards in losses, including 4 sacks.
All total, the Hogs had four turnovers, eight penalties and an end zone full of mental mistakes.
No one can win in the SEC when that happens.
Of course, the Hogs suffered more than injured pride. Clark was on crutches with a high ankle sprain (though there is some soreness around the fibula) and McBride suffered a knee injury.
Hampton spent most of the second half with ice taped to his throwing hand. Derrick Johnson was limping in a knee brace and Boo Williams had a strained shoulder.
However, the Razorbacks didn't lose just because some folks got hurt or because of fumbles by Smith or Talley. Or even some penalties.
They lost because of all those things and a lack of execution.
Unless all of them get the head and the heart and start overachieving, they won't be like South Carolina this season -- headed to a bowl.

Join Wally and Marcus Elliott live at 6 tonight, 374-9255, Comcast Cable channel 18.

This article was published on Sunday, October 15, 2000

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