The 2011 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Gamecocks were led by seventh-year head coach Steve Spurrier and played their home games at Williams–Brice Stadium. They were a member of the East Division of the Southeastern Conference and finished 11–2 for the season and 6–2 in SEC play.
The defending SEC East champions, South Carolina started the season 4–0 and ranked No. 10 in the country. However, in the fifth game of the season, they lost at home to unranked defending national champion Auburn, resulting in long-time starting quarterback Stephen Garcia being replaced by Connor Shaw. Shaw would subsequently start almost every game until the end of the 2013 season, becoming the winningest quarterback in school history along the way, and never losing at home. South Carolina would only lose one more game the rest of the season, a blowout on the road at No. 8 Arkansas. While the Gamecocks finished undefeated against the East Division, the losses to Auburn and Arkansas left them second in the division standings behind Georgia. In the Capital One Bowl, they defeated No. 21 Nebraska 30–13, the program's first bowl victory since 2006. The eleven wins were a school record; it was only the second time in the school's 119-year football history that it won as many as ten games. They also finished eighth in the final Coaches' Poll and ninth in the final AP Poll—their first-ever top-10 finishes in any major poll.
The 2011 Gamecocks were arguably the most talented team in school history. They are the only team in South Carolina's history with two future retired jerseys (Alshon Jeffery and Jadeveon Clowney). Melvin Ingram was a consensus All-American, only the third in program history. Marcus Lattimore was a frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy until a season-ending injury. Clowney, the highest-rated high school football recruit of all time, was named the SEC Freshman of the Year. The team had three future first-round NFL draft picks and sixteen total future NFL draft picks, the most in program history.
Preseason On April 10, 2011, the Garnet squad defeated the Black squad, 21–17, in the annual Garnet & Black Spring Game, in front of a crowd of 30,100.
Schedule
Game summaries
Vs. East Carolina
Statistics ECUSC First downs 21 16 Total yards 345 351 Rushing yards 85 220 Passing yards 260 137 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 37–56–1 10–25–0 Turnovers 5 4 Team Category Player StatisticsEast Carolina Passing Dominique Davis 37/56, 260 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Reggie Bullock 18 rushes, 67 yards Receiving Lance Lewis 13 receptions, 108 yards, 2 TDSouth Carolina Passing Stephen Garcia 7/15, 110 yards, TD Rushing Marcus Lattimore 23 rushes, 112 yards, 3 TD Receiving Alshon Jeffery 5 receptions, 92 yards
At Georgia
Statistics SCUGA First downs 15 23 Total yards 395 436 Rushing yards 253 188 Passing yards 149 280 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11–26–2 19–29–1 Turnovers 2 3 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Carolina Passing Stephen Garcia 11/25, 142 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Marcus Lattimore 27 rushes, 176 yards, TD Receiving Alshon Jeffery 5 receptions, 85 yards, TDGeorgia Passing Aaron Murray 19/29, 248 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Isaiah Crowell 16 rushes, 118 yards, TD Receiving Malcolm Mitchell 5 receptions, 52 yards
Navy
Statistics NAVYSC First downs 15 27 Total yards 335 458 Rushing yards 274 254 Passing yards 61 209 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 5–9–1 18–25–1 Turnovers 1 1 Team Category Player StatisticsNavy Passing Kriss Proctor 5/9, 61 yards, INT Rushing Alexander Teich 15 rushes, 93 yards, TD Receiving Bo Snelson 1 reception, 33 yardsSouth Carolina Passing Stephen Garcia 18/25, 204 yards, INT Rushing Marcus Lattimore 37 rushes, 246 yards, 3 TD Receiving Nick Jones 3 receptions, 52 yards
Vanderbilt
Statistics VANSC First downs 5 17 Total yards 77 367 Rushing yards 4 131 Passing yards 73 236 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16–23–1 17–32–4 Turnovers 3 4 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Larry Smith 12/16, 44 yards, INT Rushing Zac Stacy 7 rushes, 18 yards Receiving Jonathan Krause 9 receptions, 55 yardsSouth Carolina Passing Stephen Garcia 16/30, 228 yards, TD, 4 INT Rushing Marcus Lattimore 20 rushes, 77 yards, TD Receiving Ace Sanders 4 receptions, 75 yards
Auburn
Statistics AUBSC First downs 22 13 Total yards 358 289 Rushing yards 246 129 Passing yards 112 160 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 12–25–4 9–23–2 Turnovers 4 4 Team Category Player StatisticsAuburn Passing Barrett Trotter 12/23, 112 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Michael Dyer 41 rushes, 141 yards, TD Receiving Ontario McCalebb 3 receptions, 33 yardsSouth Carolina Passing Stephen Garcia 9/23, 160 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Marcus Lattimore 17 rushes, 66 yards, TD Receiving Alshon Jeffery 5 receptions, 86 yards, TD
Kentucky
Statistics UKSC First downs 6 32 Total yards 96 639 Rushing yards 79 288 Passing yards 17 351 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 4–26–4 30–43–0 Turnovers 6 1 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Morgan Newton 4/21, 17 yards, INT Rushing Morgan Newton 14 rushes, 54 yards Receiving La'rod King 1 reception, 8 yardsSouth Carolina Passing Connor Shaw 26/39, 311 yards, 4 TD Rushing Marcus Lattimore 22 rushes, 102 yards Receiving Alshon Jeffery 6 receptions, 95 yards, 2 TD
At Mississippi State
Statistics SCMSST First downs 18 18 Total yards 289 296 Rushing yards 110 131 Passing yards 179 165 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 22–32–2 11–30–2 Turnovers 2 2 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Carolina Passing Connor Shaw 20/28, 155 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Marcus Lattimore 17 rushes, 39 yards, TD Receiving Nick Jones 4 receptions, 45 yardsMississippi State Passing Tyler Russell 11/29, 165 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Vick Ballard 20 rushes, 67 yards Receiving Arceto Clark 4 receptions, 54 yards
At Tennessee
Statistics SCTENN First downs 20 10 Total yards 318 186 Rushing yards 231 35 Passing yards 87 151 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 10–18–1 15–38–2 Turnovers 3 2 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Carolina Passing Connor Shaw 10/18, 87 yards, TD, INT Rushing Brandon Wilds 28 rushes, 137 yards Receiving Brandon Wilds 3 receptions, 31 yardsTennessee Passing Justin Worley 10/26, 105 yards, 2 INT Rushing Tauren Poole 18 rushes, 38 yards Receiving Deanthony Arnett 3 receptions, 59 yards
At No. 8 Arkansas
Statistics SCARK First downs 17 20 Total yards 207 435 Rushing yards 79 136 Passing yards 128 299 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16–25–1 20–38–1 Turnovers 4 1 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Carolina Passing Connor Shaw 16/25, 128 yards, INT Rushing Connor Shaw 14 rushes, 24 yards, 2 TD Receiving Kenny Miles 2 receptions, 30 yardsArkansas Passing Tyler Wilson 20/37, 299 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Dennis Johnson 15 rushes, 86 yards Receiving Jarius Wright 4 receptions, 103 yards, 2 TD
Florida
Statistics FLASC First downs 17 16 Total yards 261 299 Rushing yards 142 215 Passing yards 119 84 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 13–23–0 7–13–1 Turnovers 2 1 Team Category Player StatisticsFlorida Passing John Brantley 13/21, 119 yards Rushing Chris Rainey 17 rushes, 132 yards Receiving Jordan Reed 5 receptions, 62 yardsSouth Carolina Passing Connor Shaw 6/12, 81 yards, INT Rushing Brandon Wilds 29 rushes, 120 yards Receiving Ace Sanders 2 receptions, 50 yards
The Citadel
Statistics CITSC First downs 19 22 Total yards 249 473 Rushing yards 241 256 Passing yards 8 217 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 1–2–0 16–18–1 Turnovers 0 1 Team Category Player StatisticsThe Citadel Passing Aaron Miller 1/1, 8 yards Rushing Darien Robinson 20 rushes, 88 yards, TD Receiving Rickey Robinson 1 reception, 8 yardsSouth Carolina Passing Connor Shaw 16/18, 217 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Brandon Wilds 20 rushes, 109 yards, 2 TD Receiving Alshon Jeffery 5 receptions, 81 yards, TD
No. 18 Clemson
Statistics CLEMSC First downs 12 19 Total yards 153 420 Rushing yards 70 210 Passing yards 117 226 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11–30–1 14–20–0 Turnovers 1 0 Team Category Player StatisticsClemson Passing Tahj Boyd 11/29, 83 yards, TD, INT Rushing Andre Ellington 13 rushes, 66 yards Receiving Sammy Watkins 4 receptions, 39 yardsSouth Carolina Passing Connor Shaw 14/20, 210 yards, 3 TD Rushing Connor Shaw 19 rushes, 107 yards, TD Receiving Bruce Ellington 3 receptions, 71 yards, TD
Vs. No. 21 Nebraska (Capital One Bowl)
Statistics NEBSC First downs 17 16 Total yards 253 351 Rushing yards 137 121 Passing yards 116 230 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 10–16–1 11–17–0 Turnovers 2 0 Team Category Player StatisticsNebraska Passing Taylor Martinez 10/16, 116 yards, TD, INT Rushing Rex Burkhead 23 rushes, 89 yards Receiving Kenny Bell 3 receptions, 53 yards, TDSouth Carolina Passing Connor Shaw 11/17, 230 yards, 2 TD Rushing Kenny Miles 15 rushes, 67 yards, TD Receiving Alshon Jeffery 4 receptions, 148 yards, TD
Players
Depth chart Projected starters and primary backups versus Clemson on November 26, 2011.
Awards Antonio Allen – AP Second-Team All-SEC;Five Gamecocks Named All-SEC AP Second-Team All-AmericanIngram Named First-Team AP All-American A.J. Cann – Coaches SEC All-Freshman TeamGamecocks Place Three on SEC All-Freshman Team Jadeveon Clowney – Coaches Second-Team All-SEC;Ingram Named to SEC Coaches' First Team Coaches SEC All-Freshman Team;Gamecocks Place Three on SEC All-Freshman Team SEC Freshman of the Year;Clowney Named Freshman of the Year Sporting News All-Freshman TeamIngram Named to Sporting News Squad Bruce Ellington – SEC Co-Freshman of the Week, 10/17/11;Swearinger, Ellington Honored by SEC Coaches SEC All-Freshman TeamGamecocks Place Three on SEC All-Freshman Team Melvin Ingram – Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week, 9/11/11;Ingram Honored as Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week SEC Special Teams Player of the Week, 9/12/11;Ingram Honored by SEC SEC Defensive Player of the Week, 9/26/11;Ingram Named SEC Defensive Player of the Week SEC Defensive Player of the Week, 10/3/11;Ingram Earns SEC Honors Again AP & Coaches First-Team All-SEC;Five Gamecocks Named All-SECIngram Named to SEC Coaches' First Team AFCA All-American Team;Ingram Named AFCA All-American Walter Camp First-Team All-American;Ingram Named to First Team Walter Camp All-America Squad AP First-Team All-American;Ingram Named First-Team AP All-American Sporting News All-American TeamIngram Named to Sporting News Squad Alshon Jeffery – AP Second-Team All-SEC;Five Gamecocks Named All-SEC Capital One Bowl MVP Marcus Lattimore – SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week, 9/19/11;Lattimore Honored For Performance AP & Coaches Second-Team All-SECFive Gamecocks Named All-SECIngram Named to SEC Coaches' First Team Mike Matulis – Sporting News All-Freshman TeamIngram Named to Sporting News Squad Travian Robertson – SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week, 10/14/11Robertson Honored By SEC Connor Shaw – SEC Offensive Player of the Week, 10/10/11;Shaw Earns SEC Accolades SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week, 11/28/11Shaw Honored by SEC D.J. Swearinger – SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week, 10/17/11Swearinger, Ellington Honored by SEC Rokevious Watkins – SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week, 9/5/11;Watkins Named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week AP First-Team All-SEC;Five Gamecocks Named All-SEC Coaches Second-Team All-SECIngram Named to SEC Coaches' First Team Brandon Wilds – SEC Freshman of the Week, 10/31/11Wilds Named Freshman of the Week Dalton Wilson – Capital One Academic All-America Second TeamDalton Wilson Named to Capital One Academic All-America Second Team
2011 recruiting class
NCAA investigation