South Carolina safety Brison Williams, far left, blocks a field goal attempt by Florida place kicker Francisco Velez (95) during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Gainesville, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014. South Carolina won in overtime 23-20. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
South Carolina faces a stiff challenge from Florida's defense. John Raoux AP Photo
Florida's defense figures to give South Carolina all it can handle this upcoming Saturday.
The likes of Bryan Cox, Jr. and Alex McCalister will fly off the edge with speed, quickness, and more than anything, effort. McCalister in particular figures to be a significant challenge for the South Carolina offensive line.
Antonio Morrison and Jarrad Davis are as productive a one-two combination as one will find at linebacker in the SEC. The secondary is arguably the deepest and most-talented entity within the unit. Vernon Hargreaves III is the headliner -- although Jalen Tabor, Keanu Neal, and Brian Poole are all extremely talented as well.
Offensive coordinator G.A. Mangus spoke about Florida's defense after practice on Wednesday. As one would expect, he was particularly effusive in his praise of Jim McElwain's team.
"They've got a good defense, a good front. They're fast," said Mangus. "They've got a great back seven. We've got our work cut out for us."
In this contest, look for running back Brandon Wilds to get plenty of touches. Not only has he been effective in the last few games, but injuries to Joey Ivie and Jonathan Bullard make Florida a bit vulnerable along its defensive line. Dually, the Pharoh Cooper-Hargreaves III matchup could go a long way in determining how successful (or unsuccessful) South Carolina's offense will be.
"We're looking forward to the challenge," said Mangus. "I think they have the best back seven that we've seen."
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