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Nashville Gets Cocky; University of South Carolina to take over Music City

A sea of garnet and black will wash over downtown Nashville on October 20 when University of South Carolina alumni and football fans gather for a pep rally social at the Global Caf� the night before the Gamecocks take on the Vanderbilt University Commodores.

USC Strong On Tar Heel LB

By Phil Kornblut
USC is one of several schools to make early written offers to LB Barquell Rivers (6-1 210) of Wadesboro, NC. He also has written offers from North Carolina, NC State, Wake Forest, Penn State, Georgia, Virginia and Oklahoma State. He is also hearing from Clemson, Florida, Notre Dame, Ole Miss and Virginia Tech. Rivers made an unofficial visit to USC last week. He has been to junior day at Wake Forest and will be going to junior days at NC State, Clemson and Tennessee. He will also take an unofficial visit to Florida. Last season Rivers had 131 tackles with 2 interceptions and 4 fumble recoveries. "He's the best athlete in the school," said is coach Jody Grooms. "He's a four year starter on the varsity. He's just got big play capability. He's been a team leader since the ninth grade. He attacks the ball carrier and can go sideline to sideline. He has great instincts."

USC's Tucker hits it right on the nose

Senior finds comfort, success on defensive line

Like a pingpong ball, Chris Tucker has bounced from one side of the net -- or in this case the line of scrimmage -- to the other during the past year at the University of South Carolina.

He arrived in Columbia as a defensive lineman, playing sparingly his first two seasons and hampered by a nagging foot injury as a sophomore. He began last season on defense before moving to offensive guard at midseason.

Holtz defends program

Former USC coach responds to NCAA violations

In his first public comments since the NCAA put USC's football program on a three-year probation, former Gamecocks coach Lou Holtz said he and his staff "tried to operate not only according to the letter of the law but the spirit of the law as well."

The NCAA Infractions Committee agreed with USC's self-imposed sanctions, although it extended probation for a third year. The penalties, which include cuts in the number of scholarships as well as the number of visits allowed by prospective football players, were the result of 10 rules violations uncovered by the NCAA.

NCAA sanctions often follow a pattern

If there is something more befuddling about the National Collegiate Athletic Association than its own rules, it might be how the organization dispenses punishment on those rules.

A case in point is this week's pat on the wrist to the University of South Carolina for the violation of 10 rules, five of which were determined to be major infractions. The list included, in the words of the NCAA, "impermissible tutoring for recruits ... unethical conduct by a USC official ... participation by an ineligible student athlete" and seven others, the last of which was lack of institutional control.

Statement from Holtz

The statement of former South Carolina head coach Lou Holtz regarding the Gamecocks' NCAA violations and penalties as dictated to AP sportswriter Pete Iacobelli on Wednesday night:

"I have previously refrained from commenting on the NCAA investigation because today was the first time I have seen the allegations.

"Let's examine what the three-year investigation and thousands of dollars spent by the NCAA did reveal. There was no money involved. No athletes were paid. There were no recruiting inducements. No cars. No jobs offered. No ticket scandal, etc.

University reports 10 secondary violations

USC reported 10 secondary NCAA violations during the six-month period between Jan. 1-June 30, including two involving the Gamecocks� football team.

Responding to a Freedom of Information Act request by The State, the school released the self-reports Thursday, a day after its three-year, major infractions case wrapped up.

Tucker takes advantage of Doughty�s trip to doghouse

With a strong performance against Central Florida, USC defensive tackle Chris Tucker easily could surpass his tackle total �.�.�. for his career.

That possibility says a lot about where Tucker has been and where he is now � at the top of the depth chart following a four-year wait. The redshirt senior with four career tackles to his credit has been one of the Gamecocks� most pleasant surprises this preseason, unseating a player who had been one of the biggest surprises of the spring.

ESPN throwing party for Spurrier�s return

You can bet that if Steve Spurrier wasn�t involved, South Carolina�s football home-opener against Central Florida at 7:30 p.m. Thursday wouldn�t be a likely candidate for television. And the game would be played on a Saturday as originally scheduled.

But Spurrier�s return to the college ranks as coach of the Gamecocks stirred up a lot of people, especially many members of the media.

ESPN (cable channel 26, HD channel 950) reacted quickly and got the game moved to Thursday so it could show Spurrier�s debut at USC to the rest of the country. And they�re making a party out of it.

ESPN won�t allow Holtz to vote in poll

The new college football poll being used by the Bowl Championship Series will have to replace four voters on its recently unveiled panel, including former South Carolina coach Lou Holtz.

Holtz, Gerry DiNardo and John Congemi � all ESPN commentators � are not permitted by the network to vote in the Harris Interactive College Football Poll because it is being used by the BCS to determine which teams play for the national championship.