Brief History of University of South Carolina 'Gamecock' Football Team and Bowl Games

The University of South Carolina (USC) is a public, co-educational university located in Columbia, South Carolina. Founded in 1801 as South Carolina College. It offers more than 350 programs of study leading to bachelor, masters, and doctoral degrees and has an enrollment of approximately 48,000 students.

Key Football Eras in Carolina Football 

• On Christmas Eve in 1892, the University of South Carolina fielded its first football team against Furman University. At that time the football team was not sanctioned by the University. They provided their own uniforms and paid their own train fare in order to participate in the game which was held in Charlesto, S.C. The team was nicknamed the "College Boys" by The News and Courier and their supporters wore garnet and black. The 1896 season saw the inaugural game against Carolina's arch-rival Clemson, which it won 12-6. 
• Coach C.R. Williams led the Gamecocks to a 14–3 record during the 1902 and 1903 football seasons. In 1906, the Board of Trustees banned participation in football after the faculty complained that the coarseness of chants and cheers, yelled by the students at football games, were not gentlemanly in nature. Within months The Board of Trustees reversed their decision after hearing pleas and receiving petitions from students and alumni. Play was allowed to resume in 1907. 
• The Billy Laval era (1928–1934) - Coach Laval came to USC from Furman University. Laval accepted a three-year contract worth $8,000 per year to coach the Gamecocks, which made him the highest-paid coach in the state. From 1928 to 1934, he led the Gamecocks to seven consecutive winning seasons and a 39–26–6 overall record, which included a perfect 3–0 Southern Conference campaign in 1933. Laval is the only South Carolina football coach to have produced seven consecutive winning seasons. In 2009, The State newspaper called him "the greatest collegiate coach" in the history of USC. 
• Rex Enright era (1938–1942, 1946–1955) - Under coach Rex Enright, the Gamecocks produced another undefeated Southern Conference season, (4–0–1), in 1941. After the 1942 season, Enright joined the U.S. Navy serving as a lieutenant. Enright returned to the Gamecocks in 1946 as head football coach, and remained until 1955 when he resigned for health reasons. Enright retired with the distinction of being the head coach with the most wins and losses in school history (64–69–7). He still retains the record for most school losses and is 2nd in wins. 
• Warren Giese era (1956–1960) was hired as head coach in 1956, and he led the Gamecocks to a 28–21–1 overall record in his 5-year tenure. 
• Paul Dietzel era (1966–1974) - Dietzel previously coached at Army and at LSU, where he won a national championship. In 1969, he led the Gamecocks to an ACC championship and an appearance in the Peach Bowl. As a result, Dietzel was named ACC Coach of the Year that season. Soon after, South Carolina left the ACC and became an Independent program in 1971. 
• Jim Carlen era (1975–1981) - Previously head football coach at Texas Tech and West Virginia, Jim Carlen took over as coach in 1975. Under his leadership the program achieved a measure of national prominence. Carlen led the Gamecocks to three bowl games, coached 1980 Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers, and produced a 45–36–1 record during his seven season tenure. 
• Joe Morrison era (1983–1988) - Coach Morrison was hired in 1983. After a 5–6 mark in his first year, the "Man in Black" led South Carolina to a 10–2 record, No. 11 final AP Poll ranking, and a Gator Bowl appearance in 1984. In 1987, the Gamecocks posted an 8–4 record, No. 15 Final AP Poll ranking, and another Gator Bowl trip. Morrison coached his last game in the 1988 Liberty Bowl, He finished his USC tenure with a 39–28–2 overall record, three bowl appearances, and three seasons with 8 or more wins. 
• Sparky Woods era (1989–1993) - Hired as head coach in 1989, he coached the Gamecocks until the end of the 1993 season. He posted winning seasons in 1989 and 1990 but, unfortunately, could not produce another winning campaign during his tenure. Woods led the USC football program through the transition to the SEC and has the distinction of being South Carolina's first head coach in the SEC when the Gamecocks entered the conference in 1992. Woods' overall record at South Carolina was 25–27–3. 
• Brad Scott era (1994–1998) - He took over as the Gamecocks head coach in December 1993. Despite modest pre-season expectations, he led USC to a 7–5 record and a Carquest Bowl victory over West Virginia in his first season. Unfortunately, USC won only six games during his final two seasons in Columbia. Scott's final record at South Carolina was 23–32–1 in five seasons. 
• Lou Holtz era (1999–2004) - This former Notre Dame head coach came out of retirement and became USC's head coach in 1999. He engineered 8–4 and 9–3 records in the 2000 and 2001 seasons. In addition, USC won consecutive Outback Bowls over Ohio State. The 2000 and 2001 campaigns the Gamecocks turned in No. 19 and No. 13 rankings in the Final AP ballots for those years. Holtz ended his USC tenure on a winning note with a 6–5 record in 2004 before retiring again. Holtz finished with a 33–37 overall record at South Carolina. 

* See Wikipedia for more detail

The Current Era 

Former NFL Washington Redskins head coach Steve Spurrier, who achieved fame after a very successful stint as head coach at his alma mater Florida, was hired in 2005 by USC to replace the retiring Lou Holtz. Spurrier led the Gamecocks to a 7–5 record and Independence Bowl appearance in his first season. As a result, Spurrier was named the 2005 SEC Coach of the Year. The 2006 season saw continued success under Spurrier, as the Gamecocks posted an 8–5 record and a victory over Houston in the Liberty Bowl Carolina posted consecutive 7–6 records in 2008 and 2009, with post-season appearances in the Outback Bowl and the PapapJohns Bowl. In 2010, Spurrier scored another first winning the first SEC Eastern Division Championship in school history. 

In 2011, Spurrier led USC to its most successful season in program history. The Gamecocks posted an 11–2 overall record, went 6–2 in SEC play and defeated No. 20 Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl to earn a final Top 10 rankings in the AP and Coaches' Polls. In 2012 Steve Spurrier, once again, led his USC football team to double-digit wins during the course of the regular season campaign. The 2012 regular season culminated with the annual season-ending game against arch-rival Clemson. Spurrier has become the winningest coach in Gamecock football history. 

[ Williams-Brice Stadium is the home football stadium for the South Carolina Gamecocks. It is currently the 20th largest college football stadium in the NCAA with the capacity to hold crowds of over 80,000 fans. Carolina football teams consistently attract standing-room-only crowds to Williams-Brice Stadium. The stadium is sometimes called "The Cock Pit" by Gamecock fans and local media. On October 6, 2012, the stadium's single-game attendance record was set when 85,199 fans watched the #6 Gamecocks beat #5 Georgia. ]

In 2013, Spurrier and the Gamecocks finished with another extremely successful 11–2 season. The Gamecocks also defeated #6 Clemson for the fifth year in a row, a school record. Spurrier also led the Gamecocks to a Capital One Bowl victory over Wisconsin. Carolina finished with the highest ranking in school history in the AP poll, ranked at #4 in the country. Finally, in 2014, the Gamecocks closed out the regular season with their first loss in six years to their in-state rival, #21 Clemson University. Spurrier and his team finished the 2014 campaign with the program's fourth-straight bowl win, a victory over the Miami Hurricanes in the 2014 Independence Bowl and a 7-6 overall record.

South Carolina Bowl Results (8-12) Season Bowl Opponent Score W/L 1945 Gator Wake Forest 14-26 L 1969 Peach West Virginia 3-14 L 1975 Tangerine Miami (Ohio) 7-20 L 1979 Hall Of Fame Missouri 14-24 L 1980 Gator Pittsburgh 9-37 L 1984 Gator Oklahoma State 14-21 L 1987 Gator LSU 13-30 L 1988 Liberty Indiana 10-34 L 1994 Carquest West Virginia 24-21 W 2000 Outback Ohio State 24-7 W 2001 Outback Ohio State 31-28 W 2005 Independence Missouri 31-38 L 2006 Liberty Houston 44-36 W 2008 Outback Iowa 10-31 L 2009 PapaJohns Connecticut 7-20 L 2010 Chick-fil-A Florida State 17-26 L 2011 Capital One Nebraska 30-13 W 2012 Outback Michigan 33-28 W 2013 Capital One Wisconsin 34-24 W 2014 Independence Miami (Fla.) 24-21 W

What will the Carolina Gamecock 2015 season look like? What do you think? 
  

* "The Fighting Gamecocks Lead the Way" is the fight song of the University of South Carolina.

Looking for a Job near Summerton, SC - Summer/Fall 2015

Summer/Fall 2015: Summerton is a small town in rural South Carolina that has become known as a wonderful place to vacation, raise a family, run a business - or retire to, when all is said and done. The deep spiritual commitment and sound family values of its people are reflected in the many churches and close-knit residential communities in Summerton and the surrounding area on the shores of beautiful Lake Marion.

Are you looking for a job in Summerton, S.C., or the surrounding area? There are currently quite a few jobs available nearby in Manning, Santee, Sumter, Orangeburg, etc.  Check out the following links: 

• Jobs.Net 
• Indeed.Com
• Career Builder  
• Hospital Jobs 
• Monster.Com 
• USA Government Jobs
• SC State Government Jobs

While Summerton retains the feel of a small rustic town, it has also benefited from the creation of numerous new residential and business communities that are continuing to grow up around beautiful Lake Marion.  These are bringing new jobs into the area.

Summerton and Lake Marion are well known across the South for offering a wide range of outdoor recreational activities like camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, kayaking, boating, and golfing to its many visitors. Make sure you visit the Summerton SC: Nature & Outdoor Recreation web site.

Brief Historical Sketch of Summerton - Originally Published in June 1889

An Historical Sketch of Summerton During the Past Half Century

The Manning Times, June 26, 1889 - Library of Congress Archives

The little hamlet called Summerton is situated on the waters of the Santee, near the source of Taw-Caw creek, on a point of land formed by the junction of said creek with one of its tributaries, known as Scott's Branch; the latter flowing south-cast ward, and joining the former about one mile below what is considered the center of the village.

Due west from Summerton, the Santee begins to form a curve, which continues until past the southern point of the compass, and by this curve, Summerton is about equidistant, or say 10 miles from the swamp, for perhaps thirty miles in its course to the ocean.

The area embraced within this curve in the Santee is composed of some of the finest farming lands in the county, or even in the State, mostly rich red clay, with occasionally some sand. And within this section beginning with what is familiarly known as "Fulton," and extending down the river to the Williamsburg line, lived for many years the most intelligent and wealthy citizens of the county of Clarendon, many of them owning large areas of land, many slaves, large herds of cattle and sheep, and perhaps more swine than did many of the old time Gadarenes.

The broad Santee afforded the finest pastures, and ample hunting and fishing ground, with its ridges and islands, lakes and creeks; and game was abundant, from the ugly brown bear that worried through the cane brake, to the nimble cat squirrel on the limbs of the trees, with wild turkeys, ducks, and fish of the finest quality and in great abundance.

While the farmer was enjoying the romantic scenery of the swamp, and supplying his table with game, the faithful sons of Africa, were (under proper supervisor) cultivating the fertile fields on the hill, or upland, and almost, without exception, the yield at harvest resulted in super abundance for both master and slave.

A HAPPY AND CONTENTED PEOPLE

Indeed, so well satisfied were the farmers of this section with the fertility of the soil that very few of them ever thought of emigrating to the West in search of richer land, but on the contrary many of them entailed their real estate on their heirs to the second and third generations, considering it the safest legacy they could bestow upon those who were to come after them.

Of course the results of the war wrought a very great change, and many fertile fields soon lapsed into their original or primitive state. The main difference in the forest now being a heavy growth of old field
pines, where once grew the long spruce or majestic yellow pine.

EVILS OF THE LIEN LAW

Many farms are now occupied almost exclusively by colored farmers, some of whom are gathering a little property around, them and show some signs of thrift, but the large majority barely make out to live through the aid of the lien supply law, which they consider a great boon, but which, in our judgement, is in reality against them in the end, for the prices they are forced to pay are really ruinous. While the lien supplies food for a few months, it is sure to give out before harvest time, and leaves the poor fellow discouraged, disheartened, and perfectly indifferent to energy, industry, or economy.

FIRST SETTLERS

It was about the time from 1830 to 1840 that the point where Summerton. is now located seems first to have been thought of as a health resort. Mr. Charles Harvin, a farmer in easy circumstances, living near Wrights Bluff, was the first to move out to the long leaf pine region at this point, with a view to test its character as a safe retreat from the "malaria," or "chill poison," of the swamp, and so successful was the experiment that he was soon' followed by Dr. John L. Felder, a distinguished physician, and neighbor of Mr. Harvin, with many others from year to year, among whom was the Rev. Hartwell Spain, a superannuated minister of the Methodist church, who moved to this place with other members of his family; and one of his gifted daughters being at that time a newspaper correspondent, over the nom de plume of "Lizzie Clarendon," dating the correspondence from "Summerton," gave to the place a name which it has worn ever since.

EDUCATIONAL CENTRE

Very soon the place became thickly settled and the site of a flourishing school under the principal care of the late R. K. Rutledge, who was succeeded by other teachers, until, under the management of the Rev. Thomas, a Methodist minister from Canada, it grew into an academy with three regular teachers and over one hundred students. Such was the sanitary condition of the location, together with the moral character of the community of Summerton proper, that parents, and guardians from the whole surrounding country were pleased to have their children under such favorable influence.

But the civil war with its terrible agencies and results gave to Summerton and surrounding country a shock, from the effects of which she has never but partially recovered. During the war, however, many of the best people from Charleston sought and found a quiet and peaceful refuge in Summerton, and remained there for some length of time.

Since the war, the school has never regained its former size or prosperity. During the past eight years we have had some very efficient teachers, but the financial condition of our patrons is so reduced that we find it impossible to employ a full corps of teachers, and consequently must yield to the stern necessity of stopping our children short of a regular literary or classical course.

BRIGHT FUTURE

But 0! Blessed Hope! Sweet Grace. May we not lift, up our depressed soul to some bright spot ahead shining through the dark mists of despondency. May we not lift up our heads, and gird up our loins for a fresh and vigorous struggle against poverty, when lo! two railroads are vying with each other, as to which shall plant the first depot at Summerton.

Yes, Wilson is already here, taking passengers from and bringing others to Summerton from his mill on the Central Railroad. And the Eutawville Road will soon be here. Once through with the trestle across the Santee, the road being already well graded, and cross ties put down to a point above Summerton, it will be but a few days' work to complete the road to its terminus at Sumter. Then being in close connection with the two great trunk lines passing through the State, we will be ready to open our arms wide to every good and true man, and say 'Welcome, Come in Brother.' But to the lawless, disobedient, and profane, we can only say, Friend, I am sorry, but the longer the distance between us, the better for both. 

* For more detail, visit the Historical Summerton S.C. web site.

Se. Kevin L. Johnson S.C. Legislative Update - June 2015

S.C. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
A message from Senator Kevin L. Johnson
District 36- Clarendon, Darlington, Florence, and Sumter Counties
June 2015

We have now come to the end of the 121st session of the South Carolina General Assembly. We will return on June 16th for one or two weeks to deal with the Governor's budget vetoes and to 'tie up some loose ends'.

The following bills were read for the third time and sent to the House of Representatives: S.490, Small Business Regulatory Review Committee; S.754, Murrell's Inlet-Garden City Fire District; S.731, Bamberg-Ehrhardt School District One; S.732, Denmark-Olar School District Two; S.703, Charter schools; S.484, Elementary school food service meals requirements; S.809, Florence County School District Number 3; S.810, Florence County School District Number 5; S.652, Savings promotion contests; S.693, Insurers' Rehabilitation and Liquidation Act; Together these Bills have now been moved over to the House of Representatives. 

Governor Haley has signed S.3, the Criminal Domestic Violence Bill and I was happy to work on and support that bill. Although these and all bills are important, I remain highly disappointed that some of the more important pieces of legislation were not passed. Chief among these is the fact that we did not pass a roads funding bill. Providing funding to repair our highway infrastructure should have been the number one priority of the General Assembly. Senator Tom Davis' three week filibuster, along with the Governor's and the Senate Republicans' insistence that DOT reform and income tax reduction be a part of the bill actually muddied the water and caused it to be dead on arrival. It is my hope that when we reconvene in January 2016 we will get a chance to debate a clean roads funding bill without any other measures attached to it. Any desire for income tax rate deduction or DOT reform should be separate proposals from the roads funding bill.
 
Please remember to visit www.scsenate.gov to see the bills that I have sponsored and co-sponsored as well as to receive more information about the aforementioned bills. Although we will not be back in legislative session until January 2016, please feel free to contact me at any time that I may be of service. Thank you for the opportunity to serve.
 
Contact Information: Senate Office of Kevin L. Johnson, 
PO Box 142, Columbia, SC 29202
Email: kevinjohnson@scsenate.gov
Ashley Stewart - Administrative Assistant
Office Telephone: (803) 212- 6048

Energy and the Environment in 2050

We all ought to take some time to consider what the world in which we live will look like in 2050 and beyond. I know I do, since my kids, grandkids, and great grandkids will hopefully be around then and well into the 22nd century.

The following is a brief collection of predictions about Energy and our Environment by 2050 that you might find interesting. These predictions were extracted from multiple reports and studies by groups around the world focused on the future of America and this planet. [I originally wrote this blog in 2015, but it turns out to still be spot on in 2020]

So here goes! Expect the following predictions and/or future scenarios to become a reality over the next few decades:

• The official end of the 'Oil Age' and use of fossil fuels on Earth will occur by 2050.
• There will be widespread emergence and use of a range of renewable energy sources, e.g. wind, solar, hydro.
• Renewable energy will probably provide up to 80% of U.S. needs by 2050.
• Nuclear 'fusion' power will become commercially available.
• Fuel cell technology will also be widely used to power homes, buildings, ships, cars, ...
• Continent-wide smart 'supergrids' will be used to help manage the world's energy needs.
• Both the high cost and scarcity of energy on Earth will be a thing of the past.
• Average global temperatures will have risen by more than 4°F by 2050.
• Continued climate change will make storms far more intense, e.g. hurricanes, tornados, cyclones.
• Sea levels across the globe will rise by a little over 3 feet, flooding many coastal cities and areas in the U.S. and around the world.
• Approximately 5 billion of the world's projected 10 billion people will live in water-stressed and food-scarce areas leading to the potential of mass migrations and regional conflicts.
• Nearly half of the world's rain forests and jungles will vanish by 2050, but global efforts to halt de-forestation will finally take hold.
• Deep ocean mining operations around the world will become widespread.
• Unfortunately, much of the world's fish stocks in the ocean could become extinct by 2050.
• Major extinctions of many other animals and plant life will have occurred.
• Cost-effective conservation technologies and solutions will be widely deployed and in use
• Use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) will be widespread on farms everywhere
• Wildfires will have tripled in many regions of the globe by 2050
• Hi-tech, self-driving 'non-polluting' electric cars will largely dominate the automobile industry by 2050 .
• High-speed rail routes between major cities across the U.S. and around the world will largely be in place.
• Many other technological breakthroughs will be developed just in time to solve many of the challenges and problems caused by a growing world population, rapid urbanization, climate change, space travel, ...e.g. AI, VR, IoT, Quantum Computing.
• Spaceflight technology will take a major leap forward allowing for Inter-Planetary travel across our Solar System.
• Public and private sector organizations will be aggressively moving forward to explore and exploit resources on nearby planets in outer-space
• There will be the first permanent human settlements on the moon and Mars by 2050.

What else do you think will happen by 2050?  Quantum Computing's Impact? What does all this mean for you?


* Read about America's Energy Future and go ahead and download a copy of the OECD Environmental Outlook for 2050.  Also, check out more detailed projections documented in 'Our Changing World by 2050'.