How Satterfield is finding feel with South Carolina offense halfway through season

Marcus Satterfield is a believer in feel.

Feel? What? Let him explain.

“I think at this point early on in our tenure as we start here at South Carolina, I think that you could go out there and you could try to put up points and you could try to put up a lot of yards and you could put your defense in some really bad situations,” Satterfield said Wednesday. “... But I think we play the game smart and I think I do have a feel for it.”

Satterfield, who has been maligned by factions of the fan base over the season’s first half, spoke with reporters Wednesday on the heels of a handful of controversial play calls and perhaps the most profound scrutiny he’s faced since taking over as the offensive coordinator in January.

But for what the casual fan might see as continued issues, he assured there are subtleties to the progress being made on the field. After six games, there’s a sense that Satterfield, the staff and those on the field have a taste for who needs the ball in their hands.

“He knows who he can count on and we know we can count on him,” tight end Nick Muse said of Satterfield. “We’ve just got to execute the plays and just got to keep rolling.”

Say what you will about South Carolina’s play calling through six games. Some of it has been creative genius. Other bits have been completely puzzling. Yet there has been a continued willingness to adapt as the season has progressed.

Take Luke Doty, for instance. With Doty sidelined and Zeb Noland stepping in, the latter forced South Carolina to be less direct with including its quarterback in the run game. Saturday, though, Doty ran for 52 yards on five attempts, not counting sack yardage.

Part of that was by design, giving Doty chances to feel out pressures and keep the ball himself if needed. The other piece came by way of the former Myrtle Beach High School star’s ability to simply move around the field.

“I definitely feel like coach (Satterfield) and me have a great relationship,” Doty said Tuesday. “And I know that he trusts me to get us in the right looks and I trust him to create a game plan that allows us to go out there and play fast, and he does that every single week.”

South Carolina, too, has made a conscious effort to get both Kevin Harris and Juju McDowell going at running back. The Gamecocks have stuck with Harris despite a slow start. Saturday, he responded recording his first two touchdowns of the year.

McDowell has been the preeminent example of South Carolina’s willingness to adjust. The feisty freshman quickly supplanted MarShawn Lloyd and ZaQuandre White for carries behind Harris. Satterfield has moved him to the slot, out of the backfield and wherever the Gamecocks can conceivably find a way to get him the ball in space.

Starters aside, reserve offensive linemen Jazston Turnetine, Vershon Lee, Vincent Murphy, Tyshawn Wannamaker and Trai Jones got their own runs on Saturday in an effort to bolster depth. Jones even got his chances at fullback in an effort to give Tennessee some deceiving looks and to plow a way for South Carolina’s talented tailbacks.

“I’ve said it before, but I’m a meticulous note taker and write down everything,” head coach Shane Beamer said Tuesday. “I’m constantly evaluating myself and what I’m talking to the team about, how we’re doing things. I think you’re just constantly learning.”

Added Satterfield: “I know exactly who can who can do what now. I know what their strengths are. It’s now making sure that we put guys in positions to be able to get the ball in their hands.”

South Carolina’s offense hasn’t been perfect. Far from it. Statistically, Satterfield said Wednesday the Gamecocks simply haven’t been good enough. Sitting 11th in rushing offense, 12th in passing offense and and 13th in scoring offense and total offense, he’s right.

But with six games in the bag, there’s still a feel that comes into play. Some subscribe to it. Others don’t. Satterfield is a believer. Now it’s a matter of continuing to get the ball into the right peoples’ hands as South Carolina chases down a fleeting chance at bowl eligibility.