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By Pat Taggart – The Sports Network

When Steve Spurrier accepted the head coaching position at South Carolina back in 2005, many believed that football would fall behind golf in his list of priorities.

After several seasons of relative mediocrity with the Gamecocks, it seemed inevitable that the “Ol Ball Coach” would walk away and spend retirement on the links with his legendary status very much intact. After all, he won a Heisman Trophy as a player and a national title as a coach while at Florida, leaving little to prove on the gridiron. And thanks to Dan Snyder, we have to assume that the bank account is strong, as well.

But a funny thing happened last season in Columbia, South Carolina. The Gamecocks won the SEC Eastern Division title for the first time in program history, and Spurrier was named SEC Coach of the Year by his peers.

The exclamation point was a 36-14 romp over his beloved Gators at “The Swamp”, a nickname he personally bestowed upon Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

At 66, Spurrier has established South Carolina as a legitimate contender in the SEC, but that isn’t enough to motivate a ride off into the sunset. After all, what coach would walk away from a roster capable of winning the national title?

Make no mistake, the Gamecocks have the personnel to capture college football’s ultimate prize. Sure, it will be exceptionally difficult to emerge from the loaded SEC on top, but that was the case for both Auburn and Alabama the last two seasons. How did that work out?

Mark Ingram won the Heisman Trophy during Alabama’s title season, and Cam Newton ran away with the award as Auburn’s leader a year ago. If South Carolina is as good as expected this year, it will be in large part due to the running of Marcus Lattimore, the best tailback in the nation.

Lattimore was expected to be an impact player last season as a blue chip true freshman, and he certainly didn’t disappoint. Rushing for 1,197 yards and 17 touchdowns as a first-year SEC player is impressive, and there is reason to believe that better stats are on the way in 2011. After all, Lattimore improved his NFL-ready body and dishes out far more punishment than he takes.

If South Carolina’s running back doesn’t capture the Heisman, it may be because his standout teammate, WR Alshon Jeffery, steals votes. Coveted by then Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin as a high school senior in 2009, Jeffery was told by the epically smug and arrogant Kiffin that a decision to play for the Gamecocks instead of the Vols would eventually lead to pumping gas.

With two collegiate football seasons under his belt, Jeffery is very much on his way to pumping gas…into the car of his choice after he is selected in the first round of the 2012 or 2013 NFL Draft. In all likelihood, this will be Jeffery’s final campaign with the ‘Cocks, and if he can match last season’s totals of 88 catches for 1,517 yards and nine touchdowns, Kiffin will look like an even bigger fool than he does now (if that’s possible).

Obviously, much of South Carolina’s success hinges on fifth-year senior quarterback Stephen Garcia, who will complete his career with more suspensions than letters. Sure, he has made plenty of mistakes off the field and turns the ball over a bit too much for Spurrier’s liking, but the guy is undeniably fearless and continues to improve. With Lattimore keeping defenses honest and Jeffery dominating the outside, the only thing that can stop Garcia is himself.

Few teams have the luxury of a true lock down cornerback in place, but South Carolina certainly does in the person of Stephon Gilmore. At 6-1 and nearly 200 pounds with soft hands and the ability to blitz off the edge, Gilmore has the attention of every NFL scout. The junior will be a first round pick alongside Jeffery, as corners with his combination of size and athleticism are hard to find.

The scariest thing about this Gamecocks team is that its most talented player has yet to appear in a single collegiate game. The nation’s top recruit, defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, is a 6-6 cyborg whose high school highlight reel is so spectacular that it must have been altered by the special effects team from Transformers.

“As a physical specimen, I’ve never seen a kid like him on the high school level,” gushes South Carolina assistant head coach Ellis Johnson, a well- respected defensive guru. “And that doesn’t mean I’ve seen them all, but I’ve been coaching 35 years.”

Clowney weighs in at about 250 pounds and clearly has room to add quality weight to his frame. Reaching 275 pounds without sacrificing his superhuman speed is certainly possible. If that happens, we may be talking about a transcendent player in just a few short years.

It takes much more than an impressive collection of talent to win a national title, but capturing the crown without big-time players is impossible. If you start with the best ingredients and put them in the hands of an elite, accomplished and still highly motivated cook, you’re in for a great meal.

I hope you’re hungry, Columbia. Chef Spurrier is about to deliver a masterpiece.

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