‘What do I have to lose?’ Marcus Satterfield discusses playcalling mindset

Marcus Satterfield hasn’t had many days like Saturday — at least not in his almost two years of calling plays at South Carolina.

Satterfield, the Gamecocks’ embattled offensive coordinator, helped USC roll up 63 points and over 600 yards of offense in last week’s win over then-No. 5 Tennessee.

It was validation, at least on some level, that South Carolina is moving in the right direction.

“What do you have to lose? What do I have to lose?” Satterfield said on Wednesday in reference to his philosophy heading into the Tennessee game. “Everybody doubts me. Everybody is doubting us to have a chance to do anything. Let’s play free and go out there and just let it go. ...If we screw it up, we screw it up. Let’s go out and play, and that’s what we did.”

Satterfield has come under fire most of the last two years as the Gamecocks floundered offensively for varying reasons. The 2021 campaign was marred by having to start four different quarterbacks en route to a 7-6 finish and a win in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl over North Carolina.

But with the import of ex-Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler and a slew of other weapons, the unit was expected to flourish this fall, or at least look better. It’s been up and down, at best.

South Carolina currently ranks ninth in the Southeastern Conference in total offense — aided in large part by last week’s performance. It’s also fifth in passing offense and seventh in scoring, but 12th in rushing in the league.

Some of that has to do with the recent injuries to top tailbacks MarShawn Lloyd and Christian Beal-Smith. Still, the Gamecocks averaged just 127.5 yards on the ground in games that at least one of Lloyd or Beal-Smith played this year.

“We’ve got to do a great job of being able to help Spencer and the number one way to do that is to be able to find a way to run the ball some as well,” South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer said on Tuesday. “But it’s easier said than done against them (Clemson), because they’re really, really talented and really well coached.”

This past weekend represented an explosion few, if anyone, expected.

South Carolina stomped a Tennessee team that had looked unbeatable this side of No. 1 Georgia. It scored on nine of its 10 possessions that didn’t end either half. Rattler racked up 438 yards on 30 of 37 passing and six passing touchdowns, marking his most prolific day as a Gamecocks by a mile.

Receiver Antwane “Juice” Wells had his own breakout performance, recording 177 yards on 11 catches and adding a rushing touchdown on an end around.

How did the Gamecocks go from a dismal performance at Florida that saw it muster just 37 yards in the first quarter a week ago to that? Let Satterfield explain.

“Why can’t we just come here and be perfect? Why can’t we come here as a coaching staff and win every game?” he asked, rhetorically. “I don’t know. I think we have to work. We have to practice. And it takes time and nobody wants to hear that.”

Expecting South Carolina to notch over 600 yards and score 60-plus points week-in and week-out isn’t feasible. More likely, this past week’s win over Tennessee may well prove an anomaly.

But heading into the regular season finale against arch rival Clemson, there’s reason to feel optimistic.

Clemson has been susceptible in the passing game in spurts. The Tigers are surrendering 214.5 passing yards per game — good for 51st nationally and sixth in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

If Rattler can find a groove and his line can protect the way it did against Tennessee, South Carolina will have chances to exploit a Clemson secondary that’s had its issues at times this year.

“That was probably the best I’ve ever felt in a game, just feeling unstoppable with my with my guys out there,” Rattler said following the Tennessee win. “I mean, we felt truly unstoppable.”

Beamer and Satterfield have said the Gamecocks were “close” to hitting their offensive stride all season. They did just that this past week. Now comes replicating it — or at least pieces of it.

Perhaps another afternoon of validation for Satterfield is on the horizon. Should South Carolina struggle, the outside ire that followed previous weeks of grim offensive performances will almost assuredly return — fair or not.