The 2015 season always was going to be a transition year for South Carolina. After a disappointing 2014 exposed flaws within the program, could Steve Spurrier’s squad steer through a challenging schedule while showing itself ready to contend again in ’16?
The optimist believed a new defensive coordinator and someone establishing himself as the next multi-year starter at quarterback would do that. The pessimist thought only one or neither of those things would work out, and Spurrier might retire after the season.
What wound up happening was worse than even the gloomiest Gamecocks fan could have imagined.