Brinkley's injury deflates fan base

Monday was not a great day to be a Gamecock. Instead, after hearing the news that All-SEC and All-America Candidate Jasper Brinkley had been lost for the season to a severe knee injury, most of the talk was how the season was lost and the renewed talk of the "Chicken Curse." This is the second season in a row the Gamecocks have lost key defensive starters.

Last season defensive tackle Marque Hall was lost in the Georgia game. Carolina's top safety, Brandon Isaac was lost to a shoulder injury early in fall camp. Linebacker Dustin Lindsey was academically ineligible. This season, the Gamecocks lost starting defensive lineman Nathan Pepper, Isaac has re-injured his shoulder, Projected starting defensive end Jordin Lindsey was declared academically ineligible, and today the news came down on Brinkley, who is arguably the most valuable defensive player in the Southeastern Conference.

Brinkley's injury is significant. Carolina will not replace Jasper Brinkley from a talent or leadership perspective this season. Instead, defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix must pool the talent at his disposal and have some players step up at key positions. It will take a group effort to compensate for the loss of Brinkley.

Carolina's front four will have to be more productive. Melvin Ingram and Marvin Sapp will have to fill the void at the middle linebacker position. Sapp has more experience, but is undersized. Ingram has all the physical tools of Brinkley and has tremendous upside, but is extremely inexperienced. Safety Emanuel Cook will probably see the number of tackles he makes increase with Brinkley out.

Losing Brinkley now is much better than losing him later in the season for several reasons. Firstof all, it gives the Gamecock coaching staff the opportunity to tweak the defense and bring Ingram and Sapp along, while also adjusting what they do up front. The Gamecocks should still be favored in each of the next four games. If the Gamecocks play up to their capabilites, they should be able to defeat MSU, Kentucky, UNC, and Vanderbilt. That would put Carolina's record at 7-1.

Second, by the injury taking place when it did, Brinkley is eligible for a medical redshirt. That would mean that Brinkley could return for the 2008 season on what should be a loaded Gamecock defense. However, it does make the task of facing the powerful running games of Arkansas, Florida, and Clemson more difficult.

Losing Brinkley may very well cost the Gamecocks a chance at the SEC Eastern Division title. However, don't sell short this coaching staff. Tyrone Nix and his defensive staff have gotten more out of less the past two seasons than anyone can imagine. The Gamecocks have more talent on defense than at any other time under Spurrier. The Gamecocks are playing a lot of young players, and as the season progresses that young talent will improve as each player gets more game experience. The next four games are critical for that development. How much can Melvin Ingram improve in four weeks remains to be seen, but clearly Ingram has all the tools to be a bigtime playmaker.

I am still not crazy about Casper Brinkley staying at defensive end. The Gamecocks need to beef up their linebacker corps. Carolina desparately needs Dustin Lindsey to make a healthy return, and the sooner the better. A linebacker corp of Casper Brinkley, Ingram and Lindsey would definitely hold up well against the strong ground atttacks of Arkansas, Florida, and Clemson.

So, here's to wishing Jasper a full and speedy recovery. Jap, we will miss you this season, but look forward to having you back in the lineup in 2008.