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How South Carolina’s offense regrouped for highest-scoring game of Shane Beamer era

Doubt surrounded South Carolina’s offensive strategy in recent weeks. The team delivered its most potent display to date on Saturday.

Even in its first win of the season against Georgia State, the offense looked shaky at times. The Gamecocks (2-2) posted just two offensive touchdowns on the Panthers, whereas the 49ers scored five TDs against the same GSU team last week.

But in its 56-20 win on Saturday, USC resembled an offense with a sense of direction. South Carolina scored on nine of its 11 possessions, with seven touchdowns.

The 56 points were the most in the Shane Beamer era. The team also scored more than 50 points against an FBS team for the first time since 2013.

“We wanted to celebrate a lot,” quarterback Spencer Rattler said. “We got in the endzone a lot and we celebrated a lot. It’s a great feeling.”

The play-calling was consistent throughout the game, with the team mostly running the ball through the Charlotte defense or calling screen passes for the receivers to pick up yards after the catch.

The team ran the ball 40 times on the 49ers, resulting in 295 rushing yards.

Head coach Shane Beamer and offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield have spoken about simplifying the playbook for the offense as the season goes along.

On Saturday, USC found a game plan that worked consistently, giving the team 545 yards of total offense.

“All we did tonight was run the counter play over and over again,” Beamer said.

MarShawn Lloyd electrified the offense with his career-high 169 rushing yards and three touchdowns, including a hurdle on a touchdown run that ignited the crowd.

But the ball carriers as a whole looked much more comfortable.

Christian Beal-Smith — who had been quiet this season — broke out with 55 yards and a pair of scores on the ground. Juju McDowell added 23 yards and a touchdown.

Both Beamer and Lloyd credited the offensive line after the game for the opportunities it created Saturday night. The counter run play was a favorite of the line, Lloyd said.

“If you do something that they like, it’s only gonna help the running backs in the long run,” Lloyd said. “I feel like our O-line really likes that play, and it allows them to be able to go out there and give their all.”

South Carolina’s defense had a hand in the team’s 36 second-half points by forcing three Charlotte turnovers.

And while there weren’t many attempts deep down the field in the passing game, the team managed to take care of the ball and control the clock. Eight different receivers caught passes from Rattler, who finished with 187 passing yards.

“Our emphasis was to run the ball,” Rattler said. “We needed to get MarShawn and the running backs going. They got it all. They made so many plays tonight. It was fun to watch.”

The team has struggled to get off to good starts this season, entering the game with only three first-quarter points in three games. On Saturday, the team scored on its opening drive for the first time all year.

From there, the Gamecocks continued to put up points. Even when the 49ers took the lead against USC in the first half, South Carolina had answers — answers it had trouble finding against Arkansas and Georgia.

It can’t be dismissed that Charlotte entered Saturday as the worst defense in the FBS. However, South Carolina needed to establish some cohesiveness on offense.

As game plans change each week with new opponents, the Gamecocks are still figuring out their new-look offense.

“We’re still a work in progress,” Beamer said.