South Carolina focused heavily on recruiting pass rushers in 2023, as the team had struggled with allowing opposing quarterbacks too much time in the pocket, leading to frequent losses.
The Gamecocks brought in Kyle Kennard from Georgia Tech and Gilber Edmond from Florida State, and they also secured five-star freshman Dylan Stewart, who was highly sought after by top programs nationwide. With the addition of returning players Bryan Thomas and Desmond Umeozulu, USC now has a potentially formidable lineup of five pass rushers to rotate and pressure quarterbacks.
However, the effectiveness of this group will be measured by their sack totals at the end of the season. With the game increasingly favoring offenses, achieving sacks is more challenging than it once was.
“It’s not widely understood how difficult it is to get a sack,” said Kennard, who recorded six sacks during his final season in Atlanta. “With modern offenses, the ball is thrown quickly, and offensive linemen are able to block better, making it harder to reach the quarterback.”
The 1985 Chicago Bears are renowned for their defense, particularly for their aggressive approach to pressuring quarterbacks. Defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan was famous for his relentless blitzes, which became a hallmark of his coaching style.
However, after that stellar season, offenses adapted to counter the Bears’ strategy. Teams started spreading their formations to eliminate the effectiveness of Chicago’s defensive tactics, leading to the development of the spread offense.
This evolution has continued, with offensive schemes stretching from sideline to sideline and reducing opportunities for pass rushers to sneak up on quarterbacks. The run-pass option, which requires the quarterback to quickly read the defense and make a decision, has become a key element in modern offenses, resulting in faster ball releases and fewer sack opportunities.
