Coming off a 2011 season that saw his Gamecocks win 11 of their 12 encounters, Steve Spurrier heads into the 2012 campaign a bit more upbeat than usual.

This lively demeanor was very evident last Thursday (Jul. 26) during the press conference portion of Media/Golf Day on the Cobblestone Course off I-77 North.

Saying that he and staff will be coaching another USC team that has a chance to be a good one, the veteran collegiate helmsman spoke very optimistically about the coming campaign.

"I think we can compete with anybody on our schedule; and if we play at our best, we have a chance to win our division (Southeastern Conference, East) and play for a SEC title.

"We certainly won’t have it easy; but our players really believe they have what it takes to go out and win a championship. That’s really their focus. But obviously we’ll have to take it one game at a time."

At the start of the ‘11 season that kicks off in less than five weeks, the Gamecocks get out of the blocks on the road at SEC opponent Vanderbilt. However, in eyeing the Commodores, Spurrier said no special emphasis has been placed on that curtainlifter.

"It happens to be a very important conference, division game also; but you’ve got to play them some time; early or late; doesn’t matter," the USC coach said. "All we can do is get ready to play when they tell us and who they tell us to play. We have no control over anything else.

"What we do have control over, we try to do our best. We have a group of guys with a lot of talent on both sides of the ball; and they believe in themselves and each other. That’s been very good for us (lately)."

In answering the query about the status of running back Marcus Lattimore for the 2012 campaign, Spurrier announced him ready to go.

"We don’t really tackle too much to the ground," Spurrier said. We try not fall into legs and that kind of stuff unless we’re scrimmaging. Marcus didn’t scrimmage that much last year before his injury anyway. From what I understand; he should be ready to do everything he did last year."