>> CRAIG LOPER: 5 DAYS AWAY FROM THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON OPENER FOR OLD DOMINION IN COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, THE GAMECOCKS ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT DROPPING THIS HYPE VIDEO IN RECENT DAYS AHEAD OF SATURDAY AFTERNOON. IT'S THE SEC WHERE COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS KING IN. THE MONARCHS WILL HAVE TO PLAY IN ONE OF THE BEST ATMOSPHERES IN THE COUNTRY. IN WILLIAMS, BRICE STADIUM. ALL RIGHT. WELCOME TO THE SHOW ON A MONDAY. HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT WEEKEND. WELL, THIS IS A FIRST FOR THE ODU FOOTBALL PROGRAM TAKING ON AN SEC OPPONENT WILLIAMS-BRICE STADIUM IN COLUMBIA HOLDS JUST A LITTLE MORE THAN 80,000 PEOPLE. AND YOU HAVE TO THINK OF FOR 15 KICK FOR THE SEASON OPENER AND A TOWN LIKE THAT WOULD GET CLOSE TO CAPACITY. THE STADIUM WOULD. JAMES QATADA WAS ON THE CAMPUS OF OLD DOMINION THIS AFTERNOON AS THE MONARCHS HELD THEIR FIRST MONDAY PRESS CONFERENCE OF THE SEASON. >> YEAH, GOT TO SPEAK OR ARE FALLEN PEOPLE AROUND YOU AND THAT SORT OF WE'VE LISTENED SPACE ODYSSEY. >> PROBABLY CRITIC OF >> WE CERTAINLY IS IS HERE A LITTLE WELL, YOU HEARD IT RIGHT THERE FROM HEAD COACH, RICKY RONNIE, THE SIGHTS AND THE SOUNDS GETTING BLASTED MAXIMUM VOLUME FOR THE OLD DOMINION MONARCHS IN PRACTICE THIS WEEK AS THEY PREPARE TO HEAD DOWN TO COLOMBIA TO TAKE ON THE SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS IN WEEK, ONE OF THEIR COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON OU HAS NEVER PLAYED AN OPPONENT SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE. AND WHILE THE GAMECOCKS RANKED 8TH IN ATTENDANCE IN THE SEC LAST YEAR, 77,000 PEOPLE PER GAME STILL FILED INTO WILLIAMS-BRICE STADIUM. THAT'S MORE THAN THE VIRGINIA TECH GAME YOU SAW LAST YEAR. IT'S NOT JUST SEC FOOTBALL, RIGHT, COACH RON AND THE REST OF THE PLAYERS ARE SO PUMPED DO FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO GO DOWN TO SOUTH CAROLINA AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO KNOCK OFF THE GAMECOCKS. >> BE ABLE TO GO ON THE ROAD FOR SOME LIKE THIS IS WHY DO IT? THIS IS WHY WHAT YOU DREAM OF. >> AND THAT INSURANCE IS INTENSE ON THOSE FANS AROUND 4 O'CLOCK SEC FANS ARE CRAZY >> COULD BE A LOT OF FUNDS, EVERY KID'S AND WHEN REDSHIRT JUNIOR QUARTERBACK GRANT WILSON STEPS UNDER CENTER THIS WEEKEND, THAT WILL MAKE HIM THE TEAM'S FIRST QUARTERBACK TO START CONSECUTIVE SEASON. OPENING GAMES SINCE REALLY DOES FEEL LIKE. >> YOU KNOW, SAME BRAIN MENTALITY BETWEEN THOSE GUYS. THE GUYS COMING BACK FROM LAST SEASON AND THE GUYS COMING IN, HOW MANY I BACK IMPORTANT. >> BUT IT'S NOT IMPORTANT IF THE GUY DOESN'T HOLD THE POSITION, DOESN'T SORT OF THINGS? AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST REALLY. 2 WEEKS SEEING GREAT, REALLY HOLD THE POSITION FROM A LEADERSHIP STANDPOINT, BUT ALSO MASTERY OF THE OFFENSE AND THINGS LIKE >> OLD DOMINION TO 20 AND A HALF POINT UNDERDOG GOING INTO THIS GAME AGAINST SOUTH CAROLINA. HEY, LISTEN, STRANGER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED RIGHT KICKOFF AT 4.15, THIS SATURDAY AT WILLIAMS-BRICE STADIUM WILL BE DOWN THERE FOR THE FULL COVERAGE WITH HIGHLIGHTS AND POSTGAME REACTION. AS BELIVE STADIUM WITH THE AND GAME WEEK, JAMESTOWN, SPORTS. >> CRAIG LOPER: JAMES, THANK YOU. SOUTH CAROLINA IS LED BY SHANE BEAMER, THE SON OF VIRGINIA TECH, COACHING LEGEND FRANK BEAMER. OF COURSE, SHANE HAS BEEN THE HEAD COACH OF THE GAME SINCE 2021. HE'S COMPILED 20 WINS 18 LOSSES IN THAT TIME WITH TO BOWL GAME APPEARANCES. HE WAS AT THE PODIUM RECENTLY ASKED ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS HIS TEAM NEEDS TO MAKE AHEAD OF THE SEASON OPENER. >> THERE'S A LOT FIRST GAMES STINK BECAUSE THE UNKNOWN. I MEAN, YOU'VE BEEN PRACTICING. YOU CAN PREPARE FOR EVERYTHING, BUT YOU'RE ALWAYS NERVOUS BEFORE EVERY GAME. BUT FIRST GAMES ARE JUST DIFFERENT BECAUSE IT'S YOUR FIRST TIME DOING IT FOR REAL. AND YOU CAN PREPARE FOR EVERYTHING. BUT YOU CAN'T. THEN THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT COMES UP AND WE CAN PUT THEM THROUGH SIMULATED SCRIMMAGE. IT'S LIKE A SIMULATED GAME. BUT UNTIL THERE'S 80,000 PEOPLE OVER THERE IN THE LIGHTS ARE ON, IT'S JUST DIFFERENT. >> AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE OUR EYES ON FRED JR. JOHNSON THIS SATURDAY. THE MORE PRODUCT IS IN ITS FRESHMAN SEASON IN COLUMBIA. WE FOUND OUT TODAY HE MADE THE GAME 3 DEEP ROSTER. HE IS LISTED AS THE SECOND MIDDLE LINEBACKER HAD QUITE A SEASON FOR THE COMMODORES