South Carolina assistant coach Lorenzo Ward’s trying something different to try and put an end to the issues plaguing the Gamecocks defensively this season.

In an effort to see the game more clearly from a bird’s eye view, Ward said Tuesday he’ll coach the next game from the coaches box instead of the sideline when the Gamecocks take on Furman on Oct. 18, moving back up top for the first time since taking over for Ellis Johnson as the leader of the defense prior to the Capital One Bowl in 2012.

Thus far, the program’s worst defense during the Steve Spurrier era ranks last in the SEC giving up 441.2 yards per game and has squandered a pair of two-touchdown leads in consecutive games.

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Ward shouldered the blame for last weekend’s crushing 45-38 loss at Kentucky after the opposition gashed his defense for four rushing touchdowns out of the Wildcat formation.

“The plan we’d had for the wildcat would have worked if we had just seen what the simple breakdown was,” Ward said after Tuesday’s practice. “We tried to fix it on the sideline by doing something else, and that’s not what we need to do.

Defensive line coach Deke Adams and linebackers coach Kirk Botkin will be the eyes on the ground for the Gamecocks while Ward’s barking signals through his headset from the box.

In two previous seasons as defensive coordinator, Ward’s unit has ranked in the SEC’s Top 5 in several statistical category including total defense and sacks.

Lacking playmakers this season, the Gamecocks have forced a league-low five turnovers and managed just seven total sacks. Only three teams in FBS college football have fewer through six games.

“I can see what’s going on (from up there),” Ward said. “I can see who’s not in their gap, or which guy didn’t make the stunt correctly. So we’ll make that change.”