LaNorris Sellers' maturity was well on display this spring
With South Carolina needing to fill the void at quarterback left by Spencer Rattler, LaNorris Sellers showed tremendous growth this spring. From the way he talked in press conferences, to way he preformed in the spring game, the redshirt freshman showed a sense of maturity that this team will certainly need heading into the fall.
First, let’s look at his spring game performance.
On the opening drive, Sellers went a perfect 4/4 through the air for 38 yards passing and added 27 yards rush and a rushing touchdown. There weren’t many play calls where he was taking shots down the field but again, it’s a spring game. We knew it was gonna be vanilla. He finished the night completing 9/11 passes for 70 yards pass, five rushes for 38 yards, to go along with his opening drive rushing touchdown.
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Sellers only played in the first half but he was smart with the ball, looked decisive with his decision making in the pocket, and he didn’t hesitate to take off when a rushing lane was there. He didn’t force anything and simply put, he looked sharp. Protect the ball. Move the ball. Put the ball in the end zone. That’s the name of the game and Sellers did all three of those things extremely well in both the spring game and from the reports on how he looked in practice this spring.
“(I’m) very excited once everything starts coming together,” said Sellers about what USC’s offense could look like this fall. “We’re still learning the system and stuff. Like you said, it was vanilla tonight. I don’t know, I don’t want to say too much — but we’re learning the system, and it’s coming along good.”
But it’s not just what Sellers did on the field that showed growth. Sure, completing 9/11 passes for 70 yards pass, five rushes for 38 yards, to go along with his opening drive rushing touchdown was nice but he’s maturing in other ways as well.
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“I’m really pleased with the progress (LaNorris) has made because there is no Spencer in that room anymore,” said Shane Beamer. “There’s Luke (Doty), who obviously has played a lot of football and somebody he can lean on. But he can’t rely on Spencer, and LaNorris really since January has been great just as far as taking a leadership role vocally and continuing to try and do the things that you need your quarterback to do.”
Being a vocal leader is one thing, but responding the right way to having more pressure placed on you is another thing. That’s something offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains has done with Sellers this spring. Some younger players crumble while others embrace it because they understand why it’s necessary.
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“He’s more intense this year. Like last year, he was intense too, but this year he has an edge about him. I love DLo, I love his coaching, I always have. Stand up, funny guy who’ll be honest with you all the time… I just feel like he’s more intense — more attention to detail with everybody in the room rather. Spencer knew his stuff last year so he didn’t really have to tell him much but this year it’s more telling and coaching everybody differently based on their strengths.”
Lastly, Sellers showed humility multiple times when sharing how he’s grown as a player. One quote that stands out to me came a few practices into the spring.
“I understand the system now. Last year, I was pretty much learning it on the fly,” Sellers admitted following a spring practice. “This year, I actually understand the process of the system, why plays happen the way they do, and why routes are there. It just came a lot slower to me (last year).”
Are we looking too deep into some of this? Probably, but it’s talking season. And at least from the things we’ve heard, and seen from Sellers, he’s doing everything one could’ve hoped for as he looks to become South Carolina’s new QB1.
