How Spencer Rattler is the big unknown at South Carolina in 2023

On3’s J.D. PicKell recently took some time to answer questions from fans across the country about various college football programs and their expectations for the upcoming season. One fan question what version of Spencer Rattler will the South Carolina Gamecocks have this season? And the college football expert assessed the situation in a way that only he could.

“You look at Spencer Rattler last year, and we tend to remember things in snapshots,” said PicKell. “And the snapshot a lot of y’all have in your mind, and I have as well, is Spencer Rattler having a postgame interview after they just beat a top ten team, and the place is going crazy, and then they beat Tennessee, and they beat Clemson. Like it was a storybook ending to the regular season for South Carolina (and) for Spencer Rattler. November Spencer Rattler, up through the bowl game, threw 13 touchdowns, three interceptions. That was how we finished from November through the bowl game against Notre Dame,” said PicKell.

“Pretty good stats, right? Well, before that, the rest of the year leading up to that run in November, five touchdowns, nine interceptions. So very different sample sizes from Spencer Rattler.”

Rattler started off the season slow. However, given that he was transferring in over the offseason and attempted to get quickly acclimated to a new coaching regime and playbook, his early struggles were more than understood. On top of that, two of South Carolinas first three opponents were SEC schools ranked in the top 25 at that time in Arkansas and the eventual national champions Georgia.

While a lot of heat can be placed on Rattler, as he is South Carolina’s starting quarterback, one can make the case that the Gamecocks coaching staff did not build well around him. And the position where that was the most obvious last season was running back. And as PicKell puts it, if that is the case again this season, it will be hard to buy stock and the program’s success.

“So the excitement around South Carolina, for a lot of people buying that stock is, Spencer Rattler has kind of found his groove again. But if that’s not the case, I have some concerns about South Carolina. Because I don’t see a ton of other counter moves for them offensively. I mean, last year, they ran for 114 yards a game. Good for 102nd in the country. Translation: if Spencer Rattler isn’t that dude on that Saturday, the run game, historically, hasn’t been there for you. And so you’re stagnant offensively, and you end up having a game like you had against Florida.

“Spencer Rattler is a very key variable, especially because of what it feels like they haven’t had around him. So now, if the running is able to pick it up, this whole thing is kind of a moot point, But Spencer Rattler being able to deal and pick up where he left off a season ago and being the good version of Spencer Rattler that would be a reason for a lot of excitement in Columbia. And that would be a reason to buy a lot of stock in South Carolina and take the over on their 6.5-win total.”

In South Carolina’s first two years under Shane Beamer, the Gamecocks have outplayed expectations. With their revolving door at quarterback in 2021, South Carolina finished the year 7-6 to the surprise of many. And last season, Rattler’s first year in the program, they ended the year 8-5.

So while Rattler may be somewhat of an unknown, given the trajectory of the South Carolina program, and if he has found his rhythm in the offense, PicKell expects the Gamecocks to be players in the SEC East in 2023.