Luke Doty assesses how comfortable he is at wide receiver

Luke Doty is a football player before he’s a quarterback. If playing football doesn’t include the ball being in his hands, so be it. He’ll earn his touches.

The redshirt junior earned not only a catch but a touchdown in South Carolina’s 47-21 win over Furman last week. Doty, who is listed as QB2 on South Carolina’s depth chart, tried his hand outside. Earlier this week, a reporter asked Doty if it feels different catching a touchdown compared to throwing one.

“It does. Yes, it does,” Doty said with a smile. “Brings a little more excitement, in my opinion, but it was awesome. I’m very comfortable with it… It’s just like riding a bike. You never really lose it. The more reps I get at it, the better I’m going to feel, the more comfortable I’m going to get. But, it’s all about the next day and getting better.”

It’s been a while since Doty has ridden this particular bike. In his early days at Myrtle Beach (S.C.) High School, Doty found snaps at receiver. Nonetheless, he quickly discovered a permanent position at quarterback, garnering the state’s Mr. Football award his senior season.

After growing comfortable in the pocket, Doty didn’t look back. In his fourth season with the Gamecocks, Doty boasts 141 completions for 1,543 yards and nine touchdowns. Doty started four games his sophomore year, but missed most of the season due to a foot injury.

Luke Doty looks for a new role

The 6-foot-1 quarterback has not started behind center since. With All-American Spencer Rattler ahead of him, Doty isn’t letting his career slip by him on the sidelines. Earlier this month, head coach Shane Beamer discussed the decision to place Doty out wide.

“I told him, ‘Look, you’re still our backup quarterback, but you’re one of our better football players. And it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense for you to be standing next to me on the sideline for 70 plays during games. Let’s get you on the field and get you going,’” Beamer said.

As mentioned previously, Beamer’s decision has gone well so far. In two games, Doty has tallied four receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown. The South Carolina native claimed his quarterback history helps him understand what Rattler is looking for.

“It kind of makes it easy because we both play the quarterback position,” Doty said. “He has a feel of what I’m going to do, and I have a different perspective on it, obviously playing the quarterback position, seeing different looks, knowing what to get to.

“But I also know what seven is thinking, which makes it pretty easy for us to connect on some things and have the same mindset about maybe some look we’re getting that we’re going to check into something different,” Doty said. “There is a silent communication between us that we’re on the same page pretty much all the time.”