South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler discusses origins of his football career

South Carolina was one of several benefactors from Lincoln Riley’s departure from Oklahoma. The Gamecocks nabbed Spencer Rattler in the Transfer Portal, a former top projected NFL draft pick and the No. 5 transfer in the country per the On3 Rankings. So an excellent addition for Shane Beamer in year two.

Rattler’s days as a blue-chip football talent go far back, to the very beginning of his high school career. Though he wasn’t always a football-first athlete. He recently appeared on the Zach Gelb Show, and as part of his appearance, Gelb asked the South Carolina QB when he really started getting serious about football. Here was the QB’s answer:

“At a young age, maybe 13, 14 years old. I was throwing with older guys as a younger kid. So being around college guys, seeing I could throw the ball better than them or as good at that age, was fun. Really after freshman year, that’s when it blew up, during freshman year of high school.”

The precocious passer didn’t even view football as his primary sport at the time, though.

“I Feel like people know I played basketball in high school. And I thought I was better at basketball than football early on in my years of playing basketball. But, yeah, played basketball.”

Like many great football players, Rattler was a phenom on the hardwood as well. Nowadays, he’s still sort of a multi-sport athlete and enjoys hitting the links when he can.

“I’m really into golf now. I posted a few things, so people kinda know. Love golf, been playing a lot of golf.”

He also added that cooking is another hobby he’s picked up and enjoys doing regularly. Rattler claims his recipe book isn’t too advanced, but he can grill a nice steak alongside a plate of potatoes and asparagus. For him, football, golf and cooking are his three main priorities at the moment.