Spencer Rattler gives update on chemistry with centers as competition continues

South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler had an up-and-down season as the team’s starting quarterback last year, but he brought his best stuff when it mattered the most. He managed to catch fire in their biggest games of the season (Tennessee and Clemson), leading the Gamecocks to back-to-back wins over top 10 opponents for the first time in school history. A few weeks ago, he discussed the chemistry with his centers this spring, as they battled for the starting job.

“They both have been great. Vershon [Lee] is a super smart player. Nick [Gargiulo], you obviously know he’s probably super smart coming from Yale. Big, physical guys, leading that offensive line group. And they’ve been doing an outstanding job,” Rattler said.

Lee is currently a fourth-year offensive lineman for the Gamecocks. Along with playing at center, he’s also seen extensive experience over the years at guard. He’s appeared in 28 games for South Carolina, making 17 starts. In the 2020 cycle, Lee was rated as a three-star recruit, according to the On3 Industry Rankings.

Gargiulo established himself as a leader with the Yale Bulldogs. He was the only team captain for them last season, helping lead them to an Ivy League title in 2022. He’s primarily played the center position as well as both guard positions, but Gargiulo also played every position along the offensive line for the Bulldogs.

Both players will battle it out for the starting center position for the Gamecocks this fall.

Rattler blossomed for South Carolina throughout the 2022 season, and offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains is looking to expand upon what worked. According to the Gamecocks quarterback, his new offensive coordinator has communicated well since taking his talents to the program — and it has translated through the entire offense.

After transferring from Oklahoma, Rattler went on to start all 13 games for South Carolina last season. His first season in Columbia saw him complete over 66 percent of his passes and threw for 3,012 yards. He tossed 18 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. 

With Rattler at the helm, he helped lead South Carolina to a pair of top 10 wins against Tennessee and Clemson to close the regular season. Rattler had arguably his best performances in those games, going a combined 55-of-76 passing for 798 yards, while tossing in eight touchdown passes and just two interceptions.

Spencer Rattler was a highly regarded prospect

As a high school prospect, Rattler was filmed in the Netflix series, “QB1: Beyond the Lights.” The series has followed some of the best high school quarterback prospects in the country over the years. A highly touted prospect, Rattler earned MVP honors at the Elite 11 QB camp. In the 2019 cycle, he was rated as the No. 1 quarterback prospect in the nation, according to the On3 Industry Rankings.

On3’s Barkley Truax also contributed to this article.