Dowell Loggains attributes this wild play from Saturday to LaNorris Sellers' 'eraser qualities'
From Dowell Loggains’ vantage point in the press box on Saturday, the play LaNorris Sellers was about to make could’ve been so much easier.
Down by one in the fourth quarter to Missouri in a 3rd and 10, South Carolina desperately needed to move the chains and extend the drive. As Sellers took the snap, everything he needed was there for him. The protection was good, and he had an open target to throw to. But at this point, what fun would it be if Sellers didn’t make a Houdini-esque play?
Sellers got himself into some trouble when Missouri EDGE Johnny Walker nearly brought him to the ground for what would’ve been a disastrous mistake. But just like the redshirt freshman quarterback did against Vanderbilt, he broke out of the potential sack and made the play he should’ve made all this time.
“I’m mad at him at the time because Brady (Hunt)’s wide open and he should check the ball down right there and we’d get the same result,” Loggains said. “His legs were going to allow him to develop. So, if he could just win in the pocket, then we’d sit back there and drop back and do all that stuff.”
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After escaping, Sellers rolled out and lobbed a pass to Hunt for an 11-yard pickup and the first down. Instead of punting, the Gamecocks were still alive. They’d drive down and score the first of two go-ahead touchdowns to retake the lead in what would ultimately be a 34-30 win over Missouri.
“He flushes a little bit earlier than what he should have because Brady’s coming wide open on the shallow,” Loggains said. “When he breaks out to the right, because the protection was pretty good right there, and Rocket did a great job stepping up and stopping the Mike linebacker running through. I thought we were solid, and he takes off.”
Like Loggains pointed out, the play should’ve been much simpler for Sellers. He had Hunt open from the get-go. He could’ve easily thrown right to him instead of making magic on his own.
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But even with Sellers not initially seeing Hunt, he still did what he needed to do and made the play. Loggains credited that to his ability, strength and power to “get out of those situations allows him to have success as he’s developing as a passer.”
In the moment, though, South Carolina’s second-year offensive coordinator couldn’t help but wonder why that had to be so much more stressful than it needed to be.
“In my mind, I’m sitting there thinking, ‘Ah, how did we miss that?’ to ‘Don’t scramble to your right” to ‘Great play’,” he said.
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It was one of many great plays from Sellers in a game where he threw for 353 yards and five touchdowns, both of which are new season-highs for him. It’s still a learning process and there are things that Loggains would like him to improve upon. Although, he can’t help but recognize that part of Sellers’ game is the ability to make highlight-reel plays from time to time.
“At the end of the day, he has some eraser qualities that we got to keep coaching and navigating through the sticky situations that we can get ourselves into, as well,” Loggains said. “That’s talent and that’s strength and that’s mom, dad, and God gave him a gift that way.”
