LaNorris Sellers shows improvement, overcomes adversity in 2nd collegiate start
On paper, LaNorris Sellers was expected to face a much more difficult test against Kentucky than he did in South Carolina’s season opener.
For one thing, the Wildcats’ front seven – which featured the likes of Deone Walker and Jamon Dumas-Johnson – was much more formidable than that of Old Dominion. And Sellers would be trading home field advantage at Williams-Brice Stadium for a jeering crowd at Kroger Field.
But Sellers felt a lot about his performance on Saturday. It wasn’t just because the Gamecocks picked up a much better result – a dominant 31-6 win over Kentucky. It was because he got some first-game jitters out of the way.
“I felt a lot more comfortable than last week. I just had to get that game in my system,” Sellers said. “Once we started rolling, started getting completions, started moving the ball, I feel like we were going.”
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Sellers’ box score statistics, on paper, were an improvement from his debut as South Carolina’s starting quarterback against Old Dominion. He gained more yardage through the air (166) against the Wildcats than he did against the Monarchs (114). He was also a far more efficient passer, completing 73.3% (11-15) of his passes versus Kentucky compared to 43.5% (10-23) versus Old Dominion.
Sellers said his success in the passing game was reflective of improved chemistry between himself and the Gamecocks’ wide receivers. And he added that there’s still room to grow in that regard.
“We still need to work, still need to get better at it obviously,” Sellers said. “We practiced it, put last week behind us, learned from it, and brought it this week.”
Despite Sellers’ increased production, hardship still appeared in numerous forms for the redshirt freshman, who agreed that Saturday’s contest against the Wildcats was a “growing up game.”
“I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Just adversity, taking it play-by-play,” Sellers said. “You can’t look ahead too far, can’t dwell on the past, so you just go out there and play.
That first form of adversity came at the end of the first quarter, when Sellers was forced to leave the game after experiencing some discomfort in his hip. He missed two drives as a result of the knock but was determined to stay in the game.
“I knew I was going to come back in. I wasn’t going to play one drive and l come out the rest of the game. You don’t want to do that, especially on the road,” Sellers said. “It was never my decision to sit out.
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Ball security struggles also reared their ugly head on South Carolina’s first drive of the second half. After nearly fumbling the ball once at the end of the first half – and throwing an interception one play later – Sellers coughed up the ball on back-to-back plays.
Fortunately for the Gamecocks, the offense recovered both fumbles, allowing the team to retain possession. But Sellers knows holding onto the football is a repeat issue from South Carolina’s season opener, though he is confident in his ability to do so.
“They just caught me when my hands were breaking to throw the ball, that’s all it was. It wasn’t a ball security thing. I take that very seriously. Last week I fumbled too, so I always take it very seriously. They just caught me when I was breaking my hands going to through the ball.”
Through two collegiate starts, Sellers has a 2-0 record as the Gamecocks’ primary option at quarterback. He said that not getting too high with the highs, or too low with the lows, will help him remain composed as the season progresses.
“I really just take it day-by-day,” Sellers said. “People are going to say what they want to say regardless, no matter if you do good or bad. When you’re down, they’re going to talk down, when you’re up they’re going to praise you, so I just take it game-by-game.”
But that doesn’t mean Sellers can’t have some fun when he experiences those high highs. Like many of his teammates after South Carolina’s upset victory over the Wildcats, Sellers participated in festivities taking place in the visiting locker room.
“I did what I could. I was happy,” Sellers said. “I’m not really a dancer, but I celebrated.”
