Latest update on South Carolina's ongoing quarterback battle
Of the position battles going on in fall camp at South Carolina, none may be as big as the one for starting quarterback. After two solid years with Spencer Rattler under center, the Gamecocks are now looking to find their next signal caller to succeed him.
In the minds of most, they’ve already decided who they want to be, or should be, the starter this season. It’s always been LaNorris Sellers, the star in-state player with all the buzz … and then everyone else.
But these competitions aren’t won on paper or hype. While Sellers is the only quarterback remaining from last year’s team, he still has to compete for the starting spot like the others. In the team’s first fall scrimmage on Saturday, head coach Shane Beamer said the three competing quarterbacks performed well.
“LaNorris looked good. He and Robby Ashford got some work with the first group,” Beamer said. “LaNorris got some work with the second group. Davis Beville got some work with that second group. So I thought Dowell (Loggains) did a good job of rotating all those guys in there and getting them work.”
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Both Ashford and Beville joined South Carolina from the transfer portal in the offseason. While they’re in their first year of learning this offensive system, each has been in college football for a few years now to where they have more starting experience than Sellers does right now.
Despite that, this is still more likely than not going to be Sellers’ team for this season and beyond. Beamer originally named the redshirt freshman as the starter coming out of spring practice. And so far in camp, it sounds like that was the right choice.
“He looked very poised and composed out there, made some nice throws, had some nice runs, managed the offense the right way,” Beamer said. “Robby Ashford flashed, Davis made some good throws. So I thought overall, LaNorris has had a good end of the week. Not that the first part of the week was bad, but the last couple days I’ve been really impressed with him. I like the way that whole group is coming together in that quarterback room right now.”
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Assuming Sellers is the starter for Week One, this would be his first time starting in college. He sat behind Rattler last year and watched on, only playing in three games to preserve his redshirt. His sample size is very small, completing all four of his passes for 86 yards and two touchdowns. But it’s more than just what he did in limited action that’s put him in this position.
“He’s consistent. I mean, that’s just who he is,” Beamer said. “He’s the same guy now that he was last year as a true freshman at this time. And that’s a great thing. He’s steady, he’s consistent. Nothing phases him.”
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From what Beamer saw, it looked like Sellers had a good day in the scrimmage. But on one throw he made that was knocked down, Beamer said TJ Sanders and some other defensive linemen, who were standing on the sideline, were “giving him crap about it.” What came next was surprising, even to Beamer.
“LaNorris was getting the play call from Dowell in his ear, but he was able to listen to the play call and then turnaround and tell TJ to be quiet as well,” Beamer said. “So that’s something that he probably wouldn’t have done last year. It kind of took me by surprise like, ‘LaNorris?’ He’s having fun out there. He’s got the respect of his teammates.”
