What Dakereon Joyner told LaNorris Sellers ahead of the Kentucky game
Week 2, Volume No. 4, of Mix in a Water Monday reunites South Carolina fans with former Gamecock do-it-all star Dakereon Joyner.
Joyner, who has been mentoring LaNorris Sellers, shared what he told the young QB after last week’s game to get him right heading into Kentucky while providing some in-depth intel on what he saw with the offense, including his thoughts on what he noticed from Dowell Loggains this past week, and much more.
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Each week, we’ll break down the previous game through the eyes of either a former Gamecock player or coach. This year, we’re expanding the written portion for a more in-depth look for GamecockCentral subscribers. Now, let’s get into this week’s breakdown.
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Uva: As someone who has been in that locker room with a lot of those same players and coaches, were you surprised with how they responded on Saturday after how they looked in Week 1?
Joyner: Not at all. I wasn’t surprised at all because I know what kind of men are in that locker room. I know what kind of man we have leading that team with coach (Shane) Beamer and that whole coaching staff. It’s a group that has a lot of pride and a group that works really, really hard. Me and LaNorris Sellers talked this week. We have weekly check-ins. That’s my guy. I’m his mentor, to a sense. He texted me immediately after the (ODU) game and then he called me last Sunday. My message to him was that he was gonna play better this week on the road (at Kentucky). I said, one, because it’s away, which is something he hadn’t experienced yet. ‘Y’all are gonna feel like it’s the whole world against y’all.’ I told him that you’re not gonna have as much pressure on you or expectations to win like you did in your first home game and that will help you play better. The other thing I reminded him was, there’s a lot of new starters this year on offense compared to last year. Without a preseason game, that was their first real test. So now the team kind of understands their identity and what they can do in their scripts and continue to grow.
Uva: From both talking to Sellers, as well as knowing him like you do, what was the biggest difference with him Week 1 versus this past weekend?
Joyner: What people need to understand, man, that sh*t is hard. Showing up as a quarterback, is hard. Winning the job in the offseason, is hard. But preparing to start at 19 years old and to lead a team? That sh*t is hard. I don’t care who you’re playing. Winning is hard. So, I think grace has to be given to someone who is 19 years old. That’s just your first start. I also told him that everything that’s supposed to happen is going to happen. God intends for everything that has happened. I told him not to beat yourself up so much because everybody around you has to play better, too. The difference between him and the entire offense from game one to game two was that everybody around him played better. Literally, everybody played better, so that helped him a lot. I just told him to continue to be the leader that you are and continue to be vocal. Everybody is gonna continue to play better around you. Dowell (Loggains) did a great job of getting him comfortable early on. Those play calls early on not only got (Sellers) into a rhythm, but it also helped him with his confidence.
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Uva: You mentioned the play calling from Loggains. You’ve played in this offense. What did you notice that just looked different? Did it have to do more with what they were calling for plays or did you feel it had more to do with execution?
Joyner: I certainly think it was execution and detail. I texted Derrick Moore last week and I told him to tell the guys to have urgency with their details. But like I said before, there were a lot of people who were starting in their first games for an SEC team last week. Playing at Williams-Brice, I don’t care if you’re the home or away team, it’s not easy. I believe nerves played a big part in it from Week 1 to Week 2. I also think for Dowell Loggains, he’s starting to understand how to use his personnel, how to use his weapons, and identifying his playmakers. You never truly know how your team is gonna play until game one. I think we proved that we don’t have to run the LaNorris 20 times to be success. We have Rocket Sanders and backs that can run the ball. You can run LaNorris from time to time but I don’t think that’s what needs to be the priority. They just needed to find their identity and I think they’re gonna continue to build off of that.
Uva: When a player, or a few players, aren’t playing as much, some fans will start wondering why they’re not either seeing as many snaps, passes, etc. You’ve played for this coaching staff and know everything that they’re looking for. What would you tell that group of people who have those questions about any player?
Joyner: I’ve witnessed it myself. Coach Beamer will put the best players on the field. Whoever is the best at that position, they’re going to be on the field, and that is that. That starts with who they can trust and who they feel is the most reliable. It’s also your preparation, depending on what you do week in and week out. That’s what’s going to get you on the field and the fans and everybody else, they don’t see what (the coaching staff) sees every single day. People can have their own perspective of a player but you’re not there every single day watching them. There’s a lot of things that play a factor into that but I truly believe from being in that build the past few years that they’ll put the best players that they trust out on the field.
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Uva: Defensively, there’s some new faces who you didn’t play alongside with during your time with South Carolina but is this what you expected from this group?
Joyner: I knew what those guys were capable of. I think everybody on that defense right now has been exceptional, on every single level and I think they’ll continue to be successful. They have a lot of urgency and they play with detail. Clayton White does a great job with them but it’s a group that’s experienced. A lot of those guys have played together for a while now so they kind of understand each other and they understand the schemes of playing for White. That’s a testament to Coach Beamer for keeping your defensive coordinator. A lot of people were trying to write Coach White off but having him back has created that camaraderie. I love watching Dylan Stewart. I think that’s one of the best to be doing what he’s doing at that age. He’s the best true freshman that I’ve seen us have since Jaycee Horn. Just someone who can come in and make plays right away. (Kyle Kennard) is a beast… I think we’re pretty deep on a D-line. Those guys are really leading the troops and holding that defense down.
Uva: How does Shane Beamer and this coaching staff keep this group focused after last week, especially knowing that more people will be talking about this weekend’s game with College GameDay is coming into town?
Joyner: They’re going to go about it no differently than they did last week or the week before. I think the message is clear that it’s really nameless faces. Coach Beamer does a good job of approaching every week the same. Coach won’t make the event bigger than what it is. It’s another game on a schedule. I promise you that they won’t even talk about College GameDay. I can assure you that they won’t even talk about it because it doesn’t matter, as far as what they have to do. It’s about playing football and us being us.
