Luke Doty has high praise of LaNorris Sellers: 'He's like an encyclopedia'
South Carolina redshirt freshman LaNorris Sellers has yet to start a game at the college level but he’s seemingly already checking all the boxes on paper for what’s required for a quarterback to be successful.
Sellers — the Gamecocks’ presumptive starting quarterback this season, though Shane Beamer has not yet officially named a Game 1 starter, only saying Sellers is essentially currently the starter — has consistently drawn praise from his teammates throughout the offseason in various Garnet Trust interviews.
A dynamic playmaker at 6-foot-3, 242-pounds, Sellers’ ability to create big plays with both his arm and legs is consistently lauded by those who have seen him play more than the public has.
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Beamer has also pointed out Sellers’ consistent, level-headed approach to the position — something Luke Doty echoed in a Garnet Trust interview on 107.5 The Game this week. But the veteran quarterback/wide receiver had high praise for another aspect of Sellers’ skillset — his intelligence.
“He is the same person every single day, very consistent emotionally, never gets too high, never gets too low,” Doty said. “Like you said, he’s very even keel. And he’s all about football and he’s really, really, really smart. I knew that from the moment he walked into our meeting room last year. He’s like an encyclopedia the way he can remember formations and plays and all those little things.”
Making the transition from high school superstar to college standout can be difficult for anyone but no position in sports puts more mental pressure on an athlete than playing quarterback.
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It’s a position where fans, media, and coaches alike may constantly talk about a player’s huge arm or excellent size and athleticism — but feel for the game and football IQ are usually some of the deciding factors in a quarterback’s success.
Doty, who shares the unique perspective of having shared both the quarterback room and catching passes from Sellers, says the redshirt freshman’s knowledge and recall of the Gamecocks’ scheme has caught his attention.
“He can remember really specific plays or motions from last year that were game plan specific and just pull them out like that,” Doty said. “It’s really impressive. He took a big step this spring and summer in his leadership. He’s done a great job of being more vocal. If you’re around him, he’s very quiet and doesn’t say a lot. He sees everything but he doesn’t say a lot but this summer and over the spring, he did a great job of stepping into that role as the starter at the moment. He’s done a great job of leading the offense and getting guys on the same page and moving in the right direction.”
