What LaNorris Sellers said about first four practices
South Carolina redshirt freshman quarterback LaNorris Sellers spoke to the media Tuesday afternoon after the Gamecocks fourth practice of the preseason.
Below is a transcript of everything the athletic signal-caller had to say.
Q: LaNorris, you’ve finally been in a starting quarterback fall practice camp for, I think, four practices now. How have practices gone so far? Do you have any takeaways from these first few days?
LaNorris Sellers: I’m just going good. A couple of takeaways are we’re fast learners. Everybody’s pretty much grasped the system fast. We’ve been going on for a while, so we just got to go there and execute. We’re doing that a lot better. Yeah, that’s pretty much it.
Q: Kind of going off that, this is your second year of fall camp now. How do you feel like you are handling everything, situationally speaking? Is it easier coming into this year compared to last year?
Sellers: I feel good. It’s a lot easier. Last year, I was just pretty much learning the system. This year, I actually understand the system. I can go out there, execute, do it, communicate better, and know what everybody else is doing.
Q: With the two new receivers that y’all have in, how have you seen Dre and Dalevon these first few practices?
Sellers: Both of them have strong hands. I will say good receivers. Dre’s a lot faster than Dalevon, but Dalevon’s a bigger body. Good with run blocking, blocking in general, and finding open space. Both smart guys. And like I said, strong hands. That’s what stood out most to me.
Q: LaNorris, at least from the outside, a lot of people have looked at that receiver room and said, man, there’s not a lot of tall guys on there. It’s mostly short guys. Does that matter to you? Is it a major adjustment to how you throw the ball?
Sellers: No, it’s really not. I mean, you still got to get open no matter how big and tall you are. So if you can beat people with speed, you can beat people with speed, skill. But there’s different ways to get people open.
Q: I think you have, looking at the SEC quarterbacks, like 20 pounds on every SEC quarterback right now. What does your size allow you to do that others wouldn’t be?
Sellers: I’d say probably harder to tackle, harder to bring down. Take more effort for our defense guys to bring me down. I mean, that’s an advantage, I guess you could say.
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Q: Where do you feel like you’re excelling in your game right now with your strengths? And what’s one thing you’d like to fine-tune, tweak, or correct as the season approaches from your perspective?
Sellers: I’d say knowledge and communication are the two biggest things I’ve improved on since last year. And something I can work on is probably just the smaller things. The fundamentals of it. Staying calm in the pocket. Just keep going through my progression and things like that.
Q: You and Robbie are both guys who can run and use your feet. What is the message from Dowell about, obviously, hey, go run, but make sure you protect yourself? What’s that balance been, and how do you practice that?
Sellers: So we was taught that just if it’s one guy, you can make him miss. If you can make him miss, then make him miss. But once it’s a group of people coaching, then just get down and protect yourself.
Q: LaNorris, I know that you and Robbie are going to be in close proximity because you guys are both quarterbacks. But since the camps we’ve been able to watch, I’ve seen you guys talking a lot. How have you guys been pushing each other to become better during this camp?
Sellers: Pretty much like pushing each other, obviously, like you said. But also making each other better. Like I said earlier this week, it’s a healthy competition. Or last week, whenever I said that. Just he has college experience, taking that from him. I have knowledge of the system. He’s taking that from me. So we just still got to go out there and do it and compete and just lift each other up when stuff goes bad. And then just help each other out.
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Q: How’s D-Lo been so far these first few days of practice and camp for you? Because obviously, it’s a different scenario for you compared to last year and this time. But has it changed the way y’all are interacting this time of year?
Sellers: I wouldn’t necessarily say that. I think he’s always amped up. Last year, I got coached hard. This year, nothing’s changed. Still getting coached hard. He expects more from me this year than he did last year. But other than that, same old amped up, mad, ready-to-go guy.
Q: Dowell was talking that there are guys he’s coached in the past that kind of resemble your game, you know, Vince Young, Jay Cutler a little bit. Which quarterbacks have you watched, and is there a comparison Dowell tries to give you of someone he’s coached?
Sellers: Yeah, he talks about his old quarterbacks all the time. Just those guys. I think KJ (Jefferson) when he was at Arkansas. Saying, like, we have the same skill set. We can all do the same things. Just pretty much just having knowledge of the system go out there and know what you need to do and get it done.
Q: Shane mentioned one of the big reasons he brought Mike Shula into the program is because he’s coached guys like Cam Newton and Josh Allen, who kind of resemble what you and Robbie do so well. What has Mike Shula brought to the team, and what piece of advice has he given you, or how has he helped you?
Sellers: Just helped us with knowledge of the protection, putting us in the best situation possible with, like, footwork and going through progressions, knowing when to run, how to run, like the protecting ourselves things, like, really came from him, honestly, and just being smart with our reads, read options, and all that.
Q: Jakai was in here a minute ago talking about the offensive line and how they stuck around in May and did their work. What have you seen from those guys after, you know, they kind of dedicated themselves as a group this summer?
Sellers: I’ve seen better, I would say. We have more time in the pocket. Go to progression there, communicate a lot better, execute a lot better. Just have to trust them, stick behind them.
Q: You finally had a chance to get on a practice field with Rocket Sanders after he missed the spring. Just from what you’ve seen, what is he like in practice, and what are you most excited to see from him once August 31st gets here?
Sellers: He’s very explosive. He can make cuts. He’s huge in person with pads on and everything, but he’s big, fast, and strong. He’s smart as well. He knows protections and all that, knows the pass plays, knows where he’s at in protection and progression and stuff, so excited for everything with him.
Q: Last year’s offense was geared around what Spencer did best. With you and Robbie being different quarterbacks than Spencer, how has the playbook changed, or is it just there’s more plays that Dowell’s calling more often versus last year?
Sellers: I’ll say it’s still built around the quarterback’s strength, so it’s a little bit of extra, like, drop back play action, still running the ball, things of that nature. So whatever we’re good at, that’ll be called in the game, called in practice and stuff.
