What helped separate LaNorris Sellers in South Carolina's quarterback battle
After sitting behind and learning from Spencer Rattler last season, LaNorris Sellers will get his chance to prove what he can do as a starting quarterback in the SEC.
On Tuesday, head coach Shane Beamer officially named Sellers as the starter when South Carolina faces Old Dominion on Aug. 31. It’s a move that doesn’t come as a huge surprise. And judging by Sellers’ reaction, it wasn’t a big deal to him.
“I texted him this morning to come by the office, and he didn’t see the text before the team meeting. So I talked to him about it on the practice field,” Beamer said. “It was the same conversation I would’ve had with him in the office. But it was, ‘Okay’ and then back to what he was doing. That’s just him.”
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It was always suspected that Sellers would take up after Rattler once he departed for the NFL. Despite being named the starter coming out of spring practice, the job wasn’t just handed to him. He still went through a competitive battle with other quarterbacks like Robby Ashford and Davis Beville.
But in the end, when Beamer made his decision, Sellers’ consistency was the difference maker.
“LaNorris has been consistent,” Beamer said. “I think he continues to get better each week. His poise, his consistencies, understanding of what we’re trying to do. He’s done what we’ve asked him to do coming out of spring practice.”
In limited action last year, Sellers played in three games and completed four passes for 86 yards and two touchdowns. As a runner, he added 51 yards and a score on the ground on five carries. He did all this while managing to keep his redshirt status.
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As a former four-star recruit coming out of high school, there’s always been a lot of hype surrounding Sellers. Now standing at 6-foot-3, 242 pounds, there’s plenty of upside to what he can do not just as a passer, but in the run game as well.
“God blessed him with a lot of abilities when you’re talking about a guy that’s close to 240 pounds and runs really well. He’s a winner. You look at what he did in high school, leading South Florence to a state championship as a senior. He’s a competitor. You see that coming back off an injury that he had in high school, and some of the things that I’ve seen him do out there on the field,” Beamer said.
“And he’s just an unbelievable young man. He comes from a great family, and I think you take all those qualities and then you add just his poise and consistency day in and day out. There’s a lot of things to like about him.”
For at least the next two seasons, Sellers will be the starter under center since he’s only a redshirt freshman right now. However, Beamer said Sellers will still have to work and improve each week to maintain his job.
“As I told LaNorris and Robby both when I talked to them this morning, the guy that gives us the best chance to be successful is going to be the guy that’s out there week in, week out,” he said. “LaNorris has got to continue to progress like he has been, and Robbie’s got to continue to progress like he has been. That’s only going to make us better.”
