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Where Spencer Rattler's 2022 season stacked up historically at South Carolina, what's next

On3 imageby:Collyn Taylor•01/11/23•

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South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler celebrates against Tennessee
Spencer Rattler (Chris Gillespie/GamecockCentral)

South Carolina has its quarterback back. 

The Gamecocks got another boost of good news Tuesday night with Spencer Rattler deciding to return for the 2023 season and another go-round in the SEC. 

Rattler is coming off his three best games at South Carolina and put up some good numbers en route to it. 

But where does his season stack up all time, and what’s next for the Gamecocks’ gunslinger? Let’s take a look. 

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Where his 2022 season ranks

Rattler ultimately finished the 2022 season going 262-for-396 for 3,012 yards. He threw 18 touchdowns to 12 interceptions, completing 66.2 percent of his passes and averaging 7.6 yards per attempt. 

As the dust settles, Rattler’s raw numbers do have a spot as one of the better passing seasons in program history. 

His 262 completions were second-most in a single season, second only to Dylan Thompson who completed 270 in 2014. 

He’s also fourth in a single season in completion percentage at 66.2 percent. Only Connor Shaw, Steve Taneyhill and Blake Mitchell had a better rate over one season. 

Rattler ranks fifth in single-season attempts at 396. Dylan Thomson, Todd Ellis, Stephen Garcia and Ryan Hilinski were the only other quarterbacks to attempt more in one year. 

He becomes also just the fifth quarterback in program history to throw for at least 3,000 yards in a year with his 3,012 ranking sixth most in a single season. 

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Dylan Thompson holds the record at 3,564 yards. Todd Ellis hit that number in consecutive seasons in 1986 and 1987. Jake Bentley also did it in 2018 along with Steve Taneyhill (1995) and Stephen Garcia (2010). 

Rattler threw 18 touchdowns this season for the Gamecocks, most coming in a frenzied end to the season. That ranks tied for eighth most in a single season with Anthony Wright (1997) and Jake Bentley’s 2018 campaign. 

He also threw 12 picks, but there is only one interception record listed in South Carolina’s record book. Todd Ellis threw 24 in 1987. 

But he did help set some records or come close in a few single-game performances, most notably his supernova appearance against Tennessee. 

Rattler’s 438 yards were fourth-most in a single game, and he did set the single-game touchdown record by tossing six. 

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Looking ahead

Given he’s only been at South Carolina one year, it would take a lot next season for Rattler to creep into the top 10 in a few career categories, but he certainly has a chance to put together another quality season. 

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Rattler needs 1,905 passing yards to pass Tommy Suggs for tenth all-time at South Carolina. He would need 3,063 to inch past Shaw for fifth all-time. Todd Ellis is currently the Gamecocks’ all-time leading passer with 9,953 yards. 

He would need 112 completions to move into tenth all-time in that category and pass Bobby Fuller. He would need 273 attempts to move past Dylan Thompson in tenth place. 

Rattler is only 11 touchdowns away from moving into tenth in all-time passing touchdowns. He would need an insanely good year, 30 touchdowns, to pass Garcia for fifth. 

If he replicates his completion percentage from 2022 and completed over 66 percent of his passes, it would be the best completion percentage by a South Carolina quarterback in school history (min. 150 attempts). 

Shaw currently holds the record at 65.5 percent from 2010 to 2013. Jake Bentley is the next closest at 62.5 percent. 

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