Spencer Rattler shares assessment of LaNorris Sellers’ first South Carolina start

The first thing former South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler said to offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains after USC’s 23-19 victory over Old Dominion Saturday:

LaNorris Sellers “looked fast and was getting through things too quickly.”

This was in reference to the freshman quarterback who made his first start for the Gamecocks Saturday after redshirting in 2023. Rattler deduced, just as Loggains had, that Sellers had sped himself up.

While Sellers described his performance as “scared” and “timid” during Tuesday’s player interviews, Loggains pushed back Wednesday during the coordinator press conference.

“I wouldn’t use those words,” he said. “I would (use) ‘young,’ ‘excited,’ ‘eager,’ ‘sped up.’ I think that’s what it looks like when a quarterback is sped up, and they’re excited about the opportunity. It was a big moment for him.”

Loggains added that he believed Sellers “approached everything the right way.”

It’s not that Sellers performed poorly against the Monarchs, but he did seem to struggle at times. During the postgame press conference Saturday, he told local reporters that “it’s not as easy as it looks” out there on the field. He threw for 114 yards (10-for-23), which would’ve been more had his receivers not dropped a few passes, and ran for 68.

While receivers struggled to create space, Sellers sometimes threw them into hits.

Coach Shane Beamer said most of Sellers 22 running attempts were by design, but if he went through his reads too quickly as Loggains said, then some of Sellers’ decisions to scramble might’ve been made prematurely. Regardless, 20-plus quarterback runs in a game is not ideal, regardless of how shifty, strong and athletic the signal caller.

Loggains said he’s optimistic, though, that Sellers will continue to improve as the season progresses.

”I have a lot of faith in the kid, and he’s gonna be a really good player,” Loggains said. “And he’s gotta go through these experiences.”