Josh Pate reveals biggest question surrounding LaNorris Sellers in Heisman race

College football analyst Josh Pate revealed the biggest question surrounding LaNorris Sellers in the Heisman race. For the South Carolina quarterback, it could be the weapons around him holding him back.

Granted, Nyck Harbor had himself a game against Virginia Tech, catching three balls for 99 yards and a touchdown. But the run game was limited and Sellers made things happen as a dual threat quarterback.

Pate questioned why South Carolina wouldn’t get Sellers more support back in the summer. However, if the Gamecocks’ coaches are right, saying that the WR room is underrated, maybe Sellers could have himself a banner year with a good supporting cast.

“People have this preconceived notion in their mind, frankly, about a lot of programs that they need to reprogram, plus the sport has changed,” Pate said on The Pat McAfee Show. “And so when you get an alien at quarterback, you got another one out wide … So that guy has learned to catch the football now … You got LaNorris Sellers, who I know a lot of people are doing the NFL Draft talk like I stick to college football. I think he could be the best player in college football. 

“They may have the best offensive and defensive players, respectively, in the SEC. This is not Alabama or Georgia. This is the University of South Carolina that we’re talking about. And they knew they had them. My only question throughout spring is, why didn’t they go attack the portal at wide receiver? More like, who do they have behind Harbor? So to answer your question, the thing that would keep him from winning the Heisman is his supporting cast. But the deeper we got into fall camp, all these people from South Carolina, they kept telling me, dude, watch out now. Our wide receiver room’s underrated. I don’t necessarily know that I saw that, but that’s okay. It’s week one, if even a fraction of what they said is true, and that dude just is who he is. You’re looking at, probably, the Heisman Trophy winner this year.” 

Sellers went 12-of-19 passing for 209 yards and one touchdown. He added 13 carries for 25 yards and one touchdown on the ground.

“I mean, it always feels good to get a win,” Sellers said postgame. “It’s a hard win, that’s a good team. A lot of tradition and history in that program. Just to go out, fight like we did, (and) come through in the fourth quarter. It just felt good.”

Sellers was also asked about his game defining plays, especially when he broke tackles. He kept it simple about his approach.

“Um, it’s a mixture of things, really,” Sellers said. “Like, if I break this tackle, who else is coming? Y’all saw they got me on the sack earlier and hit me right in the face, so just looking around for those guys. If there are more guys coming, get down. 

“But if it’s one guy or he’s a pretty good distance away, try to stay up and break it. But, got-to-have-it moments, (Mike Shula) told me before he called it, we’re running you right here. Protect the ball and end the game. That’s what I went and did.”