Luke Doty 'absolutely' competing for backup quarterback job, Shane Beamer says

Going into the 2025 season, there’s no question that South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer has his starting quarterback in LaNorris Sellers. Still, there are plenty of questions about the backup quarterback situation.

Over the years, Luke Doty has become a versatile option for the Gamecocks. That versatility could even include being the backup quarterback, which Beamer says is “absolutely” something he’s competing for this year.

“Luke’s had a really good spring,” Shane Beamer said. “He’s just a really good football player. He’s a great teammate, he’s a great leader. He makes our team better, whether he’s playing receiver, whether he’s playing special teams, or whether he’s playing quarterback, he makes us better. I’m glad he came back. Here’s a guy that he wants to be a Gamecock and never hesitated if he wanted to come back and he’s just having a lot of fun.”

Luke Doty committed to South Carolina back in 2018 and has been with the Gamecocks since joining in the Class of 2020. At the time, he was a highly-touted quarterback recruit but struggled to consistently find time on the field there through his first three seasons. After taking a redshirt in 2022, he returned to primarily play wide receiver and special teams.

For his career, Luke Doty has completed 60.8 percent of his passes for 1,543 yards and nine passing touchdowns to eight interceptions. He’s also rushed for 173 yards and another touchdown while catching 16 passes for 140 yards and a touchdown.

“He and I talked about it today. He’s just having fun. He knows this is kind of his last go-around. He brings confidence to the team. I mean, even yesterday, we had a little period where he’s out there, like, literally in the middle of the play, while the play is going on. He’s talking junk to the defense, like literally, while the play is happening. He’s a high-energy guy, but he can make plays. He’s athletic, he’s improving as a passer. He knows he’s got to improve there, but he can get himself out of trouble, and he’s an athlete and he can create. Most importantly, he has experience, and the rest of that quarterback room is young.”

This offseason, South Carolina landed a big-name transfer, bringing in Air Noland from South Carolina. Cutter Woods, a three-star freshman in the Class of 2025, and Jimmy Francis, a former walk-on, are the only other potential backups listed on the roster. Dante Reno has since entered the Transfer Portal. So, Luke Doty offers Beamer the most experience as a backup to LaNorris Sellers.

“Air Noland is in his first year in college, counting his semester at Ohio State. Cutter Woods is in his first semester in college. Jimmy Francis is in his first or second year in college. Luke’s in his what? Seventh? Sixth? Not his first as well, but he’s kind of the old guy. But he brings a quiet, confident, or not quiet, He brings a loud confidence to the team. Excited to see what the next step is for him.”

The hope for Shane Beamer is obviously that LaNorris Sellers stays healthy and the backup position becomes a moot point. However, if something does happen, it’s largely going to fall on the backup to keep South Carolina in contention.