LaNorris Sellers believes he models his play after Cam Newton

South Carolina was on the verge of a College Football Playoff berth a year ago, coming up just a few spots short of the 12-team cutoff. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers hopes to power the Gamecocks over the finish line this fall.

The talented young quarterback took the league by storm last year, throwing for 2,534 yards and 18 scores while rushing for 674 yards and seven more scores. Asked who he models his game after, Sellers gave a lofty answer.

“I would say Cam Newton, just because that was my favorite player,” Sellers said on The Triple Option podcast. “I watched him all the time growing up.”

Newton, of course, went on to win the Heisman Trophy and a national championship at Auburn. Those are some serious goals to live up to.

On the podcast with Mark Ingram and Rob Stone, LaNorris Sellers broke down the areas of his game he’s trying to improve. If he keeps growing, he could be one of the best quarterbacks in the country. And he’s targeting a few areas of his game.

“Just the small things like anticipation, footwork and all that,” Sellers said. “Just building off the mistakes from last year, just trying to fix them and get better at them for this year.”

The dual-threat ability from LaNorris Sellers makes him one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the country. He explained that he’s always keeping his options open on any given play.

“Whatever’s there,” he said. “I’m going to get out of trouble, find my way out of trouble and then just try to make something happen. If someone’s down the field I’ll throw it. And if everybody’s covered and it’s open grass I’m running.”

What’s clear is that South Carolina plans to pin its hopes on LaNorris Sellers this fall. He’s the glue that holds everything together.

That much was evident last year when he was named a team captain. More importantly, though, he delivered in that leadership role.

“It means a lot. I knew coming to college that being a quarterback you have to step into that leadership role,” Sellers said. “Open up a little bit more. I don’t really like to talk too much, but I just had to step into that role and do that. I knew it was going to be something I had to get better at.”

Other programs reportedly made offers to Sellers this offseason, trying to lure him away from South Carolina. But the 6-foot-3, 242-pound quarterback explained why he stuck with the Gamecocks.

He likes where he’s at. There are plenty of perks.

“It’s close to home. My parents can come to all my games,” he said. “I can still go home for holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving and all that. If I ever need something I can just shoot up the road home. If they want to just come up here, just get away from home, they can come to me. Surrounded by my family, that’s all I need.”

LaNorris Sellers will be surrounded not only by his real family, but also by his football family this fall. If all goes well, he could be the key piece in pushing the Gamecocks to one of their best seasons ever.

Maybe he’ll even have a Cam Newton like impact. That’s the goal, anyway.