LaNorris Sellers looks to elevate South Carolina

ATLANTA – LaNorris Sellers could have gone anywhere.

A breakout 2024 season thrust the South Carolina quarterback into the national spotlight. He could have transferred and started at nearly any school in America.

Instead, Sellers remained in Columbia to help take the Gamecocks to the next level in 2025.

“Everything I needed was in South Carolina,” Sellers said Monday at SEC Media Days. “Like, I grew up there. My family’s there. Anything I needed was an hour and five up the road for me. School pretty much takes care of rent and all that. So it’s not like you really need too much… There’s no point in me starting over.”

Sellers certainly finished last season with a flourish.

In South Carolina’s final four regular-season games – wins over Vanderbilt, Missouri, Wofford, and Clemson – Sellers completed 71 of 98 passes for 1,062 yards with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions. Sellers also ran for 302 yards, including 166 yards in the road win over Clemson.

“Just building on it. I know it’s not going to be easy,” Sellers said. “People got film, people got different schemes, they’re obviously not going to do the same thing they did last year. So it’s us being able to adjust to that, and just continuing the path we started last year.” 

Sellers said he has been focusing on his footwork, anticipation, and decision-making as points of emphasis this offseason.

Sellers’ head coach, Shane Beamer, believes his quarterback’s best football is still ahead. For Beamer, the key to Sellers’ success is his continued ability to be smart while also utilizing his unique skillset.

“The thing I would like to see is a lot of his long plays last year from a running standpoint or throws were because, one, protection broke down, or, two, he maybe didn’t get rid of the ball as quickly as he should have,” Beamer said. “So let’s be better in 2025 about when to get rid of the ball, but also with protection so he’s not getting hit by four people in the backfield against Clemson and somehow comes out and runs for 40 yards down the field. As cool as that is to watch, I would rather it be the other way.”

Beamer is no stranger to electric playmakers at the quarterback position.

He spent his college days at Virginia Tech with Michael Vick. Beamer was also on Oklahoma’s staff when the Sooners had Jalen Hurts and Kyler Murray.

Beamer knows full well how much a quarterback like Sellers can do for a team. But he’s also aware that, if the Gamecocks want to reach the College Football Playoff they narrowly missed in 2024, Sellers can’t do it by himself.

“I think we’re going to be better around LaNorris as well on the offense, more depth and competition at pretty much every position, I feel like. That’s going to help him,” Beamer said. “He doesn’t have to be Superman for us. Just continue to be the person he is, the leader that he is, and the player that he is, and watch him continue to take the next step.”