LaNorris Sellers providing 'too good of a look' for Gamecock defense in practice, Clayton White says
When South Carolina faces Vanderbilt this weekend, there’s a good chance more than one quarterback will be under center. The Commodores have had a tendency to play all of their guys at the position this year.
Vanderbilt has played two or all three quarterbacks in five of its 10 games so far.
In a way, that can make it tough for opposing defenses to game plan. And Gamecocks defensive coordinator Clayton White is no exception to that.
Luckily, there is one guy who can give White’s defense all the looks it needs this week.
“LaNorris Sellers is obviously the biggest guy that we have at that position to emulate that,” White said. “So that’s a really good situation for us as a defense. Our guys can feel kind of what it would be like on Saturday.”
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Sellers is a true freshman quarterback, who hasn’t played a ton this year. He completed all four of his passes for two touchdowns against Furman back in Week 2. Since then, he hasn’t seen the field again.
But that doesn’t mean he’s been useless. It’s actually the opposite. During practice this week, Sellers has been serving as the main scout team quarterback. He was rated as the eighth-best dual-threat quarterback in the country coming out of high school. He brings both speed, size and a good arm to the table.
And that’s just what the Gamecock defense needs to see. AJ Swann and Ken Seals are more of pocket passers than runners for Vanderbilt. Then there’s 6-foot-7, 235-pound Walter Taylor, who can use his size and speed to run over defenders.
“Obviously, our guys understand they have Swann, they have Seals, and they have the big dude, number two — big giant, number two,” White said. “So, we’re doing a good job of just making sure our guys understand while watching tape and obviously, we’re using LaNorris to simulate both.”
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Sellers is just slightly smaller than Taylor. He’s four inches shorter but weighs 245 pounds. In practice, he has been able to provide all those aspects from their styles of play.
At times, White said Sellers has given the defense “too good of a look to be honest with you.” That usually means he’s doing his job correctly while also having some success.
While Sellers might not play again this year, he’s done more than enough to impress White.
“I mean, I just told coach Dowell (Loggains) in the coaches’ locker room, I said, ‘I can’t believe how fast that guy is,'” White chuckled. “I feel like he’s getting faster and bigger every two or three weeks. So, it’s too good of a look.”
