Shane Beamer evaluates South Carolina quarterbacks coming out of scrimmage

No matter what happens in the preseason, talk will always come back to quarterback play and at South Carolina it’s no different.

The Gamecocks have a few big-name guys on the roster, and Saturday was their first big test of preseason camp.

South Carolina had its first of two August scrimmages. It was a chance for Shane Beamer to evaluate the passers, including likely starter Spencer Rattler, while in a little bit of a different setting.

“Spencer I thought was good. He made some really good throws. I think sometimes he has to get rid of the ball quicker. He knew he wasn’t going to get hit, but there were some times out there he would have gotten hit pretty good out there today,” Beamer said.

“He has to get rid of the ball quicker. Understanding the offense, leading the offense, understanding what we’re trying to get done, communicating that to the 10 guys.”

The Gamecocks offensively were without a few weapons that would have made things better for Rattler.

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Josh Vann didn’t play and neither did Gamecocks playmakers MarShawn Lloyd, Chrsitian Beal-Smith, Corey Rucker nor Landon Samson.

Rattler led two drives to start the scrimmage into opponent territory while neither resulted in touchdowns. Both ended with field goals, including at least one in the red zone.

Rattler is in a good place, and Beamer likes where things are going entering week two of South Carolina camp.

“I like where Spencer is right now,” Beamer said. “The thing with Spencer as we get closer and closer to game week is narrowing down what we’re doing each week and getting dialed in from that standpoint.”

Where Beamer extended the most praise was to likely backup Luke Doty, who is also off to an apparent hot start this preseason for South Carolina.

Beamer said the third-year quarterback has “really, really taken another step” as a quarterback coming off his season-ending foot injury.

“He’s made some big time throws, he’s been accurate in all of our practices. He’s made some big time throws today. The leadership he brings. I’m proud of Luke,” Beamer said.

“To come back off that, get hurt again against Vanderbilt later in the year, then we bring in Spencer Rattler. It would have been easy for a lot of guys to pack their stuff up and go somewhere else. Not him. He’s made himself better. He’s made Spencer better. It’s showing right now”

The Gamecocks also have a few young quarterbacks getting their first taste of scrimmages as well.

Braden Davis and Tanner Bailey are both in their first preseason camps—Davis was here for spring—and also played well at times Saturday.

“The young quarterbacks, we made them live today. They need to learn that they’re going to get hit and I’m not going to stand back there and blow the whistle when somebody gets close. I thought those guys handled that well,” Beamer said. “Saw them make some plays with their feet.”

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