Former Heisman-winning quarterback says, 'I still have faith' in South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers

South Carolina football hasn’t performed up to expectations this season. The Gamecocks have a 3-7 overall record, and quarterback LaNorris Sellers, a preseason Heisman Trophy favorite, has not performed well with much consistency.

Even so, there is someone who knows a thing or two about playing Heisman-level football at the quarterback position who believes in Sellers’ ability to bounce back.

During an appearance on Shannon Sharpe’s Nightcap podcast, former Texas A&M quarterback and 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel said, “I still have faith in him…in my opinion, being around enough quarterbacks, I think LaNorris Sellers still has enough potential to go out and come back next year and have an unbelievable year.”

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It is worth noting that Sellers is eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft and that scouts remain enamored with his athletic ability and strong throwing arm. If he receives an early-round guarantee, returning to school could be really difficult. However, if he returns to college for another year and isn’t swayed by big-money transfer portal offers—and, right now, a return to Columbia seems most likely—he will be one of the country’s leading candidates to have a much-improved season in 2026.

Manziel’s belief in Sellers stems from his prodigious talent.

“He’s huge on the field in real life. He throws it nice. It comes out of his hand [well],” said Johnny Football.

Acknowledging Sellers’ lack of overall success in 2025, Manziel and Sharpe’s co-host, former NFL Pro Bowl receiver Chad Johnson, seemed to place some of the blame on the quarterback’s lack of comfort in the South Carolina offense and the coaching of now-fired offensive coordinator Mike Shula.

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Manziel, Johnson, and Sharpe also argued Sellers has to handle tough situations better to live up to his enormous potential. “You’ve got to learn to stay relaxed. You’ve got to learn to stay calm,” Johnson said. “To be able to make the right decisions in pressure situations—that makes some of the best quarterback play. That’s where the best quarterbacks come from.”

Sellers has two more opportunities this fall to get things going before the offseason begins. South Carolina will play against two in-state foes, Coastal Carolina and Clemson, during the final two weeks of the season.

This Saturday, the Gamecocks will host the Chanticleers at 4:15 p.m. at Williams-Brice Stadium. SEC Network will handle the television broadcast, while the ESPN app streams the on-field action.

Then, the following Saturday, Carolina will host the rival Clemson Tigers. That contest will begin at noon and will also broadcast on SEC Network and will stream on the ESPN app.

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