Gamecocks Connection: The Spencer Show

The Spencer Show.

Hey, I’m Chris Clark with GamecockCentral.com, and welcome to Gamecocks Connection.

This weekly newsletter will consist of a summary of some of the latest happenings in Gamecock Country, reader questions, and one “main idea” that’s on my mind. Plus, there will be some other goodies along the way.

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What’s on the docket today?

In this edition, I’m taking a deeper dive into Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler and the type of season he could have in 2023.

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Get caught up.

Three quick things to know about your Gamecocks from the last few days.

🏈 Shane Beamer had his weekly press conference on Tuesday, where he spoke for about 25 minutes on numerous topics. Watch it here.

🏈 Beamer gave updates this week on the status of Juice Wells, Nyckoles Harbor, and others in advance of the UNC game.

🏈 USC seemed set to get good news today on four-star recruiting target Daniel Hill, but the running back target has decided to put off his decision. For GamecockCentral members, we have more information.

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The main idea.

— The most important player for the South Carolina Gamecocks in 2023 is number 7.

It’s been interesting to step outside the Columbia bubble to see how Spencer Rattler is currently viewed.

Rattler’s made some preseason lists, but he’s been left off some, too, like Phil Steele’s recent piece breaking down the top draft-eligible quarterbacks. That list included Caleb Williams, but also the guy that will serve as Rattler’s counterpart in game one: Drake Maye.

It’s not a consensus, sure. There are some that are actually pretty high on Rattler heading into his final campaign in Columbia.

Some folks, though, are still focused on a Netflix documentary that featured a high school Rattler. Or him sitting down in the middle of the game and Caleb Williams – who would win a Heisman Trophy last season – taking over in 2021.

Compare that to the treatment of Tennessee’s Joe Milton. Yes, he has an incredible arm and is playing in an offensive system that will surely accentuate his strengths and heighten his production.

If we’re betting, he’s probably going to have a really good year.

Yet Milton, who has either lost or not won a starting job at two different programs, is getting a lot more buzz than the quarterback who beat the Vols handily last season.

Consider this: what if Dowell Loggains’ offense at South Carolina – a partnership with Rattler, he’s called it – turns out to be pretty quarterback-friendly, too?

What if Rattler returns to the form we saw during last season’s Tennessee game, or the freshman season at Oklahoma in 2020 that had some considering him as a Heisman candidate?

USC’s opener in Charlotte will be telling on many fronts for the Gamecocks. That certainly includes what type of form Rattler could be in for the remainder of the season.

There have been some encouraging signs this offseason as far as Rattler’s continued development. 

There are many intriguing things about this team in 2023, but how well Rattler plays probably determines how far this team goes. It’s interesting to think about what it could look like for USC if  Rattler’s game goes to the next level.

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