Gamecocks, Spencer Rattler show flashes moving pocket

There were plenty of things South Carolina needs to tweak and fix offensively. But there’s one part of the game Spencer Rattler thought he did really well in the opener.

“I like how I extended the play, took what they gave me at times. Really I like how I extended the play when stuff broke down and found my receivers on some routes,” he said. “Obviously as a group—myself and everybody else—we always want to clean stuff up. It’s game one. Everyone has stuff to clean up after game one. We’re going to take a big jump this week.”

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Rattler finished going 23-for-37 and averaging 6.1 yards per attempt overall but had success when he moved outside of the pocket.

He completed six passes on nine attempts for 99 yards, an average of 11 yards per attempt. Some of his best plays came when Rattler was extending things, including a pair of connections downfield to Jalen Brooks.

Being able to move the pocket, especially if South Carolina struggles to protect similar to the opener, is something the Gamecocks need to continue doing.

“It’s not really mayhem scramble but he understands time and space and very casually knows how to move out of the pocket. He’s never really out of control,” Satterfield said.

“That’s something you can use to your advantage offensively, especially if you’re trying to move the pocket and protect the passer. That’ll grow in our offense.”

South Carolina struggled offensively at times in the opener, and the Gamecocks will need more in week two to upset No. 16 Arkansas.

Satterfield mentioned he and Rattler both started to press some after the first quarter when things weren’t looking as expected.

“It’s a terrible feeling. You feel it. Last year, I think we would have had some pointing fingers and complaining certain times. This year our guys came to the sideline and were frustrated,” Satterfield said.

“Me as a play caller, I was thinking, ‘what can we do to get five yards here there to get us started?’ Sometimes you try and be too perfect out there and it makes you feel claustrophobic. We have to just let it go, run our plays and utilize some tempo and get our guys relaxed. I think we’ll be all right.”

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The Gamecocks also spent all week trying to clean up some of the things that went wrong Saturday with the hopes of looking better against the Razorbacks.

“I would just say everything,” Rattler said. “Offense and defense we want to get better in every single area. I can’t point out one thing. If a receiver doesn’t run a route, it’s the same thing as a running back missing a block. If I miss a throw it’s the same thing as this or that. You can compare all of it. We all have to get better, and we will.”

ESPN will televise the noon ET kickoff.

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