New Gamecocks QB Spencer Rattler: ‘I feel totally refreshed’ at South Carolina
After months of headlines and scrutiny during his time at Oklahoma, new South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler addressed the media for the first time last week.
Wearing a black Gamecocks polo, Rattler said he views his transition to the Gamecocks as a fresh start.
“I feel totally refreshed to be at a new university, a great university like this,” Rattler said Wednesday. “I’m very comfortable here knowing coach (Shane) Beamer. ... I made a great decision. I’m happy I’m in this position.”
One of the most sought-after — and polarizing — quarterbacks in the transfer portal, Rattler shook the college football world when he announced his commitment to South Carolina in mid-December along with Oklahoma tight end teammate Austin Stogner.
Rattler rose to national prominence with a breakout redshirt freshman season in 2020, throwing for 28 touchdowns to seven interceptions and compiling 3,031 passing yards, and he was considered a Heisman Trophy favorite heading into 2021. But Rattler struggled through a significant sophomore slump and was benched for freshman Caleb Williams, with Sooners fans chanting “We want Caleb!” leading up to the benching. Rattler threw for just 1,483 yards last season, throwing 11 touchdowns to five interceptions.
Nonetheless, Rattler’s commitment to USC was viewed as a huge recruiting win for second-year USC head coach Shane Beamer, who knew Rattler from his time as an assistant on Lincoln Riley’s Oklahoma staff. The Gamecocks are banking on a return to form for Rattler, and he is the presumed starter heading into the season with a quarterback room that returns Luke Doty and Colten Gauthier and brings in recruits Braden Davis and Tanner Bailey.
Rattler said the way Beamer and his staff runs the program factored into his decision.
“What’s impressive about this place is how it’s ran,” Rattler said. “It’s ran like an NFL facility.”
Rattler said he knew that Beamer was “doing something special down there” and wanted to be a part of it. He promises to bring leadership and energy to the quarterbacks room and said he’s already developed a strong relationship with Doty and the rest of the room.
Part of the narrative surrounding Rattler are character concerns that first arose when he starred on the Netflix show “QB1: Beyond the Lights” as a teenager. That’s a narrative that Beamer quashed, saying Rattler “comes from a great family.” And Rattler defended his character Wednesday, saying he’s grown since his days on the show.
“A lot of people seem to forget that it’s a reality TV show, and at that time I was 16 and 17 years old having fun with my buddies.
“My character is definitely not portrayed well in that show, but that’s just how it was made.”
This story was originally published March 2, 2022 at 1:58 PM with the headline "New Gamecocks QB Spencer Rattler: ‘I feel totally refreshed’ at South Carolina."
