LaNorris Sellers does ‘really good things’ for South Carolina in spring game debut
LaNorris Sellers was all smiles as he was high-fiving fans during his first Gamecock Walk before Saturday’s South Carolina spring football game.
Sellers is just a little over four months removed from leading South Florence High to the school’s first football state championship on Dec. 4 Since then, he decommitted from Syracuse, signed with South Carolina two days before Christmas and enrolled on campus in January as the lone quarterback in USC’s 2023 recruiting class.
On Saturday, the energy in Williams-Brice Stadium perked up when Sellers entered the game in the second half.
The freshman made his college debut in front the announced crowd of more than 51,000 and showed glimpses of what South Carolina fans hope is a bright future with the team.
Sellers’ first completion was a strike to Chapman High grad DJ Black for 50 yards and set up the Garnet team’s first touchdown. He finished 3-for-8 passing for 66 yards.
Sellers also showed up his running skills, carrying the ball eight times for 32 yards. He was quick to take off from the pocket instead of going through his progressions, but that isn’t uncommon for a young quarterback.
Sellers gives USC a dual-threat option at the QB position. He rushed for 1,338 yards during his senior season of high school to go with 2,928 yards passing and 67 total touchdowns.
“LaNorris came in as a true freshman, showed great poise and obviously did some really good things,” USC coach Shane Beamer said after the game.
Sellers was one of six quarterbacks to play in the game, including starter Spencer Rattler, who didn’t play in the second half. Rattler was 12-of-20 for 120 yards and TD, a 3-yard score to Arkansas tight end transfer Trey Knox on the game’s first possession.
Luke Doty, the team’s expected backup, played the first half for the Garnet team and was 7-of-14 for 41 yards before being replaced by Sellers.
Tanner Bailey, Braden Davis and Colten Gauthier also saw action behind Rattler for the Black team, which won the game 19-17.
Bailey had the best night of those guys, going 6-of-11 for 88 yards and a 34-yard touchdown pass to Antwane Wells Jr. to put the Garnet team up 17-0.
“Tanner had a touchdown pass and had a lot of completions,” Rattler said. “I thought Luke did what he could with his group, and LaNorris is a good young player and is still learning. He is very athletic, can run around and make plays.
“But the guys looked good.”
Beamer agreed and likes the trajectory of the quarterback room.
With Rattler and Doty likely being 1-2 on the depth chart when the team begins preseason practice in August, there could be an interesting battle to see who wins the third quarterback spot. There’s also the prospect that someone opts to enter the transfer portal, which opened again on Saturday and closes April 30.
“All quarterbacks did some good things,” Beamer said. “They have a lot of work to do, but they all flashed and I’m excited about the potential of that group.”
This story was originally published April 15, 2023 at 11:34 PM with the headline "LaNorris Sellers does ‘really good things’ for South Carolina in spring game debut."
