With LaNorris Sellers locked in as South Carolina football’s starting quarterback for the upcoming season, the race to become his backup is one of the things to watch as the Gamecocks close in the end of spring practice.
The group behind Sellers includes Ohio State transfer Air Noland, redshirt freshman Dante Reno and true freshman Cutter Woods. Senior Luke Doty would be a possibility but he has spent most of his time the last couple years at receiver.
Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer shared a little bit Tuesday on how the battle is going and an ideal time frame on naming the Gamecocks’ No. 2 quarterback. Beamer said there isn’t a rush to name the backup out of spring but definitely would like to have it set early in preseason camp.
“I haven’t talked to Coach (Mike) Shula (offensive coordinator) about it but in my mind coming out of spring that competition is ongoing,” Beamer said. “Then let’s get through the summer and compete early into training camp. Then when you start dividing up reps as you get ready for the first game in my mind, it would be 10 days to two weeks out. But if we know this guy is going to be the backup, we will go ahead and make a decision when we are ready to.”
The Gamecocks had an experienced backup last season in Robby Ashford, who came to USC after stops at Auburn and Oregon. Ashford came in twice when Sellers was injured against Kentucky and LSU and also started against Akron. But Ashford transferred to Wake Forest after the season.
Beamer said he has been pleased with the backup QBs performances in the spring, citing Noland and Reno’s play in Saturday’s scrimmage and Woods’ performance in a final drive of Tuesday’s practice.
Noland was one of the Gamecocks’ big transfer portal additions in the winter. The Georgia native and former four-star recruit was at Ohio State last season before deciding to transfer to the Gamecocks.
Noland told reporters in January how eager he was to be in the quarterback mix and playing alongside Sellers, who had a breakout season a year ago.
“It pushes you each and every day,” Noland said in January. “It doesn’t let you be lackadaisical. It makes you be a better quarterback. Competition brings the best out of you. With a quarterback like LaNorris Sellers, he’s a guy that I can push and hopefully just compete with him and just have fun.”
Reno has a year of college under his belt and saw action against Akron last season. Woods enrolled early after a decorated career at Westside High School in the Upstate where he led the Rams to a pair of state championship appearances.
