South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers came away from Saturday’s first preseason scrimmage feeling good about where the offense stood, and on Tuesday he said the same thing was true inside the quarterback room and across the roster.
After practice No. 10 of camp, Sellers said the Gamecocks handled the scrimmage well offensively because the unit stayed on the same page.
"I thought it was good. We communicated.
We executed. We did what we needed to do, so that's good."
That communication piece, he said, remains a daily task, especially for an offensive line still building its rhythm.
"We just have to do it. There's no such thing as, I don't think, practicing communication.
You just have to talk and communicate and just figure it out, do it as you go. So, I guess practice will help with that."
Sellers also pointed to his own comfort level in camp and the growing connection with Briles.
"I think I've had a pretty good camp. It's been good just being able to see eye-to-eye with him.
Anything I'm confused on, he's right there to help me. I can ask questions.
Just doing all I can to master the system, pretty much."
That work has carried over into the passing game, where Sellers said he and the new receivers have built chemistry both inside and outside the building.
"We did stuff outside the building, in the building. We threw all the time outside the building two times a week.
Plus, any training sessions I had, they were there. So, we are throwing up to four or five times a week.
Taking trips, going out of town, stuff like that."
Sellers said the offense has made steady progress in camp, especially when it comes to the basics that keep drives alive.
"I would say getting through progressions. Not a lot of turnovers, knock on wood. Communication and just execution."
He also likes what the tight ends bring to the attack.
"Definitely. They are an extra offensive lineman and extra receiver.
Any good that they can do, get the ball in their hands, help block in the run game, it's good. It's big-time to have a guy like that."
Among the newcomers and young pieces he mentioned, Sellers singled out Sequel Patterson for his athleticism.
"Sequel is athletic, fast. Can jump, run, do whatever you need.
Find open grass. Get the ball to him in open space, he can probably go the distance.
I think offense, just keep getting better. Keep communicating.
Keep executing. Taking care of the football.
Being able to run the ball and throw it over their heads. That's the biggest thing right now."
He also had praise for DJ Black, saying the speed has shown up in camp and that the two already had some history together.
"He's had some flashes. He can run.
He ran track pretty much. He was here my freshman year, so we had a little chemistry then, just playing together then to now.
But he's making plays, showing up big-time."
Another name Sellers brought up was Mazeo Bennett Jr., who, in his view, has taken on more responsibility this year without changing who he is.
"Nothing really changed with Mazeo. He was always a hard worker, put his head down and worked.
He just stepped into more of that leadership role in that room, just because it's his third season here, I think. Just being a guy, being a voice and just being consistent every day."
The conversation also turned personal when Sellers was asked about his brother, wide receiver Jayden Sellers, who suffered a season-ending lower body injury earlier this week. Sellers said his role now is to keep him steady.
"Yeah, it sucks. It's unfortunate.
I just help him stay positive," Sellers said. "He knows that if he needs anything, he can talk to me.
But he can also with everyone on the team, coaching staff, training staff. He'll be taken care of.
He'll be fine."
Sellers added that he’s trying to appreciate the time the two had together on the field and in the same football journey.
"It's just pretty much taking advantage of time we had together. We practiced together, we played together in high school and all that.
We don't know what's going to happen this season, so you never know. But, I've had the opportunity to play college ball with him.
We achieved our dreams of playing in the SEC, stuff like that. So, that's all we can be thankful for right now.
Whatever else comes, that comes."
South Carolina will continue practicing each day this week before returning to Williams-Brice Stadium for the second and final scrimmage of preseason camp on Saturday afternoon.
In Other News...
LaNorris Sellers Gives Gamecocks Fans Another Reason To Believe
Several South Carolina players are spending part of the summer doing something that has nothing to do with quarterback reads or defensive installs, and it says a lot about how the program is trying to build its culture. LaNorris Sellers, who is majoring in sport and entertainment management, is also completing an internship at The Par Tee Golf Center while carrying the responsibilities that come with being the Gamecocks starting quarterback.
Sellers is hardly the only one, either. Cutter Woods, David Bucey and Gerald Kilgore are among the other players balancing classwork and internships tied to their fields of study, a reminder that South Carolinas roster is full of guys trying to build something beyond football while staying locked in on it. For a team looking for reasons to feel good about where it is headed, that kind of buy-in is an easy place to start. [Read more 🡒]
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Quaysheed Scott has quickly become one of the more interesting names in South Carolinas preseason camp, with the former Kentucky defensive back working his way into the mix for the starting nickel job in his first season with the Gamecocks. As the team gets ready for its second and final preseason scrimmage at Williams-Brice Stadium, Scotts adjustment has been noticeable enough to draw positive attention from both Shane Beamer and teammate Gerald Kilgore.
For a defense still sorting out roles, the nickel spot carries plenty of weight, and Scotts progress has made that competition worth watching. Beamer and Kilgore have both spoken highly of what he has shown so far, which suggests the transfer is not just filling a depth chart spot but pushing for a real role as camp winds down. [Read more 🡒]