South Carolina needs to quickly improve its offense. The Gamecocks focused on starting faster this offseason and expected some challenges without key players like quarterback Spencer Rattler and receiver Xavier Legette.
However, their performance last week in a 23-19 win was disappointing, as the offense struggled to get going.
“No one’s happy in this building with the offensive performance at all,” coach Shane Beamer said on Tuesday.
This frustration comes after Old Dominion, a team from the Sun Belt Conference, limited South Carolina to 288 total yards and only 114 passing yards. The Gamecocks had several long drives stopped inside Old Dominion’s 30-yard line, and there were missed connections between first-time starter LaNorris Sellers and his receivers.
“We all need to be better,” Beamer said. “Starting with me.”
The situation won’t improve easily as the Gamecocks (1-0) begin Southeastern Conference play against Kentucky (1-0) — their first conference game of the season and the only one on Saturday.
Even with Rattler, who threw for 3,186 yards, and Legette, who had 1,255 yards and was the second-highest receiver, the Gamecocks were 12th out of 14 SEC teams in offense last season.
The lack of experience was evident. Coastal Carolina transfer receiver Jared Brown dropped a guaranteed touchdown pass from Sellers, a second-year freshman who learned under Rattler last season.
Sellers, normally reliable, fumbled and was sacked four times.
Arkansas transfer Rocket Sanders, brought in to boost the running game, showed some potential with 88 yards on 24 carries, though the offensive line was inconsistent.
South Carolina’s defense was the standout, making key plays such as forcing an Old Dominion fumble near the goal line, which Sellers then ran 6 yards for the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter.
Georgia Tech transfer Kyle Kennard and South Carolina freshman defensive end Dylan Stewart were named co-SEC linemen of the week.
Together, they managed four sacks against the Monarchs, with Stewart also forcing two fumbles, including one in the fourth quarter that led to the Gamecocks’ final touchdown.
“That’s the hallmark of what our team’s going to be,” Kennard said. “There are going to be games where we need to pick it up and our offense is going to walk on ahead. We were able to do that for them this season.”
Sellers admitted he might have been overwhelmed by his first start in front of around 78,000 fans. He felt nervous, rushed some decisions, and didn’t use the solid technique he had shown in practice.
“It wasn’t the best,” Sellers said. “I was tentative a little bit, kind of nervous, scared of making a mistake. I’ve just got to play like myself.”
After the game, Beamer, offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains, and offensive analyst Mike Shula talked with Sellers about staying positive and playing confidently.
Beamer told him before the game, “he didn’t need to be Superman. We’re better with the talent around him than were around Spencer last year.”
Beamer was pleased with his offensive line, which included Josiah Thompson, a 6-7, 300-pound freshman, at left tackle.
“We played really, really hard on the offensive line,” Beamer said.
The offensive line will need to step up this week against Kentucky, whose defense features a 6-6, 345-pound tackle named Deone Walker.
Walker “can wreck your entire game plan, not just mess up a play,” Beamer said admiringly. Sellers is confident that he and the Gamecocks’ offense will fix their issues and play up to their potential.
“I think it was just a first-game thing, with 80,000 people,” Sellers said. “Now that I got that out of the way, I think I’ll be good from now on.”
