The South Carolina football program has a chance to move from plucky upstart to legitimate contender in the very near future. Another year or two of continued growth and more recruiting excellence could move the Gamecocks back to the elite status they haven’t been able to claim since Steve Spurrier and his visor stalked the sidelines at Williams-Brice Stadium.
One big step toward accomplishing this was Spencer Rattler returning as the Gamecocks’ quarterback again in 2023. The former 5-star signal caller did not immediately see tremendous success after joining the South Carolina football program. In fact, despite becoming just the sixth Gamecock quarterback to throw for 3000 yards in a single season, it wasn’t until the end of last year that the future NFL quarterback’s talent was clearly seen in garnet and black. However, he showed enough in the final quarter of the season to generate buzz from professional scouts.
On Wednesday, Rattler spoke with the media and detailed why he made the decision to return to South Carolina instead of taking the step to the League.
During his media availability, Rattler credited unfinished business and new Offensive Coordinator Dowell Loggains as major factors in his decision to return.
As has been documented, Rattler’s decision to return to Columbia was closely intertwined with the decision-making of his top target. Antwane “Juice” Wells joined Rattler in spurning the NFL for a year to be a Gamecock for one last ride. According to Rattler, the duo felt that they “left some things on the table” and had more to accomplish as leaders of the South Carolina football program. The Howitzer-armed quarterback also indicated that both he and Wells were given enough feedback from the NFL to have felt good about taking the next step if that’s the direction they decided to go.
The new offensive direction under Loggains helped convince Rattler he was making the right decision. “ has a lot of experience in the League,” Rattler added. He feels as if Loggains’ experience working with NFL quarterbacks and NFL offenses will help him develop even further before becoming a pro next year. He also mentioned that Loggains welcomes input from his players and fellow coaches, something that was reportedly not always true under previous Offensive Coordinator Marcus Satterfield.
#7’s preferred style of play fits exactly what Loggains wants his offense to do: “Just go play ball” is how Rattler described his new play caller’s system. “Just go play ball” seems like a close relative to the “Ehh, screw it. Let’s go” offense that Head Coach Shane Beamer said the Gamecocks utilized last season against Tennessee. For those who may have forgotten, “Ehh, screw it. Let’s go” resulted in a 63-point beat down of playoff-hopeful Rocky Top and one of the best single-game quarterback performances in college football history from Rattler.
Rattler reiterated a point his head coach made last week when he said he feels more like a true leader of the team this offseason. He and his teammates are more comfortable together and, according to the Gamecocks’ QB1, more comfortable in their new offense: “ definitely more comfortable, more loose.”
South Carolina is better off in 2023 with Rattler leading the offense, but they will also be better off in the future because of it. With tons of recruiting momentum in the program, a solid 2023 campaign is almost a necessity. Continue succeeding on the field, and the commitments will start pouring in.
Spencer Rattler’s return also offers some needed adjustment time for his new play caller and the younger quarterbacks in the roster. Year one of Coach Loggains’ offense would not be as effective without an experienced signal caller and leader at the helm, and playing a young quarterback when he is not ready does nothing for that player’s confidence, either. Players like Luke Doty, LaNorris Sellers, and Tanner Bailey get an opportunity to watch and learn instead of being thrown into the fire like Doty was during part of 2021, and the Loggains era gets to start with a fair chance of success.
Rattler’s return is nothing but a good thing for the Gamecocks, and the fan base gets more and more ready for the season with each update. With spring practice in full swing, the season will be here before you know it. The Gamecock Faithful, for the first time in a while, can feel good about the direction of their team. Georgia isn’t going anywhere as the reigning kings of the SEC East, but the South Carolina football program is putting themselves into good position to become the number one contenders for the throne.