South Carolina's outlook for the 2026 season largely depends on the season that quarterback LaNorris Sellers has. After a down season in 2025, Sellers had his worst season under center in his South Carolina career.Â
Although his struggles during a 4-8 season aren't all that surprising, he is expected to have a huge bounceback season in 2026. But don't just take our word for it. Let's break down the biggest reasons why Sellers is poised for one of his best seasons yet.Â
1. An improved offensive line
This is one of the biggest reasons why Sellers is expected to thrive. Head coach Shane Beamer prioritized rebuilding the offensive line this offseason, landing three big-time players from the transfer portal in Jacarrius Peak from NC State, Emmanuel Poku from East Carolina and Carter Miller from UCF.Â
The Gamecocks are also expected to rely on experience from returning players from last season Markee Anderson, Adedamola Ajidahun and Shedrick Sarratt, who started in nine gams as a true freshman last season.Â
But the hype is the biggest for Peak, who comes to South Carolina after spending four seasons at NC State. During his time with the Wolfpack, he allowed just seven sacks over 2,000 game snaps. With Peak expected to drastically elevate the pass protection, Sellers will be able to have much more time to throw and allow plays to develop downfield. Having an improved offensive line will also drastically help him improve in the quarterback run game. Although Peak is still working back from a knee injury, he is expected to be back at full strength in time for the 2026 season.Â
After taking a season-high 43 sacks last season, Sellers will take all the improvement he can get along the offensive line. thrive in the passing gameÂ
2. The Kendal Briles effect
South Carolina's offense was so bad last year that Coach Beamer fired offensive coordinator Mike Shula before the season. In the offseason, he hired Kendal Briles as his new offensive coordinator, who spent the last three seasons at TCU.Â
With the Horned Frogs, he helped quarterback Josh Hoover produce back-to-back seasons with over 3,000 yards passing. 2024 was his best season yet, throwing for 3,949 yards with 27 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He is now at Indiana, hoping to lead the Hoosiers back to a national title.Â
Prior to TCU, he coached the likes of KJ Jefferson at Arkansas. Jefferson has perhaps the most similar skillset to Sellers, and with Briles he threw for 5,324 yards with 45 touchdowns and nine interceptions across his first two seasons as a starter in 2021 and 2022. He added 1,304 yards on the ground with 15 scores, as well.Â
A history of South Carolina OC Kendal Briles' offenses by the numbers, Part 1
Prior to his most recent stints, Briles produced impressive offenses at Florida State, Houston, Florida Atlantic and Baylor.Â
3. Opposing coaches already think Briles' scheme is perfect for Sellers Â
In a recent ESPN article, Adam Rittenberg polled various coaches about some of the biggest quarterback names ahead of the 2026 season. Two separate SEC coordinators told Ritenberg said that Sellers' offense should match his skillset tremendously.Â
"He really struggles to process in the middle of a game," an SEC defensive coordinator said in the piece. "When you move him around or you move things around on him, he just really struggles.I think Kendal's system, if Kendal can be like, 'Hey, you do this or you do this or take off running,' if he can get him to do that, I think the kid could be scary. He's so hard to bring down."
A lot of times last season, Sellers did not look like himself in the offense. Oftentimes he was flushed out of the pocket quickly, with not much time to throw. When he did try to take off and run, he was met quickly by defenders. He finished last season with a career-low 270 yards rushing. Another SEC coordinator told Rittenberg that his offense will help Sellers get back to who he really is as a quarterback.Â
A history of South Carolina OC Kendal Briles' offenses Part 2
"Kendal will make it a little bit more friendly," the coordinator said. "He's not going to force him to be something he's not, which I felt like at times he was last year. They've got to try to win games. You're not a pocket passer. The best thing you do is take off and run, because no one can tackle you."
4. The starters he has returning around him
Sellers will have plenty of guys he is comfortable around returning, as well. In addition to the previous guys mentioned along the offensive line, he also gets his leading receiver from last season in Nyck Harbor.Â
Harbor had a season-high 618 receiving yards past season, and his physical transformation he's undergone has been turning heads.Â
"I think the sky's the limit for Nyck," Selles said at SEC Media Days last month. "He's put in the work. He's put in the time. He deserves everything that comes with him and he'll have a good season this year, for sure."
The Gamecocks also return running back Matt Fuller from last season, as well as transfer portal backs in Jabree Coleman and Christian Clark.Â
As a whole offensively, South Carolina returns 76% of its returning production per ESPN's SP+, good for second nationally.Â
5. Chance to make a lasting impression for NFL scouts
Sellers could have declared for the NFL Draft after last season, and he likely would have gone high in the 2026 quarterback class. In fact, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. had Sellers as No. 3 overall signal-caller for 2026 last December.
But instead, Sellers has chosen to return to the Gamecocks for fourth season, something that is a rarity in college football these days. Although it is not a certainty at this point, Seller is expected to forgo his final season of eligibility in 2027 and declare for the NFL draft.Â
Even if he has an even slightly better season than his breakout 2024 one, he is expected to be an early quarterback picked in 2027. So Sellers has one last shot to make a big impression on NFL scouts during the 2026 season.Â
South Carolina fans will get their first look at Sellers and the new-look Gamecock offense during the Sept. 5 season opener against Kent State.Â
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