LaNorris Sellers and Kyle Kennard earn even more SEC honors after knockout seasons

Senior EDGE rusher Kyle Kennard and redshirt freshman quarterback LaNorris Sellers have already racked up quite the shelf of awards so far this season. Both are also continuing to add their shelves as more awards are given out throughout the postseason.

Kennard and Sellers were both recognized by the SEC and earned huge honors that only a few players can say they have had. Kennard was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and Sellers was named the SEC Freshman of the Year, both obviously earning the honors for the first time.

The last Gamecock to win both of these honors was Jadevon Clowney, who was Freshman of the Year in 2011 and Defensive Player of the Year in 2012.

Kennard came to South Carolina in the offseason after spending four years at Georgia Tech and ignited an already great defense to make them an elite defense. Kennard's speed and ability to get to the quarterback was shown in his SEC-leading 11.5 Five sacks and 16 tackles for a loss. With 11.5 sacks, Kennard has the second most sacks in a single season at South Carolina ever behind Clowney yet against who had 13 in 2012.

The Atlanta, Georgia, native also had three forced fumbles and ten quarterback hurries on the season. Kennard was already given the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is awarded to the nation's top defensive player, was named the AP Defensive Player of the Year, and is also a finalist for the Lombardi Award. Kennard has also accepted an invitation to play in the Reese's Senior Bowl.

Sellers is on the opposite side of his college career than Kennard is, as he is just starting out. Sellers played his first full season as a starter and truly surprised everyone, throwing for 2,247 yards and 17 passing touchdowns and only had seven interceptions in the season, the majority of them coming early on.

Even though the young quarterback dealt with an injury early on in the season, he grew with each game and got better. Sellers truly started to catch the eyes of the college football world when he would barrel through defenders to get extra yards or even touchdowns.

Sellers are already starting to get Heisman hype for the 2025 season, especially after his game against Clemson, where he literally put the team on his back and scored both touchdowns on the day to help the Gamecocks get the win over their bitter in-state rival.

Sellers won a lot of awards during the season, getting the Maxwell Football Club National Player of the Week after his performance against Missouri, the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback of the Week after his game against Texas A&M, and finally was a two-time winner of SEC Offensive and Freshman of the Week awards.