The keys to the South Carolina football team's success vs. Kentucky Wildcats

South Carolina Football vs. Kentucky Keys to Success:
LaNorris Sellers

The season debut for LaNorris Sellers did not go as expected as he completed just 10-23 passes against the Old Dominion Monarchs for just 114 yards and 0 touchdowns.

However, Gamecock fans know that Sellers is much better than what he showed in his first start, and if the bespectacled #16 can play up to his capabilities, the overall product on the field will be much better.

Offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains can do a better job of making life easier on his quarterback. The Loggains offense has a lot of plays that require a quarterback to make quick reads, and a nervous Sellers didn't make great reads at times last Saturday. Against Kentucky, building his quarterback's confidence should be a priority for Loggains, and he can do that by giving him some easy no-read or 1-read throws and some designed runs that don't require him to think much. Once he is comfortable, he will perform better in both the physical and mental parts of the game.

Perhaps helping Sellers a bit this weekend is the fact that he has played against Kentucky. The Gamecock starting quarterback got some mop-up duty against Furman and Vanderbilt last year, but he also played early in the game against the Kentucky Wildcats. He didn't play a prominent role, but Sellers got a couple of carries on back-to-back scoring drives for the Carolina offense. A small handful of plays isn't enough to have a good feel for an opponent, but it could be enough to allow a player to overcome any nerves.

As is often the case, the quarterback matchup in this game could be the deciding factor as to who leaves Commonwealth Stadium with the victory. If LaNorris Sellers outduels Brock Vandagriff, the Gamecocks should have a good chance to win. If Vandagriff plays a better game, a Carolina victory will be hard to earn.