Shane Beamer and South Carolina came up short in 2024. The Gamecocks clawed their way to a 9-4 finish notching a significant 17-14 win over Clemson in their final regular season game. But they ultimately fell short of the playoffs. A narrow 21-17 loss to Illinois in the Citrus Bowl only added to their heartbreak of missing out on CFB’s biggest stage. But as the dust settles, optimism is creeping back to Columbia.
South Carolina finished the season ranked No. 15 on the AP poll, its highest mark in over since finishing at No. 4 in 2013. And for the first time since Shane Beamer took over, the CFP conversation isn’t just wishful thinking. It’s a legitimate possibility. But for that to happen, LaNorris Sellers needs to deliver. Can he lead that big leap?
No one is under more pressure than LaNorris Sellers heading into 2025. But in a new episode on The Ruffino & Joe Show – Weekly College Football on March 17, Joe DeLeone is high on what the last year’s redshirt freshman could bring to the table in 2025. “I think LaNorris Sellers showed us how dominant he can be as an athlete, how impactful he can be in a game despite not needing to be overly dominant as a passer,” he said. “And I say that believing that LaNorris Sellers is going to take a step forward this offseason and I think that he’s going to, once you add an ability to be a cleaner passer and a cleaner decision maker to not hold on to the b— as long as he did, he was a redshirt freshman this past season.” The hype is understandable given how he was one of SEC’s brightest stars last season.
LaNorris Sellers was an All-SEC performer who won the SEC Freshman of the Year. Last season, he completed 65.6% of his passes and threw for 2,534 yards and 18 TDs while also rushing for 674 yards and seven scores. A dual-threat QB who’s already making the top early candidates in the 2025 Heisman Trophy conversation.
The 19-year-old also showed flashes of brilliance in his November surge that recorded 16 touchdowns, breaking the program’s record for single-month touchdowns, a perfect 5-0 record averaging nearly 350 yards of total offense per game, and taking down four ranked opponents (Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Missouri, and Clemson.) “I think he’s gonna become even more dangerous… makes me really believe that he’s going to be even more dominant this season.” DeLeone added but he also sees a critical area of improvement. “But there’s a big contingency there. Does he improve as a passer? Do we see more dynamic playmaking outside of him using his legs?” His 70.6 passing grade in 2024 was solid but left room for growth. If he can work them out, the Gamecocks could become a real threat.
Can LaNorris Sellers deliver expectations?
One of the optimistic factors putting South Carolina in high regard is the return of key playmakers aside from LaNorris Sellers. EDGE Dylan Stewart and DB Jalon Kilgore are back for another playoff attempt. Stewart is already drawing early 2027 NFL Draft buzz as a potential top five pick. CFB analyst Max Chadwick called him an “electric player” who recorded 23 total tackles last season. Kilgore continues to get hyped. The Georgia Region 4-AA Athlete of the Year racked up 48 total tackles and five interceptions as a sophomore. But not everyone is sold on Shane Beamer’s potential playoff run.
On March 9, Josh Pate pushed back against the idea of South Carolina’s guaranteed level up on his show. “I think the preview magazine culture would lead you to believe that LaNorris Sellers became a household name last year,” the football analyst stated. “South Carolina almost made the playoff. Now he’s back, they’ll take the next step — just kind of that the tumblers all fall into place. That’s not how sports work. It’s not how college football works. Not how life works.” Pate’s words serve as a reminder that nothing is given in college football.
South Carolina has the pieces. But whether they step up depends on LaNorris Sellers’ development. Can he be the guy to lead the Gamecocks to the promised land? We’ll see.
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