South Carolina is gearing up for its big spring game on April 18th. HC Shane Beamer is clearly excited about the team, their game, and the talents present in the room. The environment is pumped up in the dressing room as the Gamecocks progress through spring practice to a high-octane G-Day. Many programs this year have taken the plunge and canceled their spring games. So there are all the reasons for South Carolina to make it a big night. However, there might be a hidden reason behind Beamer’s motivation for that game.
At a press conference on March 17, Beamer stressed how important the game is for Gamecocks fans. “It’s awesome for our fans to be able to come out and see our football team perform in the Williams-Brice stadium,” he said. “Some people that maybe aren’t able to come to a Columbia on a Saturday, they’re able to come and watch this […] I don’t want to take that away.” He also said that the game was important from a “recruiting standpoint,” too. “We’ll have a lot of recruits every day during spring practice. [The game] will be a great recruiting experience for us, and I don’t wanna lose that.”
Moreover, Shane Beamer highlighted the new players will get a taste of what it is like performing for a crowd, stressing that it’d be an opportunity for them, too. It is precisely this last angle that is causing some questions to arise.
Big-name programs like Alabama, Ohio State, and many more have canceled spring games. A probable reason, according to ESPN, is to not showcase the strength of their rosters for the world – and future opponents – to see. They’d likely be made new offers based on their performances in these games and jump back to the transfer portal. In a March 18 video, Michael Bratton of That SEC Football Podcast echoes this as a driving force behind Beamer being in high spirits about the spring game.
“This is football. You can’t be gutless,” said Bratton. “People say, ‘Well, they’re gonna watch the spring game; they’re gonna steal out players!’” He then further explains what bothers these coaches about spring games is the depth chart. “Let’s say a running back. When you put this guy out here, he thinks he’s the best running back; but you got him on the third string.”
As a result of these, players begin to feel that they’d never make it to the field, given how far back they are in the roster. They’d be inclined to leave because the spring transfer portal is also a very real thing. “[I]f you can’t trust your own guys to not jump into the portal because they’re low on the depth chart, probably shouldn’t be here in the first place,” Bratton said of coaches being wary of a spring game.
This is South Carolina flexing its talents for the world to see. It’s no joke that someone is always looking at a star player of a team and hopes to flip them to the other side. The depth chart can be frustrating, and it is a test for players and coaches to get the best talents to emerge and deliver for the team. Shane Beamer has found in his star quarterback, LaNorris Sellers, who is expected to perform even better this season.
Shane Beamer has a great update about LaNorris and QB room
Sellers’ first year with the Gamecocks saw him recording 2,274 rushing yards and 655 rushing yards. He also has a SEC Freshman of the Year title to his name, to top it all off. He will return for his third year in the program this season. But if the QB goes down, Beamer is at ease with the rest of the talents in the depth chart.
There’s Dante Reno and Air Roland in their second year. Cutter Woods, an absolute newbie, has just begun his time in South Carolina. Then there’s also Jimmy Francis, who’s wrapping up first year. They’re really young, yes. But that makes it easier for them to soak in Beamer’s training and become great quarterbacks. “I want to see these guys compete, and I’ve been impressed with them.” Cutter Woods, in particular, is someone worth watching out for. His 6’3″ height and lean weight of 195 pounds make him a real talent on the field. In his senior year at high school, Woods recorded 3,915 passing yards and 42 TDs.
“We’ll throw those guys in a lot of settings and give them a lot of opportunities this spring to see how that room shakes out, without a doubt. And that’s what I want to see, is just watch them compete and take a step here,” Beamer said. He seems to be immensely positive about his QB room and expects them to step up when the time comes.
The Gamecocks Spring Game is both for the fans and the players to make the most of South Carolina football. But will spring portal dampen the results of a night of such potential? We’ll have to wait and watch.
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