What isn’t being talked about South Carolina’s offense

I get it. You’re excited to see LaNorris Sellers take to the field this fall, and you should be. But that’s not the only reason why you should be optimistic about South Carolina’s offense in 2024.

Never mind the fact that the Gamecocks‘ offensive line is deeper and more experienced than it was a year ago. Or that with the additions of Rocket Sanders, Oscar Adaway III, and Jawarn Howell that South Carolina has completely flipped their running back room. Or that USC has brought back Shawn Elliott to coach the tight ends and assist in the run game.

That’s all well and good but that’s not what I’m talking about.

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What isn’t being talked about nearly enough, if at all, is the fact that this will be just the second time since 2018-19 that South Carolina will have the same offensive coordinator returning.

While the verdict is still out on Dowell Loggains, last season in his first year as OC in Columbia he managed to get the most out of what he had to work with despite injuries piling up on the offensive line. Playing a dozen different players on the OL, Spencer Rattler still managed to throw for 3,186 yards. That’s the third most in program history. On top of that, Xavier Legette went off for 1,255 receiving yards — the second most in South Carolina history. While things weren’t always pretty last season with the offense, it’s hard to fathom how much the Gamecocks had to constantly adapt each week with the offensive line going through more changes than Jerry Seinfeld went through girlfriends. Jerry had 73 girlfriends over the nine seasons of Seinfeld for those keeping score at home.

There’s no need to downplay it. Things weren’t always perfect with former offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield. However, there’s no denying that towards the end of his second year with the the Gamecock we saw fireworks. Fireworks that resulted in putting up 63 points at home in an upset win against No.5 ranked Tennessee. Fireworks that led to an upset on the road against No.7 Clemson. Fireworks that guided South Carolina to just their 13th eight-win regular season in their 130-year history.

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Outside of Satterfield, for the majority of this offense, they’ve had to learn a new playbook each season. Think about that. 2019 was Bryan McClendon‘s final year as offensive coordinator at USC. He eventually was demoted and replaced with Mike Bobo in 2020. While Bobo was retained by Shane Beamer after being hired as head coach, Bobo left Columbia to become offensive coordinator at Auburn that offseason. Satterfield was hired in January of 2021 and became USC’s third offensive coordinator in as many years.

For players who’ve been on this team since 2020, they’ve had to learn three different playbooks. That’s not much continuity at that position that you’d like to see have sustainability. Shoot, we’re talking about back-to-back years with the same OC, it gets even crazier when you try to find the last time South Carolina had the same OC for three years. Steve Spurrier Jr. was co-OC from 2011-13 with his dad Steve Spurrier. How long ago was that? Beamer was an Associate Head Coach/Running Backs coach at Virginia Tech, Tom Brady only had three of his seven Super Bowl rings, and we were still a year away from the iPhone 6 coming out.

[GamecockCentral Business Network]

I don’t want to sit here and harp on last season, because it’s over with. But given the fact that South Carolina was playing musical chairs on the offensive line all season, they were starting off behind the eight ball from the jump. It’s no secret that it starts with them needing to stay healthy. That’s a given. Just look at what having a healthy quarterback did for them in 2022 after having to start three different quarterbacks and starting another by choice in the bowl game.

With a young quarterback, combined with some questions at wide receiver, I wouldn’t be shocked to see this offense have growing pains early in the year. With so many new faces, they still need time to mesh together. But at some point, I expect a lightbulb to go off in their heads and for them to only get better as the season goes on. With how talented this defense is, if the offense can give this team a chance each week, they’ll be capable of surprising a lot of people. Myself included. But only time will tell.

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