Spencer Rattler, offense look to avoid early season growing pains

For the fifth time in the past eight years, South Carolina heads into a new season with a new offensive coordinator.

Of those four previous debuts, USC has gone 1-1 when a new Gamecock OC faces off against a Power 5 team. With Dowell Loggains and South Carolina set to play North Carolina in Week 1, Spencer Rattler is hoping to ease any early season growing pains for the offense.

“I would say number one, protect the ball. That’s been a big emphasis for me this offseason,” said Rattler. “Creating explosive plays, understating what you have to do to help others and what they have to do. Just becoming closer as a team in the offseason and obviously in camp in two weeks.

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Last season, USC held off Georgia State 35-14. As many of you remember, it was anything but a cakewalk. The Gamecocks returned two blocked punts for touchdowns, kept a drive alive on a fake field goal, and converted two 50+ yard field goals by Mitch Jeter.

The inconsistencies from week-to-week lingered throughout the course of the season. There were signs of improvements at times, which was followed by two dominating performances against Tennessee and Clemson.

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“I feel like in beginning to the middle of the year we might have been doing a little too much that we didn’t need to be doing. Towards the end (of the year) we limited (the playbook) down, like I said earlier, with some personnel groupings. We had a lot of personnel groupings versus Florida that limited us I think a lot. But, there’s no excuses for that. I think we just tightened down the playbook that played towards our strengths.”

Playing towards South Carolina’s strengths is exactly what this team will need to do early on in the season. Despite question marks lingering about USC’s offensive line and running backs room, the Gamecocks return a talented arsenal of wide outs starting with ‘Juice’ Wells. With Loggains experience, Rattler is eager to work with him.

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“(Loggains) has come in here with his new offense. He’s been coaching quarterbacks in the NFL for years so it’s very quarterback friendly and it plays to our strengths. He knows our strengths and he loves our offensive group. Obviously we’re still putting things together with camp here in two weeks but we’re excited to get in there and keep improving.”

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