LaNorris Sellers’ South Carolina is 3-3, with the latest week 7 upset against the LSU Tigers. Over the six games, the Gamecocks’ one consistent self-sabotage antic has added to the growing pains of the quarterback. Sellers himself is weighed down with a 58.5 QBR, and the woes have prompted him to come clean on the main issue with the offense—the Gamecocks’ O-line.

Last year, CBS Sports’ Mike Renner had listed out three worrisome trends in Sellers’ game. Spotty accuracy, hesitant throwing into tight and anticipatory windows, and his lack of trust in his offensive line to carry out progressions. So, has he improved? Sacks and defensive pressure still tug close to his sleeves.

“I mean, yeah, just makes… this is hard,” said LaNorris Sellers on the struggling offensive line. Gamecock’s offensive woes are a recurring headache. On Saturday, LSU sacked Sellers five times, with a pressure rate of 72%. The O-line is troubling enough for the quarterback, whose pocket time is limited, with the Tigers’ defense taking plenty of advantage of the Achilles heel. Sellers had 124 yards with no touchdowns and an interception. The total offense? 310 yards per game, ranking last in the SEC. The roster ranks 124th in the country for sacks allowed, with 15 sacks over five games.

But injuries played a part as well. Cason Henry and Nolan Hayy, two starters, were out in the game, with Sarratt soon following early in the first quarter, owing to an ankle injury. Sellers continued. “Football’s already hard as it is. It’s just a lot, because it’s kind of like our sub breaks down. It’s kind of like I got them to work the ball, so I got to make it right.”

Against Mizzou as well, he struggled to set his feet in the pocket and was sacked five times. The offensive line couldn’t push back in the running game, with 14 penalties for 98 yards. Sellers further added, “So it’s kind of like they go make a mistake, like we all got to, like, work together, if that makes sense.”

Though Sellers was sacked 33 times (per ESPN) last season, he ran for 852 yards and broke 47 tackles on 141 rushing attempts, per PFF. He completed 196-of-299 attempts for 2,534 yards, 18 touchdowns, and seven interceptions and entered the 2025 season as a Heisman candidate. That performance had to improve this year, but we haven’t seen any progress yet.

But rather than putting it all on the O-line, Sellers thinks he needs to do better. “So if they make a mistake, I just can’t do anything like put us in a worse situation, like just throw a ball up, or something like that in that case scenario. But we just got to fix it and make it right.”

O-line coach fired

Shane Beamer had enough of the O-line issue. He fired his offensive line coach, Lonnie Teasley. Tight ends coach/run game coordinator Shawn Elliot took over that vacated spot. “I’m always going to do what I feel is best for the team, this is what I feel is best for the team,” the HC said. “A part of the roster since 1991, working as an analyst wherever the team asked me (coach Teasley) to go.” But, soon, he parted ways with the program.

He continued, “(Teasley’s) been a part of a lot of great wins we’ve had here. Too many self-inflicted mistakes kept showing up.” “When you’re in this position, you have to make hard decisions that negatively affect people you care about.”

Now? Elliot has already dialed down to the drill, making the reps as ugly and tough as possible. “Today at practice,” Beamer said. “Shawn was literally lined up across from the center pretty much every play of practice, screaming, yelling, clapping, barking, blowing whistles, and making move calls himself, just trying to make things as difficult as he possibly can.”

Coming up next, they will face off against the Oklahoma Sooners.