Stance on LaNorris Sellers Takes Turn After 3x All American’s Reality Check

A rookie quarterback steps into the spotlight and handles everything with calm, collected fire. That’s LaNorris Sellers for you. The game started strong as Sellers led a flawless 75-yard touchdown drive, capped off with a 15-yard designed run that showed his ability to make plays with both his arm and legs. And that gave the Gamecocks a 7-0 lead early. Then in the fourth quarter, he threw a massive 64-yard touchdown pass to Nyck Harbor. That was apparently their secret sauce for the game. But just as the hero spotlight was glowing bright on LaNorris Sellers, the tone shifts.

Georgia Bulldog legend and three-time All-American David Pollack delivered the tone-shifting moment. Yes, the same David Pollack who said that Sellers can make a comparison with Cam Newton because of his size. And also if he polishes his run game a few months back. He also noted. “I think he’ll get better as a passer, but there’s no way I can do that,” Pollack said. “One can beat you in both aspects, and last year, that wasn’t the case with LaNorris. It was extremely inconsistent through the air.”

Yeah, so that didn’t happen. “I’m not knocking LaNorris Sellers,” David said to Brent Rollins on his See Ball Get Ball podcast after the game. “But I am saying I saw a bunch of misses again today. I saw a bunch of misses. I saw some throws that he’s not going to be the guy who drops back and is picking you apart consistently.” Sellers completed 12 of 19 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown against Virginia Tech. Now that is solid but not spectacular. His rushing ability adds a dangerous element, yet his passing stats sometimes lack the precision expected from a team’s primary playmaker.

One moment that really stood out came when Virginia Tech’s defense sacked Sellers in his own end zone for a safety. It trapped him and cost South Carolina two points right off the bat. He also had a couple of missed throws where his accuracy was off. It felt like Sellers was sometimes forcing throws into tight windows or just missing the mark on timing. Now combine that with the sacks he took. Four total hits on him, including the safety, and you get a quarterback under regular duress.

Remember Sellers’ debut against Old Dominion? A lot of nerves, some shaky throws, and a completion rate that reflected a young QB settling in. He completed 10 of 23 passes for 114 yards, with missed throws, a few overthrows, and an overall sense that he played “timid.” Sellers take, “You just gotta prepare the right way. I need to get better, I’ll say, just being more patient, being myself, being confident.” So it’s pretty clear now that Sellers needs to work a lot on his pass accuracy if he wants the Gamecocks to have a stable season. However, while other top quarterbacks struggled to start the year, the redshirt sophomore finished with an impressive 234 total yards and two touchdowns on a 63% completion percentage.

A touchdown erased: It’s the Ref’s fault now

In the 2025 season opener against Virginia Tech, the Gamecocks clinched a 24-11 victory, but a controversial referee call nearly stole a big moment from LaNorris Sellers and South Carolina. Sellers launched a sharp touchdown pass to wide receiver Nyck Harbor on what seemed to be a decisive score for South Carolina. Officials initially ruled the catch a touchdown on the field, sending fans and players into celebration mode.

But after a review, the call was overturned because the football wriggled free as Harbor rolled on the ground. That resulted in the officials announcing it as a drop. This overturn erased what would have been Sellers’ first touchdown pass of the game, transforming a touchdown into a field goal for South Carolina instead. It would have also cost them six points. Fans and analysts alike were heated, comparing the ruling to other infamous calls like the LSU-Clemson game.

David Pollack echoed the fans’ frustration. He tweeted about the absurdity of needing to “catch the ball with it glued to your body” to secure a catch. While South Carolina eventually won comfortably, the score reflected a tighter game than many thought it should have been if that catch had stood.