Shane Beamer sounds off on top QBs list’s snub of Spencer Rattler
The Allstate Sugar Bowl announced its preseason watch list of the nation’s 30 best quarterbacks on Monday, and South Carolina signal-caller Spencer Rattler wasn’t included.
USC head coach Shane Beamer, who hadn’t seen the Manning Award Watch List before his Tuesday press conference, had some thoughts on Rattler being excluded.
“I’d say if somebody thinks that he’s not one of the 30 best quarterbacks in the country, they’ve lost their minds, in my opinion,” Beamer said in a lighthearted tone. “But that’s just me.”
Rattler was included on the 2021 Manning Award Watch List.
“I don’t think the guy’s gotten worse as a quarterback since last year,” he continued.
Rattler transferred to South Carolina after an equally prolific and ebbing-and-flowing career at Oklahoma, where he was benched in favor of five-star freshman Caleb Williams last fall.
Entering the 2021 campaign, Rattler was perceived as a Heisman Trophy front-runner and was billed as a possible top pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. That buzz eventually faded when he was replaced by Williams at halftime of the Sooners’ come-from-behind win over Texas on Oct. 9.
Rattler is expected to be South Carolina’s starting quarterback when USC opens the season on Sept. 3 against Georgia State.
The Gamecocks have raved about their new quarterback’s ability throughout fall camp, lauding his work meshing with his new teammates and taking on a more vocal leadership role over time.
“He’s seriously a great guy and really down to earth,” said tight end Austin Stogner, who transferred from OU to South Carolina with Rattler. “Ask anyone around here what they think of Spencer and it’s the polar opposite of what the media tries to (say).”
Rattler completed 70.1% of his passes for 4,595 yards, 40 touchdowns and 12 interceptions over three seasons at Oklahoma. He finished his time in Norman with a quarterback rating of 166 in that span.
Six Southeastern Conference quarterbacks were listed on the Manning list — including Georgia’s Stetson Bennett, Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker, Arkansas’ KJ Jefferson, Kentucky’s Will Levis, Mississippi State’s Will Rogers and Alabama’s Bryce Young.
Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall and Charlotte’s Chris Reynolds — who South Carolina will face on Sept. 24 in Columbia — were also on the list.
