Beamer, Gamecocks won’t shy away from throwing with ‘NFL quarterback’ Spencer Rattler
The temptation to pass is always going to be there.
Yes, South Carolina’s fans are clamoring for the Gamecocks to run the ball more just two games into the season. Head coach Shane Beamer, offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield and USC’s running backs themselves have all said the team needs to improve in the ground game.
But much like Denver Broncos fans expressed after coach Nathaniel Hackett opted to kick a 64-yard field goal instead of trusting Russell Wilson on Monday night — the Gamecocks didn’t acquire a quarterback of Spencer Rattler’s stature to have him sit on the sidelines in big moments.
If there’s one thing USC’s coaches have made clear through two weeks of the college football season, they’re going to use Rattler’s right arm. And they’re going to turn to it often.
“I’d be an idiot to sit up here and tell you we’re going to run the ball 60 times a game,” Beamer said this week, a few days after USC lost its SEC opener at No. 16 Arkansas 44-30.
“We’ve got an NFL quarterback, NFL receivers and NFL tight ends. Every week we’re trying to do what gives us the best opportunity to be successful.”
As the Gamecocks (1-1, 0-1 SEC) head into their toughest matchup of the young season this Saturday against No. 1 Georgia (noon, ESPN) in Columbia, “balance” is the key word on the offensive side of the ball.
Through two games, USC has rushed for just 119 yards on 61 attempts — an average of 1.95 yards per carry. That kind of running isn’t going to cut it in the SEC, and even Satterfield told reporters the lack of the ground game was “weighing on his subconscious.”
But improving the team’s rushing attack doesn’t mean taking the ball out of Rattler’s hands. The third-year quarterback is still going to get his opportunities to sling it.
A former Heisman hopeful, Rattler transferred from Oklahoma to the Gamecocks this offseason, immediately bringing national attention to the program as one of the most decorated, high-profile quarterbacks to ever don the garnet and black.
Thus far this season, Rattler has flashed some of the playmaking ability and raw arm talent that made him a freshman star with the Sooners — but he’s also made his share of mistakes as he’s adjusted to a new offense. Finishing drives in the end zone and converting on third downs are two areas where the offense as a whole can continue to improve.
Rattler has completed 47 of 76 (61.8%) pass attempts this season for 604 yards. But he’s thrown just two passing touchdowns — one in each game — to go along with three interceptions. Though Rattler is coming off a 371-yard effort in his SEC debut at Arkansas, much of the aerial damage came in the fourth quarter with the Razorbacks still in the lead.
Even still, Satterfield saw signs of progress in his signal-caller.
“He was captain the last game, he’s got a lot of family ties to Arkansas, and I think he handled it really, really well,” Satterfield said. “It was never too big for him, never too fast for him, never too loud for him. He communicated at an elite level. He delivered the ball on time.
“I think he improved from Week 1 to Week 2, and I think based on the practice I just watched that he’s improving from Week 2 to Week 3. So I’m very pleased with where he is and his progress. And he’s continued to just grind away to be the best him.”
Clearly, the Gamecocks are hoping for a more complete offensive effort against the No. 1 Bulldogs and their elite defense. But even with the emphasis on an improved ground game, Satterfield conceded Wednesday that “it’s addicting at times” to call in passing plays knowing the kind of talent his quarterback possesses.
Compared to last year’s revolving door at quarterback with Zeb Noland, Jason Brown and Luke Doty, Rattler gives the Gamecocks a QB with pedigree — an NFL-caliber talent. They’re going to give him every chance to put his skills on display.
“I mean, I’m not gonna lie, going into every game, we’re gonna spin that thing and throw down the field,” Satterfield said. “And that’s what we said going into the season. So that’s not going to change.
“If it’s there, and you’re gonna give us a certain coverage, we’re not just going to run the ball just to be hard-headed. We’re going to take advantage of it.”
This story was originally published September 14, 2022 at 4:08 PM.
