How ‘Superman’ LaNorris Sellers led South Carolina to win over Missouri
The LaNorris Sellers show just keeps rolling.
“He’s just a really good quarterback, and he continues to get better every week,” USC coach Shane Beamer said.
Sellers threw for 353 yards and five touchdowns — both career highs — to lead No. 21 South Carolina past No. 23 Missouri, 34-30, on Saturday. The performance made Sellers only the third quarterback in USC history to post at least 350 passing yards and five touchdowns in a game — a feat last accomplished by Spencer Rattler against Tennessee in 2022.
But it wasn’t just the stats that turned heads. Sellers’ composure in crunch time stole the show.
Twice in the fourth quarter, the Gamecocks found themselves trailing after Missouri touchdowns. Twice, Sellers calmly led his offense down the field to retake the lead.
“Really just staying calm — not budging, not flinching — just taking it one play at a time, not worrying about the outcome. Not worrying about ‘we gotta score,’ ” Sellers said of his mindset in those moments.
With a minute left and three timeouts, Sellers engineered a game-winning drive capped by a shovel pass to Raheim “Rocket” Sanders for the decisive score.
“You leave LaNorris and our offense a minute plus with three timeouts, I like our chances,” Beamer said.
Sellers wasted no time, opening the drive firing passes downfield — including a 39-yard dart to Dalevon Campbell, setting up shop just outside the red zone before they punched it in.
It was like deja vu from the drive right before it. It was the same formula — Sellers’ poise, another deep ball to Campbell (this time for 47 yards) and a short pass to finish the drive — had worked earlier to retake the lead.
Sellers’ signature moment came on that same drive — on a play that seemed destined for disaster. Facing a sack, he escaped the defender’s grasp, scrambled to the opposite side of the field and hit tight end Brady Hunt for a critical first down.
Defensive tackle Alex Huntley was watching and all he could think was: “LaNorris, I need some of that magic. I need something.”
He delivered.
“Bleeping Superman playing quarterback back there,” Beamer said, recalling a text he received from another SEC coach after Sellers’ heroics in a prior game.
Beamer said: “He’s just a player. He makes plays, and the moment’s never too big for him.”
Sellers said he’s learned from the Gamecocks’ inability to close games earlier in the season.
“Anything that you aren’t successful at before, now you learn from,” Sellers said. “I feel like tonight was one of the moments I learned from, brought it to the field and just executed.”
Sellers has transformed over the season. In the first half of the year, he averaged 138.8 yards per game and had two touchdowns and three interceptions. Since then, he’s exploded for 249.6 yards per game, 12 touchdowns, and just two picks.
His teammates aren’t surprised. When asked where Sellers has grown the most, Sanders said, “Everything, to be honest with you.”
Tight end Joshua Simon echoed that sentiment, saying, “What haven’t you seen?” when asked how much has he seen Sellers grow over the season.
“The kid is special,” Simon said. “He did some Superman stuff today.”
This story was originally published November 17, 2024 at 8:15 AM.
