Nyck Harbor’s breakout moment for Gamecocks included nudge from unlikely source
Nyck Harbor is 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds of big-play potential, but it feels like the speedy receiver’s explosive moments have been few and far between.
In South Carolina’s 24-11 win over Virginia Tech on Sunday, Gamecock fans finally got the result they’ve been waiting for. And they have Shane Beamer’s son, Hunter, to thank for it.
With just over seven minutes left in the game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Harbor and QB LaNorris Sellers connected for a 64-yard touchdown on a post route. The score put the Gamecocks up two possessions and was the proverbial nail in the coffin of a game that USC led by two points going into the final quarter.
At one point in preseason practice, the Gamecocks ran the exact play they scored on against the Hokies. The only difference, Beamer said, was that Sellers opted not to throw it to Harbor.
South Carolina offense coordinator Mike Shula told Sellers he needed to throw the ball to Harbor on the play, but he did so by sending Hunter Beamer as his messenger.
“Mike Shula came over to Hunter and said, ‘Hey, go tell LaNorris when we call that play to throw the post,’ and lo and behold, that’s the play that we called today, and he sure as hell threw the post on that one today for a touchdown,” Beamer said. “So credit Hunter for coaching up LaNorris on that one to throw the post.”
The 64-yard bomb was the longest reception of Harbor’s career.
“We’ve completed that ball plenty of times in practice,” Harbor said. “Now we got the shot to do it in the game. We executed real well. … I’m glad I got one for the fans.”
Harbor set a career high with 99 yards on three catches Sunday.
“He’s a weapon,” Beamer said. “He’s just going to continue to get better. Nobody works harder.”
Beamer and Harbor’s teammates this summer praised the receiver’s growth after he opted to pursue just football (over football and track) this offseason. Harbor said the career-high performance was especially gratifying so he could show his hard work right away.
“It’s amazing [to] just finally go out there and just show a little glimpse of what I’ve been putting in,” Harbor said. “All that hard work, all them blood, sweat and tears into the offseason. But that’s just game number one. We’ve got 11 more games to go. Then the best thing about it is getting better each and every week.”
Harbor was targeted seven times on Sunday (one off from tying a career-high) and dropped one pass in the game. He accounted for nearly 50% of Sellers’ 209 passing yards in the game and recorded the second-most catches for the Gamecocks.
Harbor has grown more consistent in the offseason and looks “more natural” on the field, Sellers said.
“He’s putting in the work for it,” Sellers said. “Glad he’s coming out there shining. He had a full offseason with me and the offense, just being out there and running routes and stuff. He’s more comfortable catching the ball. He just looks more natural.”
Harbor was an overturned play away from two touchdown catches on the day. Just before halftime, South Carolina was 9 yards out from scoring and lobbed a ball up for Harbor in the back corner of the end zone.
Harbor came down with the ball and the play was initially ruled a touchdown before officials overturned the score. The Big 12 officiating crew deemed the pass to be incomplete.
Had the call been upheld, it would’ve been the first multi-touchdown game of Harbor’s career.
“I felt like it was a catch, as we all saw,” Harbor said. “I had both feet touched down, still had the ball in my hands. Stepped out of bounds, still had the ball in my hands. Then the DB made a great play, a great effort. It is what it is. That’s what happens. I’ve got to keep control of the ball all the way to the ground now.”
This story was originally published August 31, 2025 at 9:04 PM.
