‘We want him to come home.’ Gamecock recruits make their pitch to QB LaNorris Sellers
Markee Anderson will do his best to block for LaNorris Sellers during Shrine Bowl practices and the all-star game. But that won’t be Anderson’s only task this week with Sellers, the South Florence High quarterback and Mr. Football finalist.
Anderson, the Dorman High offensive tackle, will try to get Sellers to join him at the University of South Carolina next year. Anderson committed to the Gamecocks on July 31 and is part of the effort to get Sellers to flip his college pledge from Syracuse to USC.
So, what’s Anderson’s recruiting pitch to Sellers about the Gamecocks?
“We are building and got a good thing going, so come and we will do great things together,” Anderson said.
Anderson and Manning defensive lineman Monteque Rhames, another USC commit, sought out Sellers when Team South Carolina arrived in Spartanburg on Sunday night. The two on Monday said they will be persistent with Sellers this week. The early signing period is next week, running from Dec. 21-23.
“As soon as I walked through the door, they were ready and waiting on me, saying, ‘Come home, stay in state,’ ” Sellers said. “They said I should stay home, be the face of the program.”
Sellers is the No. 8 recruit in South Carolina, according to the 247Sports Composite ranking that factors in all the public ratings for a prospect.
“We want him to come home and lead the offense because that is what he should do,” Rhames said. “It would be a lot better to stay in state. I’m going to get on him and keep getting on him. … I see a lot of potential with him and see us winning a lot with him. He is a playmaker and can run the offense.”
South Carolina will have five scholarship quarterbacks on the roster for next year — assuming no one transfers and Spencer Rattler returns for another year. Rattler told GamecockCentral that he plans to play in the Gator Bowl against Notre Dame.
The Gamecocks don’t have a quarterback in the Class of 2023, with Dante Reno committed for 2024. USC has been after Sellers hard over the past two months. He speaks regularly with the Gamecocks coaches, but there might not be a chance to get an in-home visit with USC coaches unless it happens on Saturday after the Shrine Bowl game.
A recruiting dead period starts Sunday and runs through Jan. 12.
Syracuse head coach Dino Babers just had an in-home visit with Sellers. The QB said he plans to sign during the early period, but he wasn’t sure which day it will be.
“I wouldn’t say I feel any pressure because at the end of the day you feel what is right and which place will be the right one,” Sellers said
Sellers looked good in Monday’s practice session. He’s looking to cap off a standout senior season in which he led South Florence to its first Class 4A championship. After an injury cut short his junior year, he came back and threw for 2,948 yards, rushed for 1,338 and had 66 total touchdowns.
“I am expecting it to be a good week and a good experience,” Sellers said of the Shrine Bowl. “We are out here to have fun, but we are out here to compete and win.”
This story was originally published December 13, 2022 at 6:50 AM.
