Even with potential first-round pick at QB, South Carolina seems on track for lost season
South Carolina's dreadful 31-17 loss to North Carolina on Saturday came with a silver lining: the play of quarterback Spencer Rattler. But Rattler — a potential first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft — may not be enough to save the Gamecocks season.
Against North Carolina, the fifth-year senior quarterback completed 30-of-39 passes for 353 yards. The former five-star recruit managed those numbers despite a fierce pass rush by North Carolina, which sacked Rattler nine times.
Phil Kornblut of the South Carolina Radio Network wrote that Rattler ran "for his life practically every time he dropped back.” But, Kornblut noted, “As long as [head coach Shane] Beamer has Spencer Rattler on the field, the Gamecocks will have a chance to be competitive.”
South Carolina offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains also praised Rattler. Per 247Sports, he described his quarterback as the “spaghetti sauce” that covered a lot of issues for the Gamecocks. He also called Rattler an “eraser” who put together a “gutsy as any” performance.
Per Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy, Rattler impressed NFL scouts on Saturday as well.
In an interview with On3’s Andy Staples, Nagy said, “Rattler put a ton of NFL throws on tape in that game that scouts are going to love."
Despite this Rattler lovefest, he appears to have no shot at powering the Gamecocks to a record better than last season's 8-5 mark. South Carolina has the 15th-most difficult remaining schedule, per the ESPN Football Power Index.
And South Carolina doesn't appear to have an offensive line to protect Rattler or open enough holes in the running game. Against North Carolina, South Carolina had just 63 rushing yards — if you eliminate the 65 yards lost on Rattler’s nine sacks.
All signs point toward a standout year for Rattler, but these Gamecocks appear headed for a lost season.
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