Questions South Carolina football quarterback Spencer Rattler might face at SEC Media Days
COLUMBIA — South Carolina football quarterback Spencer Rattler will make his SEC Media Days debut on Thursday as he begins his second season with the Gamecocks.
Rattler was the crown jewel of Shane Beamer's first transfer class as South Carolina coach and helped lead the Gamecocks to their winningest season since 2017. He logged 3,026 passing yards and 21 total touchdowns with a 66.2% completion percentage, but he also threw 12 interceptions.
The 6-foot-1, 218-pound quarterback took some time to adjust last season, hitting his peak with a career-high 438 passing yards and six touchdowns in South Carolina's 63-38 upset of No. 5 Tennessee on Nov. 19. With a new offensive coordinator and a senior-heavy receiving corps, Rattler will aim to build on last season's late success.
What has changed since the transfer from Oklahoma?
The media at large didn't have the chance to ask him about his transfer at SEC Media Days last year, so it's almost certain he'll get questions about Oklahoma this week. Rattler left the Sooners after he was benched six games into the 2021 season in favor of freshman Caleb Williams — who transferred to USC in 2022 and won the Heisman Trophy.
Rattler had more than 3,000 passing yards as the Sooners' starter in 2020, and he showed flashes of both his ceiling and his floor in his first season at South Carolina. Oklahoma joining the SEC in 2024 adds another potential layer of interest in his history there.
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Why stay in college vs. entering NFL draft?
Rattler was eligible for the NFL draft after last season but opted to return alongside star wide receiver Antwane Wells. The former No. 1 quarterback prospect in the Class of 2019, Rattler's draft stock fell steadily after his benching at Oklahoma until his career performance in the win against Tennessee.
That game, and the upset win against No. 8 Clemson, weren't enough on their own to elevate Rattler above a mid-round pick, but a successful 2023 season could move him from a fringe top-10 quarterback to top 5 territory in the 2024 draft class.
Rattler also might get questions about North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, whom the Gamecocks will face in their season opener.
Can the offense make a jump in Year 2?
South Carolina's offense was wildly inconsistent in 2022, evidenced by six points scored against a mediocre Florida defense one week and 63 against a top-5 Tennessee team the next. The offense finished in the bottom half of the SEC in scoring, total yards and rushing yards, and it led the conference in turnovers with 12 fumbles and 13 interceptions.
The Gamecocks are starting over with new offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains, a wild-card hire who has called plays in the NFL but never in college. Beamer emphasized a new level of confidence and leadership in Rattler during spring practice, but will the quarterback's year of experience at South Carolina translate to real improvement?
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: South Carolina football: Spencer Rattler questions for SEC Media Days
