NASHVILLE — Spencer Rattler‘s journey by way of soccer has vacillated between distinct extremes. He entered Oklahoma as an elite recruit and exited as a high-profile switch. His stint as an OU starter was sandwiched round a Tremendous Bowl quarterback (Jalen Hurts) and the most recent Heisman Trophy winner (Caleb Williams).
Alongside the way in which, he is been benched at Oklahoma, endured practically a half-season of struggles at South Carolina and reignited his promising trajectory with a stunning flourish to finish the 2022 season that included wins over Tennessee and Clemson.
As Rattler enters his senior yr at South Carolina and second total on the college, he mirrored on his jagged journey and predicted the struggles are going to assist him thrive within the long-term.
“I see it as a blessing,” Rattler stated. “God has me going by way of this for a purpose. That is how I have a look at it, really. And there cannot be success with out adversity. So with the ability to undergo that adversity and are available out on the opposite finish, it is a fantastic feeling.”
So what model of Rattler will emerge in 2023 for South Carolina? Is it the prospect with elite arm expertise who was as soon as projected because the Heisman winner and a possible No. 1 NFL draft decide? Or will it’s the participant who threw eight interceptions in South Carolina’s first six video games and left Oklahoma after getting benched and beat out by Williams?
Scouts nonetheless view Rattler as having elite arm expertise, and he would not draw back from his need to satisfy the imaginative and prescient many had for him early in his profession.
“I really feel like none of that’s off the desk,” Rattler stated of the excessive expectations. However he added his focus stays on profitable and “all the private success will come.”
When Rattler’s play rose, South Carolina turned its fortunes final season. The Gamecocks won at Kentucky for the first time since 2012 and toppled Texas A&M for the first time in school history as Rattler discovered his groove and capped the season by throwing for 360 yards and a pair of touchdowns in South Carolina’s first win over Clemson since 2013.
In his signature efficiency of the 2022 season, Rattler threw six landing passes and for 438 yards in opposition to Tennessee in an axis-shifting upset of the Vols that eradicated them from the Faculty Soccer Playoff. “I felt unstoppable,” Rattler stated within the aftermath.
Can the nice vibes proceed after a season the place Rattler completed with 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions? South Carolina’s offensive coordinator, Marcus Satterfield left for the Nebraska offensive coordinator job. The Gamecocks employed veteran NFL coach Dowell Loggains, through Arkansas, who brings greater than a decade of expertise as each an NFL offensive coordinator and quarterback coach.
Rattler stated that Loggains has been “superior” to work with and pointed to a spring centered on extra explosive performs. South Carolina lacked consistency on offense final yr, as the one landing in opposition to Florida got here on a faux punt and the offense mustered only one landing in opposition to Missouri.
“I really feel like we left one thing on the desk final yr,” Rattler stated. “Towards the tip of the season, November on, we scratched the floor [and] confirmed what we are able to do.”
South Carolina begins this yr with a showcase sport in opposition to North Carolina, which can supply one of many season’s greatest quarterback matchups between Rattler and UNC’s Drake Maye.
A giant efficiency in one of many opening weekend’s greatest levels may catapult Rattler again into the upper-echelon NFL prospect quarterback dialog, a spot the place Maye enters the season as one of the distinguished names.
South Carolina coach Shane Beamer stated he performed golf just lately with an NFL normal supervisor and so they mentioned how Rattler’s uneven journey should not obscure his apparent expertise.
“He was a projected No. 1 decide and a preseason highest trophy [candidate],” Beamer stated. “He hastily simply did not overlook how you can play soccer. Now we have clearly acquired to win soccer video games, and one of the best particular person award winners, they arrive from nice groups usually … However all the things that was on the desk continues to be on the desk for Spencer.”
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Revealed : 2023-07-20 23:17:16
