Gamecocks manage high expectations well at SEC Media Football Days

ATLANTA, G.A. — The Southeastern Conference Media Days took place in Atlanta, GA on last week from Monday, July 14 until Thursday, July 18. The South Carolina Gamecocks will enter the season as one of the hottest teams in the country coming off their incredible end of the season stretch in 2024.

They will return arguably two of best players in college football on both sides of the ball with redshirt sophomore quarterback LaNorris Sellers and sophomore defensive end Dylan Stewart. Both players were named preseason All-Americans and All-SEC.

Jalon Kilgore, Josiah Thompson, Nyck Harbor and DQ Smith were also named to the preseason All-SEC team. The Gamecocks have the eighth toughest schedule in the SEC, but will have to face LSU, Alabama, Ole Miss and a primetime season opener game against Virginia Tech at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Head coach Shane Beamer helped managed some of those expectations and stuck to business as usual when he spoke about his team on Monday, July 14 on the first day of SEC Media Days.

“Yeah, I think it’s just continuing to remind them that none of that matters. That really more so now than any other time in probably the history of college football, it’s truly year to year. There’s going to be high expectations for teams automatically every year, the ones that typically had a good season the year before and return their quarterback, there’s naturally going to be picked high,” said Beamer.

He continued, “And we’re no different. We embrace those expectations, but it’s also understanding that right now, people are saying good things about us. Last year, when we were at this event in Dallas, nobody thought we were worth a crap and weren’t saying very good things about us. We didn’t listen to it then. We don’t need to be listening to it right now as well. It’s truly about playing the games and going into the new year every year.”

Beamer also addressed the holes he will have to fill on defense and offense with young talent. The biggest two groups to pay attention too will be the running backs and wide receivers.

“No, I think it’s all so new in all those positions. Obviously feel better when you return a quarterback like LaNorris, and you’ve got, you know, older guys on your defense, like two of them that are here today. DQ Smith and Nick Barrett. Those are older guys that play a lot of football, so you feel good about those spots,” said Beamer.

“But I think every position, whether it’s new freshmen that we’re going to be counting on or transfers that we’re going to be counting on, there are a lot of things that I’m excited about. But really excited about getting into August and seeing how they’ve improved this summer, and then going into the season and watching them take that next step.”

The starting quarterback also addressed the high expectations and high praise he will have to deal with coming into the season.

“I try to take it day by day,” Sellers said. “I know how much work I had to put in to get here. I also know I could lose it quick.”

He then addressed the young receiving core that includes his younger brother.

“We brought in six freshmen, and we only returned five guys in the receiver room,” Sellers said. “Everybody’s got to play. And they’ve had to grow fast.”

Sellers high expectations are also coming with poachers from other programs. The transfer portal has become free agency for college athletics. Tennessee lost their starting quarterback because he wanted a pay increase in NIL and the Volunteers said no to that request. Then, their quarterback hit the portal and landed at UCLA.

I am sure Sellers had several offers this off-season, but he decided to stay put because he believes in what Beamer is building in Columbia and reassured the Gamecocks’ fan base that he never considered leaving.

“Everything I needed was in South Carolina,” he said. “I grew up there. My family’s there. School takes care of rent and all that. There was no point in going somewhere else and starting over.”

The Gamecocks kept their humble approach, but it is hard to manage expectations when many in the college football world believe this team will be in the College Football Playoffs and in the mix as a strong contender for a SEC title and national championship.

The Gamecocks will kickoff the season on August 31 in Atlanta against Virginia Tech as part of the Chick-Fil-A kickoff weekend.