South Carolina Gamecock QBs Have a 'Great Relationship' Despite Competition

South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Robby Ashford speaks on quarterback battle with LaNorris Sellers.

Auburn Tigers quarterback Robby Ashford (9) talks with the official after a penalty as Auburn Tigers take on Mississippi Rebels at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023. / Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Robby Ashford speaks on quarterback battle with LaNorris Sellers.

The South Carolina Gamecocks brought in a litany of transfers this offseason and one of them was quarterback Robby Ashford out of Auburn. Head coach Shane Beamer and his staff are set to make a decision on who the starting quarterback will be this season between Ashford and LaNorris Sellers. Ashford spoke about his relationship with Sellers and the ongoing competition, and his perspective is an enlightening one.

Position battles create a lot of pressure on players and it can lead to a very tense environment. That couldn't be further from the truth at South Carolina according to Ashford though.

“We keep it fun in there,” Ashford said. “I’m the older guy, so I kind of look at LaNorris like a little brother. I’m like, ‘You’re little bro.’ We just come out there and we just try to have fun with the work."

Ashford is no stranger to quarterback battles. In 2023, he spent the offseason battling for the starting job at Auburn with former Michigan State quarterback Payton Thorne, who ultimately ended up winning the job. Ashford spoke of his experience at Auburn and how it differs from South Carolina.

“It just drew a lot of people apart, had people trying to pick sides at the other places I was at," Ashford said. "Like, ‘Oh, these group of people messing with this guy or this quarterback. This group messes with this other quarterback.’ That’s not healthy for a team. I felt a lot of that, definitely at Auburn. I mean, it definitely divided our team and I’ve seen how it can be bad for a team.”

A healthy locker room can go a long way and if Ashford and Sellers' relationship reflects anything of how the entire roster is, then South Carolina is in a good position from a relationship standpoint heading into the 2024 college football season.

“Me and [Sellers], man, we’ve got a great relationship. Really thankful for him, and he’s just a young guy who just wants to be great, and you love to work with guys like that. We can just joke around and have fun. We live in the same apartment complex, so we’re cool.”

Ashford also talked about Sellers coming into the offseason as the first team quarterback and the former Auburn Tiger was very receptive to it. He said that Sellers has put in time with the team and has done everything that was needed for him to earn that right.

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