South Carolina Gamecocks Key to Being Successful on Offense This Season

This is the key to the South Carolina Gamecocks being successful on offense this season.

Oct 7, 2023; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks running back Raheim Sanders (5) runs the ball during the second half against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

This is the key to the South Carolina Gamecocks being successful on offense this season.

The South Carolina Gamecocks had their fair share of struggles on the offensive side of the football last season. They had a good quarterback with Spencer Rattler under center and a good weapon on the outside in the form of Xavier Legette, but issues upfront protecting Rattler really hindered the offense. However, that was not the biggest problem for the Gamecocks last season, and if they can get this part of the offense rolling in 2024, they will see improvements.

In 2023, South Carolina's rushing offense ranked 129th in the country. Only four teams in the entire FBS had a worse rushing game than South Carolina. The next worst SEC team was Kentucky who ranked 97th.

It would make sense that a team who could not protect the quarterback last season also could not get anything going in the run game. Part of that also likely had to do with the fact that the Gamecocks were oftentimes in a position in the second half where they had to throw the ball a lot more than they could run. They might be able change that statistical blemish this season with the addition they made in the transfer portal this offseason.

One of the bigger names head coach Shane Beamer and his staff snagged from the portal was Raheim Sanders from Arkansas. In 2022, he nearly rushed for 1,500 yards in a season with 12 total touchdowns and averaging 6.5 yards per carry. In 2023 he only played in six games so the Gamecocks are hoping to get a full season out of him, and if they do, he could be the key to unlocking South Carolina's run game, and if that gets going, then everything else will open up at least a little bit more.

Not only is this important to help the offense as a whole improve but it's important given the situation at quarterback. The Gamecocks have not yet decided who the starting quarterback will be, but many suspect it will be LaNorris Sellers, who will be a first-time starting quarterback this season. If the Gamecocks can have an established run game this season, it would help take the pressures off of a potential first-year starter this season. But if it's going to happen, their transfer portal addition is going to have to be a hit.

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