Well, now that I have had time to cool off let us answer that fan cry, I want the backup QB in. Several good reasons why not.
The Gamecocks (6-4, 3-4 SEC) are already bowl-eligible, but the loss leaves the Gamecocks looking for answers with games upcoming against No. 5 Tennessee and No. 10 Clemson. Spencer Rattler wasn’t perfect on Saturday, though that was far from the Gamecocks’ only issue at The Swamp. Rattler finished the night 18 of 26 for 184 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions. Yet, if fans think a quarterback change is coming or even would change most of what’s been wrong with the South Carolina offense of late that’s not likely to happen.
Backup quarterback Luke Doty has already played four games this year, meaning one more appearance and he wouldn’t be able to take a redshirt and preserve a year of eligibility. Beamer said as much postgame. “Luke’s at a point right now where he’s played in four games, so I wasn’t going to put him in with three minutes left in the game and burn that fourth game,” he said. “I’m not saying we’re sitting here adamant about playing or redshirting Luke. But with three minutes in a game, we weren’t going to win, I wasn’t going to put him in there.” Dakereon Joyner was the only other Gamecock to take snaps at QB against Florida. Freshman Tanner Bailey also made the trip instead of Colten Gauthier, who was not on the travel roster.
Rattler hasn’t been out of this world this year, but he’s been good enough. This should be his show the rest of the way in what South Carolina calls offense.
The Gamecocks (6-4, 3-4 SEC) are already bowl-eligible, but the loss leaves the Gamecocks looking for answers with games upcoming against No. 5 Tennessee and No. 10 Clemson. Spencer Rattler wasn’t perfect on Saturday, though that was far from the Gamecocks’ only issue at The Swamp. Rattler finished the night 18 of 26 for 184 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions. Yet, if fans think a quarterback change is coming or even would change most of what’s been wrong with the South Carolina offense of late that’s not likely to happen.
Backup quarterback Luke Doty has already played four games this year, meaning one more appearance and he wouldn’t be able to take a redshirt and preserve a year of eligibility. Beamer said as much postgame. “Luke’s at a point right now where he’s played in four games, so I wasn’t going to put him in with three minutes left in the game and burn that fourth game,” he said. “I’m not saying we’re sitting here adamant about playing or redshirting Luke. But with three minutes in a game, we weren’t going to win, I wasn’t going to put him in there.” Dakereon Joyner was the only other Gamecock to take snaps at QB against Florida. Freshman Tanner Bailey also made the trip instead of Colten Gauthier, who was not on the travel roster.
Rattler hasn’t been out of this world this year, but he’s been good enough. This should be his show the rest of the way in what South Carolina calls offense.
