Tuesday Morning QB: Temptation will be to sit LaNorris; don’t do it if he’s healthy

Nov. 10—South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers already had a Heisman Trophy signature moment when he pushed aside two Tennessee defenders on his way to the end zone and a Gamecocks victory over the nationally ranked Volunteers.

The former South Florence High School standout added another “signature moment” for Heisman voters when he limped his way to a 41-yard game-clinching touchdown in the victory Texas A&M on Saturday night at Williams-Brice Stadium.

Sellers injured his ankle during the second quarter but returned to the field in the second half and, if we’re being honest, didn’t look anything like himself for the rest of the game. Yeah, he looked mobile enough on the TD run, but you could tell the coaching staff was calling plays to protect their star quarterback.

South Carolina coach Shane Beamer updated reporters Sunday on Sellers’ status for this Saturday night against Arkansas.

“We fully expect him to play,” Beamer said. “Everything today looks good. He got some tests (Sunday). Everything looked good with the tests.”

Sellers did not practice Sunday evening, and the Gamecocks don’t practice on Mondays, but Beamer expects his Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback to be under center against the Razorbacks.

“We feel good about his availability this weekend,” Beamer said. “Right now, it’s nothing that concerns us aside from his pain tolerance and getting some of the swelling down in that ankle.”

There have been several Gamecocks fans on social media that think it would be in the best interest of Sellers and the team if he sits out the Arkansas game.

If it was a high ankle sprain, which I don’t think it is, then maybe resting him a game makes sense because those kinds of injuries can be tricky and take weeks to fully heal.

And I understand the sentiment with a game against top-ranked Georgia on the horizon, but if Sellers is healthy and cleared to play, he should be on the field at Razorbacks Stadium on Saturday night.

Arkansas has been dreadful pretty much all season with just one SEC win, which is how many victories they have against Power 4 opponents, but this is a trap game for the Gamecocks.

As someone that has followed this program for almost five decades, a night game in the SEC always scares me.

Now, if the Gamecocks manage to get a sizeable lead in the second half on the Razorbacks, then by all means sit Sellers rather than risk further injury.

The showdown against Georgia in two weeks won’t mean a thing on the national stage if the Gamecocks lose to Arkansas this weekend. Win the last three games and the Gamecocks are headed to the College Football Playoffs and, at the very least, Sellers goes to New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist.

All the talk about a CFP spot and the school’s second Heisman Trophy winner will end with a loss to the Razorbacks.

So, if Sellers is cleared by the medial staff, then he should play.

Clemson keeps on winning

At the end of the season, fans don’t ask how, they ask how many.

And the Clemson Tigers just continue to win.

It wasn’t the most aesthetically pleasing of games up in Syracuse, but JMA Wireless Dome has been a venue where the Tigers have struggled over the years. Clemson escaped with an 18-13 victory on Saturday.

Statistically speaking, the Tigers probably should have lost the game. They were outgained by Syracuse and didn’t score an offensive touchdown.

Clemson made three trips to the red zone but came away with three field goals — mostly due to pre-snap penalties.

But the defense played well, and when the Tigers needed points, they found a way.

“At the end of the day, you just need one more point than they’ve got,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “They all count the same. You’ve gotta play the game that you’re in and play the hand that you’re dealt.”

Most importantly for the Clemson program, the Tigers are bowl eligible after the win and are still mathematically in the hunt for a spot in the ACC Championship game.

Reach Andrew Miller at 843-937-5599. Follow him on X @APMILLER_PandC