South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers made it clear Saturday that his future remains in Columbia, confirming to The State that he plans to return as a Gamecock in 2026.
“Yeah, that’s the plan,” Sellers said while signing autographs at Dick Dyer Mercedes.
While the intention is clear, Sellers acknowledged that nothing has been finalized on paper just yet. He has not officially signed a revenue-sharing agreement with the university.
When asked what remains unresolved, Sellers explained, “Just like roster stuff. Just all the agreement stuff like signing.”
As part of those discussions, Sellers revealed he will have a voice in shaping South Carolina’s roster for the 2026 season. The quarterback has been given the go-ahead to study transfer portal prospects and share film with head coach Shane Beamer or position coaches to gauge interest.
“(The coaching staff) said I was a big piece of it,” Sellers said. “They said the quarterback is the main thing, so when guys hear from the quarterback it means something more. … All I can do is talk to the guys and get them here.”
Sellers’ return, first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel, comes just two days after South Carolina announced the hiring of Kendal Briles as its new offensive coordinator after his stint at TCU.
During Beamer’s search for an OC, Sellers took an active role, watching film on multiple candidates. He said he began reviewing TCU’s offense under Briles last Saturday and quickly liked what he saw.
To Sellers, Briles’ system closely resembles the Gamecocks’ 2024 offense under former coordinator Dowell Loggains, who previously worked alongside Briles at Arkansas.
As a redshirt freshman in Loggains’ system, Sellers emerged as one of college football’s breakout stars, throwing for more than 2,500 yards and 18 touchdowns while leading wins over Texas A&M, Missouri, and Clemson.
“They ran the same thing at Arkansas,” Sellers said of Briles’ offense. “(Loggains) brought that offense with him to USC. It is (very similar).”
Sellers’ decision to return follows a difficult redshirt sophomore season. South Carolina finished 4–8, offensive coordinator Mike Shula was dismissed in November, and an offensive line that surrendered 43 sacks made consistency hard to find. Sellers’ production dipped across the board after entering the year as a projected top-five NFL Draft pick.
As his draft stock slid, the door opened for a return to college football.
“Obviously there was stuff I felt like I had to work on as well,” Sellers said. “Pretty much, (NFL scouts) were saying the same thing. It was just a lot — weighing out all my options and what was best for (right) now and the future.”
When asked when his agreement with South Carolina might be finalized, Sellers could only smile.
“Shoot,” he said, “I don’t really know.”
