Gamecocks’ OC Mike Shula Focused on Sharpening LaNorris Sellers’ Decision-Making
Mike Shula, South Carolina’s first-year offensive coordinator, spent last season as an analyst, working closely under former OC Dowell Loggains. His role was essentially that of an assistant quarterbacks coach, which meant he had a front-row seat to the rise of redshirt freshman quarterback LaNorris Sellers.
He watched as the Florence native transformed into one of the most electrifying quarterbacks in college football—thanks in part to his ability to make jaw-dropping plays when things broke down.
One play stands out: Third-and-16. Gamecocks trailing Clemson by four. The protection collapsed, no receivers were open, and Sellers had to improvise. He took off, picked up the first down, then cut—and cut again—straight into the end zone.
Did Shula celebrate that moment? Of course. But his goal moving forward is to make sure Sellers doesn’t have to be in those situations so often.
“The faster you can process and make good decisions with the football,” Shula said Monday, “the less you may have to run with the football.”
That doesn’t mean Shula wants to limit Sellers’ running ability. Quite the opposite. He just wants it to be a strategic weapon—used on their terms.
“Not because, well, maybe I didn’t quite understand the read. Or I didn’t see this, or I’m late on doing that (and) now I have to run,” Shula explained. “We want him to run because he wants to, not because he has to.”
Cleaning Up Mistakes from Last Season
Why is this such a key focus? Look no further than last year’s early struggles. Before South Carolina rattled off six straight regular-season wins, it suffered a heartbreaking loss to Alabama.
Despite a highlight-reel touchdown by Nyck Harbor, the postgame conversation wasn’t flattering. The biggest concern? Sellers’ fumbling problem.
In just five games, he put the ball on the ground seven times—more than any player in college football. Luckily, South Carolina recovered most of them, but the issue was clear.
That’s why Shula’s top priority this spring is refining Sellers’ processing speed.
Training the Mind to Match the Athleticism
Shula talks about processing constantly. In quarterback meetings, he shows film of other QBs and asks his players to analyze the footage. He challenges Sellers with film of his own plays, quizzing him:
“If we see this same exact look again, what are we doing?”
The goal? To prepare Sellers for every possible scenario—so he instantly knows where to go with the football, no matter what the defense throws at him.
“We have a set of rules for every play,” Shula said. “Those rules are designed to help you respond in a positive way when things don’t go exactly as the coach drew them up.”
Simply put: There will be times when Sellers should take off running—but only when it aligns with South Carolina’s system.
If he masters that, Shula believes Sellers can still deliver magic.
“You throw in the fact that you have a guy like him who can create on his own,” Shula said, “that becomes like icing on the cake.”
