Mike Shula Previews Missouri Matchup, Talks QB Situation, O-Line Struggles and Nyck Harbor’s Growth
South Carolina offensive coordinator Mike Shula addressed the media on Wednesday as the Gamecocks prepare for Saturday night’s road test at Missouri. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
On the offensive line’s early struggles
Shula acknowledged the inconsistencies up front but emphasized that improvement is coming.
“Well, I think offensively, we’ve done some good things and we haven’t done some good things. I think they fall in line with a lot of us,” Shula said. “The negative plays kill you. It’s pretty cut and dry. You keep the ball moving forward, you’ve got a better chance to score points. So we can’t get the ball moving backwards, however it happens.”
He defended the offensive line, noting that they often get spotlighted when something goes wrong:
“There’s a lot of good going on there. Our guys practice hard. We’re getting better, whether it’s young guys or new guys to the system. But we have to be better as an offense.”
On the quarterbacks
While Shula wouldn’t reveal injury specifics, he said both quarterbacks have been preparing well.
“Quarterbacks are doing well. They’re practicing well, practicing hard, and getting ready for a really, really good defense.”
When asked about Luke Doty’s performance after LaNorris Sellers went down, Shula praised his leadership:
“Luke’s a really good communicator. He does a good job of getting people lined up. Some really good things, some things that were okay, and some things we’d probably like to have back. But he’s smart, very conscientious, very inclusive with the guys. You can tell he has a lot of experience, but like all of us, just keep working for that consistency.”
On adjusting when Sellers went down
Shula admitted that losing a starting QB mid-game forces tweaks, but the staff aims for seamless transitions.
“You want to tailor it to the guy who’s in there. Obviously, it’s hard to get equal reps for all quarterbacks. So you try to call the plays they’re most comfortable with, especially the ones you saw them execute well in practice.”
On Nyck Harbor’s development
Shula noted the young wideout’s steady growth.
“He just continues to grow and get better. Has he arrived yet? Not quite there. I think he’d probably be the first to tell you that. But he’s very conscientious, really works diligently, gives good effort, and has good toughness. He’s still learning all aspects of playing the position, but hopefully he keeps improving.”
On Sellers’ practice status
Pressed again on Sellers’ availability, Shula deferred to head coach Shane Beamer:
“I think Coach Beamer probably has talked about all that. I think he’s got all those answers.”
On play-calling and consistency
Shula admitted that finding rhythm beyond the opening drives has been a challenge.
“I think if all of us knew the exact answer to that, we’d all be probably making a lot more money,” Shula said with a smile. “You can’t just generalize. You look at each play, each drive separately. When things don’t work, you fix them. When things do work, you build on them. That’s what I love about the sport—it’s all of us doing it together.”
He added that the culture under Shane Beamer plays a huge role in how the offense responds.
“They want to play for each other and not let each other down. When you have good people that are talented and work hard, eventually things are going to click.”
On play-calling from the sideline
Shula said he’s comfortable working from field level.
“It’s been good down there. The communication with the quarterbacks and the sideline is good. The guys upstairs are awesome—they give me instant feedback and know how I like things processed. It’s very smooth.
