What Shane Beamer said biggest change is for South Carolina football QB Spencer Rattler in Year 2

COLUMBIA — Quarterback Spencer Rattler arrived in Columbia last spring with questions swirling around his contentious transfer to South Carolina football from Oklahoma. In 2023, it's all about the Gamecocks.

Though he's learning yet another system under first-year offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains, Rattler isn't facing the same challenges he did as a newcomer. Coach Shane Beamer said Tuesday that the biggest change in Year 2 is in Rattler's ownership of the offense.

"To me, it's just the leadership that I've seen from him," Beamer said. "Last year he came in at this time, and he wasn't really trying to impose his will and force his leadership on you. He was trying to earn their respect and earn a role and and go from there. Now everybody knows what he can do and what he's done here at Carolina, and ... it's very clearly his team. It's very clearly his offense."

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Rattler, a former five-star recruit and the No. 1 quarterback prospect in the class of 2019, transferred to South Carolina after the 2021 season at Oklahoma where was benched for then-freshman Caleb Williams. His early starts for the Gamecocks were underwhelming: He averaged 198 passing yards over his first 10 games in 2022 and threw more interceptions (9) than he did touchdowns (8).

Then, the redshirt senior had a breakout performance against then-No. 5 Tennessee on Nov. 19. He set new career highs in passing yards and touchdowns, throwing for 438 yards and six TDs to lead South Carolina to a 63-38 blowout of the Vols. Rattler put together another strong showing the following week in a 31-30 upset of then-No. 8 Clemson, passing for 260 yards and two touchdown plus a rushing TD.

A week into spring football, star wide receiver Antwane Wells said the Rattler that led the Gamecocks to those stunning victories is the same player that he's seeing on the practice field.

"He's loose. He's reminding me of those last two games we played last year," Wells said. "He's just confident, he's happy. His spirits are high."

Rattler's return for a second year at South Carolina was not a guarantee: He was eligible to enter the NFL Draft after last season, as was Wells, but both decided to return for 2023. Second-string quarterback Luke Doty would have been the presumed starter if Rattler declared for the draft, but he said he was as thrilled as anyone to see what Rattler can do with a year of experience behind him.

"I was fired up that Spencer was coming back as well as (Wells) and all of our receivers and a lot of other guys," Doty said. "I was excited because that's another year that we can put together something special and go out every single Saturday and really show the world that you know we belong up there at the top. We belong in those big-time games and playing these big-time teams."

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: South Carolina football: Shane Beamer on Spencer Rattler in Year 2