Everything From South Carolina OC Mike Shula Press Conference

South Carolina offensive coordinator Mike Shula talked to the media during his press confernce about the offense, LaNorris Sellers, wide receiver room, true freshman, running backs, and offensive line. Here is everything coach Shula had to say.

On plastic dump and where the idea came from…

“A long time ago, actually, a really good friend of mine um a line coach, had won two Super Bowls and at least one national championship. He would always use that phrase when kind of players weren't doing kind of what they've been asked to do. It's kind of like, eh right on your desk or whatever. I thought that was kind of funny and kind of carried that with me. I got to the Giants and I said it, I think I set it in that room right there, and um, sure enough, the next day there was that object right on my desk. You can thank Eli Manning for that. Eli bought it. Then from there, I think I got to the Bills. The guys and I were in an office with the pro personnel staff of the Bills, who are the coolest pro personnel guys in the whole NFL. They actually texted me when they heard it yesterday. So Eli took it and ran with it.

On a particular thing he’s seen from LaNorris Sellers that has been impressive…

“I think it is the constant steadiness. We've had a lot of really good practices. I mean that regarding competition with offense and defense, and Shane does a great job of promoting that. So with the competition being as high as it is on both sides there it gets emotional even in practice. You guys are out there for a little bit, but I mean, it's very competitive, and you can kind of, you know, which is great, and it becomes more gamelike, but for him to kind of be kind of constant throughout that through some good plays through some negative plays. You guys know we're young. We're still fitting pieces together, and everybody's kind of in the same boat. There's going to be a lot of other teams that are going to have young guys playing or transfer portal guys playing, and you've got to try to make them fit as fast as you can, and each play together kind of helps that. While we're doing that and coming closer together as an offense he's been very constant in that regard.”

Latest — Dec 31, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers (16) throws the ball against the Illinois Fighting Illini in the third quarter at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images | Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

On the offensive line, run blocking….

“Yeah, I think it's it reminds me a little bit of last year. I hate to kind of compare because, you know, you just kind of can take off with it. That part of the group they were kind of new in the spring, and then trying to pick up as much as they could in fall practice. The work together, I think they're they're communicating much better. They've got a higher comfort level of the calls being made. You know, every position on the field, you've got to think really quick. And yes, when we draw it up on the board, it's easy to kind of go over it and say, "Yes, I got it." All of a sudden, the defensive line moves right in front of you, and you've got to make a call, and you know, it starts with our center. Every offensive line starts with a communication from the center, and that communication's got to be passed on quickly. So, they're doing a better job with that. You know, we're all striving for more consistency.”

On if he will be on the field or in the box calling plays…

“Yeah, probably going to be on the field, I think. You know, I've been kind of leaning that way as all along, but you know, but I think there are pluses and minuses to both. I think being down there with the quarterbacks with Norris will be good. Also, I've got really good guys. We've got a really good offensive staff and a really good staff in general, but guys that you can count on the information from upstairs and fast information, and guys that have cool heads and that are smart and fast thinkers. So, that's very important to me to be able to get that information if I need it. The use of the iPads the last couple years are really advantageous as well, but you can't get to those usually until after the series unless there's a timeout.”

On the Rahsul Faison situation and his approach.

“I mean, you just kind of like um, you know, just have each guy worry about have him worry about what he's supposed to do and kind of try to block out everything else and just dial in and expect for him to be here and he should do the same thing and then if not then we have to adjust. But in the meantime, like I think I said this last time, you know, it's kind of like, hey, if he's not available for whatever reason, then the next guy's got to be ready. It's very competitive, not just offensive defense, but guys that are good teammates, they're competing for playing time on each side of the ball. It’s no different in the back field.

On the dynamics of the wide receiver room…

“The group is becoming closer as a unit in regards to just kind of hey, we're in this together, we need to win. We need to help this football team win as receivers. I think the younger guys and again, I hadn't been around a lot of young guys in a while. I think they're a very mature group, and I think the older guys that have been here they’ve done a really good job of embracing the fact that there's younger guys that are going to help us and that are going to be on the field. It's a group that's pulled together. I think they've done some really good things. Now, we've got to be consistent. As a coach, too, you want everybody to do everything perfectly and to know the offense exactly how you want it. It's a fine line between making an excuse for a guy, but then also you kind of got to realize, hey, this guy's just, this time last year was getting ready for his senior year in high school, but we want to push them. We want them to push themselves so they can get ready and go out there and play fast because they're confident and they know what to do, and then do what we saw him do in high school.”

On what he has seen from RB Isaiah Augustave…

“Yeah, I think he's done a really good job of picking up the offense and taking advantage of his reps, and I think he's gotten more reps as training camp has gone on. I think he's going to he's going to bring something to the table for us, and we're looking forward to seeing what he can do. He's got good speed. He can run behind his pads, run with good power. I think he's got some versatility.”

On if he tried to reel in LaNorris Sellers and make him more of a pocket passer per report…

“I wouldn't use the words reeling reel him in. That part of it maybe is a little bit inaccurate. I would say, hey, we want you to run it, but when you're when you're back there throwing it and it's a designed pass and you know there's guys open, okay, see it, anticipate it, trust it, and throw it. Then if it's not, okay, um then you go run. Whereas maybe last year at times, now he was really good last year, don't get me wrong. Maybe there are a couple of guys open that he could have thrown to, but he just took off. He's going to go play. He's going to go play fast, and he's going to be, you know, we do a lot of things with him. Hopefully, because of that, he's going to be very hard to defend, and if he's making good decisions. It's all about making good decisions and then letting his decisions that keep him and our offense on the field. Then all that athletic ability, whether or not it's running or throwing, will help move the ball and hopefully get the ball in the end zone.”

On a position group on offense that has impressed him the most…

“Yeah, I think they're all different. It would be hard for me to say there's one group better than the other. I think they're all different, and they've all done a good job of working together to help each other out and help that position, you know, prepare for the season. I think overall, you know, you kind of see that. You know, it's just kind of talk in there at times after scrimmages and things like that. Hey, number one, you know, stay in your own lane, worry about yourself first. Okay, don't worry about anybody else, don't worry about the defense, worry about yourself first. How you can get better, and then if you're not in there, hey watch the guy who's playing your position, making sure you do the things that he's doing, or if it's a mistake, then make sure you don't make that same mistake. The communication has gotten a lot better overall offensively. That starts with the quarterback, starts with the center. I think just overall compared to I think any probably coordinator standing here would say the same thing, but compared to our first day of, uh, fall practice, I think we're a lot further along. The tests come when the games come.”

On how many wide receivers could play in a game…

“I kind of leave that up to coach Mike Furrey a little bit, but I do think that more so than maybe even what we thought. Um, yes, on paper, everyone, you know, they all come in, you got six guys coming in, but you know, like, okay, all right, well, there are six freshmen, there'll probably be one or two, you know. No, I mean, there's like you said, there's going to be multiple guys and and coach Beamer does a great job of expressing that to all of our players, but especially those young guys at the receiver position, of, hey, you might not be playing right now or you might be the first on the top two on the depth chart right now, but that could change pretty quick and you're going to get evaluated on every practice, you know, whether or not it's in the beginning of practice, you know, with routes or towards the end, maybe you're on scout team, but we look at all that stuff and you know, we move people around and he's done that in the past. He showed clips to the team clips of how guys have started out in the scout team, and then halfway through the season, they were starting. I think there's going to be probably more than we thought as far as freshmen on the field.

On whether the tight ends can fulfill a two-tight-end system on the team….

“Yeah, I think so. Yeah, I do. Do we have Josh Simon? No, not necessarily. But we've got guys that are doing a good job; they're going to help this offense move the football. When the ball comes their way, we feel confident of getting them the football. They're doing a good job. Tight ends can make you versatile as an offense, not just because they're on the field with multiple tight end groups. If they can play different positions, you know, lining up next to each other, that's going to help too. That way, with that personnel on the field, you can't get booked. You can't get like, okay, they're only running this play or that play. You can be able to do different things. That's the goal really for all personnel groupings, but I think our tight ends have done a good job when they're in there doing that.”

On what he has seen from the quarterbacks not named LaNorris Sellers…

“I think progress for sure. I think all those guys have done a nice job. Luke's obviously got more college experience in general, and then Aaron and Cutter have done the same thing. They're kind of a microcosm of what I just talked about. They've gotten considerably better since day one of fall camp. Both of them get better with each rep, so it's good competition right there, and it's a good room. They're all pushing each other positive, and they can help each other not just motivationally, but thinking faster, you know, just remind each other about certain things. With that position especially, you've got to make sure that you take what you see or what you do in the meeting rooms and what we go over and have them go over and then apply that to the practice field quickly, you know, so they can process quickly.”

On what will be the biggest difference in the offense this year…

Yeah, it's hard. Heck, you guys might know more than me. I mean, we've got so many new guys. Same thing last year at this time. You're not quite sure. We kind of think about how it might unfold, but how we're going to be, but you know haven't played a game yet. You know we've had a couple scrimmages, yes, spring ball yes, practice against each other, but we still haven't played a game yet. Yes, you have to have direction, but you have to have some flexibility as well in case things are like, hey, you know, even though we like this, you know, we're really good at maybe something else that uh at first we didn't really didn't like as much. Hey, let's be flexible enough to allow these guys to go play fast. We've got a talented group. Let's let them go show their talent by doing what they do best. So, it's hard for me to answer that question. I know it sounds boring, but it's probably just going to unfold as we go.”

On when he would like to name a QB2, QB3….

“I have those guys doing the best they can and not worry about it. Coach Beamer will announce all that stuff. But those guys, hey, stay focused on how you can get better, you know, and then watch the guy. If you're not in there, watch the guy that's in there.”