Shane Beamer Issues Unspoken Challenge To Rattler
Quarterback Spencer Rattler would be the first to tell you he needs to play better; in fact, he already has. Head coach Shane Beamer took the podium on Tuesday afternoon and discussed the Rattler's early inconsistencies.
Beamer opened by confirming that the team has implemented drills that force Rattler to win from the pocket. Rattler bails from clean protection too often, and when he does stay in, he often gains too much depth on his drop. Shane addressed the depth he gains while discussing the offensive line play from Saturday.
"Spencer will tell you this too; he's got to step up in the pocket. Some of those times on Saturday when Spencer was drifting backward, and he knows this, I'm not telling you anything we haven't already talked about, but we'd love for him to be able to step up in that pocket."
Several minutes passed before Beamer was again asked about the offensive line's performance. Again, he mentioned Rattler's name first, speaking this time about improvements Spencer made from Arkansas to Georgia.
"I would start with Spencer. There's things that after the Arkansas game that we talked to him about just from a fundamental standpoint that he needed to be better at and felt like he was. Fundamentals and little things that you don't notice with the naked eye. The thing I like about Spencer is if you give him something to work on, he'll work on it. He was very intentional about it."
Beamer closed his Rattler remarks by detailing the practice plan this week and how he hopes that translates into game action.
"This week, it's continuing to do a better job of stepping up in the pocket. I know Kirby talked about it with their plan; it was to keep him in the pocket and not let him escape and get on the edge. Spencer's going to have to continue to step up and make throws in the pocket, which he's done and will continue to do."
Making Sense Of It All
Head coaches rarely discuss the quarterback position; most feel the market is oversaturated and think media members pay too much attention to one of eleven players on the field.
Therefore, when Beamer tries to bring up Rattler's name twice, it should sound alarm bells. He volunteered the practice plan and shared how Rattler is progressing in the system, working weekly; that doesn't seem like an accident.
If Beamer didn't think Rattler could play at a high level, he wouldn't bother offering him challenges. However, he does think Rattler is capable of more. He gently prodded No. 7 while re-affirming that Rattler put in good work preparing for Georgia.
Some say don't poke the bear, but Beamer is hoping to wake the bear up. Rattler's sheer talent has carried him this far; if he corrects minor inconsistencies that hinder his performance, this Gamecocks offense ascends to another level.
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