The Reality of the Offense for the 2025 South Carolina Gamecocks

With one loss disqualifying the South Carolina Gamecocks from bowl eligibility, their upcoming matchup against the Texas A&M Aggies is a must win. However, going against the Aggies, who have a top 15 scoring offense in the country, will be quite an uphill battle for the Gamecocks. While their defense has shown flashes that they can be dominant, their offense has done the complete opposite. While the 1-6 record in conference play paints quite a picture of failure, just how bad is the offense for the South Carolina Gamecocks?

Coming into the season, the Gamecocks had buzz that projected them to be one of the 12 best teams in the country, ultimately being a playoff team. They were being led by a Heisman hopeful in LaNorris Sellers, and had shifted play calling duties to Mike Shula, who most notably helped elevate Cam Newton to MVP heights with the Carolina Panthers.

The hopes to be an elite, dynamic offense unit have failed beyond what many could have imagined. Even in victory, the Gamecocks struggled to get their offense rolling. In their three wins thus far, they’ve averaged 18.3 points per game and 307 yards per game. In their second game against the South Carolina State Bulldogs, the Gamecocks were outgained by the Bulldogs, who only totaled 270 yards. On the season, the Gamecocks rank dead last in the SEC in terms of points and yards per game, ranking in the bottom 30 of both nationally (bottom five in yards per game).

The ground game was especially disappointing for the Gamecocks. Unfortunately, they have spent the bulk of the season playing musical chairs on the offensive line due to injuries and have had to play inexperienced players and move others to unfamiliar positions on the line. Hosting a three-headed-dragon running back room with Rahsul Faison, Oscar Hadaway III, and Matt Fuller, the Gamecocks failed to generate push up front and currently rank as the ninth worst rushing team in the nation.

Their inability to generate push on the ground bled over to the air attack. Last season, the Gamecocks were one of the worst teams in terms of protecting the QB, which only got worse this season. They have allowed the third most sacks in the country this season, which is a likely cause of LaNorris Sellers’ regression as a passer. On countless snaps, Sellers has constantly had to scramble out of the pocket to make plays, which has led him to rely more on his unparalleled athleticism rather than relying on his mechanics and naturally going through his progressions. Against Ole Miss, the former Heisman candidate sailed several throws that would have been routine completions for Sellers in 2024.

One of the most glaring numbers reflecting the Gamecocks’ offensive performance is their inability to pick up first downs. The Gamecocks have picked up the least amount of first downs in the SEC and are in the bottom 30 nationally. Most of their drives end in punts, as their punter Mason Love has punted more than anyone in the SEC and is in the top 25 nationally. Their inability to create long drives put a massive burden on their defense to keep them in games and ultimately wore them down as games progressed. If the Gamecocks weren’t given prime field position or scoring on an explosive, they likely weren’t punching the ball in the end zone.

In several losses for the Gamecocks, the offense’s inability to produce on all levels completely eliminated them from games that could have unquestionably been wins. Their poor performance led to the dismissal of two staff members, offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley and just yesterday, offensive coordinator/quarterback coach Mike Shula. Whether it be pointing out the stats, players, or stats, one thing cannot be debated is that the offense for the South Carolina Gamecocks kept them from being a playoff team and by all measures was a complete failure.

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