College Football HQ

Spencer Rattler on move to South Carolina: "I feel totally refreshed"

Once a Heisman hopeful at OU, Spencer Rattler will suit up in the SEC this fall
James Parks|
Spencer Rattler on move to South Carolina: "I feel totally refreshed"
Spencer Rattler on move to South Carolina: "I feel totally refreshed"

A year ago, Spencer Rattler was the undisputed starting quarterback for an Oklahoma that seemed destined to win a national championship. This year, he's coming into a likely starting role with South Carolina.

A former 5-star prospect, Rattler led the Sooners to a Big 12 championship in 2020, but lost his job in the middle of the 2021 season.

Oklahoma didn't lose last year with Rattler as starter, but the Sooners won close games — five of their first six by a TD or less. Rattler took most of the heat, and at season's end elected to transfer to the SEC.

That, he says, was a perfect idea.

“I feel totally just refreshed. To be at a new university, a great university like this, I feel a sense of, I’m very comfortable here,” Rattler said. 

“Knowing Coach (Shane) Beamer, and getting to know all these guys my first month up here. I made a great decision. I’m happy I’m in this position, and like you said, pressure. I feel like the pressure’s taken off a little bit this year. 

“But my main focus is just starting up with my team here in about a week and a half after spring break, and get going on spring ball.”

Rattler entered the 2021 season on a very short list of Heisman Trophy caliber players. 

But OU's slow starts early in the year culminated in the team switching Rattler for Caleb Williams during a game against Texas. Rattler never started for Oklahoma again.

"I felt like as a player, I was doing fine," Rattler said of the situation. "We were undefeated at the time, but I guess it wasn't enough."

He added, "I feel like I did my part... Obviously, you can't win every game by 50 points. It didn't work out. That's how it is. But I'm not trying to show anything but the best version of me."

The versions of Spencer Rattler we've seen so far have been pretty good. 

He went 214 of 317 passing in 2020, completing 67.5 percent of his pass attempts, for 3,031 yards, scoring 28 TDs and throwing seven interceptions. In a shortened 2021 effort, Rattler was a 75% passer with 1,483 yards, 11 scores, and five picks.

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James Parks
JAMES PARKS

James Parks is the founder and publisher of College Football HQ. He has covered football for a decade, previously managing several team sites and publishing national content for 247Sports.com for five years. His work has also been published on CBSSports.com. He founded College Football HQ in 2020, and the site joined the Sports Illustrated Fannation Network in 2022 and the On SI network in 2024.

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