South Carolina increased backup quarterback Cutter Woods’s first-team reps this week, signaling the coaching staff’s willingness to replace starting quarterback LaNorris Sellers if his struggles continue. According to ESPN sources, Woods took nearly a quarter of the team’s first-team snaps early in the week before the allocation decreased as Sellers remained the starter for Saturday’s home game against Kentucky.
Head coach Shane Beamer emphasized competition during the week and adjusted the reps with an eye toward preparing Woods to take over if needed, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel. Sellers will start Saturday, but the increased reps represent a tangible shift that the Gamecocks are preparing for a quarterback change.
Why the change now
Sellers has failed to replicate his 2024 form, when he emerged as an NFL prospect and accounted for 25 total touchdowns as South Carolina went 9-4. This season, he has completed 62.1% of his passes, the second-worst mark in the SEC behind Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed, and thrown four interceptions against six touchdowns. He has also posted the third-most interceptions in the league.
The passing game is the problem. South Carolina ranks ninth in the SEC through the air but leads the conference in rushing, where Sellers has thrived under new offensive coordinator Kendal Briles, averaging 6.8 yards per carry. Briles’s system emphasizes quick decisions and high-percentage throws, exactly what Sellers has struggled to execute.
The Gamecocks are 2-2 overall and 0-2 in SEC play heading into Saturday, mounting pressure on Sellers to improve immediately.
What it means for the depth chart
Woods is a talented second-year player the Gamecocks view as the starter of the future. In six relief appearances, he has completed 17 of 25 passes for 161 yards with one touchdown and one interception. The increased Cutter Woods reps give the backup game preparation and a realistic path to playing time if Sellers’s performance does not improve.
Sellers remains the starter and retains the opportunity to turn things around. The message to him is clear: maintain the job or lose it.
What’s next
South Carolina faces Kentucky on Saturday at home. If Sellers continues to struggle, Beamer has signaled he is ready to turn to Woods without hesitation.
Reporting from ESPN and Bleacher Report contributed to this story.
