Shane Beamer implores ‘media people that vote on the Heisman’ to consider LaNorris Sellers

Mostly, every head coach in the country will stand on the table for their quarterback.

For better or worse, that position is the difference between being included in the 12-team College Football Playoff. And South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers very well could’ve played his Gamecocks into CFP territory with a win over Clemson during Rivalry Week.

According to his head coach, he also played himself into contention for the Heisman Trophy.

The redshirt freshman quarterback, who hails from nearby Florence, South Carolina, is probably the best player in the country you’ve never heard of. In lifting No. 15 South Carolina to a 17-14 upset win over its bitter in-state rivals, Sellers rushed for 166 yards, while passing for 164.

He was unmistakably the best player at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

And Shane Beamer believes he’s the best player in the country.

“LaNorris Sellers is the best player in the country,” Beamer said during his postgame press conference, having made similar comments during a postgame interview with ESPN. “And all you media people that vote on the Heisman: If you’re not voting for that guy for in the mix for the Heisman trophy, you’re out of your minds.

“Like, name a player in the country that’s done more than that kid’s done this year, particularly today.”

Shane Beamer with a mic drop moment regarding his QB:

“LaNorris Sellers is the best player in the country. And all you media people that vote on the Heisman: if you’re not voting for that guy for in the mix for the Heisman trophy, you’re out of your minds.”@GamecockFB pic.twitter.com/D9s7wq9flN

— Matt Dowell (@MattDowellTV) November 30, 2024

Well, you could say Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty or Colorado’s Travis Hunter, but to be fair to Beamer — and Sellers — neither played Saturday.

“In the environments that he’s done it in; in the moments that he’s done it in, I mean, he put our team on his back today,” Beamer said of his quarterback, who totaled 330 yards from scrimmage. “He put our team on his back today. And we talked at halftime that Clemson had played a great first half, and a lot of their guys had made a lot of individual plays — and we needed our guys. Like, best players needed to step up and make plays.

“And that kid sure as hell did. What a performance. To be third-and-forever down there on that last drive and to him to do what he did — he’s special…”

And according to Beamer, he’s special enough to warrant some Heisman votes.

[Matt Dowell]