‘Elite player’: Why QB LaNorris Sellers’ availability matters most for Missouri vs South Carolina

If he plays, he’s a problem.

The most significant question in the leadup to Missouri football’s game against South Carolina surrounds the availability of Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers. No individual torched the Tigers quite like Sellers last season.

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But, his availability for the 6 p.m. Saturday kickoff in Columbia, Missouri, has been thrown into question.

Late in the second quarter of the Gamecocks’ 31-7 loss against Vanderbilt this past Saturday, South Carolina (2-1, 0-1 SEC) starting quarterback LaNorris Sellers — a preseason All-SEC first-team selection and potential Heisman Trophy candidate — left the game after a tackle from Commodores linebacker Langston Patterson, who was ejected for targeting on the play.

Mizzou (3-0) coach Eli Drinkwitz said he expects Sellers to play. South Carolina coach Shane Beamer said Sunday he is “optimistic” that Sellers will be available, but wouldn’t confirm whether or not he sustained a concussion.

But Sellers is a gamechanger for the Gamecocks (2-1, 0-1 SEC), as exhibited by his 353-yard, five-touchdown day against Mizzou last season that included a 70-second, game-winning drive.

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So, what makes Sellers so important to this weekend’s game? What exactly is it that makes the QB so difficult to defend?

Let’s dive in:

LaNorris Sellers’ best is brutal to defend. Take 2024 Mizzou game as proof

Let Tom Hart’s commentary on the SEC Network broadcast from Mizzou’s loss at South Carolina last season take you on the rollercoaster.

“Carolina, 0-for-3 on third downs this half. Sellers, runs into trouble and gets — wow, staying on his feet! Johnny Walker got him, couldn’t squeeze him. And, it’s delivered for a first down! … What a play by LaNorris Sellers, keeping it alive.”

Johnny Walker Jr., at times Missouri’s best defensive player last season, had Sellers dead to rights. Mizzou was up 22-21 with 7:05 remaining and had USC on third-and-10 in its own half.

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Rushing from the field end, Walker got both of his arms around Sellers’ shoulders and was dragging him down with enough force that Sellers’ thighs were parallel to the floor and his head was level with his navel. Walker was clinging to him, at one point, with both feet off the ground. Pull him down, and the Gamecocks’ game was on life support.

But the quarterback pulled a Houdini act.

Sellers slipped — contorted? — out of the arms that had produced 18.5 sacks in four seasons, dropped another few yards behind the line of scrimmage and while rolling left out of further trouble (Mizzou rushed six), threw against his body and momentum to deliver an on-the-money pass between the left hash and the numbers for a first down.

Three snaps later and the ball was in the end zone and USC had the lead. A lot more happened in the closing seconds, but that might have been the play.

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Why?

Because Walker didn’t do much wrong. The defensive end wrapped the QB up, dragged him toward the ground and Sellers just … improvised.

That’s the challenge.

He is, quite simply, a playmaker.

“He’s got a unique build and frame,” Drinkwitz said. “He’s really strong, hard to tackle in the pocket, hard to wrap up, makes incredible decisions and plays when the play is broken down. So, I think that’s always a challenge.”

Mizzou has struggled with mobile QBs

We saw it happen again against Kansas — the same way it happened against Boston College, Vanderbilt, Auburn and, yes, South Carolina last season.

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Mizzou has at times been undisciplined in the secondary against mobile quarterbacks. Especially in zone coverage.

That task gets taller against Sellers and South Carolina.

Blitzing him doesn’t work. He had fewer turnover-worthy plays, a higher completion percentage, more yards per attempt and more passing touchdowns when teams sent blitzes versus when they didn’t last season, per PFF.

No matter what coverage you show him, there’s a self-made answer.

“If you’re in man (coverage) and he breaks the pocket, he’s going to take off and run,” Drinkwitz said. “If you’re playing zone, it’s hard to keep a zone cover when your focal point has moved. So, how does that zone move with it? It’s an extremely difficult challenge. He is an elite player.”

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He’s not a particularly great passer under pressure — but he is an excellent runner when there are defenders in his face.

Sellers ranked third, behind only Jalen Milroe and Diego Pavia, for yards on designed runs in the 2024 season. More importantly to Saturday’s game in CoMO, he led all SEC quarterbacks in scrambling yards last season.

If he’s available, that’s going to test Mizzou’s mettle.

“He can do it with his legs. He can do it with his arms. You know, he can move around the pocket. And I think … he’s a leader,” MU safety Jalen Catalon said. “You can tell he’s a ‘Swiss Army Knife.’ He’s the one that makes things go, so it’s all about making sure we contain him as best we can.”

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The antidote? South Carolina offense is struggling

The South Carolina offense has been patently average, even with Sellers in the game, in 2025.

The Gamecocks’ run game has been a non-starter. The Gamecocks have 330 rushing yards this season. For reference, Mizzou tailback Ahmad Hardy has 334 yards … after contact alone.

South Carolina’s offensive line isn’t getting much push, allowing 13 pressures on the quarterback and 20 total tackles for loss.

North Carolina, Oklahoma State and Stanford — not great company, this year — are the only three Power-conference teams averaging less total yards per game than South Carolina’s 303.

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The numbers are bad.

Here’s why all of that could end up not mattering, if Sellers is healthy.

Let’s take his pedestrian passing numbers to date: 29-of-41 for 431 yards (9.6 yards per attempt), two touchdowns and one pick. Problem is, they’re skewed. His 64.4% completion percentage is far lower than it should be. Adjusting for drops and throws that were on target but not caught, Sellers — per PFF — has an ‘Adjusted Completion Percentage’ of 78.8%. Significantly higher and bound to change.

Let’s just take the Vandy game as an example. Sellers wasn’t exceptional before he left the field, but he was still productive. The South Carolina offense averaged 13.4 yards per passing attempt with Sellers on the field. That dropped to 5.4 yards with backup Luke Doty in the game. The Gamecocks averaged 2.5 yards less per play with Sellers off the field.

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More: Where is Missouri football’s stock up, down? Digging into stats through three games

And, even as the run game has stalled for Beamer’s team, Sellers still ranks among the 25 highest-graded quarterbacks on running plays by PFF.

Mizzou is preparing for Sellers to play.

If he does, no matter the Gamecocks’ recent struggles, Mizzou will need to be near its best.

“He’s listed as preseason All-SEC first-team quarterback for a reason,” Drinkwitz said. “That would tell us all he’s a cut above.”

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Why QB LaNorris Sellers’ availability matters most for Missouri vs USC