COLUMBIA -- South Carolina redshirt freshman quarterback LaNorris Sellers came into 2024 at the bottom of most preseason SEC QB polls. The reasons were reasonable on paper: He's a new starter, he's never played defenses like the SEC's, South Carolina lost too much talent, yada yada yada.
Those critics turned into crickets.
"He just gets better every week, what a player he is," USC coach Shane Beamer said after Sellers' 307-yard, three-touchdown master class vs. Wofford. "He continues to gain confidence week-in and week-out."
Gamecock receivers have gushed about their QB all season. From his game-sealing drive against Missouri to his winning touchdown at Clemson, these skill players revel at the opportunities they have on the field with Sellers at the helm.
Those Sellers passes may mean a little more in the future, despite what his calm, nonchalant demeanor says.
Why?
Because his brother will be joining the corps of pass-catchers next season.
On signing day, South Florence High wide receiver Jayden "Puppy" Sellers, the younger brother of LaNorris, put his John Hancock on paper, ensuring his long-desired Gamecock status. He put up 1,016 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns in his senior season en route to the Bruins' second state title in three years.
Brother ball
Big and little brother played with each other in 2022 at South Florence, and Jayden is ready to join the fold, taking his talents to the collegiate level. But if LaNorris' play has shown anything, this shouldn't be a problem, and the people that have watched Puppy perform know that, too.
"(USC's) getting an explosive athlete, a guy who can really accelerate quickly, has great hands, can catch the ball in traffic," South Florence coach Drew Marlowe said. "He's not afraid of anything."
Jayden is a three-star recruit, a low rating considering how he has performed on the field. LaNorris was also a three-star when he flipped from Syracuse to South Carolina, so it must run in the family. Maybe subverting expectations is a Sellers tradition.
"He's a hard worker, and he's definitely true to his craft," Norris Sellers, the father of both, said. "The biggest adjustment would be him being away from home. But for him to step up and be an important part of the team, I don't think that's hard for him."
When Jayden joins the roster, he will be the third set of brothers that Beamer has. The others are Ronnie and Rondarius Porter, and Jalon and Gerald Kilgore.
"I love this aspect of it, that's three sets of brothers we now have on our team. That makes a huge statement of what this program is about," Beamer said at his signing day conference. "You have three brothers that their families felt good enough about the experience that their older son was having that wanted their younger son to be a part of this program.
"Even if mom and dad felt that way and it wasn't real, the older brother could have been like, 'This isn't the place for you,' but they all said, 'No, come on down,' and that's what I am really proud of. So, I'm excited about Jayden coming to be a part of our program along with LaNorris."
Following suit
Dad had more questions about USC regarding LaNorris than he did with Jayden. He then saw what the Gamecocks were becoming, which confirmed his confidence in his other son playing a part.
"When (Jayden) signed, we knew exactly what was ahead because of the foundation that USC had already set and what LaNorris had already went through," Norris said. "When he left home, we knew that he would already be taken care of.
"It was the reality of of having two kids already out of the house in college, and it kind of fit in that he's not going to be at home with us, but he's starting a new journey."
Jayden had had his mind set on being a Gamecock for a while. He verbally committed to South Carolina in 2023, and kept his word despite later offers from Syracuse, Virginia Tech and Cincinnati. Even after USC's 5-7 season in 2023, he knew where home was.
"It never really was a question because I know the culture there," Norris said. "USC would get a bad rap because they weren't winning a bunch of games or getting involved in playoff conversations. But as quiet as it's kept, they are graduating more athletes than any other school, so whether they won a national championship or went undefeated or made it to the field really wasn't a concern."
LaNorris may have played a part in Puppy's recruiting decision. Despite his brother, though, he made sure to go through all the steps of choosing his college destination before realizing it was just a quick trip west.
"I think Jayden wanted to have his own recruiting process and explore his different options," Marlowe said. "I'm sure his brother played a part in it, but he's going (to USC) because he believes that is the best place for him.
"They'll both excel at South Carolina."
Norris gave valuable advice to his older son, which led to his breakout season. Of course, he wouldn't leave Jayden hanging, either.
"My advice to (Jayden) was that he's got to realize that this is a new level, and with new levels, (there's) new devils," Norris said. "There's going to be days where it gets hard and you want to quit, but in the midst of those hard transitions, it's making you better."
When the 2025 season begins, expectations will be high for South Carolina. Beamer and company has the fans' hope as high as ever in Columbia.
The culture may be shifting for good, and the Sellers' household has its faces all over the turnaround.