HOOVER, Ala. – On Monday afternoon, coach Shane Beamer updated the quarterback competition, heading into his first season as head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks.
There aren’t many significant changes to speak of, at least not yet, he told reporters during SEC Media Days. Luke Doty, who entered and exited spring practice as the starter, remains in place as QB1. The competition, Beamer added, is far from over.
“(Doty’s) No. 1 going into (preseason camp),” Beamer said. “Like we’ve told him and all those quarterbacks and all those positions, we’re about competition in this program and he’s got to continue to compete, to be that guy. He’s done nothing over the summer to change our mind, with what he’s done and the way he’s gone about his business.
“But Jason Brown and Colten (Gauthier), those guys, Connor (Jordan), they’ve worked really hard. Jason’s working his rear end off.”
Doty is the most experienced returning quarterback in the group. In eight games (two starts) as a freshman, he completed 43 of 71 passes (60.6 percent) for 405 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. He also rushed 41 times for 91 yards.
Brown transferred from Saint Francis earlier this spring. In 2019, his only season as the Red Flash starter, he connected on 253 of 411 passes (61.6 percent) for 3,124 yards with 28 touchdowns and six interceptions.
“Every time I look out my office window, Jason Brown is out there running extra on his own, trying to lose weight, get in shape,” Beamer said. “He’s very passionate, very driven and focused. I’m really, really excited about the start of practice, to see how we’ve improved over the summer and get out there, to have a month to work with guys before we start.”
Brown certainly isn’t the only player who’s impressed Beamer with his work ethic this summer.
“Aaron Sterling is a guy that Luke Day has mentioned to me that really, since the end of spring practice to now has taken a huge step, with his body, physically, strength in the weight room, the way that he’s kind of leading the guys on the field,” Beamer said. “Part of the reason Nick (Muse) and Kingsley (Enagbare) are over here today is because of the way they’ve worked in the weight room and the fact that they’ve been the kind of leaders that they’ve been since the day I got here.
“It carries a lot of weight with me and part of the reason they’re here today. Those are some guys (and) Luke Doty – like it or not, if he’s your quarterback, he better be a leader for you. We’ve tried to spend a lot of time with our players, from a leadership standpoint and knowing whose voice carries weight on our team and making sure they’re using that the right way and then who needs to be a leader and bringing those guys along and helping them with that as well.
“Those are some guys that have had a great summer or doing a great job of leading this summer for us, just a couple.”
