Garnet Blanks Black, 17-0, to Capture Annual Spring Game

COLUMBIA, S.C. (April 20, 2024) – The Garnet squad scored on the first drive of the game and never looked back, blanking the Black team, 17-0, in front of an estimated crowd of 32,500, as South Carolina’s spring drills closed with the annual Garnet & Black Spring Game Saturday night at Williams-Brice Stadium.

Quarterback LaNorris Sellers drove the Garnet squad down the field on a 75-yard scoring drive on its first possession. The redshirt freshman completed all four of his passes on the drive for 38 yards and rushed three times for 27 yards, including a 13-yard scramble into the end zone to open the scoring.

Sellers led another 10-play, 49-yard scoring drive that culminated with a Peyton Argent 22-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, extending Garnet’s lead to 10-0 heading into intermission.

Sellers, who was named the Joe Morrison Offensive Player of the Spring, finished the night completing 9-of-11 passes for 70 yards and rushing five times for 38 yards.

The Garnet team iced the game when true freshman Dante Reno connected with tight end Maurice Brown II on a 15-yard touchdown pass with seven minutes remaining in the contest.

Davis Beville, a transfer from Oklahoma, was the top signal-caller for the Black team. Beville completed 8-of-10 passes for 46 yards but was sacked four times.

The Garnet defense was led by Bryan Thomas Jr., who registered seven tackles, including 2.5 sacks. The Black team’s defense was paced by highly-recruited true freshman EDGE rusher Dylan Stewart, who logged three tackles for loss.

The Gamecocks will open the 2024 season on August 31 when they host Old Dominion.

SCORING PLAYS:

Garnet: LaNorris Sellers 13-yard run (William Joyce kick)

Garnet: Peyton Argent 22-yard field goal

Garnet: Maurice Brown 15-yard pass from Dante Reno (Joyce kick)

SOUTH CAROLINA’S SPRING AWARDS

Joe Morrison Offensive Player of the Spring                                   LaNorris Sellers

Rex Enright Defensive Player of the Spring                                      DQ Smith

Jim Carlen Special Teams Player of the Spring                           DQ Smith

President’s Outstanding Student-Athlete Award                      Alex Herrera

Harold White GPA Award

– Offense                                                                                                      Ryan Brubaker

– Defense                                                                                                     Tonka Hemingway

– Special Teams                                                                                     William Joyce

Most Improved

– Offense                                                                                                      Cason Henry

– Defense                                                                                                     Bam Martin-Scott

– Special Teams                                                                                     Maurice Brown II

Gamecocks Toughness Award

– Offense                                                                                                      Torricelli Simpkins III

– Defense                                                                                                     Tonka Hemingway

South Carolina Spirit Award

– Offense                                                                                                      Luke Doty

– Defense                                                                                                     Kyle Kennard