What LaNorris Sellers, Kendal Briles said about how backup QBs performed this spring
.JPG "South Carolina's Cutter Woods during a 2026 spring football practice.")
LaNorris Sellers has liked what he’s seen from two guys vying to be his backup.
The South Carolina quarterback talked as spring practices wrapped up about the performances of redshirt freshman Cutter Woods and true freshman Landon Duckworth.
South Carolina held its last spring practice Saturday. There was no spring game this year with the renovations being done to Williams-Brice Stadium.
Sellers has this much in common with Woods, Duckworth and the rest of the quarterbacks. They’re all trying to get adjusted to new offensive coordinator Kendal Briles’ offense.
“(Woods) is a smart guy. He’s a hard worker,” Sellers said. “He’s always here just getting extra work. If he’s confused by something, he’s not afraid to ask. He’s also taking those mental reps. He’s getting more reps than Duck and all that. So, he has the live reps.
“Duck, coming from high school, they didn’t really do a lot of stuff. He’s pretty much picking up on it fast, just because of how he’s teaching us. He’s offering extra help for Duck.
“They are taking mental reps. Pretty much everybody does that in the room, which is big, the mental reps, and then us just helping each other, really.”
Woods appears to have the upper hand in the battle to back up Sellers just because of having a little more experience. The former Westside High player was the third-team quarterback last year behind Sellers and Luke Doty.
Woods appeared in three games and was 8-of-11 passing for 69 yards and an interception. Briles seemed pleased when talking about Woods’ development when he spoke with the media April 6.
“Cutter had a good day last time we were out. He had a good week,” Briles said. “I think he’s continually gotten better. It’s the same as with LaNorris and Lucian [Anderson] and Duck and all those guys. Just the more reps that they get in the offense, playing with tempo and having to process information quickly, and then we’ll go out there and execute it.
“Cutter is a really smart kid. He’s a hard worker. Big guy, throws the ball well. I like where he’s at.”
Duckworth is the second-highest Gamecock QB recruit of the last 10 USC signal-caller signees. The 6-foot-4 freshman led his Jackson (Ala.) to the state championship this year and had almost 3,000 total yards of offense and 32 touchdowns.
As a junior, he had more than 4,000 yards of total offense and 51 touchdowns.
“He’s been good. A fun guy to be around,” Briles said. “The team loves him. A lot of charisma. He’s gotten better. He’s learning how to be a pro at this level. He was pretty raw as he got in here but started processing things and asking good questions. He’s done a nice job.”
This story was originally published April 14, 2026 at 6:40 AM with the headline "What LaNorris Sellers, Kendal Briles said about how backup QBs performed this spring."
