Latest news with #Gamecocks
Fox News
3 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers rejected tempting transfer offers, the college football star's father says
The advent of name, image, and likeness (NIL) has significantly altered the college sports landscape. High-profile college athletes will often consider projected NIL figures before they commit to or transfer to another school. South Carolina football star LaNorris Sellers received tempting offers designed to entice him to enter the transfer portal. "He was offered all kinds of crazy numbers," Sellers' father, Norris, told The Athletic. The South Carolina quarterback ultimately turned down the offers in favor of remaining with the Gamecocks, according to his father. At least one of the lucrative proposals "he heard was for $8 million for two years," Sellers' father said. He also suggested that his son never intended to play college football to simply "make money" and that another university "offering more" wasn't enough to motivate the quarterback to transfer. "I told him he could say, 'I'm gonna stay or I'm gonna go.' [But] my two cents: It was to get into college on a scholarship, play ball, get our degree, and go on about our business," Norris Sellers said. "This NIL deal came later. We didn't come here to make money. We came here to get our education, play ball, and with schools calling, we're not gonna jump ship because they're offering more than what we're getting. If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Sellers, who will be classified as a redshirt sophomore this fall, finished the 2024 season with 2,534 passing yards and 18 touchdowns. He will be eligible for the NFL draft after the 2025 college season. Sellers and South Carolina are slated to open the regular season on Aug. 31 against Virginia Tech in Atlanta. College athletes started receiving compensation for their names, images, and likenesses in 2021. At the time, many athletic boosters formed groups called collectives. The collective effectively tapped NIL funds as de facto salaries for their respective teams. Prominent players have received millions of dollars from collectives. However, a federal judge's recent decision on a $2.8 billion settlement paved the way for college and university athletic departments to cut checks directly to athletes. Judge Claudia Wilken approved the multi-billion The House v. NCAA settlement. Wilken's ruling came just weeks before July 1, the date many schools planned to begin issuing payments directly to athletes. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
College football star LaNorris Sellers ignores $8M transfer deal to stay at South Carolina
Image Source: Getty South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers just showed that even in a college football landscape enriched by nine‑figure collectives and portal wheeling and dealing, a player's word can still trump an eight‑figure offer. The 19‑year‑old rising sophomore declined a reported two‑year, $ 8 million Name‑Image‑and‑Likeness deal from an undisclosed program and announced he will be remaining in Columbia and chasing titles with the Gamecocks, multiple outlets reported Wednesday. LaNorris Sellers' transfer offer saga underscores NIL volatility LaNorris Sellers' father, Norris, told The Athletic that ' the family was hit with all kinds of crazy numbers, ' including the headline $8 million bid, yet the quarterback never seriously considered uprooting. ' We didn't come here to make money, ' Norris said. ' We came here to get our degree, play ball. ' LaNorris echoed that mindset, citing the relationships he has built at South Carolina and asking bluntly, 'Why start over?' — BruceFeldmanCFB (@BruceFeldmanCFB) This decision comes down right in the middle of an ever-inflating NIL marketplace. Surely, former Texas star QuinnEwers considered a $ 6 million offer last winter, and former Georgia signal‑caller CarsonBeck was tied to a $ 4 million Miami deal before staying put, but what if Walker took home a deal and a few other players tagged along? That made for an even more notable Sellers offer, particularly with nobody in the portal — a prime example of the grey‑area tampering critics say the upcoming NCAA House settlement needs to address. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like What She Did Mid-Air Left Passengers Speechless medalmerit Learn More Undo South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback stays focused on legacy The feeding frenzy is partly explained by Sellers' on‑field resume. He took Shane Beamer's squad to a 9‑4 record as a red‑shirt freshman, passing for 2,534 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushing for 674 yards and seven more scores — all of which have already put him into the 2026 NFL draft conversation. Also Read: 'Guys just go anywhere': Former Tide player Daron Payne reflects on evolution of college football landscape And here, Beamer — who described Sellers as " the heartbeat of our locker room " — says the quarterback's commitment can revive a program hungry for its first College Football Playoff bid. It was a move that fans took to social media to celebrate, casting Sellers as the anti-mercenary face of a sport few recognize as their own. But if the Gamecocks can parlay that goodwill into a second double‑digit‑win season, the decision made by the sophomore to turn away $ 8 million could be worth far more to the school's legacy than it ever could have been to his bank balance.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
College QB, 19, rejected stunning $8million offer to switch schools
The South Carolina Gamecocks are poised to be one of the best teams in college football next season and that's mostly thanks to their star quarterback. LaNorris Sellers is a Heisman favorite who can torch defenses through the air and on the ground - making him a perfect candidate for an early-round draft choice. It's that potential and pedigree that led one school to try and poach him from Columbia this past offseason. According to Sellers' father (via The Athletic), the quarterback was offered a two-year, $8million NIL deal from another school - which was declined. 'He was offered all kinds of crazy numbers,' Norris Sellers said. 'I told him he could say, I'm gonna stay or I'm gonna go. 'By my two cents: It was to get into college on a scholarship, play ball, get our degree and go on about our business. This NIL deal came later. We didn't come here to make money. 'We came here to get our education, play ball, and with schools calling, we're not gonna jump ship because they're offering more than what we're getting. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.' LaNorris shared a similar sentiment: 'I've been playing football all my life for free. I've built my relationships here, my family's here, my brother's here. There's no reason for me to go someplace else and start over.' The old era (and by old, we mean since 2021) of college football saw boosters and donors offer outrageous amounts of money to players to transfer or stay at their schools. At the end of last season, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers was offered a rumored $6m to transfer to an unnamed school. He chose to enter the NFL Draft instead and was selected by the Miami Dolphins. Elsewhere, Carson Beck signed a reported $4m offer to transfer from Georgia to Miami. But now, there's a new era of college football after the 'House settlement' was passed - allowing schools to pay their athletes directly via a revenue-sharing agreement. Over the next year, the House settlement will allow each school to share up to $20.5m a year with their athletes. It now finally forces colleges and universities competing at the highest levels of the NCAA to face the reality that their players are responsible for the billions in television and other revenue brought in from athletics each year. Thanks to this settlement, college sports are now a fully and completely professional enterprise - with top stars in football and basketball specifically standing to gain the most on their paths to the NFL and NBA. But as for Sellers, he's primarily focused on trying to get the Gamecocks to their first SEC Championship since 2010. Last season, the redshirt freshman led the Gamecocks to a 9-4 record while throwing for 2,534 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushing for 674 yards and seven touchdowns. 'He's made of the right stuff,' South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer said. 'He's got a great family around him. He knows what he means to this state. LaNorris has a chance to leave a legacy here.'
Reuters
4 days ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Gamecocks QB LaNorris Sellers offered $8M to transfer, dad says
June 16 - South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers is expected to be one of the best quarterbacks in the Southeastern Conference this season and, potentially, a high pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. According to his father, Sellers' stock was so high following his breakout 2024 campaign that schools made the family lucrative offers to induce him to transfer. In a story published by The Athletic on Monday, Norris Sellers said his son's highest offer was for two years and $8 million. The schools that reached out were not identified. "He was offered all kinds of crazy numbers," Norris told the outlet. "I told him he could say, 'I'm gonna stay or I'm gonna go.' (But) my two cents: It was to get into college on a scholarship, play ball, get our degree and go on about our business. This NIL deal came later. We didn't come here to make money. We came here to get our education, play ball, and with schools calling, we're not gonna jump ship because they're offering more than what we're getting. If it ain't broke, don't fix it." In his sophomore season -- his first as a starter -- Sellers completed 65.6 percent of his passes for 2,534 yards, 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He added 674 yards and seven scores on the ground. Most notably, Sellers helped the Gamecocks upset intrastate rival Clemson 17-14 on Nov. 30. He threw for 164 yards and rushed for 166 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning score on a third-and-16 play with 1:08 to go. Sellers earned third-team all-SEC honors (behind Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart and Texas' Quinn Ewers) while helping South Carolina finish the regular season 9-3 before a Citrus Bowl loss to Illinois. NIL endorsement deals poured in over the offseason, but his father advised him not to chase more money from rival schools. "You're 19," Norris said. "You don't need ($8 million). You're in a great spot. There were several talks, but it never really crossed his mind (to leave). It's a challenge with colleges offering younger guys that kind of money. Who's gonna say no to $8 million for two years? They're gonna be swayed if you don't have the right people in your corner." --Field Level Media
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why South Carolina women's basketball forward Maryam Dauda swapped time off for extra training
COLUMBIA — Before South Carolina women's basketball's 2024-25 season even ended, Maryam Dauda knew where she'd be in May. Whether the Gamecocks and coach Dawn Staley finished with a title again, as they did in 2024 before Dauda transferred from Arkansas, the 6-foot-4 forward had plans no matter what. Advertisement "I just feel like I have so much to learn," Dauda told The Greenville News. "Coming into a new system, learning this system, learning the pace of the game and I am very excited for the offseason because I am going to be in the gym," Dauda said with a smile. And she kept that promise to herself. After the Gamecocks lost to UConn in the championship on April 6, Dauda got back to work. Though she wasn't required to be in Columbia in May, she was. She worked with sports performance coach Molly Binetti and a local skills and development coach, Drevon Sweat. South Carolina's Maryam Dauda's offseason work South Carolina's assistant coaches can't participate in offseason training with the players until summer practices begin in mid/late June. Advertisement Sweat, a 2022 South Carolina graduate, has been doing 1-on-1 training sessions with Dauda since the season ended. "She didn't want to go home," Sweat said, who worked previously with former players Te-Hina Paopao, Zia Cooke, LeLe Grissett, and Destiny Littleton. "She wanted to stay here, keep working and be ready, more prepared for the upcoming season." In her first season under Staley, Dauda's minutes and impact varied. When she first arrived, the Gamecocks hadn't lost a game since March 31, 2023 and were fresh off an undefeated season. Dauda along with two freshmen joined the program but only one left. The dynamic wasn't necessarily easy to navigate. Dauda averaged 6.4 minutes and two points per game during the 2024-25 season. At Arkansas, she averaged 28.7 minutes and 10.1 points per game. She knew transferring meant sacrificing a starring role. Advertisement A key difference in her game is how she stretches the floor, something that Sweat recognized not many forwards can do. She can shoot 3-pointers, but only shot 25% last season. Before the Final Four against Texas, Dauda was drilling 3-pointers in practice when Staley asked her when she was going to do that in a game. The next day, she hit on with 24.8 seconds left to push South Carolina's lead to 20. After the game, Dauda said a sense of relief and also confidence ran through her body. Ensuring those moments are no longer few and far between is one of the many goals of the offseason. "As a team, it gives them more assets to use," Sweat said of her 3-point shooting. Advertisement In addition to sharpening her shooting, training sessions are about moving faster, being more physical, Sweat said. The duo wants to improve her confidence, dribbling, and foot speed. "A lot of little things but they add up to big things," Sweat said. "I think people will see, all the extra things ... it's about getting used to moving at a 110% but being able to slow down when playing at that speed." South Carolina's Maryam Dauda looks to improve her game for 2025-26 Dauda's game made visible improvements from her first moments in a Gamecocks uniform in November to big time minutes in March and April. In the SEC tournament win against Oklahoma on March 8, Dauda had a team-high +18, with five points, three steals, three rebounds, two blocks and one assist in 12 minutes. Advertisement "She's starting to put it all together," Staley said after the game. Dauda isn't the first college athlete to opt out of summer relaxation and instead get extra work in to improve their game. However, Sweat still sees a uniqueness about her approach during the sessions, which are typically four days a week. REQUIRED READING: Olivia Thompson's journey from South Carolina women's basketball reserve to podcast host Throughout the last month, Sweat has seen improvement in her strength, ball control, and stamina. Her ability to go 110% for the entire workout wasn't something Dauda could necessarily do last offseason. Advertisement "She's working hard and it's hard work," Sweat said. "She's not late, she's on time, she's working the whole time and not complaining. It's not easy work, she could be at the beach but it's impressive with what she's doing. Nowadays with the college landscape, there's a lot of other factors going on but the fact that she's here, working hard, focused, it's impressive." Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@ and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Why South Carolina forward Maryam Dauda dedicated her offseason to training
