The Gamecock football team will return two of its most productive offense players in 2023 after redshirt junior quarterback Spencer Rattler and junior wide receiver Antwane "Juice" Wells Jr. announced that they will return to the program next season.
Wells announced his decision to return in a video posted on his social media on Jan. 9. Rattler made his choice public the next day with his own social media video.
The play of Wells and Rattler helped lead South Carolina to an 8-5 season. Their play was crucial to the team’s success late in the season and led the program to back-to-back victories against top 10 opponents for the first time in program history.
Rattler, a former Oklahoma transfer, passed for 3,026 yards, 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in his first season with the Gamecocks. After starting the season with a 5-9 touchdown to interception ratio, Rattler turned his season around and erupted for13 touchdowns in the team’s final five games while only throwing three picks.
Wells, a transfer from James Madison, led the team with 928 receiving yards and six touchdowns. He had four games with over 100 receiving yards and seven with at least five total receptions.
Both players' were instrumental in the team’s 63-38 upset victory against Tennessee on Nov. 19. Rattler passed for a season-high 438 yards and six touchdowns. Wells took advantage of his matchup and caught 11 passes for 177 yards and scored his lone rushing touchdown of the season.
Rattler’s and Wells’ return will provide some stability to an offense that lost many key contributors to the transfer portal or NFL draft. Those losses, in addition to the departure of former offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield, mark a new direction for the Gamecocks’ offense led by new offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains.