How Spencer Rattler influenced Dowell Loggains to leave Arkansas for South Carolina

Dowell Loggains kicked back in the leather chair at the head of South Carolina’s football staff meeting room, putting his arms up behind his head, almost sinking into the seat.

There’s an ease about South Carolina’s new offensive coordinator, though he’s still in temporary housing amid his recent move Fayetteville, Arkansas. The reason for that momentary sense of comfort?

That’d be quarterback Spencer Rattler.

“When I got here, I didn’t know, to be honest, whether Spencer was gonna be here or not,” Loggains told The State in his first exclusive interview since landing in Columbia in December. “Like, I thought he was. But there was times during that process I thought he wasn’t. That’s not a great feeling.

“I chose two things (in taking this job), I’m gonna be honest — Shane Beamer and Spencer Rattler. And, well, now (if felt like) one might be gone.”

Loggains, and the bulk of Gamecocks fans, can breathe easy these days. Rattler announced publicly on Jan. 10 he was returning to South Carolina for a second season under Shane Beamer.

Expectations are beginning to pile up, and with good reason. Rattler lit up No. 5 Tennessee and No. 8 Clemson to close out the regular season. Those moments paired with the long-held perception he’d spend just a year at South Carolina insinuated he’d be off in Indianapolis at the NFL Combine this week.

Instead, Rattler is back — at least in part — to work with Loggains and learn from his 17 years as an NFL assistant coach.

“It’s huge when a quarterback as talented as him comes back outside this building just from a perception standpoint and excitement and energy and all that,” Beamer told The State. “That part’s great. But then, within the building, I don’t care what level you are — high school, college NFL — you better have a good quarterback or it’s gonna be hard for you to win football games. And Spencer coming back, we have a good quarterback.”

There’s something parallel in the way Rattler and Loggains have landed in Columbia. Neither is a reclamation project exactly, but there are striking similarities.

Rattler’s path is well documented. He went from five-star recruit to Heisman Trophy contender to clipboard holder in a matter of two-plus years. He left Oklahoma following a benching in favor of Caleb Williams for Columbia, where he reunited with an ex-Sooners assistant in Beamer.

Loggains, too, has been on a rebound of his own in recent years. He spent nearly two decades in the NFL, including stints as an offensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets after bursting onto the scene as a wonderkind of sorts. But through a handful of wayward coaching tenures and precarious ownerships, he landed back in college football as the tight ends coach at the University of Arkansas — his alma mater — in 2021.

Two years and a handful of other job offers later, he’s joining Rattler for his final chapter at the college level.

“Spencer knows when he feels comfortable,” Loggains said. “So he can be a second voice for Coach (Luke) Day, Coach Beamer. He can hold people accountable, because he holds himself accountable. And that’s what we expect. Everyone expects and everyone says that about their quarterback and very few do it. And to this point, right now, in our offseason program, he’s done that stuff. “

Over an hour-long chat with Loggains, it’s easy to see why Beamer and Rattler could be so enthralled with the one-time Arkansas walk-on quarterback.

Loggains’ wit is sharp, giving a nearly 20 minute spiel on how he decides whether to offer quarterbacks, and how he teaches the intricacies of the position. He’s personable, expounding on war stories from his time in a quarterback room with future NFL pros Tavaris Jackson and Matt Jones, along with SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee.

His personality figures to play well with Rattler and a quarterback room formerly run by Marcus Satterfield, who left to be Nebraska’s new offensive coordinator in December.

For now, Loggains is combing through tape. He’s watched most, if not all, of the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He’s picking through the hours of highlights to piece together his own perceptions of the players on South Carolina’s roster. He doesn’t want the input of other offensive assistants yet. Loggains insists on getting a fresh perspective first.

This was part of his pitch to Rattler. As well as he played down the stretch a year ago, Loggains said, there are nitpicks and subtleties NFL teams would pick up on if he were to go through the draft process now.

“Nothing can actually prepare you except for going through (the draft process),” Loggains explained. “But I can tell you what’s gonna be asked at the (NFL Combine). I can tell you what people are gonna say your deficiencies are. I’ve watched all the tape. I know how I would grade you. I can tell you what they’re gonna say your strengths are — and that’s why you’re probably going to be drafted relatively high and people are going to be excited about you.

“But I can also tell you, if you come back and we can clean things and grow things, why you have a chance to be even more successful when you make that decision to go that level.”

Beamer folded his hands and leaned forward when asked when he thought there was a realistic chance Rattler might come back for one more season. He, too, had largely assumed, if things went to plan, Rattler would leave for the NFL after one year at South Carolina.

“I made a comment (last year) about, ‘Oh, I’ll bring him to SEC Media Days next year,’ and the room kind of laughed,” Beamer said. “I’m like, ‘Well, there’s a chance.’ I don’t know. I think I thought let’s just focus on this season and see what happens, but also knew that he wouldn’t go just for the sake of going. It would have to be what’s best for him and his family.”

Beamer quipped he’s not ready to actually announce Rattler will be among South Carolina’s player reps at SEC Media Days in July (though it’s a fair assumption that he’ll be a part of the event). Loggains, meanwhile, is simply happy to have half of his reasoning for joining the staff at South Carolina actually in the boat.

If the Gamecocks are to chase the heights both men envision for the program, it’ll fall on a marriage between a 5-foot-6 former walk-on, and a gunslinger with a flare for the dramatic, working symbiotically as one.