Spencer Rattler has a ‘superpower.’ South Carolina might need it against Arkansas

Spencer Rattler didn’t need to be Superman on Saturday to beat Georgia State in South Carolina’s season opener, but his “superpowers,” certainly flashed in spurts under the lights at Williams-Brice Stadium.

“The superpower he has is a lot like — and I hate to reference Oklahoma — but those guys: Baker (Mayfield), Jalen (Hurts) and Kyler (Murray),” South Carolina offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield said of Rattler’s ability to extend plays. “I mean, all of them, that’s how they played.

“It’s not really mayhem scrambling. It’s just he understands time and space and very casually knows how to move out of the pocket. He’s never really out of control. I think that’s something that you can use to your advantage offensively, especially when you’re trying to move the pocket and protect the passer.”

Rattler has been lauded for his arm strength and rightly so. He’s a gunslinger in the truest form.

Pro Football Focus credited Rattler with 25 big time throws — or “a pass with excellent ball location and timing, generally thrown further down the field and/or into a tighter window” — during his highly decorated 2020 campaign at Oklahoma, tied for the sixth-most in college football that season.

More pressing, though, the ex-Sooner also ranked tied for fourth in the country in average time to throw at 3.12 seconds per attempt.

The latter comes, at least in part, from playing behind an offensive line at Oklahoma that ranked as one of the 25 best in the country in pass blocking efficiency in 2020, per PFF. It’s also a credit to Rattler’s ability to extend plays — like he did in the Gamecocks’ Week 1 victory on Saturday.

“Credit to Georgia State, they didn’t give us too many clean looks down the field,” Rattler said postgame. “And sometimes you just gotta get out of there and make a play with your feet and get some guys open.”

Rattler’s final stats against Georgia State — 23 of 37 for 227 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions — were middle of the road on the surface.

Outside the pocket, though, he was more efficient.

He concluded his day 6 of 9 for 99 yards and one pick on throws made outside the pocket, per SEC StatCast. That’s despite playing behind an offensive line that allowed Rattler to be pressured on 17 of his 37 drop backs, leading to three throwaways and three sacks.

The most dynamic of those throws came on Rattler’s 39-yard connection over the top to receiver Jalen Brooks. Dipping out of the pocket and bouncing parallel to the Gamecocks’ 25-yard line, Rattler bought himself an extra second or two before flinging a pass up the right sideline.

There, Brooks raced under the ball, diving with his arms outstretched to make the catch over Georgia State cornerback Quavian White.

“That is something that Spencer is very good at is extending the play,” Brooks said after the win.

Added Rattler: “If we’ve gotta make a play, make a play. We’ve got to get better at the scramble and creating on the run because it’s going to happen a lot in this league.”

South Carolina, for better or worse, hasn’t been afraid to get creative in Satterfield’s brief time as offensive coordinator.

The ill-fated Jordan Burch trick-pass interception at Tennessee last year was inventive, even if the result was catastrophic. The Gamecocks also added and relied heavily on subpackages involving receiver Dakereon Joyner running as a wildcat quarterback in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl win over North Carolina.

That said, facing an Arkansas defense that held Cincinnati to 3.6 yards per rush, 7.6 yards per pass and forced a pair of turnovers in Week 1, South Carolina could stand to move Rattler around more by design this week.

Satterfield’s offense has been at its best in the past with quarterbacks like Carolina Panthers signal-caller P.J. Walker — who played for Satterfield and Matt Rhule at Temple — who can extend plays and make things happen on the run.

Rattler didn’t need to be super-human to beat a Sun Belt squad in Week 1. A pair of punt block touchdowns and an efficient enough day from USC’s quarterback carried the Gamecocks to victory.

South Carolina, though, may need Rattler to show less Clark Kent and more Superman on Saturday in Fayetteville to steal a win over the No. 16 team in America.