South Carolina fans can breathe easy — LaNorris Sellers is staying home. After leading the Gamecocks to a dominant 9-4 season, the star QB is locked in for 2025, thanks to a major NIL deal. Meanwhile, over in Athens, Kirby Smart is dealing with some serious headaches. And if you ask Shane Beamer, he’ll tell you exactly why the Gamecocks are steering clear of that drama. 

Shane Beamer is open with his praise of LaNorris Sellers, who signed an NIL deal in December to ensure his return to South Carolina. He hopped on Rivals Video on February 6 to shine the spotlight on his playmaker. “Really proud of the progress he made in year one coming in. It’s only his second year of playing college football,l and to see where he was at the beginning of the season and how he progressed and to where he was playing at the end of the season, he was, in my opinion, playing as well as any quarterback in the country at the end of the season.”

It’s hard to argue with him. LaNorris Sellers’ progression in 2024 was undeniable. The redshirt freshman started 3-3, but then flipped the switch. It was their next win that set the momentum for a big second-half season with statement victories over Texas A&M and Clemson. During this stretch, he completed 67% of his passes just short of 1,500 yards. His dual-threat ability also shone with him rushing for 400+ yards and 17 total scores. 

“Relationships are huge,” Shane Beamer added. “It’s a key component of what this program is about; the relationships with one another in this building, the relationships in recruiting and understanding that a guy you know may not come to your school out of high school but if a guy calls and tells you he’s going somewhere else, we wish them well and we’re disappointed but not mad at the guy.”

After finishing the 2024 season with 2,274 passing yards, 17 passing TDs, 655 rushing yards, and seven rushing scores, LaNorris Sellers signed an NIL deal with The Garnet Trust, which saw a $286K boost in his NIL valuation, which currently sits at $3.7M, the highest in SC’s roster. Meanwhile, Georgia just took a punch. 

Kirby Smart loses NIL battle with Justus Terry

Carson Beck’s departure is far from the only woe that Kirby Smart was slapped with. Georgia faced a major loss, losing 5-star DL Justus Terry, who made a shocking flip to Steve Sarkisian in Texas. After a CFP semifinal run, the Longhorns have cemented themselves as a rising SEC powerhouse, boasting the top 1 recruiting cycle in 2025. But their field and recruiting success might just not be the only factor at play in Terry’s decision. 

Per a report by On3, Justus Terry signed the highest NIL deal for incoming defensive freshmen. The 6’5, 290-pounder is expected to get an immediate playing role in the upcoming season. Even On3’s Chad Simmons stated, “I don’t know how else to say it — just a straight-up better NIL package. Texas got involved in the fall, communication picked up in the summer, and they got him on campus for an official visit.” And he isn’t the only one thinking NIL is the game-changer here. 

For Kirby Smart, it’s a tough pill to swallow. Sure, they landed the No. 2 class in this year’s recruiting cycle, but still, it’s a haunting loss. Maybe taking a page out of Shane Beamer’s book wouldn’t be the worst idea!