On Wednesday, South Carolina Defensive Coordinator Clayton White spoke with the media about the outlook of his side of the ball going into 2024.

The Gamecocks defense had and up and down season in 2023, but it was how they finished that gives many confidence in their abilities going forward. This gave the team opportunities to work through the bad and good of a season.

“Our leaders stuck together to make sure and we didn’t fold,” Coach White said about his defense. ”What I learned was that they stick together during tough times and also after.”

One of the bigger battles for this veteran defense has been the ongoing DB battle opposite entrenched starter O’Donnell Fortune. Coach White reiterated Shane Beamer’s comments about the room and overall play of the defensive backs.

“It’s been a really good battle. All those guys have shown that they can go out and play in this league and play against the receivers that we go against. It makes it fun that we got 4-5 really good players,” Coach White on the DB competition.

South Carolina’s prized five star Dylan Stewart received praise from national outlets being named a preseason true freshman All-American. His talent and growth have been encouraging for the staff.

“He’s gotten better every day. He’s a talented player. There’s also a lot of learning and growing up for Dylan. Coach Sterling’s [Lucas] pushing him, I’m pushing him, Coach [Travian] Robertson’s pushing him, Coach Beamer, the offensive coaches are pushing him because they see something special in the kid.”

Head coach Shane Beamer singled out Bam Martin-Scott during Tuesday’s press conference saying he is “poised for a big year.” Bam was one of the Gamecocks best defenders at the end of the year. It seems he has continued to build on that success.

“He’s definitely picked up his play on and off the field. He’s doing a really good job in all aspects not just the physical part, but the mental part and also bringing his teammates along.”

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Why the South Carolina Gamecocks choosing to start quarterback LaNorris Sellers is the right choice for the program.

On Tuesday it was announced that LaNorris Sellers would be the starting quarterback for the program this season. Sellers won the job over former Auburn quarterback Robby Ashford. With that news, it appears that the Gamecocks have found their future at the position as Sellers is just a redshirt freshman. While Sellers has not yet played a game this season, here is why he was the right choice as the starter.

Going back to Sellers still being a young football player, it provides clarity for the future of the program. At the very least, the Gamecocks get Sellers as their starter for two seasons and that’s enough for a program to start building around him. Knowing the direction of a program is important to both recruits and the overall environment, and Sellers being the guy provides both of those things.

Sellers also has a high upside as a playmaker. During his senior high school season, he threw for nearly 3,000 yards and had over 1,300 yards on the ground. The Gamecocks have some questions at wide receiver and at offensive line entering this season, so having a dual-threat guy like Sellers could help eliminate any concerns. Also, having a rushing attack that includes a healthy Raheim Sanders and a big framed Sellers could become a major issue for SEC defenses.

This is a pivotal season for head coach Shane Beamer and his program after missing out on a bowl game a season ago. If Sellers can show promise moving forward, both the fan base and the athletic organization at South Carolina can feel confident about the program moving forward regardless of what the record might say. A young promising quarterback can push a lot of momentum into a program, especially for a team like South Carolina which will be starting a handful of underclassmen on both sides of the ball this season.

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Updated August 21, 2024 at 00:58 AM ET

The NPR Network will be reporting live from Chicago throughout the week bringing you the latest on the Democratic National Convention.

Delegates to the Democratic National Convention held a ceremonial — and celebratory — roll call vote to mark what they’d already made official earlier this month with a virtual vote: Vice President Kamala Harris’ selection as the party’s presidential nominee.

The unconventional roll call was facilitated by a DJ, with a unique songs playing as the call moved from state to state. “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd for Alabama, for example.

Here’s what song each state chose.

Florida’s song was “Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty (possibly a snarky reference to the Never Back Down, Inc., super PAC, set up to encourage Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ unsuccessful presidential candidacy?).

MORE: Turn down for … what?! Lil Jon helps Georgia delegation announce votes for Harris

Loud cheers went up from the convention crowd as the voting moved from state to state. Participants announced their support for Harris and Walz, and touted their individual states’ accomplishments, including the Hawaii delegation, which noted its status as the birthplace of former President Obama, and Illinois, where Obama won the first victory of his presidential campaign in the 2008 caucuses.

Several high-profile Democrats who’d been discussed as potential running mates for Harris participated in the roll call, including Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

Participants also called attention to key issues of importance to Democratic voters, including reproductive rights and gun violence. Representing Nevada was a survivor of the October 1, 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting.

Cecile Richards, the former president of Planned Parenthood and daughter of the late former Texas Gov. Ann Richards, introduced Kate Cox, a Texas woman who became a Democratic activist after being turned away for an abortion under Texas law.

The count wrapped up with a nod to the candidates’ home states — California for Harris and Minnesota for her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz.

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